Special Event: Tony Awards 2017
June 11, 2017 4:37 PM - Subscribe
Hosted by Kevin Spacey and airing on CBS at 8 Eastern!
They gave out some of the design awards before the show, because people are jerks, among them:
Mimi Lien for scenic design for a musical for Great Comet
Nigel Hook for scenic design for a play for The Play That Goes Wrong
Both are well deserved in my opinion. The Play That Goes Wrong isn't exactly a life-changing evening of theater, but it was hilarious, and the set really becomes a character. Great Comet's set is one of the greatest transformations of a Broadway house and just an extraordinary achievement
I'm also really jazzed about the special Tony for Sound Design for The Encounter. It's a show that I have really mixed feelings about, but I walked out of there with my head shaken by the experience, and it was great to see such experimentation in forms of threatrical storytelling.
posted by zachlipton at 5:04 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Mimi Lien for scenic design for a musical for Great Comet
Nigel Hook for scenic design for a play for The Play That Goes Wrong
Both are well deserved in my opinion. The Play That Goes Wrong isn't exactly a life-changing evening of theater, but it was hilarious, and the set really becomes a character. Great Comet's set is one of the greatest transformations of a Broadway house and just an extraordinary achievement
I'm also really jazzed about the special Tony for Sound Design for The Encounter. It's a show that I have really mixed feelings about, but I walked out of there with my head shaken by the experience, and it was great to see such experimentation in forms of threatrical storytelling.
posted by zachlipton at 5:04 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Figured Come From Away receiving nominations was an excellent pretext for making some lobster rolls. Yum!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:32 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:32 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
Thanks for the live update link! I will be frantically flipping back and forth between hockey and the Tonys tonight, so I'm grateful for the ability to catch up on the things I miss.
posted by Stacey at 5:43 PM on June 11, 2017
posted by Stacey at 5:43 PM on June 11, 2017
awwww those Dear Evan Hansen guys made me cry
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:59 PM on June 11, 2017
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:59 PM on June 11, 2017
I would like to have a word with whoever thought Ben Platt's incredible performance was best seen through the eyes of a constantly moving steadycam up in his face.
posted by zachlipton at 6:07 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by zachlipton at 6:07 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
I would like to have a word with whoever thought Ben Platt was best seen through the eyes of a constantly moving steadycam up in his face.
I was wondering what was up with that. Also, Mr. Conspiracy insists that they could have done a much better job of "Waving Through a Window."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:11 PM on June 11, 2017
I was wondering what was up with that. Also, Mr. Conspiracy insists that they could have done a much better job of "Waving Through a Window."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:11 PM on June 11, 2017
True fact from the peanut gallery chez nous: Kevin Klein and Patti Lupone were an item in college.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:15 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:15 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Kevin Spacey does a good Johnny Carson!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 6:15 PM on June 11, 2017
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 6:15 PM on June 11, 2017
If you twitter, now's a good time to follow @TheTonyAwards, @Playbill, etc.
posted by NorthernLite at 6:21 PM on June 11, 2017
posted by NorthernLite at 6:21 PM on June 11, 2017
Woohoo. Best Orchestrations for Alex Lacamoire for Dear Evan Hanesen. I might have a bit of a nerd crush on his work (he also orchestrated and was the musical director for Hamilton; here he is playing a melodica).
posted by zachlipton at 6:27 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by zachlipton at 6:27 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
Tommy Tune!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:27 PM on June 11, 2017
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:27 PM on June 11, 2017
Also, Mr. Conspiracy insists that they could have done a much better job of "Waving Through a Window."
Well it completely knocked my socks off here, so I can't imagine what "better" would look like.
posted by dnash at 6:30 PM on June 11, 2017
Well it completely knocked my socks off here, so I can't imagine what "better" would look like.
posted by dnash at 6:30 PM on June 11, 2017
There was a lot of drama over why Bette Midler isn't singing right now, but it's a national tragedy.
posted by zachlipton at 6:32 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by zachlipton at 6:32 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Strong Opinions About These Things are held in my house. I'm just making the lobster rolls.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:33 PM on June 11, 2017
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:33 PM on June 11, 2017
Cynthia Erivo is amazing.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:43 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:43 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
There was a special award for sound design, but you will note that sound design is not a regular category. But it used to be. And then the TONY committee took it out.
I, and several other people who do or did work in theater, think this is some kind of bullshit. And we say so every year. If you want to show support, there is an official social media hashtag - #TonyCanYouHearMe.
Thanks.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:58 PM on June 11, 2017 [10 favorites]
I, and several other people who do or did work in theater, think this is some kind of bullshit. And we say so every year. If you want to show support, there is an official social media hashtag - #TonyCanYouHearMe.
Thanks.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:58 PM on June 11, 2017 [10 favorites]
lot of drama over why Bette Midler isn't singing right now,
I know she's also getting/ has a sub (Donna Murphy?) for some nights, I thought perhaps she just didn't want to do even one extra song this weekend? ... Wait, I'm talking about Bette Midler and a national audience?
Oh, and Empress, I'm so olde I can recall when orchestration didn't have a category either, and with my background I sooo appreciate the separate contribution orchestrators make.
posted by NorthernLite at 7:02 PM on June 11, 2017
I know she's also getting/ has a sub (Donna Murphy?) for some nights, I thought perhaps she just didn't want to do even one extra song this weekend? ... Wait, I'm talking about Bette Midler and a national audience?
Oh, and Empress, I'm so olde I can recall when orchestration didn't have a category either, and with my background I sooo appreciate the separate contribution orchestrators make.
posted by NorthernLite at 7:02 PM on June 11, 2017
There was a special award for sound design, but you will note that sound design is not a regular category. But it used to be. And then the TONY committee took it out.
IT'S COMING BACK! For next year. Very glad they made this happen.
posted by zachlipton at 7:05 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
IT'S COMING BACK! For next year. Very glad they made this happen.
posted by zachlipton at 7:05 PM on June 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
Carnegie Mellon paid big bucks so Josh Gad can make racist jokes about Irish people?
posted by zachlipton at 7:07 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by zachlipton at 7:07 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
So Pierre, Natasha is one of those audience participation thingys? Heck, I left performing with stage fright, now I'm just an introverted writer/ part-time critic who wants to sit in the dark. (And did the Tonys follow the SNL principle of putting only young, hot "audience" members in the on-camera seats?)
posted by NorthernLite at 7:21 PM on June 11, 2017
posted by NorthernLite at 7:21 PM on June 11, 2017
There ain't one for stage managers either, but strangely, I'm okay with that (although some kind of lifetime achievement acknowledgement would be nice).
Speaking of lifetime achievement - do I understand correctly that James Earl G-Darn Jones was given a lifetime achievement award and CBS actually didn't broadcast that moment?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:26 PM on June 11, 2017
Speaking of lifetime achievement - do I understand correctly that James Earl G-Darn Jones was given a lifetime achievement award and CBS actually didn't broadcast that moment?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:26 PM on June 11, 2017
It is not the show for you if you enjoy sitting in the dark and being left alone (or at least find a seat in a far corner of the theater somewhere). I had an actor hang out with her head on my thigh during one song.
Like most operas, I think it's something you want to be at least a bit liquored up for.
posted by zachlipton at 7:26 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Like most operas, I think it's something you want to be at least a bit liquored up for.
posted by zachlipton at 7:26 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Speaking of lifetime achievement - do I understand correctly that James Earl G-Darn Jones was given a lifetime achievement award and CBS actually didn't broadcast that moment?
Got part of his speech sandwiched in next to the commercials, but that was it. Boo.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:30 PM on June 11, 2017
Got part of his speech sandwiched in next to the commercials, but that was it. Boo.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:30 PM on June 11, 2017
'Aint nobody willing to play Bette Midler off the stage.
Ok: someone was willing to try. It didn't matter.
posted by zachlipton at 8:02 PM on June 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
Ok: someone was willing to try. It didn't matter.
posted by zachlipton at 8:02 PM on June 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
clean-cut banker Lin-Manuel kinda freaks me out!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:06 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:06 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
During Bette's speech I flew to NYC and got tickets to Dolly's next performance.
posted by NorthernLite at 8:21 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by NorthernLite at 8:21 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
A few thoughts:
- This was shockingly apolitical. A shoutout for arts and education funding sure, and Colbert got his digs in, but far less than I expected. Did someone order everyone not to talk about politics or something? Heck, there was an Apple ad about the environment that was more political than this show.
- The demographics remain weird here. We've got Johnny Carson impressions, ads for arthritis medications, and that nostalgic closing at a time when a gazillion 10-year-olds can do Hamilton word-for-word and tweens are begging to see Dear Evan Hansen, but this show seems increasingly irrelevant to these fairly incredible moments in the popularization of theater that are happening right now. It's tricky, but I do think there's a way to do this without dumbing the show down that would be more appealing to these kids, and I would have liked to see them try to do that a little more.
- Great Comet got robbed somewhat. I thought it was flawed to be sure, but was also an incredible achievement in advancing the artform that deserves to be honored. I wish Lucas Steele or Rachel Chavkin (director) got the nod at least. I did appreciate that they did a bit of a medley for their musical number; their performance was a highlight of the night I thought, certainly the highest energy. Dear Evan Hansen was fantastic, but I honestly don't think it deserved to sweep as much as it did.
- It was interesting to me that Dear Evan Hansen didn't do "You Will Be Found," which is their normal big ensemble number they do for press events. This gave Ben Platt a real chance to shine solo, and variety is nice, but it's hard to top the passion and energy in "You Will Be Found," and he's got a solo in that one too. I really do wonder what the show is going to be without Platt.
- I regret that I still haven't had a chance to see Oslo and hope to see it next time I'm in town.
- The playwrights giving a brief synopsis was a nice way to handle that. It's always sad we can't see a scene from each play, but since most plays really don't lend themselves to that, this seemed like a nice way to at least ensure that we see some playwrights.
- Kevin Spacey was swell I guess, but the writing he had to work with was incredibly tortured and generally miserable to watch. Spacey does get credit for that quick crack at "get the hell out of here before Bette Midler thanks anyone else."
- Somebody should be sent to The Hague for the crime that Bette Midler didn't sing. Her speech was a highlight of the night for sure though. The fact that her speech was a highlight of the night speaks to the fact that this wasn't a show that had a lot of memorable highlights.
posted by zachlipton at 8:25 PM on June 11, 2017 [4 favorites]
- This was shockingly apolitical. A shoutout for arts and education funding sure, and Colbert got his digs in, but far less than I expected. Did someone order everyone not to talk about politics or something? Heck, there was an Apple ad about the environment that was more political than this show.
- The demographics remain weird here. We've got Johnny Carson impressions, ads for arthritis medications, and that nostalgic closing at a time when a gazillion 10-year-olds can do Hamilton word-for-word and tweens are begging to see Dear Evan Hansen, but this show seems increasingly irrelevant to these fairly incredible moments in the popularization of theater that are happening right now. It's tricky, but I do think there's a way to do this without dumbing the show down that would be more appealing to these kids, and I would have liked to see them try to do that a little more.
- Great Comet got robbed somewhat. I thought it was flawed to be sure, but was also an incredible achievement in advancing the artform that deserves to be honored. I wish Lucas Steele or Rachel Chavkin (director) got the nod at least. I did appreciate that they did a bit of a medley for their musical number; their performance was a highlight of the night I thought, certainly the highest energy. Dear Evan Hansen was fantastic, but I honestly don't think it deserved to sweep as much as it did.
- It was interesting to me that Dear Evan Hansen didn't do "You Will Be Found," which is their normal big ensemble number they do for press events. This gave Ben Platt a real chance to shine solo, and variety is nice, but it's hard to top the passion and energy in "You Will Be Found," and he's got a solo in that one too. I really do wonder what the show is going to be without Platt.
- I regret that I still haven't had a chance to see Oslo and hope to see it next time I'm in town.
- The playwrights giving a brief synopsis was a nice way to handle that. It's always sad we can't see a scene from each play, but since most plays really don't lend themselves to that, this seemed like a nice way to at least ensure that we see some playwrights.
- Kevin Spacey was swell I guess, but the writing he had to work with was incredibly tortured and generally miserable to watch. Spacey does get credit for that quick crack at "get the hell out of here before Bette Midler thanks anyone else."
- Somebody should be sent to The Hague for the crime that Bette Midler didn't sing. Her speech was a highlight of the night for sure though. The fact that her speech was a highlight of the night speaks to the fact that this wasn't a show that had a lot of memorable highlights.
posted by zachlipton at 8:25 PM on June 11, 2017 [4 favorites]
We were in the room tonight, so I'm just catching up on al of the reactions. We were hoping for a few more Come from Away wins, but it was a great and interesting night overall.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:50 PM on June 11, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:50 PM on June 11, 2017 [4 favorites]
And now I'm wondering if some of the speeches were cut short from the broadcast, because there were quite a few anti-Trump speeches.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:01 PM on June 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:01 PM on June 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
Oh my god you got tickets!
A number of speeches were cut down to just a tiny soundbite for everything that they gave the awards for during the commercials (design awards, orchestration, even the special Tony for James Earl Jones). There were a few anti-Trump moments in the broadcast, such as Colbert's bit, the callout for NEA funding, and a pointed quote from Cynthia Nixon, but there was less of it and it seemed less overt than I was expecting.
posted by zachlipton at 10:38 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
A number of speeches were cut down to just a tiny soundbite for everything that they gave the awards for during the commercials (design awards, orchestration, even the special Tony for James Earl Jones). There were a few anti-Trump moments in the broadcast, such as Colbert's bit, the callout for NEA funding, and a pointed quote from Cynthia Nixon, but there was less of it and it seemed less overt than I was expecting.
posted by zachlipton at 10:38 PM on June 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Btw The Great Comet is a great show. You don't have to participate if you sit away from the aisles. I found that trying to decide where to sit from the seating chart to avoid weirdness was kind of nerve-wracking but it turned out fine. I'd actually recommend sitting up high to get the best view.
posted by bleep at 2:45 AM on June 12, 2017
posted by bleep at 2:45 AM on June 12, 2017
Johnny Carson went off the air the year before Ben Platt was born. Time to retire that one.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:02 AM on June 12, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:02 AM on June 12, 2017 [3 favorites]
Leaving this here: The 30 Best Musical Songs of the Last 40 Years.
Look, I saw Sunday in the Park with George and I cried, unspurred, unintentionally, and completely by surprise, when "Sunday" came on. It's a beautiful piece of music. The play is a beautiful play, and Sondheim is deserving of most of his accolades. But he does not deserve 9 (NINE!) spots on a list with 30 slots.
And you didn't even mention Matilda? No "Naughty"? "When I Grow Up"? Tim Minchin will never get respect, will he?
And instead you pick a song from a show that existed within a television show
I was so irritated, I came back here just to comment!
And where's "Circle of Life"?! You let "Beauty and the Beast" in, but not "Circle of Life"? You are a bad listicle-maker, madam.
posted by aureliobuendia at 11:55 AM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
Look, I saw Sunday in the Park with George and I cried, unspurred, unintentionally, and completely by surprise, when "Sunday" came on. It's a beautiful piece of music. The play is a beautiful play, and Sondheim is deserving of most of his accolades. But he does not deserve 9 (NINE!) spots on a list with 30 slots.
And you didn't even mention Matilda? No "Naughty"? "When I Grow Up"? Tim Minchin will never get respect, will he?
And instead you pick a song from a show that existed within a television show
I was so irritated, I came back here just to comment!
And where's "Circle of Life"?! You let "Beauty and the Beast" in, but not "Circle of Life"? You are a bad listicle-maker, madam.
posted by aureliobuendia at 11:55 AM on June 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
Leaving this here: The 30 Best Musical Songs of the Last 40 Years.
I never made the connection between "Skid Row" and "Belle" before, but now that it's pointed out to me, it's inescapable.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:15 PM on June 12, 2017
I never made the connection between "Skid Row" and "Belle" before, but now that it's pointed out to me, it's inescapable.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:15 PM on June 12, 2017
I am all-in on playwrights speaking about their work. So poised and eloquent! And so much better than weird montages, or that year they did the freaky shadow-plays, remember? A bit on the nose, perhaps, but I'd take a playwright telling me "The play is about [character(s)/event(s)] and it's about [greater theme(s)]." any day of the dang week.
It would've been nice to see Come From Away take another trophy, but I'm glad for the Dear Evan Hansen wins; despite what their press/marketing would have you believe, it's a really unflinching and (in some ways) unsentimental musical, and while CFA made me feel good, DEH made me feel lots and lots of things. It was the most uncomfortable evening I can remember spending in the theatre, maybe ever, and I loved it.
Would've been nice to see CFA and Great Comet duke it out for a Best Ensemble award, if such a thing existed.
And Spacey was... fine?
posted by Zephyrial at 12:23 PM on June 12, 2017
It would've been nice to see Come From Away take another trophy, but I'm glad for the Dear Evan Hansen wins; despite what their press/marketing would have you believe, it's a really unflinching and (in some ways) unsentimental musical, and while CFA made me feel good, DEH made me feel lots and lots of things. It was the most uncomfortable evening I can remember spending in the theatre, maybe ever, and I loved it.
Would've been nice to see CFA and Great Comet duke it out for a Best Ensemble award, if such a thing existed.
And Spacey was... fine?
posted by Zephyrial at 12:23 PM on June 12, 2017
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posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:51 PM on June 11, 2017