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The Tonys: Putting On a Great Show
Whoopi Goldberg hosting the 62nd Annual Tony Awards by Theo Wargo/ WireImage.com
Next to TV, theater probably qualifies as my most consuming passion. Whereas I love TV for its ability to bring millions together for a shared experience on an expansive canvas that’s always fascinating to chart, I treasure the theatrical experience for its shared intimacy, the knowledge that what an audience of dozens or hundreds is witnessing live will never happen exactly the same way again. (The fact that in classic Broadway tradition, these performers and crews do it eight times a week never fails to astonish me.)
This helps explain why the Tonys is potentially my favorite awards show any given year, a celebration of commercial theater that gives the national audience a rare glimpse into the shows that has the stage world buzzing. I say “potentially” because in recent years, the Tonys (despite moving into the cavernous Radio City Music Hall) has become a diminished franchise, taking what was once an all-out musical spectacular that made room for elaborate tributes and specialty numbers and turning it into a perfunctory salute to the current year’s nominated shows that becomes a race to get off the air by 11 pm/ET.
This year’s broadcast, the best in a long while, was still rushed at the end, but primarily because the show was stuffed with the sound of music (an apt Rodgers & Hammerstein reference, given the success of the dazzling new South Pacific revival). It opened with a 10th-year anniversary homage to the still-popular The Lion King (the spectacular “Circle of Life” number never gets old), and ended with a nod to Rent, which is closing later this year, as the current and original casts each got a chance to perform. Throughout the show, Whoopi Goldberg proved a game and chipper host, appearing on stage as the crab in The Little Mermaid and aloft as Mary Poppins (“Yeah, I can watch the kids, but I won’t be cleaning your house.”) and inserting herself in taped segments into the casts of enduring shows like Spring Awakening, The Phantom of the Opera and Spamalot.
The show broke tradition this year by allowing new musicals not nominated for the top best-musical prize to show their stuff, in part because several (Mermaid, Young Frankenstein) had marquee value lacking in lesser-known front-runners like the jubilant In the Heights (the ultimate winner) and the funky Passing Strange. Cry-Baby, based on John Waters’ movie—and how funny was he as he wondered “if there are actual prisoners watching the Tony Awards tonight”—scored with its best number, a jailhouse tap extravaganza with inmates strapping license plates to their feet. The wacky surprise contender Xanadu (introduced by Lily Tomlin) strutted its campy stuff toward the end of the show, but only hinted at its mad genius.
The musical revivals were well represented, with Patti LuPone belting the Gypsy first-act closer “Something’s Coming Up Roses” to the rafters (the crowd’s standing ovation revealing why her performance is already theater legend), a stirring medley from South Pacific and a cheesy look at the TV-spawned Grease mutation. The only time I thought the Tonys dropped the ball was in not letting the number from the dazzling Sunday in the Park With George revival be the centerpiece of a larger Stephen Sondheim montage, considering that he had just been given a lifetime achievement award. (Mandy Patinkin read Sondheim’s witty acceptance speech to the audience). That’s the sort of grand gesture the Tonys would have produced back in its glory days.
Still, a better-than-average show, not that the ratings are likely to reflect it, given the strong sports competition with Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open and the toughly fought NBA Finals. (At least the Tonys didn’t have to face a pop-culture milestone like the finale of The Sopranos this year.)
Where else are you going to see acceptance speeches so eloquent, clever and gracious that you’re tempted to applaud from your seat? Highlights: In the Heights’ composer-star Lin-Manuel Miranda rapping his thanks, including a shout-out to Sondheim (parsing a Sunday lyric): “Look, Mr. Sondheim, I made a hat where there never was a hat, and it’s a Latin hat at that.” Pulitzer-winning playwright Tracy Letts accepting his Tony for the savagely funny August: Osage County by noting (in a nod to his former acting career): “I guarantee you that this moment beats the hell out of auditioning for JAG.” (Did he know what network this was on?) Patti LuPone, winning her first Tony in nearly 30 years (not since Evita), screaming at the orchestra that was trying to urge her offstage, “Shut up—it’s been 29 years!”
BTW, I’m planning to be in the audience Tuesday night to welcome back Gypsy winners LuPone, Boyd Gaines and Laura Benanti from their Sunday night triumph. That should be the sort of electrifying evening you can’t even find on TV, especially this time of year.
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Jun 16, 2008 9:03 AM
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I really enjoyed the ceremony as well, and I thought the extra performances worked really well. It's nice for people who only get to see the occasional traveling production to see what's happening on Broadway and get a little taste of what you read about or see on broadway.com. Whoopi was a great host, and I hope they bring her back or get another "name" to host. I'm jealous of you getting to see Gypsy, that Patti LuPone performance was amazing and her speech was fantastic.
I was really happy that they shared the love around, giving lots of different shows awards. That shows that all those nominated deserved to be there for something, which is sometimes missing in other awards shows (ahem, Emmys). I wouldn't have minded it running a little long if they had included some more of the early awards in the broadcast, clips of acceptance speeches notwithstanding, but all in all, it was a spectacular awards show, as the producers have realized the people want more performances.
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Jun 16, 2008 10:15 AM
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Goose bumps and the hair on my arms stood up at the opening.. Loved the Rent reunion and of course Gypsy and South Pacific.. Whoopi did a great job.
Missed you Matt glad you are back
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Jun 16, 2008 10:20 AM
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Next to TV, theater probably qualifies as my most consuming passion.
Me too, Matt! Actually I'm constantly trying to figure out which one I love more. I love watching the Tonys even though, unfortuanately, I live too far away to be able to see any of the shows (although I did get to see Curtains and The Lion King last year--one of the best weeks of my life).
I thought last night's show was quite good, too; thank you for reminding me of so many great moments. I agree that the Tony speeches are the most thoughtful and articulate of all the awards shows. When it started to seem like Patti LuPone was going to run long I thought, "Surely they won't try to play off Patti LuPone," but they did! Thank goodness she told them to shut up.
Welcome back! You were missed and I hope you had a great vacation. And I'm more than a little jealous that you are going to Gypsy tomorrow night. 
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Jun 16, 2008 10:47 AM
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Psst...it's "Everything's Coming Up Roses."
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Jun 16, 2008 11:29 AM
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Welcome back, Matt.
I thoroughly enjoyed last night's Tony awards; as you said, it was almost as good as they used to be. Whoopi was a great host.
I got chills and applauded Patti Lupone from my living room; she never fails to amaze me. Although I don't live in NY, I was lucky to have seen a live concert starring both Patti and Mandy Patinkin in Richardson, Texas a few years ago. It was glorious.
That being said, I am still green with envy that you are going to see Gypsy tomorrow night. Just the thought of being in the audience to hear her sing Rose's Turn ... I can't put it into words. Enjoy your fortunate-self.
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Jun 16, 2008 11:44 AM
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Tracy Letts has the acting résumé of a typical Hollywood journeyman (see his IMDb page). Odds are his reference to "auditioning for JAG" was not an arbitrary one. A story we'll never hear, I fear.
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Jun 16, 2008 11:51 AM
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Matt - So theatrical - din't know you had it in you! I concur!
daviddavid
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Jun 16, 2008 12:32 PM
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Matt, Thank you! I was hoping someone loved the show too.....I am a theatre buff and I ate up every moment (as well as taped it for my brother the HS director!).
From Whoopi's entrances-to the heartfelt and heartwrenching acceptances, to the clips and ...lol..the Phantom clip with "Christine"? I'll never look at "Angel of Music" the same way again! Here's hoping the ratings reflect what my friends and I thought on the West Coast-there is nothing like live theatre and the Tony's!
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Jun 16, 2008 12:56 PM
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I don't even like live theater, but I enjoyed this show. It was perfect timing since there wasn't much else on. Sorry to have missed the Rent number, grrrrrrrrrr. Whoopi was a good sport as usual.
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Jun 16, 2008 1:12 PM
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Matt, I hate to be nitpicky but the performance from Gypsy was
"Everything's Coming Up Roses."
Anyway, you are in for an amazing experience on Tuesday. I saw Gypsy a month ago when I was in the city and it was magnificent, especially "Rose's Turn."
I wish the Tony's had showered at least a little bit of love on Sunday in the Park with George. It's an amazing production with a great cast and set (especially the projections).
Oh well, I still loved the many Sondheim references in acceptance speeches, and of course his speech. He definitely deserved his award (as evidenced this season by having two revivals!)
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Jun 16, 2008 1:14 PM
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But where was Stephen Sondheim? What could have kept him from being there? Can you find out Matt?
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Jun 16, 2008 2:07 PM
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Despite some of the off-key performances, I thoroughly enjoyed the show, from Whoopi's hosting to Stephen Sondheim's eloquent acceptance speech to Mark Rylance's odd acceptance speech.
Anyone know why Sondheim chose not to show?
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Jun 16, 2008 2:23 PM
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The musical revivals were well represented, with Patti LuPone belting the Gypsy first-act closer “Something’s Coming Up Roses” to the rafters
Great recap of the Tony's...but I just have one correction for you...the first-act closer in Gypsy is "Everything's Coming Up Roses..." not "Something" 
Would love to get to NYC to see that show!
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Jun 16, 2008 2:57 PM
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You couldn't even mention the original Broadway cast of Rent gave a special tribute to Jonathan Larson? Shame on you.
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Jun 16, 2008 3:16 PM
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