Tony Awards 2009

So I am currently sitting watching the Tony Awards, and yes I do realise that this is a movie blog. But so many actors and even shows/plays cross over to the movie genre. I attended the Tony Awards in 2008 and cannot believe that a year has now gone by since I was sitting in the audience myself.

The tribute to the performers who died in the last year has just been on, pictures of the actors who were nominated or won Tony Awards, accompanied by people singing “What I Did For Love” from “A Chorus Line” really broke my heart. I adore that song and some really big named actors have died in the past year. The three that really stick in my head are Paul Newman, Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty. While all of the people were applauded, I could hear a lot of cheers for Bea, she really was loved by the Broadway crowd.

I missed the start of the show which I was so disappointed about! Like the first 10 minutes, so basically the opening number. I turned it on in time to see Liza Minnelli on the stage, which made me smile. I was not too impressed with Shrek in musical form, I don’t no it just did not make me want to go and see it right now. I was however very, very happy when Angela Lansbury won yet another Tony Award. She really is just Mrs. Tony !!! I would not want to be nominated against her, haha.

Frank Langella has just been on presenting and very much amused me, kinda complaning in jest that he was not nominated for the play that he was in, and that award seasons bring out the best in him. He also joked about having an Oscar speech in his pocket still. Yes I am easily amused but he really was fantastic in Frost/Nixon.

Susan Sarandon was also on earlier and looking very good may I add. I cannot believe that this women is in her 60s now and still looking so fantastic, she is in such great shape. She has such a distinctive voice which I also love. Yes I do realise that I have just gone all fangirlish for Susan.

Billy Elliott perfromance was just fantastic, Elton John was on the stage to introduce it too which made it even better in my opinion. It was nice to see a different part of it, and not “Electricity” which was always on UK shows when it first hit the West End. Although my favorite song from this show is “Deep into the Ground”. Very good dancing in this part, it has to win best musical!!!

 I actually loved the Legally Blonde performance, it just looks like it would be a really fun show. Just like the movie is really fun too. Harvey Fierstein then came on to present and OMG his voice is just so incredible. He has won 4 tony awards, but I knew him first in Mrs Doubtfire, love it.

Nice to see Angela Lansbury back on the stage to present the life time achievement award good times. I think she is just fabulous, still going strong at her age is incredible. OMG YAY a clip from La Cage aux Folles . . . “I Am What I Am . . . ”  with George Hearn talking YAY I totally love him. Ok so the La Cage aux Folles now makes sense as it was for the writer or creator of that show. Whos name I cannot remember.

Anne Hathaway is there too, as she is going to be in Twelfth Night. She was introducing the performance from “Hair”. Hmmm I am not really too sure about Hair either, its not something I would rush out to see. Although it was amusing to see the cast jumping around the audience on some A List celebrities, haha.

Kristin Chenowith is a favorite with the Tony’s. She presented the best musical revival which went to Hair. I enjoyed the clip of Stockard Channing. What would a Tony Awards be without David Hyde Pierce ?!?!?! who was introduced by coming out for the second time tonight, hahahahaha.

YAY Billy Elliott won best actor(s) for all three of the Billy’s. Fantastic! Its Tony history as well, for 3 actors to be winning the Tony Award. Awwww they were all so cute as well, so shocked and overwhelmed and one of them was almost crying. They really had no idea what to say.  

Liza is also Mrs.Tony she is presenting the best musical award for the second year in a row . . . possibly even more times than that ?!?! I am guessing anyway. YAY of course Billy Elliott just had to win it, its incredible and from my neck of the woods in the North East England. LOVE IT LOVE IT. Geordie accents all round, haha. The kids just totally loved it.

News: 007 Craig To Make Broadway Debut With Help From Wolverine

OMG that would be heaven !!! I hope I can get tickets to go and see it 🙂

Action movie hunks Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig are bringing Hollywood glamour to Broadway – they are teaming up to hit the New York stage for a new play.

The 007 star will make his Broadway debut alongside seasoned theatre star Jackman in new drama A Steady Rain.

The play, written by Keith Huff and produced by James Bond’s Barbara Broccoli, follows two cops from Chicago, Illinois whose close friendship is pushed to its limits after becoming involved in a domestic dispute in a poor neighbourhood, reports the New York Post.

Craig performed small roles on the London stage before breaking into Hollywood, while X-Men star Jackman won a Tony Award in 2004 for his turn in Broadway musical The Boy From Oz.

A Steady Rain is due to open this autumn.

Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway (2008) Review

I love Rent.

Continue reading “Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway (2008) Review”

Billy Elliot Takes 15 Tony Award Nominations

I know its not movies . . . but I love Broadway.

2009 Tony Award Nominations are :

Billy Elliot, The Musical is leading the way at this year’s Tony Awards after scooping 15 nominations – tying with The Producers for the most nominations ever garnered by one show.

The production, based on the 2000 film about a coal miner’s son who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer, will go up against Next To Normal, Shrek The Musical and Rock Of Ages in the coveted Best Musical category at the 63rd annual prizegiving, which honours the best on Broadway.

Sir Elton John, who has been nominated for the show’s original score, says of the nomination: “It’s been an amazing experience. It’s made an incredible impact on my life.”

The drama 33 Variations was nominated for Best Play, competing against God of Carnage, Dividing the Estate and Reasons to be Pretty.

Meanwhile, Hollywood actors James Gandolfini and Jeff Daniels, who both star in God Of Carnage, have been pitted against each other for the Leading Actor In A Play award.

Their co-stars Marcia Gay Harden and Hope Davis will battle it out in the Leading Actress In A Play category, which also includes veteran actress Jane Fonda for her role as a dying musicologist in 33 Variations.

The winners will be announced on 7 June at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The main list of nominees is as follows:

Best Play:

Dividing the Estate – Horton Foote

God of Carnage – Yasmina Reza

Reasons to be Pretty – Neil Labute

33 Variations – Moises Kaufman

Best Musical:

Billy Elliot

Next to Normal

Rock of Ages

Shrek the Musical

Leading Actor in a Play:

Jeff Daniels – God of Carnage

Raul Esparza – Speed-the-Plow

James Gandolfini – God of Carnage

Geoffrey Rush – Exit the King

Thomas Sadoski – Reasons to be Pretty

Leading Actress in a Play:

Hope Davis – God of Carnage

Jane Fonda – 33 Variations

Marsha Gay Harden – God of Carnage

Janet McTeer – Mary Stuart

Harriet Walter – Mary Stuart

Leading Actor in a Musical:

David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish – Billy Elliot

Gavin Creel – Hair

Brian d’Arcy James – Shrek the Musical

Constantine Maroulis – Rock of Ages

J. Robert Spencer – Next to Normal

Leading Actress in a Musical:

Stockard Channing – Pal Joey

Sutton Foster – Shrek the Musical

Allison Janney – 9 to 5

Alice Ripley – Next to Normal

Josefina Scaglione – West Side Story

Score:

Billy Elliot

Next to Normal

9 to 5

Shrek the Musical.

John, Lansbury & Laurents Get Broadway Honours

And Angela Lansbury should get Broadway honours she done so much for musical theatre !!!

Sir Elton John, actress Angela Lansbury and Tony-winning playwright Arthur Laurents will receive special recognition next month for their contributions to Broadway.

The trio will be honoured at the 75th Annual Drama League Awards, hosted by Jeremy Irons and Cynthia Nixon.

The ceremony honours stars’ achievements in theatre, musical theatre and directing in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions.

John, who wrote the music for New York productions of Billy Elliot and The Lion King, will be celebrated for his achievements in musical theatre.

Lansbury, currently appearing in the Broadway revival of Blithe Spirit, will be recognised for her unique contribution to theatre while writer/director Laurents, the man behind the recent revivals of West Side Story and Gypsy, will receive the Julia Hansen Award for directing.

The honours will be handed out at the Annual Awards Luncheon in New York on 15 May.

Film Version of Spring Awakening

As you may now know, I am a massive musicals fan. So the announcment that a new musical is going to be made, always goes does well with me. So recent tony award winning show (opening in London’s West End very soon, after a successful off West End preview) is going to be made into a movie. Thats very good I would say.

Terminator Salvation director McG, who got his start behind the camera on music videos, is in talks to direct and produce a film adaptation of the Tony-winning rock musical Spring Awakening. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s developing the project with original book and lyrics writer Steven Sater, who worked with musician Duncan Sheik to create the reimagining of Frank Wedekind’s controversial 1891 play. The story centers on a bevy of male and female students coming of age, and explores homosexuality, S&M, loss of virginity, masturbation, and suicidal tendencies. 

News: Byrne: ‘Theatre Is Dead’

I really hope they do something to prevent Theatre dying out, maybe making it a little bit cheaper will help. And maybe more publicity to younger people?

Irish actor Gabriel Byrne is convinced theatre will die out – because the audiences are too old.

The Usual Suspects star has appeared in several productions, including a starring role as King Arthur in Camelot in New York last year.

He has also received numerous accolades for his onstage performances, including an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play for 2005’s A Touch of the Poet on Broadway.

And it was during his run in the show that the 58-year-old decided theatre-goers were a dying breed.

Byrne says, “I looked out into the audience and the theatre was packed with well-to-do, white-haired people.

“After the show I turned to one of the other actors and said, ‘Theatre is dead. There’s no one under 60 out there, they’re all white and they can all afford £200 for a night.’ Seriously, theatre as we’re doing it now, is dead.”

Sleepless In Seattle: The Musical Heads To Broadway

Very interesting musical. Can’t really think how it will work, so I would be very curious to see it.

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan‘s 1993 romantic comedy Sleepless In Seattle is heading to Broadway – as a musical.

Screenwriter Jeff Arch, who penned the hit movie, is working with composer and lyricist Leslie Bricusse to turn the film into a song-and-dance production for the New York stage.

The theatre adaptation, aimed for release in 2010, will be directed by My Big Fat Greek Wedding filmmaker Joel Zwick and produced by David Shor, according to industry paper Daily Variety.

Bacon Brushes Off Broadway Return In Footloose

Awww I think thats such a shame, even though he is too old for the part now. But would have been cool for him to revive his film role on Broadway.

Kevin Bacon has pre-warned Broadway bosses not to bother offering him a role in a revival of his hit movie musical Footloose – because he’s “not interested”.

The actor starred as Ren McCormack in the original 1984 film, about a Chicago, Illinois-bred teenager who moves to a small town that has banned dancing and rock music.

The movie was turned into a musical, which hit the New York stage back in 1998.

There has been talk of a new production – but Bacon won’t be involved.

He tells the New York Daily News, “I’m not interested in doing that. They did one, and that’s enough for me.”

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