06/11/04
Even I couldn't get all that excited by the fact that I correctly predicted more Tony winners this year than the rest of the published Broadway pundits. Sure, I only got three categories wrong, but… Best Musical?! Best Revival of a Play?! Come on! These are major categories.
Then again, who could have predicted what would go down in the final five minutes of the show, when David did, in fact, knock out Goliath. In all honesty, I hate such metaphors for the Avenue Q versus Wicked debate because I think both shows are warm and fuzzy creations that delight audiences with their originality and, yes, heart. I refuse to believe that Avenue Q won the prize because their “vote your heart” campaign was so brilliant. Instead, the fact that they had a campaign at all kept the well-reviewed show in voters' minds. And yes, the empty promise of a coast-to-coast national tour did play a part. It always does. But what will happen next year? Will every hopeful show launch aggressive campaigns to woo voters? Do we have to doubt every new announcement of a national tour?
The big news that was sort of forgotten the morning after was that Wicked's Idina Menzel, robbed of a featured actress Tony back in 1996 for Rent, came out on top in the most debated race of the night, Best Leading Actress in a Musical. It was no small victory--let's not forget that most of the critics painted her as a second banana to beloved fellow nominee Kristin Chenoweth or that Menzel also trumped two other well-loved past winners and the leading lady of the night's “it” show (Stephanie D'Abruzzo of Avenue Q) on her trip to the podium. I've been wishing and hoping for Menzel's big moment all season and was elated to see it come to pass. Congrats, Idina!
Despite that stupid opening number, I thought the CBS broadcast of the Tonys was pretty entertaining and host Hugh Jackman as charming as ever, even if I still insist that CBS robbed themselves of some good TV by denying Big River their own live number. Watching the show, there were several things I wondered about. Adding in some questions from readers, I decided to tackle some of those burning questions that may (or may not) be on your minds. Here goes!
Where and when was the outdoor segment that preceded the Wonderful Town performance filmed? And who were those people at the café?
The segment was filmed after an evening performance two weeks ago outside of a pizzeria on West 46th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues. The three customers Donna Murphy solicited were Shubert Theatres honcho Gerald Schoenfeld, Jujamcyn Theatres titan Rocco Landesman and gossip maven (and Wonderful Town cheerleader) Liz Smith. Smith was a last minute replacement for Jimmy Nederlander, who bowed out. The waiter was, of course, show producer Barry Weissler.
Is it “Henry the Fourth” or “Henry Four”?
Throughout Tony season, I heard celebrities refer to the Shakespeare as the latter rather than the former. On the Tony broadcast, Best Director of a Play presenter Sigourney Weaver read off Jack O'Brien's name as the director of “Henry Four.” Are both versions correct? Well, no. The show is about King Henry IV, not the third sequel to something called “Henry,” a la Porky's 2 or even Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge!
Did Carol Channing call rapper L.L. Cool J. her “lady love”?
No, but Channing (or “C.Lo” as she referred to herself in the press room) showed off impressive street cred by referencing what L.L. Cool J. stands for: “Ladies Love Cool James” (His birth name is James Todd Smith). Channing told Broadway.com on the red carpet that the rapper personally requested her as a co-presenter. Go figure!
Who is Ellis Rabb, who Jack O'Brien said taught him “the value of a first-class curtain call” in his acceptance speech?
Rabb was an actor and director best known for founding and serving as artistic director for the APA-Phoenix Repertory Company. During the 1970s and 1980s, Rabb was involved with dozens of Broadway productions and received two Tony Awards, a special Tony for APA in 1968 and a direction prize for The Royal Family in 1976. He died in 1998 in Memphis, Tennessee. O'Brien got his start as Rabb's assistant director on many production in the late 1960s, including You Can't Take It With You, War and Peace, The Cocktail Party, The Cherry Orchard and Hamlet.
Hugh Jackman did a round-up of what happened from 9pm-10pm for viewers coming back post-Sopranos. Were there any?
Not really. According to the overnight ratings, there was a barely a bump in viewers at 10pm, once Tony Soprano finished his hit. In fact, the final hour of the Tonys--when the “big” awards of the night were given out--was the lowest of all three. Thanks to the great lead-in that is 60 Minutes, the Tony broadcast started out with OK numbers, but by 8:30pm, we lost them. Must have been that dreary opening number.
Featured Actress in a Musical winner Anika Noni Rose said that she didn't get paid to take part in three years of Caroline, or Change workshops. Is that true?
It's unlikely. Equity performers are always paid something under a standard workshop contract. Most likely, Rose was making at least a few hundred dollars a week to star in the various developmental Caroline readings and workshops. Now that she's won a Tony, Rose is probably the recipient of a “Tony bump,” an automatic raise typically negotiated in advance.
Did Sarah Jessica Parker know ahead of time that she'd be brought up onstage to bump and grind with Hugh Jackman?
If she had, don't you think she would have worn something a little more appropriate? No, Parker was apparently a victim of Jackman's now-famous flirtation with audience members. I thought the pairing was one of the highlights of the telecast, but I may just be suffering from Carrie Bradshaw withdrawal. Parker was, of course, referring to the Janet Jackson's Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction” on CBS when she said that she was afraid of her dress sliding down, joking, “This is the wrong network!”
Did the photo that Jeff Marx took of himself onstage moments after winning with co-writer Robert Lopez and presenters Carol Channing and L.L. Cool J. turn out?
“I don't know,” Marx said when contacted by phone. “After using precious seconds of our 45-second speech to take that picture, I lost the camera!” Oh well. It still made for a great moment on TV! By the way, Marx was using a cheapie disposable camera because he knew its plastic body wouldn't set off the metal detectors on the way into Radio City.
Lopez said that he was a temp and Marx was an intern (and that their lives sucked) when they started their Avenue Q collaboration. Where were they working?
Marx revealed that he was an intern at Sesame Street, working in the actual studio and the legal department. And Lopez? He was temping at Pfizer, writing rejection letters to Viagra customers that were so satisfied with the product that they sent in homemade slogans and jingles for the company to use.
Why did Hugh have different pants on for “Not the Boy Next Door”? And where did the camel come from?
Since he was performing on the very stage that Peter Allen had so many stage successes, Jackman altered the number a bit from the way its seen at The Boy from Oz eight times a week. The outfit and the entrance were replicated from Allen's actual Radio City shows, camel and all. Not only did Jackman sport new gold lamé pants, he also had leopard print shoes. (Rumor has it the star may break out the fashion at the Imperial occasionally for the final months of his run). Oh, and the camel? That's Sally, one of the stars of the annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular. You can cheer her on at Radio City starting on November 20.
Where was Best Actress in a Play nominee Eileen Atkins?
Although she made every effort to attend the ceremony, Atkins was delayed in South Africa filming her role in the upcoming Robert Towne film Ask the Dust. Yes, that is the same movie that will feature Tony winner Idina Menzel, who landed an audition for the part after Towne's wife caught her electrifying performance in Wicked. Also on board for Ask the Dust are Colin Farrell, Salma Hayek, Donald Sutherland, Val Kilmer and stage fave Justin Kirk. Expect it in theaters in 2005.
Doug Wright ended his Best Play acceptance speech by saying, “All my love to Clem.” Who's Clem?
“Clem is my fantastic boyfriend,” Wright told me. “He's better known as David Clement, a wonderful singer/songwriter. Happily, I am not my own spouse…Nah, I got Clem!” If you're dying to learn more about Clement, check out his website!
What was producer David Richenthal attempting to say in regards to gay marriage?
Other than Billy Joel's tip of the hat to his grandfather on the anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, presenters and winners at the Tonys stayed mostly on topic. That is, until I Am My Own Wife producer (and Best Play winner) Richenthal tried to make a statement over the sounds of the suddenly loud orchestra. “I thought ahead of time about what I might say,” Richenthal said when reached for comment. “I feel strongly about the bigotry connected to not letting everyone get married. I had hoped there would be a time to say something.” Was there anything that he would have said had the orchestra not cut him off? “I'm sure there a lot of things,” he offered. “But I'm not going to recreate the moment.”
When is Michael Riedel taking Bernadette Peters out to lunch?
In his May 22 swipe at Donna Murphy, the ever-quotable New York Post columnist ended by saying, “If Tonya Pinkins doesn't win the Tony Award this year, I'll buy Bernadette Peters lunch.” Well, Riedel, it's payback time! “I will not welch on my promise,” he told me. “Whether she wants to have lunch with me is of course up to her.” Since many in the industry say Riedel may have cost Peters the Tony thanks to his constant jabs at her brilliant Gypsy performance, I'm thinking we may already know the answer to that one!
IN BOX
I received many e-mails from all of you Avenue Q and Wicked fans out there in response to the Tonys. Here are two amusing samples from two regular readers.
Dear Paul:
I can understand why voters picked Avenue Q, but I would be happier without the excessive spending of money and the crass exhortation to "vote your heart". If I had a ballot and voted my heart, my vote would still have gone to Wicked for Best Musical. It gave me musical thrills and dramatic chills that simply were not present in Avenue Q. Still, I could have been content with a Best Score win, and maybe even a Best Book win for Avenue Q, but Best Musical? No. I wonder if somewhere down the road the show might be redone with all live actors, rather than puppets. Forget the Sesame Street context. Surely if Avenue Q is musically and dramatically strong enough, the show would work that way. But in this case, maybe the gimmick makes the show. I'll still take the wonders of Wicked with its well-delivered messages about tolerance, friendship, courage and independence. Okay, end of rant. What do you think was the single most indelible moment of the Broadway season?
----(a) Tonya Pinkins doing her 11:00 number in Caroline?
----(b) Donna Murphy hilariously enumerating 100 different ways to lose a man?
----(c) The cast of Avenue Q joyously introducing themselves in the opening number of the show?
----(d) Michael Hayden sending Falstaff packing at the conclusion of Henry IV?
----(e) Hugh Jackman raising the roof with any of his big numbers in The Boy from Oz?
----(f) The assassins lining up to sing the final song in the show?
----(g) Jefferson Mays indefatigable virtuosity in I Am My Own Wife?
For me, I'll take:
----(h) Elphaba heroically defying gravity in the first act finale of Wicked. What a woman!
----Rob Wills
----Toronto, Canada
Dear Rob:
I refuse to choose just one! I will, however, add some of my own:
----(i) The moment of silence during the reprise of “Waitin' for the Light to Shine” in Big River
----(j) Jeffrey Carlson's manic performance of “Genocide Peroxide” in Taboo
----(k) The final moments of Anna in the Tropics with John Ortiz reading Tolstoy to a tear-stained Daphne Rubin-Vega
----(l) The phone call at the end of Match
----(m) Michael Cerveris' performance of “The Ballad of Booth” in Assassins
----(n) Sean Combs' drunken African dance with sister Sanaa Lathan in A Raisin in the Sun
----(o) The fountain!!! (Bombay Dreams)
----(p) The end of Caroline, or Change (when I got to go home!)
Still, out of all of those moments, I have to admit that you're right—(h) is pretty high up on the list!
Dear Paul:
I was at a Tony party where all the food was green, the place decorated with green balloons and crepe paper and everyone was asked to dress up as their favorite Wicked character. I came with a Trekkie Monster mask, an “Internet Is For Porn” hat, and an American flag pin wheel with “Vote Q” in the middle. Clearly, I was very pleased when Q won!
----Brandon Ivie
----Seattle, WA
Dear Brandon:
Glad you had a triumphant night. Now tell me: Where does one buy a Trekkie Monster mask?!
That's it for now. Talk to you next week. Please e-mail me any of your questions, comments or critiques!
Paul Wontorek
Editor-in-Chief
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