What Sould This Year's Tony Nominees Perform?

Remember that time NPH promised us via song and dance that Broadway is "not just for gays anymore?"  He was totally lying, but damn it was entertaining.

My annual predictions for this year's Tony winners are coming soon, so don't you worry your pretty little heads.  But before I dive down that rabbit hole, I thought I'd take a few minutes to write about something a little less serious (but still important): what songs should this year's nominated musicals perform at the big ceremony??? 

After all, the Tony Awards are a national platform where the nominated productions get "free" advertising via their 5-minute performance (rumor has it the shows actually have to cover the physical cost of the performance).  This is often the first and sometimes only exposure a show will get to people who live outside of the tri-state area, so a correctly chosen number can really help drum up interest in the current Broadway production - not to mention any prospective tours.  And as one of the few permanent records of the production, the Tony performance can end up being one of the only ways future generations can have any idea what the show was actually like.

Now, there are a host of considerations that can go into picking this performance, but 9 times out of 10 the answer is simple: go with the production's strongest number.  The one people talk about on their way out of the theatre.  Because the same qualities that make that number a talking point to audience members is going to make potential audience members want to buy tickets to the show.  I personally think it is a bad idea to save the best number for people who actually see the show live.  The Lion King cast performed the show's jaw dropping opening number (an artistic pinnacle the following two-and-a-half hours never quite match) and it certainly hasn't suffered because of it.  Because despite the prevalence of film and television, most people inherently understand that seeing something live is not the same as watching a video, and will gladly pay Broadway prices to be able to say they saw that impressive-looking production from the TV in person.

That said, the numbers get very little setup, so you want to choose something that is still enjoyable without a lot of background knowledge or emotional investment.  This can be a problem for more modern shows that consist mostly of musical scenes rather than traditional songs, as evidenced by Next to Normal's showing at the 2009 Tonys (which struck me as bizarre before having seen the show, but in hindsight is pretty freaking brilliant).  In general, big production numbers read better on TV - especially now that the Tonys are back at the cavernous Radio City Music Hall - and have the added bonus of letting the entire cast perform, which is nice for the performers.  But what if your show doesn't have a number that features everyone, or the big production number excludes the lead actor you really wanted to highlight?  The answer depends on what kind of numbers you have to choose from, although if your production has a name star who's likely to sell tickets you should probably focus on them. 

Now what if the best number of your show is the finale, and you don't want to spoil the ending?  Again, this depends on the show; if it is a plot based production then you should probably opt for something else, but if it's a character-driven comedy I say go ahead and do the finale, because that worked like gangbusters for Hairspray.  And finally, don't commit what I consider the cardinal sin of Tony performances: medleys.  Your 5-minute time slot is short enough without trying to cram several song arcs in there, and it almost inevitably leads to the performance feeling rushed.  Medleys only have a chance of being successful if the songs are exceedingly well know and aren't particularly character based; I would advise against them for everything except jukebox musicals.  For reasons I will never understand Matilda decided to do a medley last year even though those songs aren't known at all (and honestly, the music is one of Matilda's weakest aspects), and it ended up making the show look much weaker than it actually is.

So with those rules in mind, what should this year's nominees perform?  Here are some of my suggestions:

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - The strongest and most impressive number in the show is the operatic trio "I've Decided to Marry You," and I'm hoping that's what the producers go with.  The song is an excellent example of the Gilbert and Sullivan-esque charms of the score (melodically pretty with extremely witty lyrics), has a sense of fun, and showcases 3 of the 4 leads in a situation that can be easily set up with a one sentence introduction: Monty has two love interests, and they don't know about each other.  The only reason the producers might go against this is if they really want to showcase Tony-nominee Jefferson Mays (a frontrunner to actually win), in which case I suggest having the others sit this one out and doing "Lady Hyacinth Abroad."  The number is a great showcase for Mays and the show's off-kilter humor, and because it serves as that character's introduction is pretty self-contained.

Aladdin - This show is provoking very mixed reactions among industry folks; some people love it, and some think it fails to live up to Disney's high standards (those people are clearly ignoring Tarzan and The Little Mermaid).  But the one number that everyone agrees is spectacular is "Friend Like Me," and Disney would be wise to put their best foot forward.  There are a lot of props and set pieces involved in that number which would make it difficult to recreate at Radio City, but the effort would be worth it, just like it was worth it for Pippin to bring all that circus equipment last year.  If Aladdin does "Friend Like Me," I fully believe they will keep selling out for the next few years.

Beautiful - I haven't personally seen this show, so it's difficult for me to make a recommendation.  As a jukebox musical it could attempt to get away with a medley, although I think it would be a better idea to just put Jessie Mueller front and center and let her do her thing (especially since Carole King songs tend to be more about the entire composition and not just a catchy chorus).  I'd also pick something more uplifting, because this is at heart a tourist show and tourists have proven repeatedly over the years that they just want to be entertained.  Looking at the song list, "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" would probably be the best choice.

After Midnight - This show would actually benefit from a medley in my opinion, and that's what they should do.  Have Fantasia sing a verse and chorus of one of her solos (maybe "Stormy Weather"), then kick things into high gear with a big production number.  Tap dancing is always impressive on the Tonys, and I would definitely recommend something that allows the band to shine as much as the performers.  But don't go crazy with the number of songs; I'd say pick 2 to 3 and knock them out of the park.

Violet - This show has a problem that is becoming more prominent as shows get better about integrating music and story; none of the songs jump out at you as a stand-alone piece.  There are a lot of loooong musical scenes that would have to be cut down (and likely loose some coherence), and the biggest production number (the gospel anthem "Raise Me Up") doesn't involve any of the Tony-nominated stars.  I think the best choice would be "All to Pieces," featuring the main trio of Sutton Foster, Joshua Henry, and Collin Donnell.  It also has the added bonus of being an uptempo song, which is always an easier sell in these types of situations.

Les Miserables - I am very afraid the Les Miz producers will decide these songs are well known and attempt a medley of power ballads, which would be a disaster.  The performers can barely find the emotional grounding to sell the songs in the context of the show; with only a brief snippet to work with I feel like the songs would just become noise.  The obvious choice is for them to do "One Day More," but as their Good Morning America performance proved that number highlights some of the more questionable casting in the show.  If the producers are smart, they will sit Tony-nominee Ramin Karimloo center stage and let him sing "Bring Him Home," the one number universally singled out by critics as a highlight.  Karimloo has the stage presence and vocal chops to fill even the massive Radio City Music Hall, and it will make the revival frankly look better than it actually is.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch - I would advise the producers to take a page out of the Patti LuPone-led Gypsy playbook and allow star Neil Patrick Harris to monologue a bit before breaking into song.  Hedwig is a freeform piece and it would be nice for Harris to be able to communicate some of that feel before belting out one of the show's rock anthems.  We know Harris has the charisma to command such a large venue, and as a likely winner it will be nice to have some record of what his whole performance encompasses.

There are several other currently running shows that aren't nominated, and five years ago that would have meant they wouldn't perform.  But the past few years the producers of the actual Tony Awards have shown willingness to let unnominated but worthy (or not) productions perform, so who knows?  Given her increased profile thanks to Frozen and the infamous Adele Dazeem incident, it would seem silly not to feature Idina Menzel and If/Then in some capacity, especially since that show has actually been one of the better sellers of this spring.  (But then again, it's clear that Menzel suffers from horrible awards-show nerves, so letting her sing would be a risk.) 

Since it didn't snag a nomination and is closing next weekend, I've given up hope that The Bridges of Madison County will be allowed to perform, but since the producers are (shockingly) mulling over a tour maybe they'll get Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale to blow everyone's mind with the rapturous "One Second and a Million Miles."  I don't see the point in having Alan Cumming perform "Wilkommen" on the show again, but I wouldn't mind it if Cabaret let the divisive but undoubted box-office draw Michelle Williams perform one of Sally's big numbers ("Mein Herr" would work better on the telecast, but the title song would involve less work on the production's part).

That's my thoughts on this year's nominees.  And now, I leave you with what is probably the single greatest Tony performance of all time, Jennifer Holiday in Dreamgirls:




What songs do YOU want to see performed on the Tonys?

One Song More

Review: Les Miserables

You might think that it's makeup that makes Ramin Karimloo look older by the end of Les Miserables, but the show is just that long.

Full disclosure: the first Broadway show I ever saw was the original production of Les Miserables, towards the tail end of its run.  I came into the Imperial Theatre knowing every word of the two-disc cast recording, and the ensuing three hours was pure magic.  I don't know if this makes me more or less qualified to pass judgement on the recently opened and reimagined production; I'm obviously fond of the material, but I also have powerful memories of the original staging.  Being as objective as possible, it is my sad duty to report that while aspects of this revival truly sing, it ultimately doesn't justify remounting this classic show so soon after it's last Broadway appearance.

Adapted from Victor Hugo's sprawling French novel, Les Miserables is at its core the story of convicted thief Jean Valjean and his efforts to find redemption after being shown compassion by an elderly Bishop.  Valjean changes his name, and through a rather circuitous set of circumstances agrees to care for the young daughter of a dying factory worker named Fantine.  Valjean moves with his new charge to Paris and raises her while avoiding the suspicions of the rigid Inspector Javert, who doesn't believe in redemption and still holds Valjean accountable for breaking his parole two decades later.  If this all sounds a bit convoluted, that's what happens when one tries to condense a thousand page novel into a three hour contemporary opera.

Laurence Connor and James Powell's updated staging (which ditches the original's famous turntable in favor of more traditional scenic design) highlights the weakness in the show's plotting.  All the essential details are in Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's score, but they are easy to miss if the director (or directors, in this case) aren't actively highlighting them.  This staging is narratively muddy and seems to deemphasize the story's emotional throughline, which makes all of the death and suffering drag on into eternity.  This production doesn't actually run longer than the original's three hour runtime, but it does drag in a way the old show didn't.  Without the emotional investment in the quickly sketched characters, the show's plot contrivances and leaps in logic stick out like sore thumbs.  Does anyone without a history degree understand who General Lamarc was, or why his death prompted a bunch of students to stage a revolution that eventually got them all killed?  And how does a policeman the entire city fears manage to go undercover by changing his coat (only to be called out by a prepubescent boy)?

On the positive side, Boublil and Schonberg's score is as lovely as ever, and although the nostop parade of power ballads becomes tiresome by evening's end, there's no denying that those ballads sure do sound pretty.  The show is also one of the more intelligent examples of repeated motifs and melodic reprises to come out of the British Invasion of the 80s, and thanks to new orchestrations the show is free of the overly synthesized sound that defines so much of the music from that era.

The one unequivocally great thing about this revival is Ramin Karimloo's superbly sung and acted Jean Valjean.  Already an established star in London's West End, Karimloo is a force of nature as the wronged but deeply noble Valjean.  There is an animalistic intensity to his performance that immediately grabs you, and watching Karimloo temper that fury as his character ages and matures is electrifying.  Karimloo is blessed with a spine-tinglingly good tenor that sounds fantastic on his many big numbers, and he attacks the part with a ferocity and conviction that he grounds all of the melodramatic spectacle through the sheer force of his sincerity.  Seeing Karimloo perform Valjean's iconic second act ballad "Bring Him Home," a prayer that God spare the life of his daughter's newfound love, is a masterclass in vocal technique and musical storytelling.  For those glorious three minutes, everything else melts away and this Les Miserables becomes the emotionally stirring story it so desperately wants to be.

The rest of the cast is hit or miss.  Will Swenson acquits himself much better than expected as the ruthless Inspector Javert, sharing a particularly strong chemistry with Karimloo.  Their scenes pop with a deliciously menacing energy; their "Confrontation" feels genuinely dangerous, as if one or both men could snap at any moment (it is also one of the more convincing instances of combat in a show where the onstage violence often looks laughably fake).  Unfortunately, Swenson is singing outside of his comfort zone, which robs his two big solos of the vocal heft they deserve.  Meanwhile, Andy Mientus makes for a bland Marius, and Kyle Scatliffe's student revolutionary Enjolras is all bark and no bite.

Among the women, Cassie Levy comes across the best as the doomed Fantine, although her well-sung version of "I Dreamed a Dream" isn't the emotional sucker punch the show needs it to be.  Tony-winner Nikki M. James appears lost in the role of lovelorn street urchin Eponine, wandering the stage uncertainly during her Act II power ballad "On My Own."  The youthful innocence and genuine longing she demonstrated in The Book of Mormon is curiously absent here, making her supposed unrequited love for Marius feel forced and the pair's final duet unearned.  And while the pretty ingénue Cosette is a woefully underwritten joke of a role, surely there exists an actress who can do more with it than the underwhelming Samantha Hill.

The show's only (and desperately needed) comic relief is provided by Cliff Saunders and Keala Settle as Mr. and Mrs. Thenardier, the shifty innkeepers who have been caring for Cosette before Valjean comes to take her away.  While Thenardier's songs provide a welcomed injection of levity into the night's proceedings, Saunders mugs so shamelessly that he ends up being just as tiresome as all of the gloom and doom.  Meanwhile, Settle proves that her Tony-nominated performance in Hands on a Hardbody was not a fluke, turning her brief stagetime into some of the most memorable minutes of this overblown revival.  Settle milks the role of Madame Thenardier for all it's worth, and one can only hope this talented actress' next vehicle offers her more of a chance to showcase her talents.

Visually, the show wavers between being a beautiful mess and just a mess, often within the same scene.  Some of Matt Kinley's scenic design is stunning - his multi-tiered vision of the Paris streets is particularly impressive - while some of it clearly suffers from the lack of the original's turntable (several portions of the barricade sequence aren't nearly as effective without being able to rotate the thing around to see what's on the other side).  Andreane Neofitou and Christine Rowland's costumes appear cheap, even on the characters who aren't dressed in tattered rags, and Paule Constable's lighting design is far too dark for much of the show's runtime.  There are times when the grandeur of the original production is sorely missed, especially since the lack of bells and whistles tends to expose the weaknesses in the storytelling.

Ultimately, this Les Miserables does little to disguise the fact that it is a cash grab meant to capitalize on renewed interest generated by the Oscar-winning film version.  The songs are as gorgeous as ever and generally well sung, if not always well acted, and Ramin Karimloo's portrayal of Jean Valjean *almost* justifies the price of admission.  If Mr. Karimloo's costars were all at his level, this production would be one of the highlights of the season, but instead it is an inoffensive diversion that slightly outstays its welcome thanks to a mammoth runtime.  Hopefully the producers of the next Broadway production will wait until there's a truly compelling, new take on the material before promising the audience "one day more."