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This Week on Broadway for June 1, 2025: Our Tony Awards Predictions
01:25:48
Peter Filichia, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere predict, and discuss, next week’s Tony Awards. “This Week on Broadway” has been coming to you every week since 2009. It is the longest-running running Broadway and theatrical podcast with hundreds o...
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- [00:00]
James Marino
When the Moore family ditched cable Internet and switched to zigly fiber, they got so much more. Mr. Moore got more upload speed for next level gaming and livestreaming to the masses with reliable service. Mrs. Moore is no longer her family's IT guru, leaving her more time to stream games into overtime. Let's go. And young Mason Moore got more done quickly uploading HD product demos and video conferencing without freesync.
- [00:22]
Peter Felicia
The numbers look good.
- [00:23]
Michael Portantier
Brad, you're on mute.
- [00:24]
James Marino
Switch from cable Internet to ziply fiber and get more of what you love for $65 less per month than cable@ziplyfiber.com.
- [00:32]
Michael Portantier
Town.
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James Marino
If I let go to fall it's because of the things you are Beautiful town I love you.
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Michael Portantier
If I.
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James Marino
Need a moment rest give your love.
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Peter Felicia
Of the very best real life. Hello and welcome to Broadway Radio's this Week on Broadway for Sunday, June 1, 2025. My name is James Marino and in the broadcast today we have Peter, Felicia and Michael Portantier. Peter is a playwright, journalist and historian with a number of books. Peter's new Day by day desk calendar, A show tune for today, 366 songs to bright new Year has been released. Peter also has columns at Masterworks, Broadway, Broadway select and many other places. Hello, Peter.
- [01:30]
Michael Portantier
Hi.
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Peter Felicia
What is our show tune for today?
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Michael Portantier
Well, in 1944, the Subways initiated Ms. Subways along with the John Robert Powers modeling agency. They decided that every month they would certainly celebrate some young miss who they thought was extraordinary. And this went on from 1941 to 1976. And they were looking for a girl's next door quality rather than Hollywood beauties, that type of thing. But the 12 annual Ms. Subways, one a month, would see their picture posted on the posters. And of course this led to Ms. Turnstiles in on the Town, this show that, that Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Compton and Green certainly made a big splash with back in the 40s. So I chose Lucky to be Me, which I think is one of the most beautiful songs in the history of mankind. And because Gab sailor with a 24 hour leave only has to see a poster of Ms. Turnstiles to learn that she has the music that makes him dance and sing this glorious ballad.
- [02:42]
Peter Felicia
All right, also with us is Michael Portantier. Michael's a theater reviewer and essayist. He's the founder and editor of castalbumreviews.com he is also a theatrical photographer whose photos have appeared in the New York Times and other major publications. You could see his photography work at follow spot photo. Hello, Michael.
- [03:01]
James Marino
Hello.
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Peter Felicia
Hello. So just about 7 days and 21 hours from now will be the Tony Awards happening. And we've pondered and we've seen what our colleagues at other awards organizations have done, and we thought maybe we would give you some of our thoughts this week on the Tony Awards. So let's start just overall general thoughts, and then we'll get to some specific categories. But, Peter, what do you think about this year's Tony Awards?
- [03:47]
Michael Portantier
Well, of course, there'll always be a situation where people are complaining about the words snubbed and overlooked and robbed. Certainly said this time of year. And if I had to go to bat for anybody, and I know that this is not a popular opinion with my wonderful colleague Michael, but I'm very sorry that Boop didn't do better. I visited it again on Wednesday and had a wonderful time. I really think it has a great deal of imagination. I will say that the way Betty Boop gets the way it's settled at the end and with her new boyfriend is a little clunky to me. And if I may aggrandize myself here, I'm certainly going to deal with this issue in a book that I just sold that I still have to write called let's Fix a Musical, because I have an idea of what would make it better at the end. But I think the score is delightful. And certainly I feel that it is a triumph for Jasmine Amy Rogers, who I think is going to sneak in and win the Tony Award. And again, as Michael says, and I agree, we're both terrible at this, but, but I think she's going to sneak in. I think somehow that the votes are going to be split between Audra McDonald and Nicole Scherzinger and Jasmine Amy Rogers is going to sneak in there. By the way, I heard a fascinating theory that seems strange to me, but I wonder what you people think of it, and that is the fact that somebody said this Patti LuPone thing was purposely done to get sympathy votes for Audra. It sounds conspiracy theory sounds bizarre to me. But I mean, who knows if, if Audra does win her lucky seventh, maybe that indeed will be the case. So. So I really do wish that that Boop had been better acknowledged, and I'm very surprised that it didn't. And I, I really don't have much of an issue, though I would say that I would feel that Our Town was one that I greatly admired as well. And I'm very glad to see it in there because a lot of people were predicting it wasn't going to be in there because it was a very, very controversial situation. I was pretty interesting to see Floyd Collins get in there because indeed so many people felt that that was disappointing as well. And I'm very glad that John Michael Hill was nominated for purpose. I thought that. I imagine he and Harry Lennox will cancel each other out. But it will be interesting to see what's going to happen in that best actor in a leading role in a play category because will we be a situation where we're going to award George Clooney for deigning to come to who knows. On the other hand, Koloscola? Well, you know, he has had such a wonderful experience that I think that he may very well win for a number of reasons. I thought it was great to see that Mia Farrow was remembered, but I don't think that anybody can compete with Sarah Snook. So those are the first observations I have and I'll certainly ask Michael to weigh in now and we'll continue.
- [07:20]
Peter Felicia
So, Michael, any overall thoughts about the nominations?
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James Marino
Well, just as far as what Peter just said, I agree with most of what he said about Boop. You know, I think the score is excellent. I think her performance is phenomenal. I also think she may win the award and I hope she does. I just. Speaking of how to fix a musical, I already gave my thoughts on how to fix Boop when I said upon seeing it that it just seemed very strange to me that Boop, Betty Boop is transformed from her black and white cartoon world of the 30s to New York in 2025, but yet the music is still all about jazz and swing. And I thought that was very strange. And I said that I wondered if they had considered transforming her to New York in the 1930s during the Depression instead. And then lo and behold, one of our listeners, Eric Hemwood Greer, said he saw a sort of a presentation or a comment about the show years ago. And David Foster.
- [08:37]
Michael Portantier
Is that the composer's name Will, I think, isn't it? I can't say that I know.
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James Marino
I'm sorry, I don't have it in front of me. But whoever the composer is said that he was working on David.
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Michael Portantier
Yeah, you're right.
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James Marino
Yeah. David Foster said that he was working on a musical about Betty Boop that was set in the cartoon world of the 30s and New York in the 1930s. So I seem to have nailed that one. And I'm sorry they made that change because I don't think it worked at all. And I understand why they did it. I'm sure. Someone or more than one person on the creative team said, oh, we've got to, we've definitely got to set it in the present day so young people can relate to it. That, you know, they won't be able to relate to the 1930s. Well, you know, it didn't stop people from relating to Annie, you know, So I think that, I think that was a mistake.
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Michael Portantier
Well, let me interrupt you here to say that the Comic Con thing must have been very, very alluring. And that was going on then. And I bet that was a big part of that change. But think about it too. I was always amazed that maybe happy ending didn't use rock music when they were talking about going into the past and the music and the records that people were listening to, they could have very easily gone into rock music there. And the fact that they went into easy listening, jazz type of music was really a very surprising thing for me. And so we, we have two score could have embraced the rock idiom and didn't. And it's very interesting that both choices were made.
- [10:16]
James Marino
Yeah, well, boop. Could have embraced the rock idiom if they kept it set when it is. But they. Apparently the score had already been written and they wanted to keep it, which I think is very strange. It would have been interesting to be present for those production meetings and see who fought, you know, to, to keep it the way it was and who said, oh, no, no, no, we've got to, we've got to update the action. Of course, I will probably never know that. I'll see if I can find a, an informant.
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Michael Portantier
Right? Yeah, yeah. But for me, why look around the corner? Their 11 o' clock demo, complete with a bouncing ball, is one of the most delightful songs of the season. So I'm very glad to have it.
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James Marino
I cannot disagree more strongly on Our Town. I'm sorry. I think that production pretty much effectively destroyed the play.
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Michael Portantier
Yeah. Lord knows that plenty of people feel that way. And but the speediness of it that was so controversial really worked for me because I really do feel. Well, let me put it this way. Whenever I give a speech at any graduation, I always say to the kids, adults agree on very little. They don't agree on politics, religion, sexuality, movies, or even pizza. But all adults will tell you that time moves fast. Fast. You will not find one adult who will disagree with that. So you must believe us. And so the speediness of it tied into that point that I make all the time in my philosophy. So I think that's one reason why I really, really responded to this, our town.
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James Marino
Well, I also can't stand it when I feel things are drawn out. But in this case, don't you think speediness works very much against the milieu and the setting of the play?
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Michael Portantier
Well, what I will say is that because I'm so familiar with the play, it may very well be a case that it didn't bother me for that reason. And perhaps if I came to a cold, it would be very different. And that brings up Operation Mincemeat, because indeed, that goes a mile a minute. No, it. A mile a minute is still within the speed limit of most highways. No, it goes beyond the speed limit as far as I'm concerned. And it's very hard to pick up what's going on because everything's going so quickly. So I would like Operation Mincemeat to slow down a little.
- [12:38]
Peter Felicia
All right, so let's dive into the categories. We first have Best Book of a Musical, Buena Vista Social Club, Dead Outlaw, Death Becomes her, maybe Happy Ending, and Operation Mincemeat. So, Peter, what do you think?
- [12:54]
Michael Portantier
Well, you know, I. I've been giving out my own awards since time immemorial, and nobody gets anything. I mean, it's just. They just get a listing in my notebook and that's the end of it. But this year, there were two shows that impressed me so much with book that had to split the category into original book and adapted book. So for original book, I definitely am wildly in favor of maybe Happy Ending. I mean, what an incredible achievement to do something so bizarre and yet make it seem so natural. And I love when that happens. It doesn't happen nearly enough, God knows, but it. It just worked so splendidly that I could have no issues with it whatsoever. So that was my original book, and my adapted book was Death Becomes her. Because, as I've mentioned many times, I was so impressed that I doubt that there are 10 to 20 lines from the movie in that new script. So as a result, I was tremendously impressed at the writer who did not put the book on the stage. Business as usual, as was the case that I just recently saw in London with the Devil Wears Prada. So. So whichever one wins is fine with me. But you have to go with the original book because it's harder to do. Because, after all, the Death Becomes her writer did indeed inherit quite a number of characters and plot. While, of course, maybe Happy Ending had to start from scratch. And, wow, imagine starting from scratch with that show. So I expect that maybe Happy Ending will win best book and I'll be Very happy if it does.
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Peter Felicia
Okay. Michael, how about you?
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James Marino
I agree with all of that. I would say, I would add, I really liked Buena Vista Social Club overall and. And its book overall. I. I remember I mentioned when I reviewed it, to me, there's one plot point in it that's kind of bizarre. Very bizarre. And I wish they had massaged that one plot point a little bit, because I would have enjoyed the whole thing much more if they had done that. But I don't want to discount it for that one plot point. It's just an observation there. Dead Outlaw, I think, deserves a lot of credit as a show in general and as a book, because when you think about it, it must have been very difficult to structure that show in a way to maintain interest, especially because the main character dies halfway through. So I think they deserve a lot of credit. Death Becomes her. I did see the movie when it came out and never since then. I recall enjoying it, but not so much. I was more entertained by the musical. So I think that's a very. I think that's a big compliment to them, maybe. Happy ending. I love it as much as everyone else does. I hope it wins and deserve. I think it deserves to win. In Operation Mincemeat, I've mentioned my huge problems with the fact that the extreme jokiness and satirical approach, I think, is. Is anathema to the story. And I literally can't understand all of the praise and awards already, et cetera, that the show has gotten, except, as I mentioned, a couple of moments when it gets serious, including that incredible song sung by Jack Malone. A moment of honest sentiment that leaves the entire audience in tears and gets a huge deserved evasion every night.
- [16:52]
Peter Felicia
Okay, so in the next category, we have best original score, musical lyrics written for the theater. We have Dead Outlaw. Death Becomes Her. Maybe Happy ending. Operation Mincemeat. And Real Women have Curves. So similar to the book category, but just a slight variation.
- [17:12]
Michael Portantier
They usually are. Yeah.
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Peter Felicia
So, Peter, talk to us about best original score.
- [17:19]
Michael Portantier
Yeah. David Yazbek certainly has been devoted to musical theater after a start where he had really no particular interest in it until Adam Gettold really recommended him to do the Full Monty after they wanted Adam to do it. So it's nice that he keeps on returning. And this is a very different score from the ones he's written in the past, and it really fits the music very well. So I wouldn't be 1000% surprised if indeed he were to sneak in there. But once again, I'm gonna go with maybe Happy ending. The Only score that didn't really score with me was Death Becomes Her. As much as I like the show, I thought the music and lyrics were the least interesting part of it. So I hate to say that because they're a young team, they're Emerson graduates, and that's a school that's really come such a long way from when I was a kid, I'm telling you. So. So I really wish it well, but I just. It was. I've seen the show. I can't begin to even start a melody of any kind with any of those songs, so. So. And as I say, the speediness of Operation Mincemeat to me is a detriment. So. So I think maybe Happy and IGN is going to win here, too.
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Peter Felicia
How about you, Michael?
- [18:38]
James Marino
Oh, I think it's going to win, too. The only one I would discount is Operation Mincemeat for pretty much the reasons that I said. I. I think the score in the book are both far too jokey and satirical, but the others are all worthy to me. Death Becomes Her. I love the score very much. While the show was happening, I thought it was very. What's. What's that word? Well, it worked well for the. For the show. At the same time, there were no individual songs that stuck out in me as something I'd want to hear on the cast album. So there is that. It's, you know, it's a very. It's a utilitarian score. Yeah, that's a good word.
- [19:31]
Peter Felicia
Okay.
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Michael Portantier
Yeah.
- [19:33]
James Marino
And I loved maybe Happy Ending on both levels, both the way it worked in the beautiful story. But also, I would like to hear that album, and it is already out for those who want it. Dead Outlaw. I was so impressed when I saw the show off Broadway last year. I was so impressed by the score that I remember I went on and on about it then. I think it's a beautiful job by David Yazbek and Eric delapena, and I think it's also a vast improvement over Tootsie. I was so disappointed by the score of Tootsie overall, and I have always attributed to the fact that I think that David Yasbeck had to write it very quickly under a schedule, and that inspiration was lacking in that case. But here I think he's right back at the top of his form, and I think that's phenomenal. And real women have curves. I also very much enjoyed. And I always think it's great. I mean, there have not been that many musical theater scores with heavy, Heavy Latino. Hispanic influence sound like this one. And so whenever one is in that style and it works so well and it's so enjoyable, I think that that deserves a great amount of praise as well. So I don't think it's going to win the award, but I really like that score and I look forward to more from that team of Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez.
- [21:17]
Peter Felicia
Okay, next category is best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play. George Clooney getting the benefit of alphabetation. George Clooney, Good night. Good luck. Cola Scola. Oh, Mary John. Michael Hill in Purpose. Daniel Dae Kim, Yellowface. Harry Lennox in purpose, and Lewis McCartney in Stranger Things, the First Shadows. So, Peter.
- [21:45]
Michael Portantier
Well, yeah, I did give a preview of this, but I, I, I think that certainly a lot of people like when somebody comes out of the blue and, and you don't know who he is until you see him on stage. And for the most part, the Broadway audience has that experience with Cola Scola. Yes, there were some downtown appearances here and there that the downtown audience was aware of, but this has been such a surprise because there would have been a time where a play like this could have never been a hot ticket on Broadway. And given the fact that he's the auteur as well as the star, I think he's going to get it. Especially because George Clooney, so much of his performance is seen on a screen. I mean, it's so bizarre to me that he's sitting back there upstage and there he is in profile and so much is on the screen. That's a detriment to me. So, so if Judge Clooney is looking forward to getting the egot, another step to the egot, I don't think it's going to happen. So I, I think it's going to be cold.
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Peter Felicia
Okay. Michael, how about you?
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James Marino
Yeah, I also think it's going to be Cole, but talk about very different types of nominees. Talk about apples and oranges. Cola Scola, George Clooney, Daniel Dae Kim, you know, so I'm glad for the diversity and the nominees.
- [23:17]
Michael Portantier
Sure.
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James Marino
But I, yeah, I would go with Cole.
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Peter Felicia
I think that Broadway's gonna sell out to the celeb. I don't think that that's how it should go in a vacuum, but I think that Clooney's gonna get it. So best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play. We have Laura Donnelly, Hills, California. Mia Farrow, the roommate, latonya Richardson, Jackson, Purpose, Sadie Sink. John Proctor is the villain, and Sarah Snook, the picture of Dorian Gray. So Peter, what do you think?
- [24:05]
Michael Portantier
Oh, it's got to be the picture of Dorian Gray. This lady, you know, we all produce the expression she really did her homework. Well, yeah, she really did because she had to do all these other parts before she ever even got on stage to do the show. So it's such an achievement. I don't, I kind of imagine that she isn't going to win in, in another year. If she weren't a contender, I, I would have think Latonya Richardson would have had a fabulous choice. So. But we shall see what we shall see.
- [24:39]
Peter Felicia
Michael, how about you?
- [24:41]
James Marino
Well, one of our colleagues and I won't name him just because, you know, I didn't ask, although he was very public about it wrot to the effect of I hope that the Tony voters can understand the difference between best performance in a play and best performance in a TV show. I, you know, the picture of Dorian Gray was so strange in terms of the way that it was that so much of our performance was projected on large screens and you often had to, if you wanted to see her live you had to try to kind of peer around the back of the screens where she was performing. Now it's still a stage performance in terms of the amount of energy, et cetera, but the way it's delivered, you know, certainly very, very different. And I, I personally, although I laud her talent and her energy, I just, I would not choose her because I, I just think the whole concept of first of all of the, well, first of all a one person version of Dorian Gray. Second of all, that, that it would be played by a woman given the subject matter. That is all so, so wrong headed to me that I wouldn't even consider it as a, as a viable choice for best performance. And interesting to me for, to me to hear so many people be so vociferous in expressing the opposite opinion and saying she's absolutely going to win. So we will see now. Well, yeah, see then it gets difficult. Then it gets really difficult. Everyone else was excellent. I thought that Mia Farrow was wonderful in, in that play, but I didn't think the play was anything special. So maybe that's a bit of a mark against her. Not to mention whatever, you know, things she has done and said publicly that people might hold those against her. You know, whether or not that should be an issue. Laura Donnelly in Hills of California, absolutely superb. Nothing negative I would say against her. Same with Latonya Richardson Jackson, maybe that's, that play is more of an ensemble piece to the point where she nor any specific other person stood out so much from the others. And that's also true that what I just said is also, I guess, largely true of Sadie Sink. John Proctor as the villain seems to have turned out to be a major achievement. I. I had a friend who lives out of town in Colorado, and his wife was going to be in town, and he asked me to recommend one show, and he said, she prefers plays to musicals. So I said, you know, I said maybe she might really like John Proctor as the villain. Well, she came and she got a ticket, and she. She said it was the best play she'd ever seen in her life.
- [28:23]
Michael Portantier
How wonderful.
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James Marino
So I was glad that I made that recommendation, but I do think Sadie Sink is fabulous in it and again, an ensemble role. So I wouldn't even venture to make a guess in this category. Even admitting that I'm always wrong, even admitting that to begin with, I'm still not even going to make a guess.
- [28:47]
Michael Portantier
Well, the other thing I want to know about this, Michael, because I hate when people say to me, what should I see? Responsibility is so amazing. Because, of course, with ticket prices being what they are.
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James Marino
Sure.
- [29:00]
Michael Portantier
You know, and I always say, what type of show do you like? Tell me your favorite shows and try to get a beat on that. But even so, I find it very, very daunting. And I usually try to slough off saying, I just don't know your taste well enough to make any recommendations. But how wonderful that your recommendation turned out to be so stellar.
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James Marino
Well, she did. As I said, she did say she wanted to play not a musical, so that let out a lot. And Sure. I mean, I know her a little bit, so I. I was trying to think of. And she's a woman, so. So I thought, well, sure, yeah. Yeah.
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Michael Portantier
So I will say that I. If Hills. If there were no say, Dorian Gray and the Hills of California were still running, I think Laura would be a slam dunk. So that's.
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Peter Felicia
Yeah, that's interesting. Okay, so the next category is best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical. We have Darren Criss, maybe Happy Ending. Angie Durant, Dead Outlaw. Tom Francis, Sunset Boulevard, Jonathan Groff, Just in Time, James Monroe Iglehart, Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong, musical. And Jeremy Jordan in Flight, Floyd Collins. So, Peter.
- [30:22]
Michael Portantier
Well, I think it's a race between Jonathan Groff and Darren Criss, and the. The tidal wave that I'm expecting for maybe happy ending may put him over. There would be something nice about a performer winning two in a row, and that would happen of course, with Jonathan Groff, who is sensational in the show, but Darren Criss has to do all that funky movement. I'm sure that many of our listeners know by now that he plays a robot. A semi retired robot, but nevertheless a robot. And he's so wonderful in the moves he makes that. That may put him across. So I do expect a good night for maybe happy ending. I think he will get the award.
- [31:07]
Peter Felicia
All right, Michael.
- [31:10]
James Marino
Yeah. Another factor is that I think many people would want to award Darren Criss because I think they would agree this is the best thing he's done in the theater. As I recall, he got quite mixed reviews for American Buffalo and I don't know he was a replacement in how to Succeed, so I don't recall if he was even reviewed in that. Do you. Do either of you remember?
- [31:38]
Michael Portantier
I'm sure that he was, but yeah.
- [31:40]
Peter Felicia
I think he got reviewed by the Times, but I don't think that the other outlets really went back to it. But he got. One of the biggest reviews that are out there is my wife. Laura loved.
- [31:55]
James Marino
How to Succeed.
- [31:58]
Peter Felicia
She loved him and had to succeed. And she also loved maybe happy ending as well. So if she had a vote in this category, I think that's where she would go.
- [32:09]
James Marino
Well, as I say, but yeah, American Buffalo, I think mixed reviews and I didn't see it. But. But regrettably from all reports, when he did that Chess concert, it did not go well.
- [32:22]
Michael Portantier
I wasn't there either.
- [32:23]
James Marino
So it was. Yeah, yeah, well, yeah, like I said from all around.
- [32:28]
Peter Felicia
And I can see why he's not in the press release for the Chess announcement this week.
- [32:35]
James Marino
Right, exactly. Ye. So. So I think that a lot of people are very happy that he's so good and maybe happy ending and they might want to reward him for that. You know, like most improved, like they used to have in school on your report cards. Didn't they have things like that?
- [32:57]
Michael Portantier
I wouldn't know.
- [33:00]
James Marino
Okay, okay. Andrew Duran was great off Broadway and is great on Broadway. I don't. I don't think Debt Outlaw has made such a SPL on Broadway. Maybe it really is just an off Broadway show. Tom Francis, fantastic in Sunset Boulevard, but maybe not the kind of role that tends to win awards. Jeremy Jordan, I thought, is wonderful in Floyd Collins, but that too has not gone over so well for a number of reasons. And I think that may work against him. James Monroe Iglehart was absolutely fabulous, I agree, as Louis Armstrong, but that show is long closed. And Jonathan, it will be really interesting to see if he gets two in a row. He is so beloved and so great in the show, and I personally would almost say he carries that show on his shoulders.
- [34:03]
Michael Portantier
Yeah, that's fair.
- [34:04]
James Marino
There are lots of good things in it. But if it wasn't him or someone equally charismatic and beloved and talented, you know. Yeah. So that's going to be the most. Maybe the most. Well, there are several interesting categories, but that's going to be one of the most interesting categories for me.
- [34:28]
Peter Felicia
Okay, next is best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical. We have Megan Healthy. Megan Healthy. I almost said healthy. Healthy. I'm sure she is healthy. Well, no, she's healthy eight times a week.
- [34:44]
Michael Portantier
You know, she doesn't do it eight times a week for most weeks, but that's another story.
- [34:49]
Peter Felicia
So Megan Hilty and death becomes her. Audra McDonald in Gypsy Jasmine. Amy Rogers in Boop. Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard. And Jennifer Simard in Death becomes her. I think this is the horse race category.
- [35:05]
Michael Portantier
Oh, indeed.
- [35:07]
Peter Felicia
You know, Peter, tell us. Well, I got the horse right here.
- [35:11]
Michael Portantier
Well, I gave myself away a little earlier by saying Jasmine Amy Rogers. And I don't think it's just wishful thinking. Certainly it is my wish, but I don't think it's wishful thinking. And I've certainly mentioned in the past that after Audra McDonald won three, she said to me when she was up for her fourth, Peter, I don't think anybody thinks I need another Tony. Well, of course, she's doubled that. And so I have a feeling we're now at the point where I don't think people do need think she needs another Tony. So. So for that reason, I don't think she's going to win. I think she's terrific in the show. I just don't think she's going to win because there's an will be an enough is enough feeling. So. And we'll see. With Nicole, there's certainly. She certainly has her fans. Certainly. Yeah, it's, it's. It's always amazing to look at the various chat boards and see people going over the moon for her. I'm not going to be surprised if her name is called, but I still think it's going to be Jasmine Amy Rogers, who, by the way, was a Jimmy winner way back when. So it's nice to see that somebody who had that nice high school experience is now having quite a different experience and the one that I think she cherishes even more. Don't you?
- [36:36]
Peter Felicia
All right, Michael, what do you think?
- [36:40]
James Marino
Well, Bearing in mind that the Tonys are voted on by people in the industry, I wonder, what are your two guys thoughts on how much, if at all, it factors in when performers start to miss a lot of shows.
- [36:58]
Michael Portantier
I think that has a great bearing on it. For one thing, I imagine that some of the voters go to the theater, find out that there's not going to be a show or find out five minutes in advance or they're on their way and I imagine that's a significant mark against it.
- [37:14]
James Marino
Yeah. James, thoughts?
- [37:16]
Peter Felicia
Yeah, I do think that that is, that does play into it. I do think, you know, the voters for the Tony Awards are all industry people and a good number of them are actors themselves.
- [37:38]
Michael Portantier
Sure.
- [37:39]
Peter Felicia
And while I'm not sure I've ever really seen it, seen much of it online, actors in private conversations would be like, I can't believe they're out so much.
- [37:56]
Michael Portantier
You know, even to the point to where they say, see, if they gave me the part, I'd be there every night.
- [38:03]
Peter Felicia
Yeah, right, exactly. Well, Michael, what were you going to say?
- [38:06]
James Marino
It's kind of shocking what I've heard about how often Jennifer Simard and Megan Hilty have been out separately and together and not so much, not so many absences for Audra, but still a lot considering, you know, the show's only been running six months and she is the above the title star. So impossible to say how much any of that will factor into any of the votes by any of the people who are actually voting, but it's just something I thought I'd bring up. Nicole Scherzinger was extremely well received when her show opened and I thought she was quite phenomenal given the performance in the very unusual style that was required by this director. But also vocally, she was beyond fabulous. So she was a, I think a front runner for a long time. Then there was some, some interpretation or misinterpretation of, of a hat that she wore and for a while there was some attempt to sort of cancel her or, or at least, at least admonish her. I. That was a long time ago, so I don't know how many people even remember that.
- [39:39]
Michael Portantier
Right.
- [39:40]
James Marino
And Jasmine, Amy Rogers, everyone seems to love her. I have heard not one negative word about her as a performer or as a person. I thought, thought. Speaking of carrying a show on your shoulders, I would say this is another example. Again, although I don't mean to imply there aren't other wonderful things in boop. But just in terms of her personality and her talent, she really carries it. I would Be very happy if she wins. And I would not be at all surprised if she wins.
- [40:12]
Michael Portantier
I'm going to bring up something very, very strange because somebody told me something that struck me as very strange. And I may get the story wrong, but as I understand it, it. One of the reasons. Again, this sounds so bizarre. One of the reasons that Nicole Scherzinger is barefoot in the show is because she has a thing about her feet. And Jamie Lloyd says, if you're barefoot, you'll get over it. Again, I only tell you what I hear. I'm not saying what I say is true, but I think that is so bizarre. And also to me, it would be another way of saying, isn't it interesting that if that is true, that he's accommodating the star, but not the character of Norma Desmond.
- [40:56]
James Marino
Yeah, but the character of Norman Desmond is no longer, you know, anything like it used to be.
- [41:03]
Michael Portantier
And I say more's the pity, right?
- [41:06]
James Marino
Yeah.
- [41:07]
Michael Portantier
Yeah.
- [41:09]
Peter Felicia
I'm just shocked that there's not a. On the bottom of her feet, a tattoo that says the Jamie Lloyd production.
- [41:18]
James Marino
You know, be Beatrice Arthur, if you recall, was someone who, for whatever reason, hated to wear shoes on stage. She loved. Yeah, she. Her last Broadway. Well, her. You know, her one. She did. She did it barefoot.
- [41:32]
Michael Portantier
I don't remember that at all. And I did see it, so. Yeah. Wow.
- [41:37]
Peter Felicia
Is there no production of Barefoot in the Park? All right, next category is Best Sports Mess. I'm gonna try that one more time.
- [41:48]
Michael Portantier
Sure.
- [41:50]
Peter Felicia
The next category is best performance by an actor and a featured role in a play. Glenn Davis, Purpose. Gabriel Ebert. John Proctor is the villain. Francis Jew, Yellow Face. Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry. Glenn Ross and Conrad Ricamora for o' Mary. So, Peter, what about this category?
- [42:12]
Michael Portantier
I have a feeling Conrad's gonna win, but I. I like them all. I really did. And especially I. I. In a production of Glengarry that didn't get rave reviews. I was very glad to see Bob Odenkirk nominated. I thought he was really quite wonderful and certainly a standout in that production. So. But again, that was. Production was more vilified than I expected it to be. So Francis Jouer, such a wonderful actor. Yeah, but Omari's running. Omari's in the. In the consciousness. Yellowface is not here anymore. So. So I think it's going to be Conrad.
- [42:56]
Peter Felicia
Okay. Michael, how about you?
- [42:59]
James Marino
I liked Conrad Rigamora's performance very much, but I didn't think it was exceptional. I very much enjoyed Bob Odenkirk and Gabriel Ebert And Glen Davis. But again, those. Well, purpose. Again, not true. Myself is such an ensemble effort that I don't think there's a lot of focus on any one person. Gabriel Ebert is interesting because his character sort of turns out to be the closest thing to a villain in the show, but he doesn't turn out, he doesn't start out that way. So I think that's interesting, the way he handles that transition and the way the audience responds to it. So that's something to say in his favor. But Francis Jew, I don't know. Maybe I'm biased. I worked with him once slightly, so.
- [44:01]
Michael Portantier
That'S how it's pronounced. You know that for a fact? Yes. Okay, good. Good to know.
- [44:06]
James Marino
I believe so.
- [44:07]
Peter Felicia
Yeah, I think so. It is, yeah.
- [44:10]
James Marino
And he, he, he really was great in this and, you know, representation. But aside from representation, you know, even if that wasn't a factor, I just thought he was wonderful in a play that I didn't love as much as everyone else did, but he did a fabulous job. And if you missed it, you can still catch his performance on PBS because the, the entire thing was shot for pbs and I'm sure you can still access it.
- [44:44]
Peter Felicia
All right, so up in the next category we have, let's see, best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play. Tala Ash in English, Jessica Hecht. Eureka Day, Marjan Neshat in English, Fina Straza in John Proctor as the villain. Carrie Young in Purpose. Peter, how about you?
- [45:12]
Michael Portantier
Well, I think it's time that Jessica Hecht gets recognition. And while this may not be the quintessential performance, Julie Stein always said you always win for the wrong property. And even though this is not her most showy role. No, it was a showy role. But I mean, there have been other performances by Jessica Hecht that certainly have been far more galvanizing, let me put it that way. I mean, I, I liked her very, very much when, when she was just starting out in Last Night at Ballyhoo. And I thought she was very good. And after the fall in a sporting role, that's a very difficult play, as most everybody will tell you. And I thought she was terrific in the Price too. So all those, I think were more situations, but I think it's going to be hers as sort of a strange type of mid lifetime achievement award.
- [46:10]
Peter Felicia
How about you, Michael?
- [46:13]
James Marino
I'm going to disagree with Peter to the extent that although I don't have a clear memory of all of her past performances, I would say that in my opinion this is by far Jessica Hecht's best performance. I absolutely love the transition that this. Well, it. It's not. No, it wouldn't actually be true to say that the character makes a transition, but the audience perception of the character makes an incredible transition. Transition from the beginning of the play to the end, after Jessica delivers one of the greatest monologues I have ever seen or heard on a stage. So kudos to the playwright for that. I will never forget it, how I did it, such a complete turnaround, and it really. It just. It kind of knocked me for a loop. I don't want to say anymore, but that show's closed, isn't it?
- [47:22]
Michael Portantier
Yeah.
- [47:23]
James Marino
Yeah. Well. Well, I hope you see another production of it somewhere, because it's a great play and she was phenomenal in it. So that's what I would say about her. And that is why I would give her the award. And I think she may win it also. She's also my should win, and she's my will win choice in this category. I'm willing to do that. Everyone else was fantastic. All of these shows are ensemble efforts, but Carrie Young is. Is always phenomenal.
- [48:02]
Michael Portantier
It was nice to see her in a slightly different role, too, as somebody who was full of awe, you know, because she. She really made a reputation by streetwise characters, you know, real tough young women.
- [48:13]
James Marino
Agreed.
- [48:14]
Michael Portantier
Yeah. So to see her, you know, just in awe of this family that she's heard about since time immemorial, so. So it's nice to see her do something different. Different.
- [48:23]
James Marino
Agreed.
- [48:25]
Peter Felicia
In the next category, best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical, we have Brooks's Manchkis and Smash. We'll see if that's. That'll. That. That word play will make it to the opening number of the Tony Awards.
- [48:45]
Michael Portantier
Right?
- [48:46]
Peter Felicia
Jeb Brown and Dead Outlaw. Danny bursting in Gypsy. Jack Malone. Jake Malone. Jack Malone. Jack Malone. Yeah, that's what I. I knew that, and then I doubted myself. Operation Mincemeat. Taylor Trench, Floyd Collins.
- [49:03]
Michael Portantier
So, Peter Jack Malone. This is going to be the award that Operation Mincemeat gets for participation because he does have that galvanizing number. And as I've mentioned in the past, and Michael alluded to it earlier, wow. This is this type of number that gets applause that builds and builds and builds.
- [49:23]
James Marino
Abates.
- [49:23]
Michael Portantier
Abates. Abates. And then builds higher than it was the first time. And that is the greatest compliment that any audience can give anything, be it the entire show or production number. And it's very rarely does it happen with A solo, but it's quite a solo. He does wonderful work in it and I think that this is easily his win.
- [49:46]
Peter Felicia
Okay. Michael, how about you?
- [49:48]
James Marino
I agree and I don't have much to add except, yeah, I never realized till this moment. I mean, it's hard enough to say Brooks Eschmanskas alone, but to say Brooks Ashmanskas Smash is, I don't envy who's going to have to say that during the, during the nominees recitation on the Tony Awards.
- [50:13]
Peter Felicia
I'm telling you, now that I think about it, we could have gotten a pull quote outside of the theater if we called it a, a smash, smash man Kiss event, you know.
- [50:23]
Michael Portantier
Right.
- [50:26]
Peter Felicia
All right, next category, best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical. Natalie Venetia Belkun in One of Us to Social Club. Julia Knitel in Dead Outlaw. Gracie Lawrence just in Time. Justin. Justina Machado in Real Women have Curves and Joy woods in Gypsy Scene.
- [50:49]
Michael Portantier
PETER well, you know, I was a little surprised to see Joy Wood sneak in there because I heard a lot of negative feeling. I thought she was fine, but boy, I've heard a lot of people not respond to her. I think this is going to be the Bu Vista Social Club Award for the night. It's so funny to see this girl when she was playing Gary Coleman in Avenue Q, that she's all grown up now. I mean, you know, Avenue Q suddenly is more than two decades old now. So, I mean, so is she and so are all of us. But, but to see her all grown up and playing essentially a matriarch and a powerhouse, I think, I think it's going to be she.
- [51:36]
Peter Felicia
Okay. Michael, how about you?
- [51:39]
James Marino
I think it's going to be she. Also. I did, I did think for me that Joy woods was one of the the best things about Gypsy, although the, the part was fiddled with somewhat in terms of the writing and I know a lot of people didn't like that.
- [52:00]
Michael Portantier
So.
- [52:00]
James Marino
Yeah. Anyway, I don't have much more to add. I, I think it's going to be.
- [52:05]
Peter Felicia
NATALIE okay, so we're gonna go down to best direction of a play. We have Newt Adams in English, Sam Mendez in the Hills of California. Sam Pickleton O Mary, Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the villain Kip Williams, the Picture of Dorian Gray. Peter, what do you think of.
- [52:28]
Michael Portantier
Well, I would think that the picture of Dorian Gray would be very hard to maneuver around, so I was very, very impress. But it's such an atypical show. It may not be thought of in many people as a directorial triumph, but I think it is. And I'm going to go out on a big limb here and say that that's going to win.
- [52:50]
Peter Felicia
Michael, how about you?
- [52:52]
James Marino
Well, that brings up a very interesting question, doesn't it? Do we assume that Kip Williams is the one who decided how to film, film all of that?
- [53:05]
Peter Felicia
I think so. I think, I think so. You know, Sarah Snook isn't the original.
- [53:11]
James Marino
Right.
- [53:12]
Peter Felicia
They did it in Australia with somebody else and Kip Williams was the director in Australia. And I think that I saw a feature where they talked about Kip Williams more or less being the decision maker in these things. But I'm not 100% sure on the.
- [53:32]
James Marino
That you're probably right. So I guess he's. He's the cinematographer as well as the director. Yeah, the dp. He's the dp. And all of that is done brilliantly well, you know, in, in concert with whoever it is who, you know, they have to run the, the clips, the, the pre recorded clips of Sarah Snook to play along with her live acting. And the timing has to be spot on or otherwise it all falls apart. I think it's more of a group effort for that show. And as I said, I don't like the whole concept. So for that reason I would not pick the Picture of Dorian Gray. All of the others, very well done. I'm still fascinated by the fact that Omari is such a hit on Broadway.
- [54:28]
Michael Portantier
Me too.
- [54:28]
James Marino
I, you know, I don't think there's ever been never a play with that kind of outrageous comic sensibility on Broadway. And for not only it to be not only successful but to be a major hit. I think it's historic. I do.
- [54:45]
Michael Portantier
It is. Yeah. Yeah, it certainly is. It certainly is. I just think there were more hoops to go through when you do a show like. Well, the other ones, the Hills, California did have two sets, but the other ones are, you know, one set shows where you.
- [55:02]
James Marino
Right.
- [55:03]
Michael Portantier
You know, I mean, so the demands of the Picture of Dorian Gray were substantially more daunting and that's why I think it will win.
- [55:12]
James Marino
We'll see.
- [55:13]
Michael Portantier
Oh yeah, won't we?
- [55:17]
James Marino
Such an easy comment. We'll see.
- [55:23]
Peter Felicia
I think that John Proctor is going to win this category. Tanya Taymor.
- [55:28]
Michael Portantier
Yeah, I don't think that's impossible either.
- [55:31]
Peter Felicia
And Danya Taymor, 2024, winner of best direction of a musical for the Outsiders.
- [55:38]
Michael Portantier
Right, right. So it wouldn't surprise me.
- [55:42]
James Marino
Yes. And as I said before, the response to that show overall has been Phenomenal. And so that will. I think that will help her greatly.
- [55:55]
Peter Felicia
Next category, Best Direction of a Musical. Sashim Ali, Buena Vista Social Club. Michael Arden, maybe Happy Ending. David Cromer, Dead Outlaw. Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her. Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard. Peter.
- [56:11]
Michael Portantier
As long as it's not Jamie Lloyd, I'll be happy. That's the one that mystifies me. But Lord knows there are people who thought he did a phenomenal job. So I'm not going to be. If I have a heart attack in my life, it won't be when they announce him as Best Director, even though. Yeah, yeah. But Michael Arden has been on the scene for a while now. I mean, it wasn't that long ago. It seems to me that I saw him as an actor and here he is, you know, really making such a splash. Smash. So I think he's going to win.
- [56:45]
Peter Felicia
Michael, how about you?
- [56:47]
James Marino
Same here. End of story.
- [56:50]
Peter Felicia
All right. Best choreography. Joshua Bergas in Bookish Smash. Camille A. Brown in Gypsy. Christopher Catelli. Death becomes her. Jerry Mitchell. Mitchell Boop. Patrick, Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck in Buena Vista's Social Club. So, Peter.
- [57:14]
Michael Portantier
Well, it wouldn't be impossible for Buena Vista to emerge here too, because there's so much of it. I mean, it's such a celebratory show where celebrations often expressed in dance. But I think this is going to be a Boop win for Jerry Mitchell. There are so many wonderful dances in it, and it was great to see them again this Wednesday afternoon with a house that was very appreciative of them, too. So the opening number alone seems to be the grandchild of 42nd Street. It has that same feel, and it brings the show to such a terrific start that it pulls the famous 10 minute rule. You know, in the first 10 minutes, you really have to establish who you are and what you're doing. And in this case, it's a case of the first number really putting you on such a high that it carries you for more than 10 minutes. So I think it's easily going to be Jerry Mitchell.
- [58:14]
Peter Felicia
Okay. Michael, how about you?
- [58:16]
James Marino
You know what? It's interesting that I'm realizing just right now as I'm looking at this category, I think it's fair to say the only hit in the category is Death Becomes Her. Smash is not Gypsy is not doing very well. Neither is Boop. And I actually haven't checked lately. But I don't think Buena Vista is up near the top, right?
- [58:43]
Michael Portantier
That's right.
- [58:44]
James Marino
Yeah. So just throwing that out there. I don't know how that will affect anything. I don't know if the people who give the choreography award will necessarily pay attention to that when. When voting, but I think that Peter may be right, and I think it might be Jerry Mitchell.
- [59:05]
Peter Felicia
Okay, Best Orchestrations. Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber. Just in Time. Will Aronson maybe Happy Ending. Bruce Coughlin and Floyd Collins. Marco Paguia. Paguia. Does anybody know the pronunciation of that? Michael's usually our pronunciation expert. Buena Vista Social Club.
- [59:32]
Michael Portantier
He's so good at it.
- [59:33]
Peter Felicia
David Cullen and Angelo Weber for Sunset. Sunset Boulevard. So, Peter in the orchestration category?
- [59:42]
Michael Portantier
Well, I think that when you're dealing with previous work, you're at a disadvantage. So Sunset Boulevard wouldn't strike me as much of a contender here. And for that matter, I have a feeling that people feel that Andrew Lloyd Webber has had enough success in the musical theater that he doesn't need this award. Just in Time. Well, to me, they sounded pretty much like what I heard when I used to buy them as 45 records. So I'm not sure about that. It's always wonderful when somebody who has actually worked in the field for a long time gets a chance to do something that has been done before, but in a very, very different palette. And I'm talking about Floyd Collins because, after all, here we have a different situation with far more music than we had at Playwrights Horizons. So even though I said earlier that, you know, a show that's been done before being reorchestrated, doesn't have much of a chance, this is an exception to the rule. And Bruce Coughlin is a very, very highly, highly, highly respected man in the field. So I do believe that he certainly is somebody that's going to be a player. But it's always wonderful. And it doesn't happen very often that a person who is composer also takes the time to do his own orchestra orchestrations. Kurt Vile did and a few others, but it doesn't happen often. So because Will Aronson did so well by composing maybe Happy Ending, I think he may win Orchestrations as well.
- [61:19]
Peter Felicia
Okay, Michael, how about you?
- [61:21]
James Marino
Well, first of all, I don't have the cast album, but the orchestrations for Sunset Boulevard did not strike me as markedly different from the ones that we all know. So just just wanted to make that point. And I didn't. I guess I. You know, there was so much going on at Floyd Collins. I didn't pay that much attention to the orchestrations there. But again, I wasn't noticing anything strikingly different. I thought maybe Happy Ending had wonderful orchestrations that were so well suited to that score and the tone of that show. So in that sense, it. It was a very nice achievement. Buena Vista. Very exciting orchestrations. And by the way, I. I think it's Marco Paguia. I think that.
- [62:18]
Peter Felicia
I think that sounds right.
- [62:19]
James Marino
G U I. Yeah, yeah. In. In Spanish, not in Italian.
- [62:23]
Peter Felicia
Yeah.
- [62:26]
James Marino
But, you know, I think that I might give it to just in time because I. While that show was happening, I noticed several times, partly maybe because the band is on stage, I thought, gee, those are really fantastic orchestrations. So that might be my choice. But I have no idea what's going to happen.
- [62:52]
Peter Felicia
I'm going to say that Buena Visa, Social Club's going to win this one.
- [62:56]
James Marino
Okay.
- [62:59]
Peter Felicia
We'Re all split across here, so that's a good one. All right, so let me look here what we should do.
- [63:11]
Michael Portantier
Revivals.
- [63:11]
Peter Felicia
Let's do the revivals first. They came up in the, in the, in the Tony Ward press packet. They, they started with the best play, but let's do the revivals first. So best revival of play. Eureka Day, Romeo and Juliet, Our Town, totally Michael's pick and Yellowface. So, Peter, tell us who you think in this category.
- [63:38]
Michael Portantier
Well, again, my boat would easily go to Our Town, but I think it's going to be Eureka Day. It was a very well received show. And I don't know, Romeo and Juliet certainly appeal to a young demographic. And if there are more Tony voters than there used to be that are young, it may very well do well. Yellowface has had such a journey. If it weren't that flop play, Face Value, from years ago, which, by the way, I did see at the penultimate performance, which was not even a genuine performance as tallied by ibdb. It was simply a preview they did not dare to open. So this has been such a journey for that play. It would be very nice if it. If it were to win, but I'm going to go with Eureka Day, even though Our Town was easily, for me, the best of the four.
- [64:41]
Peter Felicia
Michael, how about you?
- [64:42]
Michael Portantier
You?
- [64:44]
James Marino
Well, I was among the people who were surprised that Eureka Day was a revival. Where was it done again before?
- [64:54]
Michael Portantier
Somewhere off Broadway.
- [64:56]
James Marino
Oh, okay. Did either of you guys see it?
- [65:00]
Peter Felicia
I don't think not.
- [65:02]
Michael Portantier
I don't think so.
- [65:03]
James Marino
Well, obviously, clearly it did not make a splash in its previous production, so how great that it did now. But it's just so hard for me to think of it as a revival. You know, I thought Yellowface was very well done and Our Town was despicable. And I Thought, I mean, Romeo and Juliet was incredibly exciting. So gonzo in terms of the decisions made by the director, that it was almost, you know, a different animal. But there was an energy in that theater that I. That I cannot remember ever seeing anything like it. And, you know, I mean, a lot of it, of course, was because of the way that very young people respond to these hot movie and TV stars. But I also felt like they were with the play 100%, and that's a wonderful thing. So if I were giving the award, it would be. It would be a split between Eureka Day and Romeo and Juliet. And I wouldn't know how to decide because they're so, so different. But I really thought both of those were great achievements.
- [66:37]
Peter Felicia
I found my invite to the original Eureka day. It was 2019. You and a guest are cordially invited to press performances of Cult Coer's east coast premier of Jonathan Spector's Eureka Day, directed by Adrian Campbell Holt, at Walker Space, 46 Walker St. Yeah.
- [67:04]
Michael Portantier
So am I right that that place isn't happening anymore?
- [67:09]
Peter Felicia
I don't think so. I don't think I. You know, off the top of my head, I can't recall seeing any invites for Walker Space in a while.
- [67:19]
Michael Portantier
I apologize for even bringing it up. It's a terrible thing to even imply that, especially if they're flourishing and running very well. So I apologize for that.
- [67:31]
Peter Felicia
So let's see here.
- [67:34]
Michael Portantier
And Rick Miramantes did not write my apology.
- [67:42]
Peter Felicia
Let's see. Yeah, no, I don't see anything for Walker Space recently in the database. So, okay, so that was best revival of a place. So let's do best revival of a musical. Floyd Collins, Gypsy, Pirates and Sunset. Peter.
- [68:06]
Michael Portantier
Well, it's going to break my heart when Sunset wins, but it is going to win. I have lobbied long and hard about direction, which we're going to talk about soon. About. About My review of Gypsy said that not only should Judge Wolf win a Tony, but he should get a MacArthur Grant for all the things he brought to Gypsy that we have never seen before. So that would be my choice. But I know it's going to be Sunset Boulevard.
- [68:33]
Peter Felicia
Michael, what do you think is going to happen?
- [68:36]
James Marino
Well, I strongly disagree with Peter about Gypsy.
- [68:38]
Michael Portantier
I know most people do. Most people do.
- [68:42]
James Marino
Sunset is. I still don't feel like I fully processed the experience because, you know, not to repeat what I said before, I. I do not like the musical in its original incarnation at all. And so I guess that left me much more open to this radical reinterpretation. And so I was able to enjoy it just on the basis of the singing and the use of the video and etc. Etc. I don't know if I would normally give it an award, but it's not a very strong category because Floyd Collins is a somewhat disappointing revival of a show that I guess. Well, this production does remind us that the show itself is flawed, which maybe is not that evident if you're just listening to the cast album, the original cast album, because most of the flaws, I think, are in the book and the structure of the show, not within the score. So that's an interesting thing. And Pirates arguably shouldn't. I mean, arguably, it's a revisal, not a revival. And I don't like a lot of the changes that they made to it, so I guess I would discount that one. So I'm not sure where that leaves me. Just a bunch of. Just a bunch of observations, I guess.
- [70:19]
Peter Felicia
All right, so we're down to best play and best musical. Best play. In the category of best play, we have English the Hills of California. John Proctor is the villain, O Mary and Purpose. So, Peter, what do you think?
- [70:38]
Michael Portantier
I think it's going to be John Proctor. It was a bit of a surprise. You know, Purpose was less of a surprise simply because of his playwright and last year. But John Proctor, with that strange title and the fact that it relies on knowledge of the Crucible. And I. I do believe it's going to be John Proctor. And I would have never thought that when it was announced when the season began that it was coming, but I think it's going to win.
- [71:11]
Peter Felicia
And Michael, I agree, you're going to go against the Pulitzer Prize.
- [71:22]
James Marino
Well, I did. Was going to make a note of that.
- [71:25]
Michael Portantier
There have been plenty that. There have been plenty of times. Plenty of times when indeed the Pulitzer has not gone to up in the Tony winner. So. So there are. There are many, many precedents for that. So English.
- [71:39]
James Marino
English won in 2020.
- [71:41]
Michael Portantier
Yeah, I understand.
- [71:42]
James Marino
Is this, Is this, Is this the first time that two Pulitzer winners are up for new. Best new.
- [71:50]
Peter Felicia
Just to recap, John Proctor's the villain is Peter's pick and Michael's pick. I got lost in there. We. You were.
- [71:58]
Michael Portantier
He said it too.
- [71:59]
Peter Felicia
You said it too.
- [72:00]
James Marino
Yes, John Proctor.
- [72:02]
Peter Felicia
All right, I was. And as I have mentioned before, John Proctor's villain is the best show I've ever seen. So there it is for me. Best musical, Buena Vista Social Club. Dead Outlaw. Death Becomes her. Maybe. Happy ending. Operation Mincemeat.
- [72:23]
Michael Portantier
Peter, it's gonna be a happy ending. For maybe happy ending.
- [72:26]
Peter Felicia
Okay. Michael, how about you?
- [72:30]
James Marino
Yeah, same here. It's just so wonderful the way there was no buzz about that whatsoever.
- [72:39]
Michael Portantier
None.
- [72:39]
James Marino
It started out incredibly poorly at the box office and now has become a deserved hit because of word of mouth and the extremely well deserved, phenomenal reviews. I think of it in a way as almost like a fantastics for our day.
- [73:00]
Michael Portantier
Yeah, well, that's a very good analogy. And the fact that the Shuberts gave it the Belasco, which is never a compliment, so was also not quite the leap of faith that one might hope that a show would get. But people are finding their way over there.
- [73:17]
Peter Felicia
Yeah, it is. It opened in October. Well, first previews were in October and it was doing $2410-0024-1290-4290 7,000. And now it is doing over a million a week.
- [73:38]
James Marino
Fantastic. So they and the producers does not happen very often. Often.
- [73:45]
Peter Felicia
No, no, Norm. Especially with so many things trying to come in and wanting theaters. You know, very often the theater owners will close down a show, but maybe happy ending is just growing and growing and. And I mean, you're talking about May 25's grosses of just over a million dollars with 102% capacity. And this is. Meanwhile, this.
- [74:13]
Michael Portantier
They're.
- [74:13]
Peter Felicia
They. They're getting in all of the voters. They're comping. They're comping in all the voters. And the plus ones for all the voters. You know, we're talking about thousands of comp tickets.
- [74:26]
Michael Portantier
Sure.
- [74:28]
Peter Felicia
So. And it's still doing over a million. Over a million dollars at the Velasco. So it's really wonderful. All right, so that wraps it up for this week. Before we get on to our brain tease and our musical moments, I want to remind everybody that you can subscribe to the Broadway radio's podcast by going to the front page of broadwayradio.com there's a subscribe link that way each and every time we have a new episode of this week on Broadway, it'll be automatically downloaded to Apple podcasts for us. For you, of course, you don't have to listen to us on Apple podcasts. There's many ways to get us. One way is Patreon P-A-T-R-E-O-N.com BroadwayRadio. You get us early. Get to join us on Sunday mornings live to listen to all the mistakes that I make and. Yeah.
- [75:18]
James Marino
Yes.
- [75:18]
Peter Felicia
And support all of our Broadway radio shows. Contact information for Peter, for Michael, and for me can be found in the show notes@broadwayradio.com as well as links to some of the things we've talked about today. So, Peter, do you have an answer to last week's brain teaser?
- [75:36]
Michael Portantier
Indeed. Actor A played a featured role in the Stephen Sondheim Tony winning hit. Actor B played the leading role in the Stephen Sondheim flop. Within a dozen years, they reversed their roles. Let's just cut to that. And what I'm talking about is Victor Garber played Anthony in the original Sweeney Todd and later played Franklin Shepard in Merrily We Roll along at Arena Stage, a theater that won the 1976 regional Tony. Jim Walton played Franklin Shepard in the original 16 performance Merrily We Roll along and later played Anthony in the 1989 Broadway revival of Sweeney Tony Todd. Paul Whitty was first, followed by Sean Logan, who will see tomorrow night at the Theatre World Awards Tony Janicki, Arthur Robinson, Jeff Hickman, Fred Abramowitz, Brigad dude and Ingrid Gammerman. This week's question they're the first words of a song heard in a Tony winning musical of the 70s. The words also constitute the full title of a Sondheim musical. Understand that the name of the Sondheim musical is not the title of the song from the Tony winning musical, but only his first words. And here's a hint, the one and only performer in that musical who won a supporting Tony was not one of the two people who sang the song I'm looking for.
- [76:58]
Peter Felicia
Hey, if you have an answer for that, email us@triviabroadwayradio.com we'll let you know if you are on the right track. Track. If you need more clarity on that, Peter actually sends the text of the trivia and it's in the show notes. So if you want to read through that because I just lost track of everything. So Michael, what do we have in this week's musical moments?
- [77:24]
James Marino
Oh, you know, before we do that, I just want to take a moment to commemorate the passing of Barry Gordon. Oh yeah, G O R D I N Barry was a wonderful theater journalist and photographer and I actually had just a couple of weeks ago posted a photo that Barry had taken of me with Jonathan Groff when I had done a live interview with Jonathan in 2019 at Ripley Greer Studios. And then I realized I had a whole set of photos that Barry took at that event. So I reposted that. I'll send you the link to that. And I shared it with Jonathan and and he just texted me back and said thank you for sharing that, Michael. Rest in Peace, Barry. So tonight, by the way, is the. The Drama Desk Awards. So I'll be seeing Jonathan and lots of those types of people there as well. So looking forward to that. But musical moment. Well, our opener is Patti LuPone singing a bit of Buenos Aires from a performance at the 1981 Tony Awards telecast. And I chose this little excerpt because it begins with the lyrics end, if ever I go too far, which is, I think, appropriate because I don't know how much we want to get into it. But there was that whole situation this week, this controversy with Patty responding to something that Keisha Lewis had done months ago and also dragging Audra McDonald into the situation. And it got a tremendous amount of blowback, including an open letter signed by 500 industry people, very few of whom whose names I recognized, by the way, calling for a Patty to be banned from attending the Tony Awards because of all that. So there's a lot of that could be said on both sides. And, you know, I. I'm sure we. We don't want to get into it now and don't have the time, but it was such a big story. I mean, it was mainstream media story that I thought we could not ignore it. And I thought maybe the way we would acknowledge is with this little audio clip of her singing a bit of Buenos Aires on the closer. Here's something. On May 19, I was privileged to attend a little salon. Theatrical producer Scott Perrin hosted a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Rogers and Hart song Manhattan, the 1925 classic that helped define the sound of New York City long before anthems like New York, New York and. And New York State of Mind and Empire State of Mind. Manhattan is widely considered to be the song that launched both Rogers and Hart into the musical theater canon. To honor this milestone, Perrin hosted a private musical salon in his legendary West 54th street residence, affectionately dubbed 54 above, where twin twin grand pianos and over seven decades of Broadway and cabaret history come to life. Well, those twin grand pianos were played on this occasion by Billy Stritch and Ted Firth, which was incredible. And there were amazing guests there, special guests like Marilyn May and music journalist Will Friedwald and Ted Rosenthal. So it really was an amazing, amazing night that I was so privileged to attend. And our closer is Manhattan, the song Manhattan, which really is a terrific song. Music and lyrics are both. Both phenomenal. You can see why it became such an amazing hit. Many recordings in Manhattan, of course, but I found a wonderful video from a show that I was lucky enough to attend in 1991, Rainbow and Stars. That venue that no longer exists did a Rogers and Hart review with a phenomenal cast. Margaret Whiting, Jason Gras, Elaine Stritch and Judy Kuhn. And all four of them are featured in this performance of Manhattan. So enjoy that. And you can see, I mean, there's nothing like being there live. But for those of you who ever went to that venue, it was, you know, at the top, top of the. What is now called the RCA building. Is that the current name of it?
- [82:16]
Michael Portantier
I don't think so.
- [82:18]
Peter Felicia
Oh, no, the, the, I think it's.
- [82:21]
James Marino
Called the Top of the Rock.
- [82:22]
Peter Felicia
The Top of the Comcast building.
- [82:24]
James Marino
Oh, okay. All right. See, so I'm several, I'm several names in the past. All right, yeah, the Top of the Rock. It's that building or the one next to it, right? Yeah. Anyway, you know, it was unbelievable view of the city, you know, and meanwhile, you know, this in this beautiful cabaret venue that no longer exists. So that was a loss to New York nightlife, but I'm glad I got to attend several shows there. And here's a wonderful memento of that place.
- [83:00]
Peter Felicia
What about the picture of Hugo?
- [83:03]
James Marino
Oh, I'm sorry, you know, I thought we were going to do that at the beginning. Yeah. One more thing. I'm sure many of our listeners are familiar with the legendary logo that RCA Records used for decades of a dog named Nipper with his ear cocked, listening to an old style gramophone, you know, the 78 RPM record players with the big horn. You know, that, that, that logo was included on many recordings, classical and show tunes. Etc. Well, anyway, I, I was visiting Gerard Alice Andrini at his lovely home in Connecticut earlier in the week and he has, he has recreated that logo because he has a porcelain figure of the dog Nipper in exactly that pose posed next to a, an old gramophone that looks exactly like the one in the logo. So that you can see as you walk into Gerard's record room. And it's amazing in itself, but believe it or not, we were sitting there listening to records and Gerard's cat Hugo crawled up next to the dog and made the exact same pose.
- [84:31]
Michael Portantier
Wow.
- [84:34]
James Marino
So Gerard was like Gerard said, very, very softly, get your camera. And amazingly, Hugo stayed in that position long enough for me to get the shot and it's just incredible. You could not have planned it. So I will send that along as well.
- [84:54]
Michael Portantier
Oh, how wonderful. Good for you.
- [84:56]
Peter Felicia
All right, so on behalf of Michael Portantier and Peter Felicia, this is James Marino saying thanks so much for listening to Broadway radio this week on Broadway. Bye. Bye.
- [85:07]
Michael Portantier
Bye.
- [85:25]
Peter Felicia
It's very fancy.
- [85:27]
Michael Portantier
I know the Lassies trees.
- [85:36]
James Marino
When poppy breezes blow to and fro.