Emma Stone // Sally Bowles

Emma Stone to Star as Sally Bowles opposite Alan Cumming 

in 2014 Broadway Revival of CABARET

It was announced on April 24 that Cabaret is returning to Broadway with Alan Cumming reprising his role as the Emcee. Anne Hathaway had been in talks to play Sally Bowles, but luckily it looks like she's being replaced by Emma Stone [according to Playbill]. I wish they wouldn't cast a Hollywood actress, but she's better than most. Playbill did a poll of their readers as to who should be our next Sally. The top 10 contenders [in order] were Nina Arianda, Anna Kendrick, Carey Mulligan, Daisy Eagan, Megan Hilty, Jessie Mueller, Lady Gaga, Sutton Foster, Krysta Rodriguez, & Idina Menzel. I do think Ms. Stone will be able to pull off this iconic role, but she won't hold a candle to my favorite Sally ever: Susan Egan (best known as the original Belle in The Beauty & The Beast, & Meg in Hercules). But back to Ms. Stone. I never saw The Help, but I believe the rave reviews. I did like her silly movies The House Bunny &  Easy A. She is known for her raspy voice, which makes sense for Sally, & seems to be developing into a highly respected actress. And apparently she can carry a tune! Here's a little clip from Easy A [her break-out role] that proves it:

ACT ONE by Moss Hart

Anyone who loves theatre needs to read this 1959 autobiography by American playwright/director Moss Hart. Besides giving insight into the trials, tribulations, & adventures of a star-struck kid trying to make it in theatre, it also provides a poignant perspective on antiquated American theatre. Moss Hart is best known for writing You Can’t Take It With You, Lady in The Dark & The Man Who Came to Dinner; he also directed Camelot and  Rex Harrison & Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady. This book did not address those big-name hits, but told the story of his life leading up to his first play’s successful opening on Broadway.

I preferred the 1st half of the book, even though the 2nd half was more enriching. Hart opened by painting the picture of his destitute upbringing in Bronx, highlighted only by Broadway dreams & a loving, imperfect family. The first door that opened for him was as an office boy in a theatre’s office; he went on to spend his summers as the social director at adult summer camps, continually climbing the ladder until he found great respect at the top of this field. While working this position, Hart persevered at the art of playwriting. His first script that showed potential toured but was ill-received & the tour cut short. His hit finally came when he realized comedic writing was a better fit for him than drama. He wrote Once in a Life Time [the emphasis of the book’s 2nd half] which underwent months of tedious re-writes in collaboration with George S. Kaufman & eventually opened on Broadway to rave reviews.

Moss Hart wrote with unassuming & natural tone that was refreshing & entertaining. It read like a man telling you his extremely interesting life story over a cup of coffee. He answered questions as they popped in my head & recounted the minute details that truly paint a scene. I wish Mr. Hart had written Act Two as a sequel to this book. I’m glad to know what led up to his success, but I also wish I had the same insight on the rest of his career. The novel ends the day after Once in a Life Time’s smash opening on Broadway with the phrase Intermission, which makes me think that was his intention as well. Unfortunately, Moss Hart passed away from a heart attack only 2 years after the publication of Act One at age 57.

 let's remember 2004...when stamps were 7 cents cheaper....

A FEW LITTLE LESSONS from ACT ONE

• Take children to the theatre: Hart’s love for theatre would have disappeared into an abyss of untapped talent had his aunt had not insisted on attending the theatre despite a startling lack of funds. While her motivation was partially selfish, the end result of taking a little boy to plays was a man who forever impacted American theatre.  
• The power of coincidence in the arts: Hart’s 1st job was as an office boy in a theatre that he obtained purely by coincidence & being in the right place at the right time. From there, he worked hard, met the right people, & made his own success. He earned his success, but the coincidental aligning of those stars commenced his career. 
• Laughter is important: There is a reason that Moss Hart finally found success when he decided to stop being so serious & write a comedy. I would never undermine the powerful, political, & social effects that theatre can conjure, but there is nothing wrong with an audience who leaves laughing. 
• The making of good theatre is tedious: The reason why I preferred the first half of the book to the second was that the second half was almost as frustrating as it was engaging. The dedication Hart & Kaufman displayed….the hot & hungry summer afternoons of writing in a stagnant 3rd floor apartment, the joy at a successful first act & devastation at a lackluster second & third, & the incessant obsession of being so close to success you can taste it. That notion is the backbone of the guts & glory of theatre that Moss Hart so embodied in his work & work ethic. 

From The Office to The Stage...

Q: Where will Jenna Fischer be when the series finale of The Office airs?
A: MAKING HER OFF-BROADWAY DEBUT!

I LOVE The Office & Pam is clearly the backbone & heart of that show. I love NYC Theatre & Off-Broadway productions have given birth to many shows that serve as the backbone & heart of American Theatre. Therefore, I am very happy Jenna Fischer has been cast in Neil LaBute's newest piece Reasons To Be Happy @ MCC. She will perform alongside Josh Hamilton [Dead Accounts w/ Katie Holmes], Fred Weller, & Leslie Bibb [from TV series GCB]. I always wondered why Ms. Fischer's enchanting, engaging portrayal of seemingly mundane Pam has not allowed her an avenue into movie success; but I am glad she held out since this career development is much more exciting than some random romantic comedy. However, this is not Ms. Fischer's first time on-stage. Her role in Zoo District Theatre's adaption of Nosferatu led Ms. Fischer to her first agent & the rest is history. 

Three years after a contentious break-up, Steph & Greg are wondering if they can make a fresh go of it. Trouble is, she’s married to someone else & he’s just embarked on a relationship with Steph’s best friend, Carly, a single mom whose jealous ex-husband, Kent, has trouble articulating his feelings. Navigating the rocky landscape of conflicting agendas & exploding emotions isn’t going to be easy for any of them. Reasons to Be Happy is a funny, surprising, & poignant new play about the choices and sacrifices we are willing to make in the pursuit of that often elusive ideal: happiness.

Reasons to Be Happy is a sequel to LaBute's play reasons to be pretty, which was 1st produced by MCC in 2008 & made its' Chicago premiere in 2011 @ Profiles Theatre. I saw this production & it reminded me why I love Neil LaBute's acutely clever & insightful scripts. My first encounter his writings was The Donmar Warehouse's 2005 production of This Is How It Goes. I didn't know much about his plays at the time & was more excited to sit inside The Donmar Warehouse [where Gwyneth dominated in Proof & a new Parade was born]. It is funny how LaBute's plays always seem to cast successful TV & film actors. I genuinely don't think this is due to the infectious trend of casting any willing movie star to sell tickets. I think it is because his plays are contemporary & fast-paced pieces that could easily be written for/appeal to the screen, but are thankfully written for the stage. 

SOURCES:

Broadway.com + Wikipedia + MCC + E! Online 

Ragtime 15th Anniversary Concert

The 15th Anniversary Concert!!!

I am so mad I missed this concert last night. This one would have been so worth the cost over a quick flight to NYC & back. The original Broadway production of Ragtime was hands-down the best theatrical production I’ve ever seen (even though I can't believe it was 15 years ago). The cast featured Patina Miller as Sarah, Norm Lewis (from Side Show!) as Coalhouse, Lea Salonga as Mother, Howard McGillin as Father, Michael Arden as Mother's Younger Brother, Manoel Felciano as Tateh, Tyne Daly as Emma Goldman, Kerry Butler (from Bat Boy!) as Evelyn Nesbit, Matt Cavenaugh as Henry Ford, Jose Llana as Harry Houdini, & a chorus of over 100 singers from around the country.

On Lea Salonga as Mother:

First of all, no one will ever compare to the Marin Mazzie of the original Broadway cast: she acted with strength, femininity, & depth and sang with a voice equally comprised of beauty & belt. In the Broadway revival, they attempted to re-create Marin's magic with Christiane Noll, which was a fine choice physically, but she lacked the powerful presence that defined Ms. Mazzie. I love Lea Salonga, but this casting choice was too weird for me. Her voice kind of makes up for the fact that she was completely miscast. Her rendition of Back to Before was decent: she nailed the feminine lilting melodic sound that Ms. Mazzie had but lacked the same conviction. I get this was a concert & I get that Lea Salonga is a name that sells tickets. It just seems like they could have found a better fit for the role. 

See, I love Lea. Just not as Mother. 

I Love Lucy: Live OnStage @ The Broadway Playhouse

"IT'S 1952. 
You & I are part of a studio audience 
watching a taping of I Love Lucy, 

the early TV sitcom starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz...
of course, we see Lucy & Desi and company 

do their stuff in the 2 episodes that are 
theoretically being recorded.
It's a pleasant illusion for the most part."

~Tony Adler, The Chicago Reader

I am very glad I read Mr. Adler's review before seeing this show. I didn't realize the title I Love Lucy: Live On Stage would be taken so literally in this musical adaptation [and honestly don't understand why that was the artistic vision chosen by the creators of this show, but still held hope]. I had also seen a brief preview of LUCY at the Broadway in Chicago Summer Series Concert, which appeared promising. So, I entered the theatre with semi-high hopes. 

All my hopes were crushed. 

Sirena Irwin & Bill Mendietas were sub-par & generic choices for our Lucy & Ricky. Their performances qualified more as off-kilter charicature than thoughtful interpretations of this iconic couple. As Ethel & Fred, Joanna Daniels & Curtis Pettyjohn brought a little more to the table in terms of acting with an appropriate degree of authenticity [and were styled in a much less cartoony manner]. I'm sure all the performers are actually quite talented, but I don't think this material would have allowed any actor the opportunity to shine. 

Re-creating two episodes being filmed in front of a live studio audience did not offer the audience any fresh perspective on the TV show I Love Lucy. Rather, it presented a sub-par interpretation of something awesome without offering any innovative style, perspective, or information. Lucille Ball was a firecracker & trail-blazer, but, most importantly, she still serves as one of the most important women in the history of American comedic entertainment. Before there was Tina, Chelsea, Ellen, & Mindy, there was LUCY. And learning about the woman behind the laughs would have been a much more enriching, enlightening, & authentic theatrical experience than trying to transpose a few vintage episodes to the stage. 

There has been a recent string of musicals that pay homage to some of our more glorious female representatives. This musical did not take that historic route, but here are some musicals that did:

• Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson starring Carolee Carmello [who I saw in The Scarlet Pimpernel & LOVED as the Parade's original Lucille Frank]. 
• End of the Rainbow starring Tracie Bennet as Judy Garland
• Bombshell: The (fictitious) musical on the TV show SMASH that should be real & is the story of Marilyn Monroe
• Evita [2012 Broadway revival] starring Argentinean actress Elena Roger as Eva Peron. 
• One Name Only @ Black Ensemble Theatre: A Chicago world-premiere tribute to The Ladies of Soul which featured the music of Aretha, Gladys, Patti, Chaka with a special tribute to Whitney.

I also find it interesting that there is a show for the theatre that is based off of a television show that is an homage rather than a spoof. The only TV-based musical I've ever seen was Gorilla Tango Theatre's Attend The Tale of Danny Tanner, which was an awesome, gory, re-imagined version of Full House; but to see the same principle applied in a more literal manner would be a fun trend to erupt onstage. Some shows I'd like to see: 

• LOST: It is my favorite show ever, after all. The storyline(s) were highly complicated though, so it would have to be something like Potted Potter, which melds the entire Harry Potter series into a 90-minute recap. Or like the time I saw Henry the IV Parts 1 & 2 @ The National Theatre, which was an 8-hour event complete with a break for dinner. 
• My So-Called Life: It could be performed like a gloomier, more suburban but equally angsty & awesome RENT. Good luck finding someone to stand up to the original Jordan Catalano though 
• Sex & the City: I firmly believe the sassy & urban Cosmo Girls are an underrated demographic in the theatre world. Profiles made a smart move by appealing to their production of Bachelorette. However, I think the SATC musical could easily marry the this TV-trend with the Chick Flick Musical trend to produce something glorious. 
• Six Feet Under: Dark musicals work. I'm picturing something like Martin McDonagh meets The Addams Family Musical meets John Patrick Shanley: one that is satirically dark, at the root focuses on the importance of family values, and is presented in a clean, contemporary manner.

Zooey's Broadway Debut!

On May 10, 2012, country music legend Loretta Lynn 

announced from the stage of the historic Ryman Auditorium during Opry Country Classics

that she had chosen Zooey Deschanel to portray her 

in the upcoming Broadway-bound stage adaptation of Coal Miner's Daughter. 

ZOOEY RULES. 

This casting choice rules. 

HERE ARE 10 REASONS WHY:

1. A lot of actresses can sing (or appear to sing), but she has a genuinely high-quality voice that has such a soothing, old-school sound. 2. She has good taste in men. Even though her marriage to Death Cab lead singer Ben Gibbard fizzled, he was an excellent choice for her first husband & had an uplifting impact on his already-awesome music (hello, Open Door). 3. Obviously, the girl knows how to dress. 4. She is pretty much the spokeswoman for Women With Bangs. 5. Speaking of her hair, she is a hot brunette & pulled off blonde in Elf...is this musical going to be her opportunity to pull off playing a ginger & prove that she truly is a triple-threat? 6. New Girl is a super show. 7. She & Him is a super band. 8. She has a cool, older sister in Emily D. I like girls with cool older sisters. They remind me of myself. 9. Her cotton underwear commercial was better than all the other celebrity spokespeople.  10. She was named after the character in Franny & Zooey. That's just cool. 

According to Playbill [as of 1/8/13]

THE THEATRE, FIRST PREVIEW, & DIRECTOR are TBD. 

Let's get this ball rolling, y'all.

ONCE on Broadway

ONCE is based off of an awesome 2006 Irish musical-movie that was directed by John Carney. It starred musicians Glen Hansard (from the Irish folk band The Frames) & Markéta Irglová, who collaborated musically prior to the film & performed/composed all of the movie's original numbers. The movie's surprisingly supple skeleton of a storyline matched with a quietly striking dynamic between the actors  & heightened by stunning/haunting musical score made for a revolutionary film. The film was produced for only $160,000, but received enthusiastic reviews & a number of awards (2007 Independent Spirit Award for best foreign film, a Grammy nomination for the whole soundtrack, & the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly." ONCE's shift from a movie-musical to one created for the stage has proven even more successful  & beloved than the film version. Enda Walsh adapted the screen play, John Tiffany served as director, Bob Crowley crafted the set/costume design & Steve Kazee & Cristin Milioti were cast as our Guy & Girl (both performers were nominated for Tony Awards but only Kazee won; Milioti was robbed.). It was named the Best Musical of 2012 by The Outer Critics' Circle, Drama League, The New York Drama Critics' Circle, & The Tony Awards. Winning Best New Musical by any of these groups is impressive, but to sweep them all is pretty exceptional. 

[Falling Slowly also served as the soundtrack for my sister's first dance with her husband]

BEN HOPE as GUY 

Clearly, I did not see Steve Kazee in his Tony Award-winning performance. But I don't mind. In the olden days, I would have been frustrated at missing out on seeing this awesome guy in a part in which he obviously ruled, but I've grown up. If I want to see Steve Kazee play Guy, all I need to do is plug his name into a YouTube search. There is something inherently refreshing & awesome about seeing an understudy. Even though the audience might register an initial feeling of disappointment, that disappointment is apparent in tri-folds by the excitement & adrenaline by the actor who gets to finally play the role. The pressure & excitement always comes through & that factor has been known to outshine the tired routine of an actor who has become comfortable in the awesomeness of his luck. The understudy never takes a performance opportunity for granted; for that reason, I have rarely been disappointed by the performance & Mr. Hope's performance quality was no exception. I had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Hope after the performance & found out he had not played the role of Guy in 3 weeks; his most recent understudy role was as the actor/drummer. For having not played the role regularly/in almost a month, Mr. Hope still presented a rich & enriching performance & the quality of my experience was not even slightly compromised by the presence of an understudy in a leading role. After reading his bio in the Playbill, I found out Mr. Hope is an accomplished musician whose strengths transcend being pigeon-holed into one role. Lesson (re)learned: sometimes there is something underneath the understudy that makes the show. 

Cristin & Me. 

CRISTIN MILIOTI as GIRL

To be honest, I didn't think she [or anyone] would be able to climb this mountain of a role. It's not that the role is exceedingly difficult, but Markéta Irglová crafted & created this role so impeccably in the movie that it had to be impossible to re-imagine. Luckily for us, Ms. Milioti has no interest in seeing the film until her run has ended. Her approach is clearly a clever one because she dominated this role. She brought a new level of charm to this role that is so essential in live performance; she portrayed an understated quirkiness, a cute/quiet humor, & the imperative infusion of intrigue. Her performance had a lot to live up to & she still managed to portray confidently humble impeccability. 

P.S. I have mad respect for this actress because, although this role's cornerstone is her ability as a pianist, she had no piano skills prior to the audition process to this show. She was director John Tiffany's hands-down favorite, so they gave her 10 days to practice piano, become impeccable, & come back to impress them. And impress them she did. 

P.P.S. After the drive back to DE from NYC, I was watching a 30 Rock rerun & who was the guest star? Ms. Milioti herself!! I knew I had seen her face before, but wigs can really distort a girl's memory. Seeing her play a ditzy, comedic blonde after watching her dominate as a strangely smart Czech pianist just reaffirmed my opinion that this broad from Cherry Hill, NJ is the real deal. 

The cast of ONCE, with my sister performing the best photo bomb ever.

BROADWAY TRENDWATCH:

The Decline of Design: The Broadway of today tends to utilize more stationary sets & singular costumes. The days of Miss Saigon's helicopter & the Phantom's lair have been left in the 90's; contemporary Broadway is stream-lined, stylized, & smartly executed. I'm a definite fan of this paring down, but I'll still never turn down a twirling barricade. 

Instrumental Actors: Sam Mendes' 1998 revival of Cabaret started this trend while simultaneously introducing the idea of a an orchestra/band being suspended above/behind the stage (in a world where they orchestra had never lived anywhere but the pit). This choice provides the audience a fresh perspective & appreciation regarding the musicians, as well as a much more engaging production. 

The Breaking Down of the Fourth Wall: This trend first became apparent to me during Spring Awakening. They had two sets of mini-bleachers set up on the outer edges of the stage (perpendicular to the audience). I didn't sit in these seats (and did think sitting in them would be be too visually restrictive). During the 2008 production of Equus on Broadway, the stage-seating was suspended in a semi-circle behind & above the stage; the effect was cool & I appreciated sitting closer to the action than I ever would have been able to afford in a standard seat. Once figured out the best way I have seen so far to allow audience members to break through the fourth wall: their stationary set was a bar that served as a cash bar for the audience before the show & during intermission. It was pretty cool; plus, I got a bottle of water AND got to set food on an actual Broadway stage for only $5! 

NEWS: Perez Hilton's NY Theatre Debut!

Trailblazing blogger/ pop-culture commentator Perez Hilton will be making his NYC stage debut in Rick Crom's Off-Broadway musical review NEWSical: The Musical (Kirk Theatre). His 4-week limited engagement will begin on Sept. 8, with an official opening on Sept. 17. According to press notes, composer/lyricist Crom, "will add new satirical spoofs to the show including a Chick-fil-A number and a song about the phenomenon of Perez Hilton that will be performed by the man himself. 

"Dreams do come true, if you believe. And I BELIEVE, big time! I am beyond thrilled, nervous and zen about making my New York theater debut. It's gonna be a wild ride in a show that guarantees to put smiles on people's faces. It will be no holds barred! Pure unadulterated fun! I expect to have the time of my life and look forward to hugging happy theatergoers after each show!" (via Hilton's blog)

P.S. This is not the 1st time there have been rumors of Perez being cast in a musical....

Amy Adams in Into The Woods!

Amy Adams will be playing  The Baker's Wife 

in New York City's Central Park

in The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park's production of

INTO THE WOODS!

I love Amy Adams & love this casting choice. It is an especially awesome casting choice because Amy Adams is more synonymous with the Cinderella character (the girl who sings to birds in Enchanted & the trusting innocent Doubt). I am ashamed to say I haven’t seen her performance in The Muppets yet, but my favorite of her roles was as the blogger in Julie/Julia. She will be a great Baker’s Wife; I am so glad they didn’t just try to go find another Joanna Gleason, because that does tend to be the trend in the casting of this role.

She is joined by Jack Broderick (Narrator), Gideon Glick (Jack), Cooper Grodin (Rapunzel's Prince), Ivan Hernandez (Cinderella's Prince/Wolf), Tina Johnson (Granny), Laura Shoop (Cinderella’s Mother), Tess Soltau (Rapunzel), Jessie Meuller (Cinderella), & Josh Lamon (Steward).

Thank You, Ken Davenport.

My musical theatre upbringing was substantially influenced by a man named Ken Davenport. I was in 6th grade when I first got the clever idea to write letters to the Human Resources Departments of Broadway theatres to tell them I loved their shows & ask them to send me a playbill. RAGTIME opened the next year & is/was my favorite musical, so I promptly wrote a letter to the Ford Center for Performing Arts. Ken Davenport sent me a playbill, a business card, & a post-it that said he was happy a 13-year from Delaware loves theatre & that one of their production managers was also from Delaware. His business card had his email address; it was an AOL address. This was in the age where AOL was bright, fresh, & shiny; instant messaging was revolutionary. Obviously, I added his AOL name to my Buddy List & IM’d him the first time his name showed up. We chatted online regularly. As a junior high girl who had recently transferred from one school to a starkly different one (picture Bring It On, but worse), his friendship helped to salvage that awkward period. I sent him my first attempts at theatre criticism & he took them seriously. He was kind, smart, and maybe/hopefully saw some of his younger self in me. I wrote a review of the national tour of Show Boat, which he showed to the actual producer of the tour; he encouraged me by not discrediting my opinions despite my age. I remember sending him a cassette tape of the musical Wuthering Heights, which at the time I thought was amazing but has since disappeared into the musical theatre abyss. [I still think that random musical rules, SO CHECK OUT Heathcliff’s Lament, I Belong to the Earth, One Rules My Heart, or If Only]. Eventually, Ken made it possible for my sister & me to see RAGTIME from a perfect pair of front-row seats (which is still, HANDS-DOWN, the best production I have ever experienced). When we picked up the tickets at the box office, I met Ken for the first & only time in person with my parents & sister. He was kind, my parents were appreciative, & we could not be more excited.

Our happy, scrappy snap-shots from that evening:

P.S. RAGTIME IS STILL THE BEST MUSICAL EVER:

NOW, LET'S FAST FORWARD

Ken Davenport currently serves as one of the most important producers on Broadway.

His success is astounding but not surprising.

He produced the current Broadway revival of Godspell,

as well as Chinglish, Oleanna, Speed the Plow,You're Welcome America, Blithe Spirit,

Altar Boyz, The Awesome 80s Prom & My First Time.

He writes an exceptional & insightful blog entitled The Producer’s Perspective,

which addresses the tangible/business-oriented aspects of theatre, gives insight to the inner-workings

of the Broadway world, provides industry classifieds, & offers ticket discounts / giveaway opportunities.

He appeared in a 2008 iPhone commercial,

after creating the highly-successful TKTS iPhone app.

He is the perfect example of the recipe for success as a producer (or anyone in the arts):

work hard, work well, & invest recognition/interest/effort in the future talent.

Thank You, Kenny D. I wouldn’t be blogging without you :)

Happy Birthday, SONDHEIM & LLOYD WEBBER!

Happy Birthday to the Kings of Musical Theatre

Stephen Sondheim & Andrew Lloyd Webber!!!

Today kind of seems like Christmas for the musical theatre community.

My life (especially the junior high years) & iTunes have been infintely improved by these two men,

so their birthdays are certainly worth the celebrating.

I vote that next year, they should do a birthday concert at Royal Albert Hall.

[my boyfriends singing a tribute to Cameron Mackintosh]

[A side note on birthdays & Sondheim: I met Stephen Sondheim with my sister on her 25^th birthday. We were at the Lincoln Center in NYC to see a concert performance of Sweeney Todd  & got to the theatre obscenely early. There was a bar on the empty lobby of the mezzanine & there were 2 people at the bar with their backs to us. Jenny thought one of them was Sir Sondheim, but we couldn’t be sure. Then the lady he was with turned around & we recognized her as Maria Friedman, which meant the man was with her was probably Sondheim. So we approached, using our status as Friedman-fans as the catalyst. And then we met the man himself, breathed his air, & exchanged words. I remember nothing anyone said except his affirmation that my sister looked like Johanna. Talk about a happy birthday.]

2012 Olivier Award Nominations

BEST NEW PLAY

• Collaborators @ the Cottesloe
• Jumpy @ the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
• The Ladykiller @ the Gielgud
• One Man, Two Guvnors @ the Lyttelton

I vote One Man, Two Guvnors because I like the title & LOVE the Lyttelton.

BEST REVIVAL

• Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
• Flare Path at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
• Much Ado About Nothing at the Wyndham’s
• Noises Off at the Old Vic

I like the Old Vic, but Noises Off is tired. Much Ado is equally tired, but this fresh production was set in 1980s Gibraltar & looked like a production of a classic that was infused with contemporary influence, style, & perspective. Much Ado gets my vote.

BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY

• Derren Brown - Svengali at the Shaftesbury
• Midnight Tango at the Aldwych
• Potted Panto at the Garrick
• The Tiger Who Came to Tea at the Vaudeville

I love that this category exists in the Olivier docket. The Tony's should apply the same category considering the Mousification of Broadway, but then there wouldn't be enough nominees for Best New Musical. 
 

BEST ACTRESS

• Celia Imrie for Noises Off at the Old Vic
• Lesley Manville for Grief at the Cottesloe
• Kristin Scott Thomas for Betrayal at the Harold Pinter
• Marcia Warren for The Ladykillers at the Gielgud
• Ruth Wilson for Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse

I vote Kristin Scott Thomas becase Betrayal is awesome & the fact The Harold Pinter Theatre exists is just super.

BEST ACTOR

• James Corden for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Lyttelton
• Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller for Frankenstein at the Olivier
• David Haig for The Madness of George III at the Apollo
• Douglas Hodge for Inadmissable Evidence at the Donmar Warehouse
• Jude Law for Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Mark Addy for Collaborators at the Cottesloe
• Oliver Chris for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Lyttelton
• Johnny Flynn for Jerusalem at the Apollo
• Bryony Hannah for The Children's Hour at the Harold Pinter
• Sheridan Smith for Flare Path at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

• Kate Fleetwood for London Road at the Cottesloe
• Sarah Lancashire for Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello
• The Matilda's for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge
• Scarlett Strallen for Singin' In The Rain at the Palace

I'm rooting for "The Matilda's." I loved when the three Billy Elliots won the Tony for Best Leading Actor. When children are slated against adults, I think the advantage is slated towards the children since their inexperience is such a stark disadvantage. The fact that they are being compared to adults is reason enough for them to win. I don't think it is cool, however, that they are referred to as "The Matilda's" rather than by name.

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

• Bertie Carvel for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge
• Nigel Lindsay for Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
• Reece Shearsmith for Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello
• Paulo Szot for South Pacific at the Barbican

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

• Sharon D Clarke for Ghost The Musical at the Piccadilly
• Sophie-Louise Dann for Lend Me A Tenor The Musical at the Gielgud
• Nigel Harman for Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
• Paul Kaye for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge
• Katherine Kingsley for Singin' In The Rain at the Palace

BEST NEW MUSICAL

• Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello
• Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly
• London Road at the Cottesloe
• Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
• Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

It will probably go to Matilda the Musical, which is fine by me. I love Matilda & formatting it into a musical was genius. I'm thinking we will be seeing Matilda on Broadway in the near future.

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

• Crazy for You at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Singin' in the Rain at the Palace
• South Pacific at the Barbican
• The Wizard Of Oz at the London Palladium

I would be cool with Singin' in the Rain or The Wizard of Oz. The other 2 seem boring options.

BEST DIRECTOR

• Sean Foley for The Ladykillers at the Gielgud
• Nicholas Hytner for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Lyttelton
• Rufus Norris for London Road at the Cottesloe
• Matthew Warchus for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge

NICKY HYTNER FOR LIFE!!!

BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER

• Peter Darling for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge
• Javier de Frutos for London Road at the Cottesloe
• Stephen Mear for Crazy For You at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Andrew Wright for Singin' In The Rain at the Palace
  I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure Singin' In The Rain should take this one.

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

• Anna Christie designed by Howard Harrison at the Donmar Warehouse
• Frankenstein designed by Bruno Poet at the Olivier
• Ghost the Musical designed by Hugh Vanstone at the Piccadilly
• Matilda the Musical designed by Hugh Vanstone at the Cambridge

I would imagine Anna Christie is the best bet, even though the Donmar Warehouse is tiny & I find tiny theatres don't excel in lighting design. Ghost the Musical might take the cake because ghosty shows offer the opportunity to truly showcase cool lighting effects.

BEST SET DESIGN

• Ghost the Musical designed by Rob Howell at the Piccadilly
• The Ladykillers designed by Michael Taylor at the Gielgud
• Matilda the Musical designed Rob Howell at the Cambridge
• One Man, Two Guvnors designed by Mark Thompson at the Lyttelton

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• Crazy for You designed by Peter McKintosh at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Matilda the Musical designed by Rob Howell at the Cambridge
• Shrek the Musical designed by Tim Hatley at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
• South Pacific designed by Catherine Zuber at the Barbican

I've gotta vote Matilda. Crazy for You & South Pacific are somewhat straight-forward in their costume requirements; there is only so much artistry & insight that can be applied. And Shrek doesn't count, in my opinion.

BEST SOUND DESIGN

• Ghost the Musical designed by Bobby Aitken at the Piccadilly
• Frankenstein designed by Underworld and Ed Clarke at the Olivier
• The Ladykillers designed by Ben and Max Ringham at the Gielgud
• Matilda the Musical designed by Simon Baker at the Cambridge

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE

• The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester for Mogadishu at the Lyric Hammersmith
• Theatre Royal, Stratford East in association with the Barbican and Traverse Theatre for Roadkill
• The Donmar Warehouse for Salt, Root and Roe at the Trafalgar Studios 2
• The Royal Court for The Village Bike at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION

• English National Opera’s Castor and Pollux at the London Coliseum
• English National Opera's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the London Coliseum
• English National Opera's The Passenger at the London Coliseum
• ROH2’s Clemency (in association with Scottish Opera) at the Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

I LOVE THAT OPERA HAS ITS' OWN CATEGORIES.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA

• ENO for the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme
• Amanda Holden for her translation of Castor and Pollux at the London Coliseum
• Richard Jones for his direction of Anna Nicole and Il Trittico at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and The Tales of Hoffmann at the London Coliseum
• Mark-Anthony Turnage for his composition of Anna Nicole at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Twice Through the Heart at Sadler's Wells.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE

• The Design Team for their work on the Royal Ballet's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at the Royal Opera House
• Edward Watson for his performance in The Metamorphosis at the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House
• Sylvie Guillem for her performance in her production of 6000 Miles Away at Sadler’s Wells
• Tommy Franzen for his performance in ZooNation’s Some Like it Hip Hop at the Peacock

I LOVE THAT DANCE HAS ITS' OWN CATEGORIES.

BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION

• Desh by Akram Khan Company at Sadler's Wells, choreographed by Akram Khan
• Gardenia by Les Ballets C de la B at Sadler's Wells, directed by Alain Platel and Frank van Laecke
• The Metamorphosis by ROH2 at the Linbury Studio, choreographed by Arthur Pita
• Some Like It Hip Hop by ZooNation at the Peacock, choreographed by Kate Prince, Tommy Franzen and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille