To The Intiman Theatre in Seattle, Wa., for winning The Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre!!
I love that theatre, have personal memories of that theatre, a theatre that for too long languished in the shadow of The Seattle Rep, but tonight, got some much-deserved recognition.
Oh, how I remember treading your boards! Thanks for those memories.
Congratulations, again, Ol’ Intiman!
UPDATE: ARGH! I was rooting for the amazing, weird, innovative revival of
“Sweeney Todd” to win Best Revival of a Musical but the Tony went to “The Pajama Game.” “Sweeney” is one of my absolute favorite musicals. Perhaps THE favorite. Because I was a very proud player in a fabulous production in Seattle once AND because I’m a sick, sick, sick puppy.
But how can you not LOVE a show where a barber decides to take revenge on the men who wronged him by killing them while giving them a shave (“the closest he ever gave”), but when that doesn’t quite work out, he completely snaps and starts killing random customers, which sounds bad, but — wait! — has the upside of providing his partner in crime, Mrs. Lovett and her failing meat pie shop with fresh, tasty meat for the best pies in town!? And how can you not love a show that makes THAT funny and dark and sick and soaring!? Of course, things like this generally end badly and “Sweeney” is no exception. But, oh, what a ride! What a crazy, angry, hysterical ride! And that MUSIC, those LYRICS. It’s in my blood forever. I know that whole show. That whole, almost-impossible-to-sing show. Get yourself the soundtrack, pronto. (Oh, start with the Angela Lansbury one, the original soundtrack. Then you can move to the revival soundtrack to compare/contrast and appreciate what this year’s revival did with the show. Haha! Listen to me — giving you a theatre assignment! I’m a loon.)
ALSO UPDATE: Okay. The actress who plays Callie on “Grey’s Anatomy” won a Tony last year. I didn’t make that connection until tonight. (Well, hm, I didn’t so much “make the connection,” as much as the announcer blatantly said, “Please welcome a Tony Award winner for last year’s ‘Spamalot,’ Sara Ramirez.” And there she was, Callie from “Grey’s Anatomy”!)
Excellent deduction, Tracey.
I love Sweeney Todd. The first time I saw it was a local production at the Saenger Theater in Biloxi, MS. Great production — they had it set up where they didn’t close the curtains between scenes, but rather had all the set pieces built on casters and would roll off and roll on set pieces immediately after a scene. It kept the play moving and was a really interesting way of transitioning to a new part.
It got me interesting in theater and I did a few local theater productions, but never really got bit by the bug. Had plenty of fun though.
It’s funny about Spamalot: Ramirez played the Diva and in one of her songs there’s a lyric that says, “I’ve got no Tony awards.” After last years Tonys, they changed the lyric to, “I’ve only got one Tony award.” Then, when she left, the new actress sings, “Where’s my Tony award?” Great cast recording also.
Cullen,
Always loved watching theater, but was only recently bitten by the participation bug, via youngest d’s being a high-school theater tech. Got volunteered by her oldest friend to make an important clothing prop for a production and was hooked. We are techies only, though, no footlights for us.
Tracey – Yay for your regional theater! Our local PBS station just did a production on Margo Jones and her contributions. Did you see that? I missed it! and am scouring the listings hoping for a repeat.
Random thoughts:
Sweeney Todd is genius!
Grey’s Anatomy Callie was sooooooo funny in Spamalot. I think it’s so cool that she goes from that to her kind of serious part on the TV series – really really nice career move for her.
I saw Rabbit Hole – and Cynthia Nixon’s award is WELL deserved. She’s a true stage actress – phenomenal!!
I thought the Pajama Game numbers starring Harry Connick Jr. were atrocious.
James Earl Jones is amazing.
And I’m so with you on the regional theatre awards – it’s my favorite part of the show. (Well, that and the “In Memoriam” section).
Cullen — Yes, our show did a similar thing with set pieces on casters.
red — That actress just had a different vibe about her the minute I saw her on Grey’s Anatomy. She’s riveting. And did you see our adorable O’Malley? SO cute!
Harry Connick nominated for a freakin’ Tony?? Um, WHA?? I mean, he’s a likeable sort, but did you see his opening medley? Deer in the footlights, seriously. Did he watch Elliott on AI a bit too much? And on their love song together, the actress who plays Babe sang him off the stage. SHE had a Broadway voice, baby!
James Earl Jones …. chills. CHILLS.
May I say somethin’ else here? WHY do award shows insist on torturing the Grand Ol’ Dames of theatre and film by making them toddle up to microphones and banter and read off the TelePrompter? It happened to Lauren Bacall at the Oscars and Patricia Neal last night. She fared better than Ms. Bacall and it was sweet that they replaced her stolen Tony, but — and maybe it’s just me — it’s just painful. I assume it’s meant to be honoring and if that’s the case, please, PLEASE, figure out a way that these amazing women can LOOK honored, not just scared and old. Sorry. It’s a pet peeve of mine.
Um, Orpah? You are NOT British. “AHND it has been a real honor AHND privilege to be PAHT of this EXTRA-ORDNRY production, blah, blah ….” You’ve clearly been spending too much time with Madonna.
Um, Alfre Woodard? Just how many Tony Awards did you have hidden in that cleavage? Seriously, those were the two most glowing stars of the night. Glowing, falling stars unable to be held back by the fabric of the universe … or your gown. “And the Tony Award for Best Boobs goes to …..”
Um, dude who won Best Actor in a Musical for “Jersey Boys”? Your speech made me cry. It was disjointed and you could tell that anything you’d planned to say went RIGHT out of your head in that moment, but that’s part of why I loved it. That, and admitting the sometime strife in your relationship with your father over your choice to be an actor. And saying to your dad at the end, in front of the world, “Somehow, right now, it feels like it’s just us again.” WAHHHHH!!
Um, Patti Lupone? You are a genius. You are freakin’ talented. But — and it so pains me to say this — I did not love you in that snippet of “Sweeney Todd,” actually, that MEDLEY of “Sweeney” they did. Struck me as a bizarre choice — doing a medley. Pick a number, ANY number (well, maybe not the Judge’s self-flagellation number) and it will be AMAZING. Just as I was getting into it — “Oh, they’re doing the opening” — it switched — “Oh, okay, they’re doing The Worst Pies in London” — it switched. STOP it. I was so rooting for this whole thing. You have NO idea. I imagine the show is amazing, but doing the medley just didn’t seem the best idea. So back to you, Patti Lupone. Um, you weren’t funny as Mrs. Lovett. Mrs. Lovett is a source of comic relief amidst all the blood and Grand Guignol goings-on. You’re so intense. Sweeney is intense and dark and darkly funny, actually. I want my Mrs. Lovett to counter that energy somewhat. Broad, bawdy, ridiculous. Patti, you’ve never struck me as remotely ridiculous. (Okay. I’ll say it. Was Bernadette Peters not available?) And maybe your performance needs to be seen in a fuller context. I’m sure that’s true. So this is totally unfair of me, actually. Oh, well. Still, I rant.
Um, unbelievably, I still had more I was gonna say, but that last rant took it right out of my head. It’ll come to me ….
hahahahahaha
Yes, Oprah … come ON, now, Miss Oprah-Thing, just calm DOWN. You’re just Oprah. You are not Helen Hayes Reincarnated. CALM. DOWN.
Alfre’s rack was quite impressive – mainly because I didn’t even know she had such a set!!
And I feel the same way about Patti Lupone – weird. I saw her in Noises Off a couple years ago – she played the maid, which is supposed to be the lead – but the girl who played the bimbo completley stole the entire show. I laughed so hard at the bimbo’s performance that my stomach literally hurt the next day. Lupone’s entire performance was just campy – anyone could have done it – she was MUGGING at the audience – playing the whole thing to US, as opposed to being in the situation. It was cheap and way too easy. A big disappointment. I haven’t seen Sweeney Todd – but I agree that something has happened to her in the last 10 years or so. Maybe she’s over-praised? She hasn’t had to really WORK for an audience’s regard anymore, because she walks onstage and everyone claps?
I could not agree more with your comment about Grand Dames. The way Lauren Bacall was treated at the Oscars was SHAMEFUL. She should have been artfully placed AT the podium – none of that long walk out – she should have read off of cards – The woman is 108! She’s fragile! She was married to Bogie. She’s a legend! Treat her as such. It was horrible – made me really mad.
And yeah – Harry Connick Jr. just didn’t do it for me. He was sweaty, his eyes were dead – and – I guess I just didn’t care.
Yeah, she seems miscast in that part. I watched a video clip online at their website about a week ago and thought that then. Last night kinda confirmed it for me. She always just seems like “Evita” to me. She does not strike me as the LEAST bit funny.
Ugh, what else what I going to comment on? Don’t remember it. Oh, wait! I DO!
Cyndi Lauper/Alan Cumming in “The Threepenny Opera.” I’ve always been a HUGE fan of his and SHE was just a knockout, I thought. Man, that whole number gave me chills. My eyes were buggin’ outta my head! I could not look away. So intense, so raw.
Oh yeah – that 3penny Opera is one I REALLY want to see. I saw Alan Cumming in his breakout role in Cabaret – and he is beyond BELIEF on stage. Holy mackerel!! Goosebump material. There was one number that, I kid you not, was so raw and so vicious and so full of hate – that even though it was AMAZING – nobody clapped. Big Broadway house – nobody clapped. It was just too horrifying to clap for THAT.
One of the most amazing live bits of theatre I’ve ever seen!
Yeah, and I think you’re right about Lupone! She’s not funny. You’re so right. Evita worked because it was dramatic, passionate, heightened, and … kind of angry and emphatic.
But the funny stuff I’ve seen her do has been very pushed – and she NEEDS to be congratulated for her humor AS SHE GOES along. Which … you just can’t do. It makes the whole thing deadly.
Maybe it’s that whole snarly lip thing she has going on. It’s not funny, Patti. Your face works well with anger, intensity, bitchiness. All of which are NOT Mrs. Lovett.
Alan Cumming — major theatre crush on him.
And back to her bit from “Worst Pies in London”: The SONG itself is funny. The lyrics are funny. How can you perform that and NOT GET ONE LAUGH?? The laughs are practically built-in, thanks to another theatre crush man of mine, Stephen freakin’ Sondheim!
Yeah, it’s quite strange. I think it’s her ego in the way. She is trying too hard – her ego feels threatened by the risk she would take if she just went with it …
That’s what I felt when I saw Noises Off, too. She basically just made funny faces at the audience in response to what all the other truly funny people on stage were doing.
Egomaniac!! (Which is perfect for Evita Peron – but not so much anywhere else!)
Yeah – I’ve got a crush on Cumming, too. Even with the bad teeth and the weird face … he is just so amazing on stage!!
Did you see the number with Cyndi Lauper?
No! I missed it.
Okay. I think I taped it. Lemme know if you want it. Or, *OR* you could just go and see it.
I think you need to see it, red.
And one of these Junes, on Tony weekend, I will fly out to NYC and roam around wailing, much like with NFL wife:
“Red! RED!! Where are you!? I’ve come to watch the Tonys with you! I’ve brought some hummus! WHERE ARE YOU??”
I dunno. Hummus just sounded good.
Hummus … yum!!!
Reminds me of your story about the flaky NFL wife and how you imagined yourself strolling through random neighborhoods shouting their last name. hahahaha
You know, I just watched the “Sweeney” medley again — you can tell I have the day off — and Patti Lupone just isn’t really present, it seems to me. You’re right, maybe she’s so used to “Ooh, that’s Patti Lupone,” that she doesn’t truly inhabit the moment or the character. She’s holding back. Our show’s Lovett didn’t have Lupone’s voice — because who does — but she was hilarious, sold out, present in every freakin’ moment. And Lovett can get away with less-than-perfect sounding vocals.
She’s making me mad all over again just watching her because someone of her caliber, her reputation, at least, should be capable of more.
But I DO notice she steps up the intensity and effort a bit when she’s singing WITH Sweeney. Competitive much, Ms. Lupone?
My friend Mitchell saw her in concert and said she unbeLIEVable … perhaps because she knows she really needs to work, to show UP in that venue – she can’t rely on tricks.
Here’s an incredible anecdote which shows how amazing she can be when she’s really present:
She sang one of her famous songs – Don’t Cry for me Argentina, maybe. And it was amazing, wonderful, whatever – and she hit the last note – which is supposed to be the big blockbuster note … and although she hit the note, it just wasn’t … what it should be. Mtichell said you could just FEEL it in the room. Like: “hmmm. She didn’t really hit that. Oh well.”
Patti Lupone moved on after the applause – started the banter that would lead in to her next song – and then stopped herself, and said to the audience, “Hang on a second. Let’s just clear something up. The note I just hit … it wasn’t really good, was it?” The audience just froze … what do you say??? – and Patti answered her own question: “Nope. It wasn’t what it should have been. Okay – let’s do that last note again.”
So crazy! So amazing, though – that she KNEW she hadn’t “hit it”, was willing to admit it – and then go back and do it again?? Not the whole song – but just that note??? Who DOES that?
So the orchestra cued itself up – she did the last phrase of the song, geared herself up – hit the last note perfectly – held it forever – and the audience went absolutely INSANE.
What a moment – wish I had seen it!!
Oh, man. The Threepenny number! It’s the tango/ballad number. Cumming with a MOHAWK, for God’s sake. The song is angry and intense and he’s alone onstage. Camera’s tight on him as he’s just spitting these lyrics out. Then we hear wild applause — for what, you wonder — and the shot widens and it’s Lauper with short, curly, frowsy white hair. She’s in all black: Stilettos, stockings, merry widow. MAN! That look in her eyes. It’s so angry and sad and tough. And her voice, that wavery voice of hers, is SO perfect for this. MAN!! This is the single best live number of the show! I’m goose-bumpy all over again.
You GOTTA go see this and blog about it, red. I am quite serious.
Now I’m actually sitting here trying to figure out how *I* can see it! Hahahaha! Financial ruin be DAMNED, I’m going to New York to see “Threepenny”!
One must have one’s priorities straight, after all.
Oh, and I forgot to comment — amazing Patti Lupone story, red!