...because some people are going to BITE MY PINKY OFF for not posting in...more than 3 months. i know, i know. there shouldn't be any excuses, BUT i have been ridiculously busy with three things:
(1) my job is kicking my ass. i still love it, but it's kicking me hard. in the hind quarters.
(2) DJ and i are moving to Pentagon City a week from tomorrow!!! EXCITEMENT!! now we'll be METRO accessible (and all you DC-ites understand...that's HUGE), not to mention the fact that we'll be walking distance to ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. one of the best malls in nova is right across the street, along with cute outdoor shops, really nice restaurants, and oh yeah, a HARRIS TEETER. did i mention the harris teeter?
(3) soooooo i've kinda decided that i'm applying for graduate school this fall. i'm slowly but surely looking into programs and have decided to either go for a masters in vocal pedagogy or in music education. my plan right now (and it changes every other day obvi) is to get a music ed masters in 1-2 years, be the hottest, coolest high school chorus teacher for a while, and then go back to get a doctorate and teach at a university. ugh, that sounds like a perfect life, but as all of us twentysomethings know, there's nothing definite in life. but we'll see.
oh wait, i forgot that there's a (4). my barbershop chorus is getting ready to compete in Philly at the end of the month. hence the extra rehearsals, retreats, and exhaustion MAJOR. but it's all worth it in the end!!
SOOOO yeah, i haven't had time to breathe AT ALL until this very moment, when i mustered up enough energy to continue blogging. and of course, my motivation was strengthened by the fact that IT'S TONY WEEK!!!!!!!! TONYTONYTONYTONYTONNNNYYY!!!!!! SO, like last year, i'll be giving my tony predictions...and here they are!
UPDATE: check out these YouTube clips of Tony-nominated musicals! (and be sure to click around on YouTube for additional clips!!)
(PREDICTIONS AFTER THE CLIPS)
Fela!
Memphis (with Montego Glover singing...brilliant)
La Cage Aux Folles
American Idiot
Million Dollar Quartet
Everyday Rapture
The Addams Family
Finian's Rainbow
Ragtime
A Little Night Music
{PREDICTIONS IN PURPLE}
BEST PLAY
In The Next Room or the vibrator play
Next Fall
Red
Time Stands Still
(although i'd really LOVE it if a play with the word "vibrator" in the title won the Tony, from what i've been hearing from reviewers, it's not that great. might i add that the vibrator play and Time Stands Still closed before the Tony noms were even announced. so with that in mind, i'm going to cross both off of the list. from what i've been hearing on other theatre blogs, Red (a play based on abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko) is absolutely stunning. that said, i'd REALLY like it if the "Brokeback Mountain"-esque play Next Fall won. two gay New Yorkers fall in love despite their religious backgrounds. ew why didn't i see this play? it'll probably be a close second.)
BEST MUSICAL
American Idiot
Fela!
Memphis
Million Dollar Quartet
(*yaaaawn* is this it? is this all you had for us this year, Broadway?! sad. speaking of sad, the top two musicals of the year with regards to ticket sales, The Addams Family and Promises, Promises, got absolutely CANNED by critics. so we're left with this list of musicals that few people have even been to. including me. this is one of the first time in YEARS that i haven't been to any musical nominated for the biggest musical award at the Tonys. that said, i've been very intrigued by Memphis and am starting to really enjoy the music. and from what critics are saying about the above musicals, i'd say that Memphis comes out on top, with Fela! being a close second. after all, Memphis, the musical based in the 1950s about a white DJ who falls in love with a black singer, is the only true "original" musical from the list.
on that note, let's talk about American Idiot for a quick minute. WHY ARE THESE MUSICALS MAKING MONEY?! it makes me SO upset when a musical like this one or Rock of Ages or Come Fly Away or Mamma Mia! actually get nominated for Tonys. these musicals were probably written in mere DAYS. "hey, let's write a musical. actuallyyyy, i don't have the energy to write an entire musical. so let's just think of an awful story line in five minutes. and then take someone else's music and put it in our show. and then try to change the plot around a bit so that the songs kind-of-but-not-really make sense in the show. and then make millions. ta-da!!"
but we can't leave this category without mentioning the other musical that was supposed to be included in this list and sweep the Tonys this year [apparently]: Spiderman. but oh yeah, the $40 MILLION that they raised for the show STILL ISN'T ENOUGH to even start rehearsals yet. when it DOES come out [in like 2016 at the rate its going], i hope it bombs.)
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Fela! - Jim Lewis & Bill T. Jones
Memphis - Joe DiPietro
Million Dollar Quartet - Colin Escott & Floyd Murtux
Everyday Rapture - Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott
(Memphis will win this Tony because, oh yeah, it's the ONLY original story out of all four nominees. also, the story is touching, very racially charged, yet entertaining.
can we also talk about Everyday Rapture for a second? Sherie Rene Scott, i love you...but really?! you wrote a musical. about yourself. and then made yourself the star. i mean, if it were Bernadette or Patti or even Chita, they could get away with writing an autobigraphical musical and then star in it. [Chita did just that actually...and the musical flopped miserably]. but Sherie. sure, you were the "featured actress" in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and played Ursula in the joke-of-a-Disney-musical The Little Mermaid [which, might i add, was the worst casting decision in recent Broadway memory]. but to then write a musical about yourself?? too soon, honey.
by the way, Million Dollar Quartet, if it were any other year on the Broadway stage, the Broadway League wouldn't even give a slight nod to you. so consider yourself lucky.)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Addams Family - Andrew Lippa (M&L)
Enron - Adam Cork (M), Lucy Prebble (L)
Fences - Branford Marsalis (M&L)
Memphis - David Bryan (M&L), Joe DiPietro (L)
(wow. see, THIS is what i'm talking about when i say that the 2009-2010 Broadway season was a huge yawn when it comes to musicals with original music. let's point out that two of the nominees in this category are PLAYS, NOT musicals. PLAYS. with very minimal music. wow. Broadway, get with it.
Memphis will win this Tony, too. talk about an unexpected sweep! also, might i point out that American Idiot didn't get nominated for best book because, oh yeah, YOU DIDN'T USE ANY ORIGINAL MUSIC. stealers. did i mention Rock of Ages is being turned into a movie? i just threw up on myself.)
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Fences
Lend Me A Tenor
The Royal Family
A View From The Bridge
(now we get to the big awards for this year in particular: REVIVALS. aka the only shows that are actually more than decent on Broadway stages this year. my guess is that, in this category, it comes down to two quite star-heavy plays battling for first: Fences and A View From The Bridge. i'm familiar with Fences, and with Denzel and Viola as the leads, i'm sure it's nothing but brilliant. but Liev and ScarJo in A View From The Bridge? it'll be close, but i think Fences will come out on top.)
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Finian's Rainbow
La Cage Aux Folles
A Little Night Music
Ragtime
(now HERE is where the great musicals are hiding this year! SO excited to see who comes out on top in this category! here are my thoughts:
Finian's Rainbow: yawn. the show is meh. the songs are meh. just a really outdated musical that shouldn't have been revived. although i do LOVE me some Kate Baldwin, who will be in the running for Lead Actress. overall, this one is a solid fourth place out of four. wah-WAH.
A Little Night Music: so many people will stab me for saying this, but as a devout Sondheim worshipper, i'm actually not a huge fan of this show (*GASP!!!*). and i've heard (and seen through YouTube) very "blah" things about this show. except Angela, who is supposed to be the only saving grace of the show. and she has a pretty minor part, which says everything about the show. although a few critics were impressed, and Catherine Z-J DID come away with a Drama Desk for her performance [which is BEYOND me. Catherine, you were awesome in Chicago, but stick to movies]. a solid third place.
Ragtime: SO mad i didn't get the chance to see the revival. although the critics really enjoyed it and the clips i've seen on YouTube have been very impressive, i do think that this revival doesn't really look "new" enough to win this award. Ragtime is arguably one of the greatest musicals ever written, so you can't really go wrong with this show. it's easy for this show to rock everyone's socks off. in my opinion, the critics and the theatre lovers who really enjoyed the show were just aching to have Ragtime come back to Broadway, regardless of how well-performed and well-directed it was. it'll end up in second, but far from first.
La Cage Aux Folles: now, to start, i may be biased here because this was the only show i actually had the chance to see, BUT compared to what the critics said about the nominations and what i've seen and heard on YouTube from other shows, this masterpiece of a revival will without a doubt win the Tony. the show was brilliantly executed. the acting was spectacular. the scenic design was minimal but appropriate for the setting and the time period. the direction was brilliant. and how can i say in words how absolutely spectacular Douglas Hodge was? and even Kelsey Grammer surprised me as a VERY strong actor and singer. a phenomenal cast, a phenomenal artistic staff and directing team. this show without a doubt deserves the Tony it will rightfully receive Sunday night.)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Jude Law (Hamlet)
Alfred Molina (Red)
Liev Schreiber (A View From The Bridge)
Christopher Walken (A Behanding In Spokane)
Denzel Washington (Fences)
(it will be close between Denzel and Liev, but i think Denzel will come out on top.)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Viola Davis (Fences)
Valerie Harper (Looped)
Linda Lavin (Collected Stories)
Laura Linney (Time Stands Still)
Jan Maxwell (The Royal Family)
(VIOLA DAVIS I AM OBSESSED WITH YOU. she will OWN this category, no doubt. although i do love me some Laura Linney.)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Kelsey Grammer (La Cage Aux Folles)
Sean Hayes (Promises, Promises)
Douglas Hodge (La Cage Aux Folles)
Chad Kimball (Memphis)
Sahr Ngaujah (Fela!)
(Douglas. Hodge. he will beat the crap out of ALL of the other nominees. his performance in La Cage is absolutely stunning. if you plan on going to New York at all this year, GO SEE HIM. if you aren't, go on YouTube IMMEDIATELY and watch a clip of him singing. absolutely stunning. actually, i'll post one at the end of this list for your enjoyment. absolutely amazing. Kelsey will be solidly second.)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow)
Montego Glover (Memphis)
Christiane Noll (Ragtime)
Sherie Rene Scott (Everyday Rapture)
Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Little Night Music)
(i refuse to vote for Catherine Z-J, although she might win. for some reason, the critics actually enjoy her. i think she looks horrible. and her performance of "Send In The Clowns" at Sondheim's 80th Birthday Gala in April was horrific. i've heard Christiane Noll is meh. i love Kate Baldwin, but she'll never win a Tony for Finian's Rainbow. and Sherie, i love you honey, but stick to NOT writing musicals about your life.)
other awards i don't really care about but am putting in my predictions anyways:
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY
David Alan Grier (Race)
Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences)
Jon Michael Hill (Superior Donuts)
Stephen Kunken (Enron)
Eddie Redmayne (Red)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Maria Dizzia (In The Next Room or the vibrator play)
Rosemary Harris (The Royal Family)
Jessica Hecht (A View From The Bridge)
Scarlett Johansson (A View From The Bridge)
Jan Maxwell (Lend Me A Tenor)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Kevin Chamberlin (The Addams Family)
Robin De Jesus (La Cage Aux Folles)
Christopher Fitzgerald (Finian's Rainbow)
Levi Kreis (Million Dollar Quartet)
Bobby Steggert (Ragtime)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Barbara Cook (Sondheim on Sondheim)
Katie Finneran (Promises, Promises)
Angela Lansbury (A Little Night Music)
Karine Plantadit (Come Fly Away)
Lillias White (Fela!)
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Michael Grandage (Red)
Sheryl Kaller (Next Fall)
Kenny Leon (Fences)
Gregory Mosher (A View From The Bridge)
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Christopher Ashley (Memphis)
Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Ragtime)
Terry Johnson (La Cage Aux Folles)
Bill T. Jones (Fela!)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Rob Ashford (Promises, Promises)
Bill T. Jones (Fela!)
Lynne Page (La Cage Aux Folles)
Twyla Tharp (Come Fly Away)
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Jason Carr (La Cage Aux Folles)
Aaron Johnson (Fela!)
Jonathan Tunick (Promises, Promises)
Daryl Waters & David Bryan (Memphis)
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
John Lee Beatty (The Royal Family)
Alexander Dodge (Present Laughter)
Santo Loquasto (Fences)
Christopher Oram (Red)
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Marina Draghici (Fela!)
Christine Jones (American Idiot)
Derek McLane (Ragtime)
Tim Shortall (La Cage Aux Folles)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Martin Pakledinaz (Lend Me A Tenor)
Constanza Romero (Fences)
David Zinn (In The Next Room or the vibrator play)
Catherine Zuber (The Royal Family)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Marina Draghici (Fela!)
Paul Tazewell (Memphis)
Matthew Wright (La Cage Aux Folles)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Neil Austin (Hamlet)
Neil Austin (Red)
Mark Henderson (Enron)
Brian MacDevitt (Fences)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Kevin Adams (American Idiot)
Donald Holder (Ragtime)
Nick Richings (La Cage Aux Folles)
Robert Wierzel (Fela!)
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
Acme Sound Partners (Fences)
Adam Cork (Enron)
Adam Cork (Red)
Scott Lehrer (A View From The Bridge)
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Jonathan Deans (La Cage Aux Folles)
Robert Kaplowitz (Fela!)
Dan Moses Schreirer & Gareth Owen (A Little Night Music)
Dan Moses Schreirer (Sondheim on Sondheim)
and as promised, Douglas Hodge! see you on Tony night!!
