Best Tony Moments 2015

1.) Sydney Lucas, Ring of Keys

The little girl is amazing. She obviously possesses an understanding of humanity that exceeds her years. Her performance was raw… profound… moving…

I also loved the camera shots with Beth Malone (Alison) sitting behind Sydney (small Alison) and the final shot of Michael Cerveris (Bruce, father). Very nicely done. 

2.) Kelly O’Hara dancing off the stage

It’s all over Twitter. I suppose I would be dancing too, if it took me six Tony nominations to finally win a Tony. She waited a long time to make that exit. 

3.) Alan Cumming’s shorts. 

A bold, yet effective fashion choice. 

4.) Banter between Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming. 

I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a big opening number, such as the enthralling 2013 opening number performed by Neil Patrick Harris, but I did enjoy the comical exchanges between the two co-hosts and I definitely appreciated their comedic approach to hosting. They had great chemistry and were fun to watch, like a flashback to when they played Rooster and Lily in the 1999 Annie movie. 

5.) Lisa Howard’s performance (from It Shoulda Been You with Tyne Daly)

Having seen her live, I knew she would knock this out of the park. She was fierce, and yes, she sang “like a big black woman”. If anything or anyone can help this show sell more tickets, it’s this performance. I hope Tony viewers feel the same as I do because I want this show to be around for a long time! 

6.) Fun Home Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori win for Best Book and Best Score. 

In all of Broadway history, Fun Home is the first musical with an all-female writing team to win Best Book and Best Score categories. In other words, we witnessed Fun Home making history tonight! 

7.) Chita Rivera performing Kander & Ebb’s final musical at the young age of 82 years. 

An inspirational sight to see. 

What were your favorite Tony moments???? 

BEST TONY MOMENTS 2013

1.) BEST SPEECH- Billy Porter has waited so long for his perfect stage role, and watching him accept his first Tony Award was just the icing on the cake. Remember Stark, he’s keeping that Tony at his house. 

2.) BEST PRESENTER(S)- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (with Jane Krakowski) burst out with “Girl, you’re gonna have fun tonight” when he presented Cyndi Lauper with the Tony Award for Best Score. Very clever, JTF. And the audience went wild. 

3.) BEST DRESSED- Annaleigh Ashford 

4.) BEST PERFORMANCE- The Opening Number was by far the best performance of the evening with lots of laugh-out-loud-inducing lyrics. For example. 

“You could bounce a quarter off the ass of Billy Porter”. 

“Hats off to Berry Gordy, he runs Motown like a boss. He dominates Top 40 and he banged Diana Ross”. 

And to the Broadway kids, NPH sings, “Is there a Tony daycare where all of you go?... Do your parents set aside your Broadway dough”? 

“Can I have my Tom Hooper Les Mis close-up please? You see, on Broadway, we don’t need extreme close-ups to prove we’re singing live”. 

“If you win, have the time of your life, tell your manager, dad and your mom, thanks. Hi to your kids and your husband or wife, maybe just for the hell of it, Tom Hanks”. 

“Kathie Lee’s a Broadway lyricist so anything can happen”. 

In addition to the clever lyrics, Neil Patrick Harris was just phenomenal when you think about the limited rehearsal time. He didn’t stumble on a single word and he was full of energy. I see an Emmy win in NPH’s future! Bravo! 

5. “OTHER” BEST MOMENTS-

Shout-outs to Cinderella for those seamless costume “transformations”. They were just as magical on TV as they were in person! More shout-outs to Matilda for including all of their principal actors and all four Matildas in their Tony performance. And finally, one last shout-out to Jane Lynch, who can actually sing pretty well. She is definitely scaring those “Little Girls” over at the Palace Theatre! 

Tony Trivia 2013

Happy Tony Weekend, everyone!  I've listed some examples of Broadway trivia questions below. Feel free to use them at your own Tony Awards Parties!  For more tips on how to throw a Tony Awards Party, check out my blog entry from last year by clicking here. 

TONY TRIVIA

1.) What actress has played Wicked’s Elphaba in three languages? 

Willemijn Verkaik

2.) True or False. The current production of Annie is Jane Lynch’s Broadway debut. 

True. 

3.)  Motown the musical is the story of what man? 

Berry Gordy

4.) What is the name of the circus choreographer who choreographed the new revival of Pippin?

Gypsy Snider

5.) What short-lived musical was based on a documentary? (this season)

Hands on a Hardbody

6.) Which nominee for Best New Musical won an Olivier Award this past season?

Matilda

7.) This musical’s 25th anniversary celebration was in January. 

Phantom of the Opera

8.) Which long running Broadway musical will be changing theatres at the end of the year? 

Mamma Mia

9.) The actor who played the Teen Angel in the 1994 Broadway revival of Grease is now a Tony nominee for which new musical?

Kinky Boots (Billy Porter)

10.) What Bring It On actress is now playing Sherry in Rock of Ages? 

Kate Rockwell

11.) What famous talk show host was tied to the musical Scandalous?
Kathie Lee Gifford

12.) Who played Drood in the original Broadway production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood?

Betty Buckley

13.) In this show’s playbill, there is an ad that says, “you’ve seen the play, now read the book”. 

Book of Mormon

14.) Is Cinderella considered a new musical or a revival?  

Revival

15.) What shows on Broadway right now have been influenced by choreographer Bob Fosse?

Chicago and Pippin

My Tony Award Picks 2013 (Musicals)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year..... for the Broadway lover!  On Tuesday, April 30, Sutton Foster and Jesse Tyler Ferguson will announce the highly-anticipated 2013 Tony Award nominations. The Tony Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall on June 9th. 

As I eagerly await Tuesday’s nominations, I’ve made a list of my own Tony picks for some of the musical categories. 

I hope you enjoy- please comment and share your own Tony picks below! 

BEST MUSICAL
1.) Hands on a Hardbody- a very unique and original musical that closed far too soon. With its creative choreography, solid music, heart-warming story, and stand-out performers, this musical deserves a Tony nod. 

2.) Kinky Boots- book by Harvey Fierstein + music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper + Billy Porter’s amazing voice = great entertainment. Need I say more?

3.) Matilda- The dark children’s book by Roald Dahl has been transformed into a stage production. Matilda is well-written, well-staged, and boasts several stand-out performances- particularly Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull. 

Who will win? 
Matilda. 
However, I would love to see Hands on a Hardbody take home this Tony Award. 

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
**All five eligible productions- Annie, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Cinderella, Jekyll and Hyde, and Pippin- were very solid and any of these shows would, in my opinion, be deserving of a nomination. However, two shows did stand out for me. 

1.) Pippin- with its spectacular circus choreography, this production brings something new and exciting to the Broadway stage and quite possibly employs the most talented ensemble on Broadway right now. 

2.) The Mystery of Edwin Drood- How many musicals have more than one possible
ending? This killer cast (no pun intended) had me in stitches. 

Who will win?
Pippin. 

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
1.) Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull in Matilda- an outstanding, formidable, transformative performance. 

2.) Rob McClure as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin- He transfixed the audience with his perfect embodiment of Charlie Chaplin. 

3.) Billy Porter as Lola in Kinky Boots- the heart of the show. 

4.) Constantine Maroulis as Jekyll and Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde- Constantine carried the entire show and transformed effortlessly between good and evil.... and that voice. 

5.) Anthony Warlow as Daddy Warbucks in Annie- some of the best moments in this show were the scenes between Daddy Warbucks and Annie thanks to the great chemistry between him and Lilla Crawford. 

Who will win?
Bertie Carvel. 
However, I would love to see Rob McClure win for his role in Chaplin. 

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
1.) Carolee Carmello as Aimee Semple McPherson in Scandalous- a powerhouse performance. 

2.) Patina Miller as the Leading Player in Pippin- she gave a mysterious and manipulative performance, while mastering Fosse’s choreography. In this role, Patina has proven that she is the ultimate triple threat. 

3.) Laura Osnes as Cinderella in Cinderella- she was born to play this part. 

Who will win?
Patina Miller

BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
1.) Will Chase as John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood- Did he really do it?

2.) Hunter Foster as Benny Perkins in Hands on a Hardbody- his character started out as a jerk but ended up having so much depth. 

3.) Gabriel Ebert as Mr. Wormwood in Matilda- one word: hilarious. 

Who will win?
Gabriel Ebert. 

BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
1.) Andrea Martin as Bertha in Pippin- With one musical number, she somehow managed to steal the show while simultaneously dangling from a trapeze. (Note: she plays a grandma......)

2.) Annaleigh Ashford as Lauren in Kinky Boots- It’s about time this talented funny girl got a Tony nomination!

3.) Keala Settle as Norma in Hands on a Hardbody- with her killer pipes, she brought the house down with her big number. 

Who will win?
Andrea Martin. But I would not be sad if Keala Settle won....

What were your favorite Tony-worthy performances this season??

Tony Awards Highlights- Best Tony Moments 2012

1.) Best surprise win: Michael McGrath, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, for Nice Work If You Can Get It 
While most of the speculation in this category surrounded Michael Cerveris and the Porgy and Bess men, no one expected that the comedic butler/bootlegger from Nice Work If You Can Get It would bring a Tony Award home! With that said, McGrath’s comical performance alone is worth the ticket price and his Tony Award is well-deserved simply for his genius comedic timing. 


 2.) Best presenter(s): Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin 
Who didn’t say, “awwww”, when the former Evita co-stars took the stage to announce in song the best revival of a musical? Charming. 


 3.) Best Dress: Celia Keenan-Bolger 
What I love about Celia’s beautiful, gold Monique Lhuillier dress is that it’s true to the color theme of her show. The set of Peter and the Starcatcher boasts a unique gold proscenium decorated with numerous gold objects such as forks, potato mashers, and garden tools... just to name a few. While her dress luckily didn’t have common household items sewn to it, the colors and embellished gold fabric are reminiscent of the show’s creativity! I don’t know if Celia did this purposely... but I liked it! 

4.) Best Performance: Leap of Faith 
After closing prematurely on May 13th, you have to give the cast of Leap of Faith credit for performing at the Tony Awards and killing it. Led by Raul Esparza, this energetic, upbeat, feel-good show had a lot to offer on Broadway and deserved a longer run. Well, now America can see what they’re missing.... and maybe this performance will pave the way for a tour in the future. 


 5.) Best Tony Speech: Steve Kazee, Best Leading Actor in a Musical, Once 
As Steve tearfully remembered his late mother, there was not a dry eye at any Tony Party. Everything about his speech- from his acknowledgement of his cast-mates and leading lady to his Arthur O’Shaughnessy quote to his remembrance of his mother to his sense of gratitude- was heartfelt and authentic. And it helps that he is SO deserving of this Tony Award. And the perfect end to his speech was Cristin Milioti giving him a standing ovation... 

In a close second is Audra McDonald, who told her daughter that, while tonight is a very special night, the best night of her life would always be the night she was born.

Tips for Throwing a Tony Awards Party

Last year, I threw my first annual Tony Awards Party. It was a big hit among my theatre-loving friends, theatre-liking friends, and even my don’t-care-about-Broadway-but-came-to-support-me friends. As I write this blog, I am actively planning my second Tony Awards Party with the hope that it will be just as successful as last year’s event! 

This blog is directed at anyone who may be thinking about throwing a Tony-themed Party or anyone who is looking for new ideas to “spice up” their yearly Tony celebration.  Happy Planning! 

1.) GAMES

Because I have the guests arrive two hours before the Tony’s, there is plenty of time for games.  Last year, I compiled a list of “Tony trivia”, which included 25 questions about the Tony Awards, new or currently running musicals and plays, and Broadway “people” (actors, composer/lyricists, directors, choreographers, etc). I created most of the trivia questions myself, but the Tony Awards website offers many trivia questions specific to the history of the Tony Awards, so that is an excellent resource as well. 

http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/history/facts/index.html

We also played a game of “Tony quotes”. I created a list of about 20-25 quotes from popular Broadway showtunes and the guests must determine which musical the quote originated from. The guest who achieves the most correct answers on trivia and quotes is given a prize (more on prizes below). 

Here is an example of a trivia question and a quote. 

Which actress has played Elphaba (Wicked) in more performances than any other actress? 

“I’m as corny as Kansas in August...” 

2.) DECORATIONS

Decorations are really a matter of preference. I like to keep the lights low and decorate my living room with white Christmas lights. I also like hanging black and silver balloons around my living room. This year, I’m going to frame Broadway and New York-related photos and playbills from the Tony-nominated shows and hang them around my living room to set the mood. 

3.) FOOD

I know some theatre fans like to serve Broadway-themed food. For example, serving French food for Les Miserables or corned beef and cabbage for Once or Southern food for Memphis. I have no culinary ability, so I do not do this. Plus, I know too many picky eaters. However, I do ensure that there is plenty of food to be enjoyed. I tend to stick with pizza, sandwiches, vegetables and dip, chips and dip, fresh fruit, and a punch bowl. This year, I will be serving Broadway-themed cupcakes that will be decorated with candies relevant to this year’s Tony-nominated shows. For example, some cupcakes will be decorated with a candy guitar to represent Once or a candy star for Peter and the Starcatcher, etc. 

4.) MUSIC

Until the Tony Awards begin, I have Broadway music playing in the background. I compile a playlist of songs in iTunes from ONLY the Tony-nominated shows and put it on shuffle, which usually gets everyone in Broadway mode (if they’re not already!). The only downfall to this is that some of the Tony-nominated shows have not yet recorded a cast recording by the time of the Tony Awards and so some shows are left out of my mix. 

5.) COSTUMES

Oh, did I forget to mention?  My Tony Awards Party is also a costume party!  My guests are required to dress up as a character from a Broadway musical or play (the show does not have to be running on Broadway currently). Last year, my guests included: the Phantom of the Opera, Elphaba from Wicked, Diana and Dan Goodman from Next to Normal, and Extraordinary Girl from American Idiot. During commercial break, I have the guests vote for best costume and the winner gets a prize! 

6.) RED CARPET

Last year, I was checking out decorations at iParty and I came across a mock “red carpet”. I loved the idea of the guests walking up the red carpet to get to the party and so I bought it. The red carpet was a lot of fun. I placed it in my front yard, making a path from the road to the front door, and everyone had the chance to walk on the red carpet in full costume while we took pictures. It also entertained my neighbors who drove by my house to see a green witch, a phantom, and a red carpet among other things.  Very fun. 

7.) BALLOTS

http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/2012_Printable_Ballot.pdf

On the Tony Awards website, there is a printable ballot.  I print this out and take it to FedEx to have copies printed on cardstock. Cardstock makes it a little more durable in case some of the die-hard theatre fans want to save it.  Before the Tony Awards begin, everyone fills out the ballot based on who they think will win.  The guest who correctly guesses the most winners gets a prize.  

8.) PRIZES

Since a Tony Awards party can become expensive, I don’t go crazy with prizes. Between the two games, the costume contest, and the ballots, I need four prizes, but last year there was a tie for the costume contest and the trivia game, so it’s a good idea to have extra prizes on hand.  The cost per prize is usually less than $5. Some examples are: Times Square themed playing cards, Broadway-themed wall calendar, Broadway-themed bookmark, NYC-themed stationery, Broadway-themed key chains or magnets, home-made fudge, and hand soap. I try to have a couple of non-Broadway-themed items available since some guests are not die-hard Broadway fans. 

I hope this is helpful! What are your ideas???? 

Tony Snubs!

Tony Awards night is rapidly approaching!  Are there any shows or actors that you feel should have been nominated but were not?  Tony nominations would not be complete without a few “snubs”! 

1.) Melissa van der Schyff as Blanche Barrow in the ill-fated new musical, Bonnie and Clyde. Her strong, emotional portrayal of Clyde’s God-fearing sister-in-law should have earned her a nomination for best featured actress in a musical. While the Tony committee may have forgotten about her heartfelt, comedic performance, I have not, and I hope you haven’t either! 

2.) Bonnie and Clyde for best new musical. Please refer to my blog entry from 1/22/12. http://standingovationsbroadwayblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/bonnie-clyde-broadway-schoenfeld.html 

Original, memorable, and witty, Bonnie and Clyde had everything you could want in a musical- beautiful music by Frank Wildhorn, a smart story-line, action-packed drama, and a talented group of Broadway actors- but this didn’t prevent the show from closing early due to poor ticket sales. 

I am happy that Bonnie and Clyde was not entirely forgotten- it did receive two nominations- one for best score (completely deserved) and another for best actress in a musical (Laura Osnes as Bonnie, also completely deserved). 

3.) Paul Nolan as Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar.  Come on, he rocks the Neil Simon Theatre eight times per week as Jesus Christ, the ULTIMATE mammoth role, AND he does it really well. A Tony-nomination for best leading actor in a musical would have been well-deserved. 

4.) Bernadette Peters as Sally Durant Plummer in Follies. She has seven Tony nominations, two Tony Awards, and she will be receiving the Isabelle Stevenson Award at this year’s Tony Awards ceremony, but it doesn’t make this snub any less sad.  Only Bernadette Peters can find the emotional depth of an unstable character and have a nervous breakdown while singing a song like “Losing My Mind”. That’s all I have to say about that.  

5.) Raul Esparza as Jonas Nightingale in Leap of Faith. This man did not stop dancing, singing, or preaching during this two and a half hour musical.  ENERGY. He’s got it.  But it didn’t earn him a Tony nod.  

6.) Adam Chanler-Berat as Boy in Peter and the Starcatcher.  We all loved Adam Chanler-Berat in Next to Normal and the off-Broadway revival of Rent, but he really shows off his acting chops as Boy in Peter and the Starcatcher. This may be his best performance yet!  

7.) Elena Roger as Eva Peron in Evita.  Born in Argentina, there is something very authentic about this actress’ performance as the powerful, though unfortunate, first lady of Argentina. This omission is just a shame.