June 8, 2015
After the
confession of many observers, Broadway, the Tony Awards in 2015 had a signature
and largely stuck to him. Many victories were predicted by experts - as in the
case of SureThing Helen Mirren was, reprising the role of the Queen of England
in "The Audience" and "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time",
the much-hyped game that was Tony pick one, since it opened back in the autumn.
But the
ceremony even Broadway managed a few surprises - and they were great.
SURPRISE: "Fun Home"
They went into the night Tony, was the only true toss-up for the evening Trophy: Best New Musical, the only trophy that still has the power to influence the sale of Broadway. "Fun Home" nominated for 12 awards, was one (with "An American in Paris", also nominated for 12), but there was a reason why the audience at Radio City was particularly pleased when won by two clear leaders the show , "Fun Home" is a small, intimate, challenging music on a designer lesbians coming to the end of his relationship with his father.
Playing in one of the smaller theaters of
Broadway, there will never be a commercial juggernaut like "The Lion
King" or "Wicked". It is, frankly, not the kind of music that
usually wins the top prize at the Tonys, where voters lean often more
traditionally popular (and high sales) fare like "American in Paris."
"Fun Home" defenders - and the Legion in the film industry are - see victory as an important step toward the form to break what works on Broadway, cementing a place there for shows like "Fun Home" or "Hedwig and the Angry Inch "(Tony winner last year) or entering hip-hop musical" Hamilton "and the Broadway opening to more diversity in form and matter.
SURPRISE: Ruthie Ann Miles, "The King and I"
Critics agree that all Miles, the head in 2013 to play in Imelda Marcos Off Broadway buzz magnet off "Here Lies Love" is a stellar turn as the principal wife, Lady Thiang in "The King and I" (rebirth Lincoln Center Theater predicted so far, won the honor for the musical awakening). But Broadway observers generally deemed the winner for Featured Actress in a Musical is one of the actors of the "Fun Home", which dominates the category with three actresses among the nominees.
Many in the industry had thought the price
would go to New York theater veteran Judy Kuhn, or perhaps 11 years Sydney
Lucas. But as it turned out, these actresses "Fun Home" are may have
split the vote, paving the way for Miles to take a well-deserved turn on the
catwalk.
SURPRISE: Kelli O'Hara, "The King and I"
Longtime Broadway favorite O'Hara had in danger, despite general recognition in roles of "The Light in the Piazza" which was Susan Lucci of Tonys with five previous nominations, and not a single winner, "South Pacific".
But while they
recognized as an important competitor in this year in the highly competitive
category of lead actress in a musical, Kristin Chenoweth ("In the 20th
century"), which was also on Broadway lovers, tilted while for victory
Chenoweth on Broadway only once every five years or more, the regularity and
consistency of O'Hara stage performances seemed to work against them - .. or
thought somehow in the end, voters opted Tony O'Hara had waited long enough and
finally gives him a trophy for the mantelpiece.
SURPRISE: In Memoriam
When was the last time the segment In Memoriam was one of the highlights of an award? Maybe never. So he showed surprising if the homage Tony ceremony turned out to be truly mobile thanks to a mounting including video, sincere interpretation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You Never Walk Alone" by Josh Groban and especially a shot put his stage which the entire cast of artists seen for the ceremony, and his orchestra, so the floor to pay tribute to in song.
The result was
partly for this reason that some types of theater announced a gloomy year for
the ceremony, and stressed the fact that perhaps the Tonys have to be
refreshed, with a new idea for a game that combines the advantages of all
things Radio City Stadium active.
SNUB: The ceremony itself by viewers
2015 Tony mission embraced his inner theater nerd, from its opening number in-jokey his Broadway co-hosts preferred to its final "Jersey Boys". Probably helped that on Sunday night, America seemed much more interested in the NBA Finals and "Game of Thrones" that the Tonys. Preliminary figures suggest Tony rating fell dangerously close to a record low, with 6.35 million viewers, total (excluding 9%) and by 25% in the first 18 to 49 years old.
