Poor Kelli O'Hara.. Not only did she not win a tony after this conversation but also these ladies Tyne Daly the worst offender .. did not even let her speak or get all of her thoughts out.. Im sorry that was the rudest and offensive thing.. But then again maybe its just me...
I remember seeing Tyne on Christie! That's how I found out who she was! I had heard of Ethel Merman via TV as well. Turns out, they both played one of my favorite characters to play, Mama Rose in Gypsy! Now, they're two of my favorites along with Julie Andrews. Those are three ladies in the theatrical business who are greatly looked up to!
I saw them all. I thought the only one that "might" beat Idina would be Kelli. NEVER did I think Jessie could win. All that nostalgic hype of Carole King coming on stage, crying with the cast... even the Tony voters were susceptible to the nostalgia.
+vera rivkin EXACTLY! Jessie only won because her show was just a collection of Carole King songs instead of original songs where the writers actually have to show some creativity. Jessie played a real person, while Idina actually had to create a character from scratch, which is much harder. Now, this might seem hypocritical as I (along with the rest of the world) am now OBSESSED with Lin Manual Miranda in Hamilton, but Alexander Hamilton was not a celebrity who wrote twangy country songs that lazy writers could use instead of original music. Until the show came out, he was not in our public consciousness like some of the other Founding Fathers were, so Lin didn't have the shortcut of playing to a popular image. Jessie did, and that's why she beat Idina, who worked her butt off through divorce and people calling her Adele Dazem to create an original character (which she had already pulled off beautifully with Maureen, Kate, and Elphaba), as well as show that she could play other roles besides the "promiscuous drama queen" and the "powerful girl who learns to be true to herself." She didn't win the Tony because of nostalgia, as you said, but also because she had already gotten a Tony for Wicked, even though Audra McDonald has won like five. And I'm still pissed off about it almost two years later.
Me too, I have written to the Tony voters and said so. There is a need for a new category, "The Juke Box Musical". From Beatlemania, Movin out, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, Mama Mia, American Idiot, Motown...The list goes on and on. They also need to get their shit together on if a play has music, Is it still a "Play"?? Did ANY of those actresses stand a chance once Audra was put in their category?? Would she have won if the role was just speaking? Back to Jessie, I remember thinking how much she sounded like Carole, and that she was really good. NEVER did I think that it was Tony worthy. Idina was truly AMAZING and completely deserving in If/Then.I still get pissed too. As far as Hamilton goes, I am planning a trip from Ft. Lauderdale, at those obscene prices for June. I must see this cast. Honestly, is there anything else worth spending that kind of $$ on than the experience of seeing, and feeling that kind of greatness?
+vera rivkin Really? I saw them all and after seeing Beautiful, I stayed seated in my chair and said to my friends "She's winning the tony." I've only had that feeling a few times, but every time I've been right. This was back in early March before I saw the other shows, and there were no nominations yet. I just knew. I've seen Carole King on stage and she had every mannerism down. It was freaky how she was able to capture the spirit of Carole King.
***** don't start what? Speaking my feelings? It is disheartening. And just because you lack the empathy to understand ppl who are different than you, doesn't make you right.
***** I said DIVERSITY at this table. And yes. There is something to be said when the majority of these table interviews are majority white people. I watch these videos all the time, they are so fascinating and inspirational. But it is disheartening that me and my other melanin blessed people are largely unrepresented in these. Agree or not (idk how you can't...) but my feelings are valid