73rd Tony Awards Predictions James Corden will return to host the 2019 Tony Awards. Ah yes, the annual “come see our shows” show for the Great White Way. This year showed a massive improvement from last year in terms of quality in both the play and musical scene. That’s right, both the play and musicals this season have been astoundingly impressive. Initially it was though that only the plays were going to stand out this year, with the likes of To Kill a Mockingbird, Network, The Ferryman, Choir Boy, The Waverly Gallery, Gary, and What the Constitution Means to Me all having standout spots on Broadway this year, many of which either announced or premiered in 2018. But the musicals, never to be counted out, had a serious charge in the spring. Shows like Ain’t Too Proud, Beetlejuice, Tootsie, Hadestown, Oklahoma!, and even The Prom, which still continues to stay strong despite the onslaught of shows opening after it. The performances were strong as well. Movie stars and veteran stage actors alike gave fantastic performances. Bryan Cranston, Jeff Daniels and Adam Driver, along with Paddy Considine and the incomparable Jeremy Pope highlight the Best Actor in a Play category, while the women have SIX nominees, including the likes of Laurie Metcalf (who we’ve never seen before), Janet McTeer, Elaine May (at the age of 87), and Annette Bening. On the musical side, we saw spectacular musical performances this year… and dare I say there were too many to count? The entire cast of Hadestown, including Eva Noblezada, Andre De Shields, Amber Gray, and Patrick Page. The cast of The Prom: Caitlin Kinnunen, Beth Leavel, and Brooks Ashmanskas- even with fabulous supporting performances from Christopher Sieber, Angie Schworer and Michael Potts. Careers could be made this year. Santino Fontana in Tootsie. Stephanie J. Block in The Cher Show. Ali Stroker in Oklahoma!. Ephraim Sykes in Ain’t Too Proud. There were even performances from this year that didn’t get nominated (although why, I’m not sure). Bonnie Milligan in Head Over Heels stands out. Stephanie Styles in Kiss Me Kate does too. Tracy Letts in All My Sons. And countless more. This was a really good year for Broadway, all things considered. And since the Tony Awards are on Sunday, let’s take a look at who’s walking home with those shiny little spinner things. Best Musical Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada star in "Hadestown." The nominees:
For the first time in quite a while, we have a very likeable group of Best Musical nominees that I would be happy if any of them won. Hadestown is the clear favorite, which means it’s Rachel Chavkin and Anaïs Mitchell’s New Orleans jazz/Greek tragedy fusion piece to lose. The show really is that good, and it’s worth every dollar (and trust me, some of these tickets may cost you every dollar you have) to see. Hadestown features an eclectic cast of actors including the Amber Gray, Patrick Page, Andre De Shields, Eva Noblezada, and Reeve Carney. The score is this really interesting jazz/folk/songwriter blend, with songs that you can actually (gasp) walk away singing? What a concept. And then there’s the stagecraft- absolutely brilliant lights, sound, costumes and set reminiscent of Rachel Chavkin’s previous endeavor, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. And despite it being a story everyone knows (Orpheus and Eurydice), it still holds up as a brilliant retelling of an old classic, with twists and turns that still hit home. It’s the favorite for a reason, and I certainly thought the same when I saw it.  Christopher Sieber, Angie Schworer, Beth Leavel, Brooks Ashmanskas, Josh Lamon, and the company of "The Prom." And then I saw The Prom. As a preface, it is very difficult for me to cry while watching live theatre. So much has to go right, and if something ruins it for you (like a hearing aid going off throughout the entire second act of Hadestown), you feel like your money was wasted a little bit, and it’s unlikely you’ll be able to dish out another hefty sum of money to see something again. The show really has to take you to another place. It wasn’t until I saw Waitress with Sara Bareilles that I experienced such a thing. So when I was a hot mess at the end of The Prom, even though I was sitting in the balcony, that showed me that I was seeing something special. I went on a journey seeing this show. I went from really not being into it for the first 15 minutes or so, to the show literally sitting me down and saying “HEY. This is the reason why we go to the theatre. Give your critical eye a rest for two goddamn seconds and have FUN.” The twists. The turns. The emotions. The TEARS. What I see in this show is so much love, so much joy, so much “love is a good thing that we should be celebrating.” I see a lot of Head Over Heels in The Prom (it’s just done a lot better, sorry, Hudson family). I truly wanted to live in that world when I was watching it. And, funny enough, it has the fewest nominations of any of the Best Musical nominees (7). The Prom is the right story for Tony voters to select it as Best Musical. The other shows in this category are also formidable; props to the Wing for getting this category correct. Ain’t Too Proud has 12 Tony nominations, Tootsie, 11. Beetlejuice has 8. These shows are not here by accident. I tend to overanalyze these things based on what the best-looking scenario is on paper. So, I’m going with my gut. Hadestown is not the next Hamilton (nor is it close), but it’s sure blowing up like it’s the next Evan Hansen, and that’s good enough for me. But trust me- Hadestown isn't going to run away with these awards like many thought it would. And if there’s some kind of shocking twist, you can bet The Prom will best next in line for the crown. Will win: Hadestown Should win: Dare I say… The Prom? Could win: Tootsie Best Play Paddy Considine (center) and the cast of "The Ferryman." The nominees:
The biggest shock to this category was the exclusion of both To Kill a Mockingbird and Network, two plays that many surely considered locks, and potentially even contenders to win. But since those two are out, we have to deal with what we’re left with, which leaves the race pretty much wide open. One of the current favorites has to be Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me, which earned itself a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. I think based on what the Tony Awards are, which is an enormous advertisement for Broadway so that tourists will come to New York and keep it afloat, giving Constitution the win seems like the obvious move. It’s political. It’s emotional. It’s timely. It is yet another “fuck you” from the theatre community to the American political machine. Which is why I think it would be an easy, relatable, safe choice to make. I’m not knocking What the Constitution Means to Me, but the praise that has been heaped on it and its Pulitzer Prize nomination signal that everyone’s riding that wave right into the Tony Awards. But in my opinion, the Best Play of this category (and of this year) was The Ferryman. Despite changing casts midway through the run, it earned tremendous praise, including a Critic’s Pick from The New York Times. And just when I thought it had run out of momentum and Constitution was a lock to win, Ferryman picked up Best Play awards at the Drama Desk, Outer Critics’ Circle, and Drama League Awards, defeating Constitution at all three turns. I’ve gone back and forth with this selection. Initially, and for the longest period of time, I had Heidi Schreck and Constitution pulling the upset. But now I’m going with my gut. Ferryman forever. What time is it? Will and should win: The Ferryman Could win: What the Constitution Means to Me Best Revival of a Musical The intimate revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" at Circle in the Square theatre. The nominees:
Two extremely traditional shows received revamps this year. One of them was your typical, run-of-the-mill-revival- a squeaky-clean, Roundabout Theatre Company-subscriber-friendly remounting. The other was a complete re-imagining of an American classic, stripped down from its big Broadway roots of the 1930s and rebuilt “for the 21st century” in a small, intimate environment. The question is: which show will resonate with Tony voters more? I think because it tried to go to such great lengths, and to have a lot of it work, Oklahoma! will stand out further than Kiss Me, Kate will. Will win: Oklahoma! Could win: Kiss Me, Kate Best Revival of a Play The revival of "The Boys in the Band." The nominees:
This category is tough, because only two of the shows nominated are currently running. The other three were all early season shows that closed either before or shortly after January 2019. Of those two that are still running, Burn This is the better production (and I’m not just saying that because I work there- I work at Roundabout too, and I’ve seen All My Sons), but it all depends on which show resonates with voters more, or which ones the Wing chooses to remember the fondest. The Waverly Gallery has Elaine May and a Kenneth Lonergan nomination from last year going for it. Torch Song closed early, but garnered favorable reviews. The Boys in the Band was the first show to open in the 2018-19 season, but thanks to Ryan Murphy, will be getting a Netflix special made from it, reminding voters that it exists. I think, of the major production awards, this one is shrouded in the most mystery. Early on, The Waverly Gallery was the favorite, and I think that remains true heading into June. But don’t be surprised if The Boys in the Band or Burn This pull the upset. Will win: The Waverly Gallery Could win: The Boys in the Band or Burn This Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Santino Fontana stars as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in "Tootsie." The nominees:
Five men, five vastly different stories. There’s been some controversy surrounding Tootsie, but if I could stick my nose where it might not belong for two seconds, Michael Dorsey is supposed to a terrible person. He’s so despicable that obviously folks are going to hate him for dressing up as a woman to try to get a role. I think that might be the point. Still, I think Santino’s got it in the bag, since he’s got to carry the show. The other four nominees are matched (or overshadowed) by others in their cast, so I think we’ll see the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” actor take home his first Tony. Will win: Santino Fontana, Tootsie Could win: Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice or Damon Daunno, Oklahoma! Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical The three "Chers": Teal Wicks, Stephanie J. Block, and Micaela Diamond. The nominees:
Every year seems like it will be THE year for Stephanie J. Block. It’s interesting that people say that, considering she’s only been nominated twice previously for Tony Awards. But her competition isn’t as strong this year. Caitlin Kinnunen and Beth Leavel likely will cancel each other out, as both are equally strong in The Prom for different reasons. Eva Noblezada gets swallowed up in the vast cavalcade of talent that is Hadestown, and I don’t think Kiss Me, Kate is strong enough as a production for Kelli O’Hara to carry it on her back (even though she carries that entire show on her back). Cher is a generational talent, and Stephanie J. Block’s turn as Star Cher will likely make her stand out from the group. It’s finally her time, guys! Will and should win: Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show Could win: Beth Leavel or Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Bryan Cranston stars in "Network," directed by Ivo van Hove. The nominees:
This is another interesting category shrouded in some mystery. It appears to be the big three film and TV stars in the front of the pack: Bryan Cranston’s Howard Beale from Network, Adam Driver’s portrayal of the hyperactive Pale in the Burn This revival, and Jeff Daniels’ turn as the iconic Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Cranston has this very unique ability to play to both a live camera and a live audience at the same damn time. That has to count for something. He also won the Olivier for his performance in Network, and he’ll be competing against Paddy Considine, who was also nominated for The Ferryman once again. But Cranston seems to have lost a lot of momentum, and his inclusion with this very strong group of equally good actors could split his chances. Jeff Daniels has the mighty task of playing Atticus Finch… but dare I say that any other actor of his stature in that position could play the brilliant orator that is Atticus? Let me hit you with that third option- Adam Driver. Pale is not a role that anyone could play. It’s a roller-coaster of a time on stage. He’s full of so many emotions- and all of them begin at a 10 and seem to just spiral out of control. Rage, grief, love, frustration, confusion- it’s all there to the “volcanic” (as the Times put it) Driver. In a late surge of momentum, The Wing awards the Tony to one of Hollywood’s best young actors. Driver wins in something of an upset. Will and should win: Adam Driver, Burn This Could win: Bryan Cranston, Network or Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Janet McTeer (right) stars in "Bernhardt/Hamlet." The nominees:
Everybody’s been on the Elaine May train since The Waverly Gallery opened. The 87 year-old would be receiving her first Tony nomination, and a win would make her the oldest Tony Award winner ever for an acting category. In her way are five other brilliant nominees. I really love that they nominated Janet McTeer for Bernhardt/Hamlet, a super underrated performance in this blogger’s opinion. If I were running the Tony’s, Laura Donnelly would win for her powerful performance in The Ferryman. That play is not about Quinn or any of the kids, it’s about Caitlin, and thanks to Donnelly, that becomes blatantly clear over the course of the show. But I haven’t been given any reason to think she’ll win, considering Ferryman changed their cast over about midway through the run. We’re going with Elaine May, who hasn’t had any doubt challenge her this season. Will win: Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery Should win: Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman Could win: Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet or Laurie Metcalf, Hilary and Clinton Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical The main company of "Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations." The nominees:
When I saw Hadestown, I was more impressed with Patrick Page than I was with Andre De Shields. Still, Andre was playing Andre, which should fare well with Tony voters. The inclusion of both Ephraim Sykes and Jeremy Pope (who is being nominated for two different acting categories this year) certain makes things interesting as well. Will the Wing honor his fantastic achievements in both Ain’t Too Proud and Choir Boy in this category? I think we’re going with tradition here and picking Andre De Shields, further bolstering Hadestown’s bid for Best Musical. Will win: Andre De Shields, Hadestown Should win: Ephraim Sykes, Ain’t Too Proud Could win: Patrick Page, Hadestown or Jeremy Pope, Ain’t Too Proud Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Ali Stroker plays Ado Annie in "Oklahoma!" The nominees:
It’s Amber Gray against Ali Stroker. Both are fantastic and both deserve to win. But the real story is the exclusion of Bonnie Milligan from Head Over Heels, who made a noteworthy debut on Broadway to hardly any fanfare. If anyone deserved to be here most, it was her. I don’t think Mary Testa’s inclusion in the category hinders Ali Stroker’s chances of winning, and in fact, I think she’s got this one locked up. Will and should win: Ali Stroker, Oklahoma! Could win: Amber Gray, Hadestown or Sarah Stiles, Tootsie Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play Brandon Uranowitz (left) embraces Keri Russell (right) in the revival of Lanford Wilson's "Burn This." The nominees:
My gut is to pick Brandon Uranowitz for this category, and not just because I work at Burn This. I firmly believe he gave the best performance out of these five. People are still talking about Bertie Carvel’s turn as Rupert Murdoch from Ink, but I think if Burn This gets any kind of award at the Tony’s, it’s for Uranowitz’s brilliant turn as Larry in the Lanford Wilson revival. Will and should win: Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This Could win: Bertie Carvel, Ink Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Celia Keenan-Bolger plays the precocious Scout Finch in Aaron Sorkin's play "To Kill a Mockingbird." The nominees:
There’s not much of a contest here. Ever since casting was announced for To Kill a Mockingbird, Celia Keenan-Bolger has been mentioned right along with Jeff Daniels every step of the way. Scout is a hefty part of the book, with some even considering her to be the central character of Harper Lee’s iconic novel. Kristine Nielsen replaced Andrea Martin before Gary started previews, so her role has to be a juicy one as well. But Celia is as close to a leading character as you can get in this one. No contest. CKB wins her first Tony. Will and should win: Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird Could win: Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus Best Book of a MusicalThe nominees:
I want to make this clear- Hadestown doesn’t really have a book. And if it does, it’s not spectacular in comparison to the others it’s going up against. The two that I think have the best chance are Tootsie and The Prom. Tootsie because it’s one joke after another, and in comparison to the score, it’s the stronger of the two; The Prom because it’s just so pure, full of wit and full of love written by people who clearly love the craft they’ve dedicated their lives to. If The Prom steals one here, I wouldn’t be mad- nor would I be shocked, considering Bob Martin won a Tony for writing The Drowsy Chaperone. But I’m picking Tootsie here. Will and should win: Robert Horn, Tootsie Could win: Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, The Prom Best Original ScoreThe nominees:
Now we get into the strong suit for Hadestown- the score. It started as a concept album, but Anaïs Mitchell’s music has evolved into a musical phenomenon. As I mentioned before, it’s this really cool jazz/indie/folk/singer-songwriter fusion that is extremely catchy, and while the first act has all the bops, the second act uses those bops to sew the story all together. Hadestown’s biggest competition is The Prom, once again, as Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin deliver another potential winner, also full of earworms and inspirational tracks. Also, I want to deliver the biggest applause ever to Be More Chill, who are obviously going to hang onto this one nomination they have for years to come. Will and should win: Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown Could win: Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, The Prom Best OrchestrationsThe nominees:
I personally think the orchestrations for Oklahoma! are brilliant. Daniel Kluger takes Rodgers and Hammerstein’s iconic score and reworks it for a more modern, jamboree, bluegrass-type feel. But I feel like Hadestown’s got it locked up. It’s got fascinating instrumentation (violin, cello, trombone, guitar, bass, piano, drums) to achieve this sort of hollowed-out, thrown together feel, but it also has the ability, along with the strength of the vocal arrangements, to create this gorgeous wall of sound. Hadestown has it. Will and should win: Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown Could win: Daniel Kluger, Oklahoma! Best Direction of a MusicalThe nominees:
Any of these people could win a Tony for Best Director of a Musical and I would not be upset. All five have done incredible work with this respectable set of musicals. However, since Hadestown is the favorite, and because Rachel Chavkin was not honored for her work on Great Comet, she takes home the Tony for her work on Hadestown. Will and should win: Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown Could win: Hadestown has the best chance, but literally anyone could win and I wouldn't be mad. Best Direction of a PlayThe nominees:
Scott Rudin pissed a lot of people off when he forced several regional and community theatres to give up the rights to other versions of To Kill a Mockingbird, before giving those theatres the rights back, on the condition that they perform exclusively Aaron Sorkin’s version. This debacle was a terrible PR move, and a lack of a nomination for Best Play was probably the Wing sticking it to Rudin. However, if there’s any consolation prize, it’s for Bartlett Sher, who directed the piece. Scott Rudin might not be winning a Tony this year, but at least they’re honoring this gigantic achievement of a play. Will win: Bartlett Sher, To Kill a Mockingbird Should win: Sam Mendes, The Ferryman Could win: Ivo Van Hove, Network Best Choreography Those JUMPS, though. The nominees:
There’s one show that has this award locked up and one show only. It’s Kiss Me, Kate, obviously. That “Too Darn Hot” is LIT. Warren Carlyle takes home his second Tony Award. Will win: Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate Could win: David Neumann, Hadestown or Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud Best Scenic Design of a MusicalThe nominees:
I am curious as to how they’ll recognize King Kong’s enormous ape puppet this year, considering the puppetry team is receiving an honorary award for their work. I am also curious to see how the enormous house set for Beetlejuice stacks up against Hadestown's intricate, moving set. I'm going to give the edge to Rachel Huack. I enjoy the use of turntables and trapdoors. Will win: Hadestown- Rachel Huack Could win: Beetlejuice- David Korins Best Scenic Design of a PlayThe nominees:
Another question is video and projection design, which is heavily utilized by a play like Network, using live cameras, cutaways, glass, and even the outside world as a set, in true Ivo Van Hove style. I think Network wins because of this, even though both sets for Gary and The Ferryman are impressive, but I feel like we should have more awards for impressive technical specs like projections. Hopefully changes (or at least more specific rulings) to the awards are coming as technology in Broadway shows is becoming more advanced. Will win: Network- Jan Versweyveld Could win: Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus- Santo Loquasto or The Ferryman- Rob Howell Best Costume Design of a MusialThe nominees:
Beetlejuice’s costumes are spectacular: an eclectic array of monsters and ghouls. Because, you know, it’s a show about death. The next closest challenger would probably be The Cher Show, because Cher is, well, Cher. For all I know Hadestown could probably steal this one too. Will win: Beetlejuice- William Ivey Long Could win: The Cher Show- Bob Mackie or Tootsie- William Ivey Long Best Costume Design of a PlayThe nominees:
In this next round of arbitrarily picking Tony winners, we have Best Costume Design of a Play. I’m picking Mockingbird because I really hope there’s a ham costume that Scout wears. Will win: To Kill a Mockingbird- Ann Roth Could win: Bernhardt/Hamlet- Toni-Leslie James Best Lighting Design of a MusicalThe nominees:
THE SWINGING LIGHTS OF HADESTOWN. That is all. Beetlejuice would be a close second. Will and should win: Hadestown- Bradley King Could win: Beetlejuice- Kenneth Posner and Peter Nigrini Best Lighting Design of a PlayThe nominees:
I can see Network winning here. I can see Gary winning. I can also see The Ferryman winning. Something about that incredible show has to be honored for creating the sinister mood that is prevalent throughout the show. In a purely random call, Peter Mumford wins for The Ferryman. Will win: The Ferryman- Peter Mumford Could win: Network- Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden or Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus- Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer Best Sound Design of a MusicalThe nominees:
Sound design in musicals is tough. I suppose it’s how well created sounds blend with existing music. If that’s the case, I could see Beetlejuice winning here, as there are LOTS of extra sounds in addition to the music. But it could also be how well the sound is transferred around the theatre, where the advantage would favor Hadestown and especially Oklahoma!, where interesting orchestrations and different theatre spaces might yield an award. All of these are reasons why I have zero clue what I’m talking about. Hadestown for the win. Again. Will win: Hadestown- Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz Could win: Beetlejuice- Peter Hylenski or Oklahoma!- Drew Levy Best Sound Design of a PlayThe nominees:
For plays, I can understand it a little bit better. I can see Network taking home yet another tech award for its pretty similar replication to the movie. I think it’s a pretty safe bet. Will win: Network- Eric Seichim Could win: The Ferryman- Nick Powell or To Kill a Mockingbird- Scott Lehrer And thus ends another round of completely random, logic-based Tony predictions. Who's your pick to win Best Musical? Leave a comment down below. Tune in to the 73rd Annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 9th at 8:00pm only on CBS.
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Every Episode of "Black Mirror," Ranked I want to begin by saying that I don’t think there is a bad episode of Black Mirror… but there is a hierarchy that exists within the series, and we’re here to find it. Charlie Brooker’s either a really intuitive guy wary of the dangers of technology, or he’s a tech-less hermit and just absurdly paranoid. Regardless, the guy knows how to make us think twice about our futures, and these technological cautionary tales give us a glimpse into how our lives could be 10 years from now, or, in some cases, 10 minutes from now. They’ll make you feel. They’ll make you think. They’re scare you. They’ll empower you. Brooker’s done his job if Black Mirror drives home a point on you. So, with 18 episodes, a Christmas special and a movie under its belt, and since season 5 is coming out tomorrow, let’s rank every single installment, shall we? This is your one warning before you read. If you haven’t seen Black Mirror- Spoilers lie ahead. 20. "Black Museum"Season 4, Episode 6  The most recent episode of Black Mirror, in my opinion, is the biggest dud. Letitia Wright and Douglas Hodge give great performances, Wright in particular, who pulls the rug out from under Hodge’s Rolo Haynes in the episode’s final act, but I thought the stories were as a whole fairly uninteresting, and the plot twist at the end didn’t pack much of a punch. Overall, the episode is just flimsy. Shout out to Penn Jillette, though, whose short story “The Pain Addict” serves as inspiration for the first of the three stories in the episode. Fun fact, though: “Black Museum” actually contains multiple easter eggs, with a reference to every previous Black Mirror episode present in the season 4 finale. 19. "Men Against Fire"Season 3, Episode 5  For me, this one was forgettable. It’s an interesting idea, the thought of military implants making soldiers think the enemy is some deformed, savage beast, but that’s really as far as the idea stretches: that the reality of wars here on Earth are as simple as humans killing other humans. Malachi Kirby’s performance as Stripe leaves a bit to be desired, although his moment at the end where he thinks he sees a lover, only to discover that neither she nor the life he used to have exists. Michael Kelly’s inclusion in this episode obviously stems from his involvement in House of Cards, and his performance as Arquette is solid, but nothing more than Douglas Stamper with his foot off the gas. 18. "The Waldo Moment"Season 2, Episode 3  I will give this episode credit for preceding the political climate America finds itself in today, but I think “The Waldo Moment” is a bit too on the nose. Oversaturation of news and the subsequent analysis done by both journalists and comedians alike can certainly cause us to think outside the box when it comes to determining leadership. And so, when Daniel Rigby’s Jamie Salter tries to flip the system, we find it logical for him to do so. It’s just… the Bear, Waldo, itself, is just ridiculous. And if I have to listen to him say “Hey! Mr. Monroe!” One more time, I’m gonna jump through a table. “The Waldo Moment” does beg the question, however, while we’re on the subject of electing fictitious people as leaders, there’s some clause in the Constitution that says Mickey Mouse can’t be President, right? Asking for a few hundred million friends. 17. "Arkangel"Season 4, Episode 2  This episode didn’t really go anywhere for me. It had a cool concept, similar to what we see in “The Entire History of You,” but opts to focus more on the family aspect instead. Rosemary Dewitt’s performance as Marie is effectively and increasingly agitating, albeit heartbreaking, as she wrestles with being a helicopter parent to Sara (Brenna Harding). I can certainly understand where both parties are coming from here. But there are plenty of plot holes to distract me from their relationship. Like, why doesn’t Owen Teague’s character Trick call the police on Marie when she confronts him about sleeping with Sara, since the Arkangel program was deemed illegal in America? Why does Sara have to beat the shit out of Marie with the damn tablet instead of throwing it away? Have Marie and Sara never had the talk about individuality and helicopter parenting? It’s got some cool twists and some shocking moments, but overall, I see some wasted potential here with “Arkangel.” 16. "Fifteen Million Merits"Season 1, Episode 2  A lot of people really like Daniel Kaluuya’s monologue at the end of “Fifteen Million Merits.” And I do too. It’s an impassioned, rambling speech about authenticity. But at the same time, it’s about what we’ve already known in after watching for the last hour- that absolutely nothing is real in the world of “Fifteen Million Merits.” I felt like this episode is so far out of left field in comparison to the episode before it (“The National Anthem”) and just about every episode after it. It tries to do too much with all of its concepts layered on top of each other, that we’re not sure what to focus on. This is the first episode to feature the song “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” by Irma Thomas, so it’s got that going for it. 15. "White Christmas"Season 2, Episode 4  I love Jon Hamm, I really do. Hamm’s character in the first sub-story of “White Christmas” is quintessentially Hamm-ian, as he works as a torturer by day, and a seduction coach by night, being so suavely pleasant all the way. But Rafe Spall steals the show here. We see the full depth of his grief, seeing as he’s handled his divorce in… let’s say a very sub-par way. When he sees his child for the first time, it’s truly heartbreaking. The strength of “White Christmas” comes from its major plot twist, though, as the tales of deception and murder come full circle back into the present. Both characters are terrible people, but they gain our sympathy, and we end up feeling bad for them as both of their lives ultimately crumble by the end of this twisty-turny episode. Post-episode funks are the gifts that keep on giving in Charlie Brooker’s world. Merry Christmas? 14. "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch"Interactive Movie  Black Mirror’s first “movie,” as it were, is extremely creative in its premise. The “choose your own adventure” narrative is genius. I just wish it were a little more fine tuned. The acting is great, with Fionn Whitehead and Will Poulter (who I still can’t get over being British) leading the charge, and the story is creative enough, as an amateur game designer struggles to get his idea off the ground after being hired by a video game company. I just can’t help but feeling pigeonholed by the choices laid out for me. Black Mirror is a show that has its intense and overwhelming moments, forcing you to be uncomfortable as you watch ordinary people come to terms with the terrors of technology. But when given the choice to guide a character, most ordinary people aren’t going to love options that are: “A. Bad.” and “B. Bad but in a different way,” because that’s not what their nature as humans favors. Getting to compare endings with your friends is a lot of fun, and hopefully we get to see more “user-directed” projects in the future, perhaps even away from Black Mirror. This is a really valiant first attempt. The first one through the wall always gets bloody, though. 13. "Metalhead"Season 4, Episode 5  “Metalhead” exists in the same vein as The Terminator franchise, in that we’ve got humans running away from machines that are trying to kill them. It’s shot entirely black and white, and despite having the shortest run time in the entire series (41 minutes), it manages to pack in as much intensity as any long-form Black Mirror episode. The setup is simple: Bella (Maxine Peake) attempts to shake a killer robot “dog” that has tracked her. For an episode with a premise as basic as it is, the intricacies of “Metalhead” shine through, from Maxine Peake’s excellent performance, to the horrifyingly real design of the dogs, whose weapons only scare the viewer even more as they get more and more sinister. The cat and mouse (dog and mouse?) game runs swiftly through the gorgeous countryside, with the human consistently trying (and in some ways, brilliantly succeeding) to outsmart the pursuing machine. It only gets scarier when you learn that the dogs in question are based off the robotic dogs created by Boston Scientific that can pull a damn truck. Now, what do teddy bears have to do with any of this? 12. "Crocodile"Season 4, Episode 2  I approve of the decision to move filming of this episode from Scotland to Iceland. The visuals of this episode stand out more than any other, with shots of stunning landscapes serving as the backdrop for this intriguing “memory heist” story. Andrea Riseborough really makes us wonder what “Crocodile”’s title really implies, and whether or not she truly feels remorse for any or her actions, and because all of her actions make sense, it is easy for us to go back and forth on wanting her to escape and wanting her to get caught. The finale of the episode is heartbreaking. She should have checked on the fucking guinea pig. THE GUINEA PIG. 11. "Be Right Back"Season 2, Episode 1  The first two seasons of Black Mirror go back and forth with episodes that are an in-your-face kind of allegorical, and episodes that make you take a few minutes and think on what you just saw. “Be Right Back” is one of those. For the first time, we see some big-name actors (Domhnall Gleeson and Hayley Atwell) featured in a Black Mirror episode, as Ash and Martha, the latter of whom attempts to regenerate the former in an experimental recreation method. “Be Right Back” is brilliant in that is far more “big picture” than all other episodes that came before it. We see Hayley Atwell’s character struggle mightily with the balance of physical presence and actual humanity, and how our online selves are just that- they’re not the whole version of us, they’re just what is most likely the cleanest version of us. The ending of this episode is a lot like “The National Anthem,” where we expect one course of action to take place, only to have a slight diversion at the very end leave a bitter taste in our mouths. PSA: Don’t text and drive, everyone. 10. "The National Anthem"Season 1, Episode 1  Black Mirror’s premiere episode is technology at its simplest- in that there’s no technology we don’t already have as the primary focus of the episode. Rory Kinnear’s Prime Minister Michael Callow wakes up to find Princess Susanna has been kidnapped by an unknown party, and in order to ensure her safety, will have to have sex with a pig live on British television. It’s the ultimate “will he, won’t he?”, as you want to know what’s going to happen next, but certainly don’t want to watch this guy have sex with a pig. As the drama unravels, we learn how dangerous public opinion can be, as the world suddenly and sharply turns on Callow, seemingly without knowing the full story. In many episodes of Black Mirror that involve omnipresent unseen antagonists, I am constantly impressed by their ability to remain one step ahead of the good guys. 9. "Shut Up and Dance"Season 3, Episode 3  Upon first watch, I wasn’t a big fan of “Shut Up and Dance.” I thought it was too formulaic, and the ending wasn’t as satisfying as I wanted it to be. But after consideration, sometimes there’s nothing wrong with formula if it is done well... and you're in the right mindset to watch this episode- truthfully, I binged "Nosedive," "Playtest" and this one in a row and was clocked out from being beaten over the head by allegories. Alex Lawther’s Kenny is blackmailed into following seemingly aimless directions after he is caught on camera masturbating to images on his computer, with the assumption that if Alex completes his instructions, his act will not be broadcasted to his friends and family. He is plunged into a tense game of follow-the-leader, and gets entwined with Hector (Jerome Flynn), another man being blackmailed by the same group. Of course though, in true Black Mirror style, we find that no one can truly outrun their sins. The final moments of the episode, specifically Alex’s final emotional state, the slow motion camera work, and the music (Radiohead’s “Exit Music (For a Film)”) are chilling. 8. "Playtest"Season 3, Episode 2  Note to everyone: when your mother calls, answer the phone. Entering the world of video games for the first time, “Playtest” shows how far some developers are willing to go to elicit fear on a deep psychological level- and how cockiness could probably get you killed. Wyatt Russell plays Cooper, an American traveler strapped for cash, who ends up participating in a beta test for a new augmented-reality horror video game designed by Shou Saito (Ken Yamamura). He also has this glaring character flaw- in that he won’t pick up his phone when his mom calls. What I love about “Playtest” is that the consequences are blatantly avoidable, and yet it’s a great commentary on how we think we’re in control of what’s right in front of us- like in a video game. But it’s only when we realize we’re past the point of no control that we try to reach out for something that’s not there. 7. "The Entire History of You"Season 1, Episode 3  What if you could see everything you’ve ever done? Pretty cool for figuring out where you may have gone wrong with something, like a job interview, or for winning an argument to prove your point, right? Well, because this is Black Mirror, we see the relationship Liam (Toby Kebbell) and Ffion (Jodi Whittaker) spiral into oblivion in a matter of hours. Liam uncovers the mystery of his cheating wife just by using the finest of details to devastating and heartbreaking results, and we’re left to wonder (although it is shadowed early on by another character with no Grain implant) if seeing all our memories really is a good thing or not. My one qualm with the episode is this: the “cereal monogamist” line delivered by Jonas (Tom Cullen) that Liam nitpicks as not being funny is actually… pretty funny. Still waiting on the feature film that Robert Downey, Jr. bought the rights to. 6. "Nosedive"Season 3, Episode 1  When you’ve got a script written by Michael Schur and Rashida Jones, you know you’ve got something special (and you also know your show has crossover appeal). The idea of a social class system determined by the ratings you receive from your peers is a potentially terrifying idea (even though it’s already being toyed with with apps like Peeple and experimented with in China), but the idea of everyone acting blatantly fake towards you sounds even more off putting. Bryce Dallas Howard does an excellent job as Lacie, who struggles to make it to her “friend” Naomi’s (Alice Eve) wedding, as she experiences a series of social miscues that send her social rating into a nosedive (that’s the title of the episode. Wild.). Cherry Jones makes a surprise appearance as Susan, a truck driver who had a luxurious life as a 4.8, but plummeted after her husband died. A major feature of this episode is its production design, a brilliant display of clean, pastel colors, hiding the gross, fake interior that lies below it. Still, with Schur and Jones behind the script, “Nosedive” has a lighter tone than some (all) of the other episodes that came before it. I credit this episode for unfreezing Charlie Brooker’s heart a little bit. You might want to chuck your iPhone into the sea for precautions, though. 5. "USS Callister"Season 4, Episode 1  This episode will be forever known as “the Star Trek one,” as it pays excellent homage to the classic TV space epic of yore. In the fashion of the show, though, nothing is what it seems. We’re not even sure if Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons) is the hero of this thing. Of course, we find that he’s not- he’s the villain- and we don’t find this out until we meet Natalie Cole (Cristin Milioti), and we discover Daly is just another tormented victim at his day job (he’s the COO of an augmented reality video game developer) that has taken cyber bullying to another level. “Callister” is a return to form for the series, as we’re taken through the world of pop culture fandoms and given a critique on the hyper-masculine, misogynistic, insecure people that populate it and control it. “USS Callister” also does just enough to keep us from feeling totally depressed, utilizing cheesy dialogue and ironic humor, colorful and creative production design, and intense, nail-biting heist sequences. This episode also won an Emmy for Best Television Movie, and rightfully so. 4. "Hang the DJ"Season 4, Episode 4  As someone who shamelessly utilizes online dating apps, this episode struck a chord with me. The simple but brilliantly designed premise of people being matched by a Siri-like assistant (“Coach”) for a predetermined amount of time, as part of a grander attempt to find an “ultimate compatible other” is played out to a delightfully surprising ending by Georgina Campbell and Joe Cole. You can feel the ups and downs that people looking for love experience- the highs of being with and having fun with someone in a spontaneous moment of bliss, as well as the bitter feeling of loneliness that everyone has experienced at one time or another. And with a brilliant score by Sigor Ròs, it only elevates the experienced further. Man, if only Tinder was like this. The system would truly never be wrong. 3. "Hated in the Nation"Season 3, Episode 6  The final episode of season 3 gave us this long-form buddy cop drama. We’ve got Kelly Macdonald as Karin Parke, the wise-cracking and insult-hurling Scottish veteran cop, contrasted by her partner, the green but intuitive Blue Coulson, played by Faye Marsay. After the death of a journalist at the center of a social media onslaught, Macdonald and Coulson uncover an even more sinister plot- killer robotic bees. Under the prologue’s guise of “something bad has just gone down, here’s what happened,” we learn that social media instigators are just as bad as people who piss them off… because robotic bees will enter your skull and eat your brain from inside, akin to the beetles from The Mummy. The brutal and bloody images from “Hated in the Nation” will leave you shaken. The fallout will leave you heartbroken. The epilogue will leave you shaking. Just watch this one if you’re not familiar. Or even if you are. More long-form content, Black Mirror, please. 2. "San Junipero"Season 3, Episode 4  If you’re watching Black Mirror for the first time, you have to earn watching “San Junipero,” because it is by far the most emotional installment in the entire catalogue, and skipping everything that precedes it in favor of watching it will ruin the rest of it for you. In what begins as a romantic drama set in a bustling seaside town, a chance encounter between party girl Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis) becomes a heart-wrenching love story that stretches across the years. In “San Junipero,” we deal with the freedom of being able to live out (or even relive) the best years of our lives, but also the impending future, and what it might mean to be stuck there, and how our relationships form, grow, and perhaps even become strained because of it. Acting and story aside, the technical construction of the episode is immaculate. There’s something that can become extra cheesy when dealing with 80s scenic and costume design, but nothing about “San Junipero” seems over the top. Interwoven with 80s pop songs (lookin’ at you, Belinda Carlisle) and a brilliant score from Clint Mansell (The Fountain, another film to check out if you liked “San Junipero”), we clearly know that San Junipero and “Heaven is a Place on Earth” go hand in hand. Like “USS Callister” after it, “San Junipero” thrust Black Mirror into the mainstream awards scene, winning two Primetime Emmys, one for Best Writing of a Television Movie or Limited Series, and Best Television Movie. 1. "White Bear"Season 2, Episode 2  “White Bear” pulls the classic twist “the good guy was really the bad guy all along!,” as we find that Lenora Crichlow (Victoria Skillane) is a horribly shitty person after the credits begin to roll on the episode. What brings “White Bear” to the top of this list is the shock factor. It is the 5th episode released of the series, and while “The Entire History of You” gives us plenty of heartbreaking moments, “White Bear” misleads you for 40 minutes and then pulls the rug out from underneath you. With “White Bear,” we also get an interesting social critique about how we view violence as entertainment, and, in a sense, how we’ve become desensitized to it. We think we’re empathizing with Lenora, until we’re caught in the metaphorical bear trap right along with her. Then, it’s anyone’s game. If it wasn’t evident that Black Mirror takes major inspiration from The Twilight Zone, “White Bear” certainly drives that point home. Just for the shocking twist alone, “White Bear” reaches the number one spot on this list. I’m truly still reeling. Which episode of Black Mirror is your favorite? Leave a comment down below. Seasons 1-4 of Black Mirror and Bandersnatch are streaming on Netflix. Season 5 premieres on Wednesday, June 5th, also on Netflix. The Wrap Sheet, February 2019A monthly airing of thoughts and grievances  Corgi Wink! I think I really hate February. It’s too short. All of a sudden it’s March and we’re left saying: “wait, where are the extra two or three days of my month?” or “Shit, I have to pay all these bills super early!” There are also things like false spring that typically occur in February that give me false hope before plunging me back into the despair of winter.  But the Groundhog didn’t see his shadow this month! So maybe our dreams of an early spring really might come to fruition? Despite a short month, February was jam-packed with headline news. Here’s your monthly wrap-up for February.  We begin in Atlanta, Georgia, the site of Super Bowl LIII between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. This game feels like it took place ages ago. I won’t get into it too much, because you can find my fully-fleshed out piece on the Super Bowl by clicking here, but I can certainly sum up the contest in a few words. So, basically, the Patriots left Atlanta with their sixth Super Bowl championship, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers for most all-time by a franchise. The difference is, it took the Steelers 40 years to win 6. It took the Patriots half that time. For most football fans, this game was incredibly boring, and that mindset probably wasn’t without just cause. It was 13-3, the lowest scoring Super Bowl of all time, and one year removed from one of the best offensive Super Bowls of all time, a 74-point, 1,000-yard-plus showcase with a satisfying ending of the underdog defeating the Goliath. This was the opposite of that. Or, it was a defensive feast, if you appreciate both sides of the game of football. The Rams punted on their first 8 possessions of the game before scoring points. The first touchdown of the game came in the 4th quarter, as the Patriots finally managed to string together some passes to put them in the red zone, before Sony Michel punched it in from two yards out to give New England a 10-3 lead. Bill Belichick was the hero of the game for New England. His defensive game plan stifled the Rams’ potent offense, and Sean McVay’s squad failed to make any kind of adjustments, as the Patriots defense slowly wore them down. New England’s defense came up big a number of times, including Kyle Van Noy’s long sack of Jared Goff on third down, a huge pass breakup by Jason McCourty on Brandin Cooks in the endzone, in which McCourty came from the other side of the field to make the play after the first defender blew his coverage; the play kept the Rams out of the end zone and kept the Patriots in front.  But there was no bigger play than the one made by Stephon Gilmore. The defensive back has quietly turned into one of the premiere shutdown corners in football, and his performance erased any doubt of his ability to perform well, as his interception of Jared Goff on the Rams’ final drive sealed the victory for the Patriots. Julian Edelman was named the game’s MVP, as his offensive production was the best of any player on the field- 10 catches, 141 yards. The game could have had a number of players named MVP, but Edelman was borderline unstoppable for most of the game. In what was a month of highs and lows for the Patriots (we’ll get to the low ones later), earning a Super Bowl victory when everyone doubted their chances mere months ago had to be one of the sweeter moments in the franchise’s history. In other sports news…  I WENT TO THE WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW! For those of you who don’t know, I do a sports podcast every Monday with my partner Kata Stevens called Under Further Review. We drink different adult beverages and talk about sports. And somehow, our little show managed to get media credentials to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden before. Now, I have never been to MSG before. I have a habit of going to sports arenas to see events that are not the primary sport of the arena. I have been to Gillette Stadium for lacrosse, ice hockey, and soccer, but never football. The first time I went to Barclays Center, it was for boxing. And now, my first time at the World’s Most Famous Arena was spent watching puppers prance up and down a field of AstroTurf. But hey. There were dogs, and boy do I love dogs.  One of our main questions for the podcast was: “Is dog showing a sport?” Initially my answer was “no,” but I suppose I was quickly proven wrong. Every dog we saw backstage at the show was being groomed akin to how an athlete prepares for a game- obsessively, furiously, and intricately. One of the handlers even had me feel her dog’s hind leg muscle. So… strength training, I guess. We interviewed a number of dogs and their handlers, including one Kiera Karlin, a 16-year old Junior Handler from Atlanta, and her Finnish Lapphund, Dusky. This is Kiera’s third year at Westminster. Here’s Kata’s interview with the pair: I also met my new favorite kind of dog: the Norwich Terrier.  Isn’t she the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? Her name is Belle, and she is not unlike if a chicken nugget were a dog. Belle was one of a number of fan favorite dogs at the event. Speaking of fans, the arena was packed on the second night of the show- like, I could not find a seat, even with my media pass. Eventually, some seats did open up and I got myself a great view of the arena. I didn’t expect the crowd to be so into it, but every dog that was introduced on the Jumbotron was met with a loud reaction that was a mix of an “aww,” a cheer, and an “oh my god”-esque gasp. And when these dogs walked the promenade, the place got LOUD. If you’re not familiar with how the dog show works, let me break it down quickly: There are hundreds of breeds of dogs. Every entry for a given breed competes to win “Best of Breed.” So, the best, say, golden retriever, will then compete in their group stage. There are seven groups: Working, Sporting, Non-sporting, Toy, Hound, Herding, and Terrier. The best of breeds compete for best group based on poise, grooming, and presentation. The judge picks his or her top eight, which do another round of judging. At this point, the judge will select his top four, the first of which wins the group and advances to compete for Best in Show. The Best in Show is judged exactly the same way, with the winners of each of the seven groups going through a round of judging to determine Best in Show. Belle, the Norwich Terrier from earlier, was a fan favorite, and drew many cheers from the crowd as she pranced across the floor. She was even picked for the top eight of the terrier group, to which the crowd erupted. However, the Norwich was not selected for the top four. This drew the ire of the crowd, and they booed the judge’s decision. There was booing. At a dog show. Good for people for being passionate about their favorite dogs. For Best in Show, there was even more controversy, as one of the handlers and her Schipperke were disqualified before judging could even take place. A conflict of interest- the judge had co-owned dogs with one of the Schipperke handler’s co-owners- had elicited confused groans from the crowd. I just wonder why either the judge wasn’t replaced or the Schipperke handler wasn’t replaced or disqualified in a prior round. I feel like this issue could have been avoided altogether with a little thinking ahead. As for the remaining six dogs, two stood out: A Longhaired Dachshund named Burns and a Sussex Spaniel named Bean, the latter receiving loud chants of his named that echoed around the arena.  But the cheers turned to boos once again as the judge named King, the Wire Fox Terrier, as Best in Show. If you’re wondering why, Wire Fox Terriers have won 15 Best in Shows, seven more than the next best breed. It’s a lot like the Patriots winning again. Everyone’s annoyed by it and the likeable underdogs (lol dog puns) get pushed to the wayside. As the disgruntled crowd exited the arena, I was able to grab more pictures of dogs in the holding area. If you want to see more, head over to Under Further Review’s Facebook or Instagram (@ufrvodcast) to see the full photo album. 12/10. Would highly recommend going. I don’t really feel the need to talk about the State of the Union address. I don’t really care what the President had to say, although from what I’ve read, it was a lot about what was wrong, and not a lot about what was going to happen in order to fix it. Have I mentioned that this whole administration is the epitome of cheap plastic spray-painted gold? Lots of talking about what’s wrong, and complaining when it doesn’t get fixed- even though he’s got all the cards in his hand- and zero talking about the future. What I do want to talk about it Nancy Pelosi’s brilliant “fuck you” clap toward Donald Trump.  “We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution, and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good,” he said. And Pelosi served him with this incredible clap and smirk. With full eye contact. Ice cold.  This woman is the queen of condescending applause. She is the hero we deserve. In other brief news from the month, the NASA’s Mars Opportunity Rover ran out of battery life, after a 14 year stay on the Red Planet, beginning in 2004.  Along with its twin rover Spirit, Opportunity was tasked with, at least principally, determining if the potential life exists on Mars by searching for traces of recoverable water, as well as examining the planet’s climate and geology. Spirit got stuck in a “sand trap” in late 2009, and cut off communication from Earth in March 2010. Both rovers’ missions were planned as 90 sol (day on Mars) missions. Opportunity lasted for 5498 sols, 40 times the length of the originally planned mission. With last contact coming in June 2018, NASA sent over 1,000 messages to the rover before officially declaring the mission over on February 13th. Now, the whole “my battery is low and it’s getting dark” transmission from Opportunity is mostly false. Before a dust storm on the Martian surface back in June (which was probably the fatal blow to the rover’s systems), Opportunity did transmit something about its battery being low, but the quote is merely just a poeticized version of something the rover may or may not have said. What is true, however, is that NASA’s final transmission to Opportunity was “I’ll Be Seeing You” recording by Billie Holiday. And if that doesn’t make you cry, you have no soul. A new segment on the Wrap Sheet is called: Thanks, I Hate It!In this month’s version of Thanks, I Hate It, Disney released a trailer for Aladdin. It’s pretty much a shot for shot remake of the original trailer from the 1992 animated film. Disney really knows how to capitalize on nostalgia, that’s for sure. From The Jungle Book onward, they’ve done solid reboots of classic animated films. It’s this, Dumbo, and The Lion King in the newest slate, and I believe Aladdin will be no different. And hey, even Will Smith is playing the Genie! I can see it! Like, I believe I can hear Will Smith voicing the Genie. And then he was in the trailer.  Thanks, I hate Genie Will Smith. It’s off putting. A blue Fresh Prince with pointy ears. Give the guy his vest like in some of the promotional material!  That I can jive with. So I mean, hopefully we’ll come to love Genie Will Smith. And Robin Williams would probably just want us to enjoy the movie for what it is. But for now, this is weird and I don’t like it. In other movie trailer news, Disney dropped a trailer for Frozen 2. There’s a lot of water. And it’s fall now. Are we going to get more seasonal movies of Frozen, and in the summer Olaf finally finds his true love? Also, Frozen’s a good movie. Those of you who didn’t like it are jumping on the bandwagon because it got popular and overplayed on the radio. Get over yourself.  They HAVE to be a thing, don’t they? Speaking of movies, the Oscars were last Sunday. Let’s talk about those, because I have some things I want to get off my chest. There was much debate about a host-less awards, and how it would affect the ceremony. When Kevin Hart stepped down from hosting, there was a mad dash to find a replacement, but no suitable person (or Muppet) could be found. And while Kevin Hart would have been a funny, effective host, I think an Oscars without a host moved along smoothly and was just as effective. I watched the show with people who complained that the show was boring, and that a host could have made it more entertaining to watch. On that point, I disagree. If you’re invested, the Oscars are just as enticing without a host as they are without one. Also, the show ran 3 hours and 22 minutes, almost a half hour shorter than last year’s. I am more than willing to sacrifice time for entertainment. A four hour Oscars is unbearable. If you’re going to have an Oscar host, their duties should at least be hands off. A welcome, an opening monologue, and a closing- maybe like ONE bit intermittently. That’s really all we need. I like Jimmy Kimmel, but I don’t need him talking to celebrities like he does every night on his show, nor do I need him “surprising” random people off the street by bringing them into the theatre. I’m also a fan of montages, and I felt like we could have had more of that. Also, they didn’t do any favors for themselves in showing all the awards live. For at least the first hour or so, the speeches were BAD. I don’t want to watch people stumble through pieces of paper and not know what they’re going to say. You need to keep it interesting. Even if you don’t think you’re going to win, have a speech. Practice that speech. It will make you more watchable. As for the awards themselves, I didn’t do as well as last year, going 16/24 in 2019 versus 21/24 in 2018.  The awards featured no big surprises, save for Olivia Colman winning Best Actress over the heavily-favored Glenn Close.  Alfonso Cuarón walked away with three awards for his work on Roma, including Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Foreign Language Film.  But the biggest conversation came when Green Book won Best Picture over Roma. The best way I can describe this selection is safe. It’s an incredible conservative, safe pick for the Academy, considering they awarded Best Picture to Moonlight two years ago. Green Book’s successes come from its heart, and solid performances from Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. But its drawbacks far outweigh its positives. The script is rife with cliches and manipulative moments. It passes off stereotypes and blatant racism as playful banter- such as when Viggo Mortensen’s character, the racist-but-I-guess-not-really(?) Tony “Lip” Vallelonga unironically teaches Ali’s Don Shirley how to eat fried chicken, because “his people love fried chicken and ‘colored greens’.” We are shown so much of Vallelonga in the film: his backstory, his family, his history, his stakes as a character. Shirley is portrayed as the “magical negro,” an archetype character concept white filmmakers have not seemed to understand is highly problematic- he is measured, just, well-spoken and wise, and exists almost to serve as the catalyst for which the racist white character learns to understand the error of his ways. Shirley is a man with many demons he has to wrestle with, none of which are gone into in great depth. In a poignant moment in the film, he watched black farmhands from a roadside as Vallelonga fixes the car they are riding in. Shirley has a monologue later in the film about feeling lost between races, being too black to be white, and being too white to be black- but that’s it. Now, not to take away from Mahershala Ali’s performance; the guy won an Oscar, for goodness sake. But being charismatic can only go so far in character development. His reasoning for going on a concert tour of the south is explained in only a brief philosophical statement by one of his white group mates, about it taking courage to change people’s hearts. Don Shirley deserves better than being pushed to the side as a stock character (he was also never mentioned in the producers’ Best Picture acceptance speech) with minimal to no change or character arc. I feel like the Oscars showed their age this year. It’s like they picked Moonlight and they were like “okay, we picked a progressive film, we can stop now,” or they thought “black movies are progressive, but only if it’s something that all the white people can resonate with.” It’s like they keep trying to change what’s wrong with the ceremony by throwing all the wrong things at it. There were many better films this year than Green Book. A Star is Born. BlacKkKlansman. Roma. Black Panther. Vice. The Favourite. Literally any of those films were a) better and b) less problematic than the film that won. I actually even liked Bohemian Rhapsody, but it definitely falls at the lower echelon of the nominees.. Green Book will go down as one of the worst Best Picture winners since Crash. Mark my words. I promise we’ll end happy, but first we have to get through our... DOUCHEBAG OF THE MONTH This is Jussie Smollett. He’s got a supporting role on the show Empire. He’s good on it. At the end of last month, a report surfaced that Smollett was attacked by two people in an alleged hate crime. Smollett had discovered a drawing of a stick figure hanging from a tree with a gun pointed at it. “Smollett you will die” and “MAGA” were written on the note. A week later, Smollett was reported to have been attacked by two men in ski masks. He was met with racial and homophobic slurs, as well as phrases like “This is MAGA country.” He was treated at a local Chicago hospital and released later the next morning. Social media was quick to defend Smollett and place the blame on those supporting the Trump administration, something Smollett had been an outspoken critic of. But weeks later police investigated the home of two “persons of interest,” which turned out to be two Nigerian brothers who had both been extras on Empire. While the two were let go, more information was released a few days later, including a tip that Smollett had paid the men $3,500 to stage the attack, as well as video footage of the two men purchasing gloves, ski masks, and red hats. On the 20th, Smollett was charged with falsifying a police report. On the 21st, Smollett turned himself in to Chicago police. So there are a couple of theories behind while Smollett appeared to stage this attack, but the main one seems to be an attempt to further his career. Smollett was dissatisfied by his salary on Empire, and could perhaps use the momentum of coming back from this hate crime as leverage for more pay. Being a martyr would, I suppose, result in some kind of traction for him. If everything he had said were true, I’m sure the support for him would continue to be tremendous. Apparently, he had heard a story from Empire creator Lee Daniels, whose cousin was the victim of a homophobic assault, which may have also been reason for Smollett to stage the assault. The bigger issue is what this says about hate crimes, or just assault in general, in this country, especially when it comes to false reports. There are instances of assaults and hate crimes every single day in this country. And I’m sure that not all of them can make the news based on the sheer volume of them. When they involve celebrities, they become even more magnified. False reports make headlines. They have this ability to throw a magnifying glass on the liar and glorify those who are innocent. Take the Duke lacrosse sexual assault scandal, for example. In this country, especially nowadays, when people in power (white people, men, etc) feel marginalized and collectively judged, they get defensive. When people saw that Gillette commercial about toxic masculinity, there were a lot of men who were upset because they felt judged collectively. I covered it in last month’s wrap sheet, but if you can’t look at the bigger picture of all of us needing to improve as a whole, you have other things to worry about, starting with yourself. And I get the feeling that this will divide some people, and spur certain people to say “SEE! I was right! People are lying because they want fame and money!” Naturally, this ties back to believing survivors of sexual assault. Let me be clear: this changes nothing about believing survivors of hate crimes or sexual assault. Yes, there are people that are liars. Liars make headlines. But do not use this as an excuse to hush a survivor of a hate crime or an assault. Because 99.9% of the time, they were victims. So Jussie Smollett is our douchebag of the month for trying to stage a hate crime and bringing fuel to the non-believing fire. But we should always still be vigilant of violence in this country. Always. That is all. Finally, here’s the best thing I saw this month. The Best Thing I Saw This MonthThis is, I guess, a charity hockey game, and these players are about to square up to fight. Someone’s about to spit chiclets. Or are they? Ordinarily I would scoff at a stunt like this, but I laughed. A lot. It was totally unexpected for a pair of hockey players to break out into a dance after squaring up to fight.
I don’t know who these guys are, but look at that FORM! This is some Olympic style ice dancing here. We all have to remember that sports are fun. Sometimes we can all use a little bit of a laugh during some friendly competition. I’m sorry I’m so late on the wrap sheet (again), you guys. February was just too short, and I promise that with 31 days in March, you’ll have next month’s on schedule. Stay alert out there. Andrew The Wrap Sheet, January 2019
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Brie Larson with the clapback of the year.
If you’re a superhero, you probably aren’t smiling when you’re protecting the world from evil or an alien invasion.
And if you expect them to be smiling while they do it, they probably look as goofy and as unsettling as the men in the reimagined posters that Larson posted.
Keep on keepin’ on, Brie Larson.
Captain Marvel comes out March 8th, 2019. I’m excited.
We’ll finish with a few sports things, because sports make me happy and this is my blog so shut up.
It's fitting that after the run he's had, Tiger finally wins a tournament right at the end of the calendar.
The first is Tiger Woods, who finally won his first golf tournament in five years, going wire to wire to win the Tour Championship last Sunday by five strokes.
Justin Rose actually won the FedEx cup, as the Tour Championship is the final event in golf’s playoffs, but Woods took home the victory for the actual tournament.
What struck me were the THRONGS of people who took to the course to watch Tiger win his first tournament since 2013.
Seriously, look at these pictures:
Justin Rose actually won the FedEx cup, as the Tour Championship is the final event in golf’s playoffs, but Woods took home the victory for the actual tournament.
What struck me were the THRONGS of people who took to the course to watch Tiger win his first tournament since 2013.
Seriously, look at these pictures:
Regardless of what you think of Tiger Woods, there is no doubt this man made golf cool when he was in his prime.
How often do you see a crowd of people of this size following Rory McIlroy or Justin Thomas?
Tiger makes golf worth watching. And if you’re a casual golfer who doesn’t actively watch it on TV, you’ll watch if Tiger is in contention on Sunday.
This is one of the great sports stories of the year, and it will be a major talking point in 2019 if Tiger can continue his upward trend.
I never thought the golf shot of the year would be a two-foot, tap-in putt on the final PGA tournament of the year.
How often do you see a crowd of people of this size following Rory McIlroy or Justin Thomas?
Tiger makes golf worth watching. And if you’re a casual golfer who doesn’t actively watch it on TV, you’ll watch if Tiger is in contention on Sunday.
This is one of the great sports stories of the year, and it will be a major talking point in 2019 if Tiger can continue his upward trend.
I never thought the golf shot of the year would be a two-foot, tap-in putt on the final PGA tournament of the year.
Welcome back, Tiger.
And finally, the best thing I saw this month:
The Philadelphia Flyers have a new mascot.
He was born in the space between fantasy and reality, initially thrown out as an idea character for the film The Happytime Murders.
He was the love child of the Phillie Phanatic and Danny DeVito’s character from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
He is an acid trip, perfectly reflective of Philadelphia’s sports teams and its collective culture.
He has broken the internet.
This is Gritty.
The Philadelphia Flyers have a new mascot.
He was born in the space between fantasy and reality, initially thrown out as an idea character for the film The Happytime Murders.
He was the love child of the Phillie Phanatic and Danny DeVito’s character from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
He is an acid trip, perfectly reflective of Philadelphia’s sports teams and its collective culture.
He has broken the internet.
This is Gritty.
And just in time for Halloween, because this piece of genius is utterly terrifying.
He’s a coked-out, googly-eyed menace. And he’s coming to fuck shit up on the ice this winter.
He’s a coked-out, googly-eyed menace. And he’s coming to fuck shit up on the ice this winter.
Sleep with one eye open tonight, bird. pic.twitter.com/wLmGBa0Oyh
— Gritty (@GrittyNHL) September 24, 2018
Oh, by the way. When I say he’s broken the internet, I’m not kidding.
Here he is recreating a famous photo:
Eat your heart out, Kim Kardashian.
Here he is dancing (sorta) with Jimmy Fallon and Ricky Gervais:
Gritty is a national treasure who looks like he’s going to send kids six packs of Yuengling for Christmas.
He’s a beautiful mess that perfectly encapsulates Philadelphia, existing solely to remind the world that this is the city that booed and threw snowballs at Santa Claus, greased its light poles to minimize riot damage from its first Super Bowl win, had man intentionally throw up on a police officer AND HIS 11-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, and had Sylvester Stallone run up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art ONE TIME.
Gritty is the best because he is the worst. And I can’t wait to see what comes next out of this orange nightmare fuel.
Give me more Gritty, NHL. WE WANT MORE GRITTY.
So, yeah. For everything that’s happened this month, there’s been some equally great things that are overshadowed by the depressing news.
And that concludes this month’s Wrap Sheet, you guys.
I have a new sports vodcast called Under Further Review, where my partner, Kata Stevens and I give our tepid opinions on sports and things. We broadcast on Facebook Live every Monday, with a podcast version put out later in the afternoon.
We also drink and do fun dares and stuff. This Monday, one of us is getting pelted with water balloons by random passersby.
You can find us our pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the handle @ufrvodcast.
Lots of fun things coming up this fall, you guys! October means baseball playoff predictions, plus a first look into Oscar season.
I’ve also got my Best of 2018 spread in its early planning stages, so look forward to that.
Thanks for reading. Stay alert out there.
And that concludes this month’s Wrap Sheet, you guys.
I have a new sports vodcast called Under Further Review, where my partner, Kata Stevens and I give our tepid opinions on sports and things. We broadcast on Facebook Live every Monday, with a podcast version put out later in the afternoon.
We also drink and do fun dares and stuff. This Monday, one of us is getting pelted with water balloons by random passersby.
You can find us our pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the handle @ufrvodcast.
Lots of fun things coming up this fall, you guys! October means baseball playoff predictions, plus a first look into Oscar season.
I’ve also got my Best of 2018 spread in its early planning stages, so look forward to that.
Thanks for reading. Stay alert out there.
The Wrap Sheet, August 2018
A monthly airing of thoughts and grievances
What is this picture? Keep reading to find out.
August has been a whirlwind of a month for me!
I am now a quarter of a century old. The quarter-life crisis hit at 24, so I feel like it was just another day this year on my birthday.
There are also some other media-type things in the works soon, which I will keep you posted on as I get further and further involved.
But for a month without a holiday, there sure is a lot to talk about.
I am now a quarter of a century old. The quarter-life crisis hit at 24, so I feel like it was just another day this year on my birthday.
There are also some other media-type things in the works soon, which I will keep you posted on as I get further and further involved.
But for a month without a holiday, there sure is a lot to talk about.
Movie...PASS.
Movies made me angry this month, which is odd, because they’re always where I go to escape reality.
I didn’t get to see any movies this month because Moviepass was undergoing some radical changes.
Those changes just might make me cancel my membership.
Oh wait. Apparently, I can’t?
I didn’t get to see any movies this month because Moviepass was undergoing some radical changes.
Those changes just might make me cancel my membership.
Oh wait. Apparently, I can’t?
There have been numerous reports of Moviepass subscribers receiving an Error notification when they try to cancel their plan.
It has not been a good last few months for the movies-for-less subscription service. After initially running out of money and taking out a $5 million loan, Moviepass rolled out its first slew of changes in early July. These changes included:
In what is being called a “transition period,” Moviepass is still blacking out popular films and showtimes, limiting subscribers to two movies per month for the time being.
In its newest set of changes, the service will release a set of films (six films set to rotate periodically) and screening times on a new daily schedule updated each day, seemingly making going to the movies into a guessing game, forcing its subscribers to chance both the schedule and the clock in order to see a film.
Given that you have to be within a certain distance of a movie theatre to purchase a ticket with the app and card, having to dance around the schedule Moviepass sets for its films is going to be difficult.
Another change came in regards to seeing more than three films per month. If a subscriber sees more than the allotted three, each additional movie will have a $2-$5 discount, billed to the account associated with the user’s card.
And like I initially thought, that doesn’t mean each subsequent movie will be $2 to $5. That means you’ll pay for the full-priced ticket, and Moviepass will knock off anywhere from $2-$5, depending on the film.
- A price increase from $9.95/month to $15/month.
- Blackouts on popular films like Mission Impossible: Fallout (instead of upping the prices of popular movies with peak pricing), while also continuing surge pricing on major releases.
- Limiting subscribers to three movies per month, and not allowing subscribers to use Moviepass to see a given movie more than once.
In what is being called a “transition period,” Moviepass is still blacking out popular films and showtimes, limiting subscribers to two movies per month for the time being.
In its newest set of changes, the service will release a set of films (six films set to rotate periodically) and screening times on a new daily schedule updated each day, seemingly making going to the movies into a guessing game, forcing its subscribers to chance both the schedule and the clock in order to see a film.
Given that you have to be within a certain distance of a movie theatre to purchase a ticket with the app and card, having to dance around the schedule Moviepass sets for its films is going to be difficult.
Another change came in regards to seeing more than three films per month. If a subscriber sees more than the allotted three, each additional movie will have a $2-$5 discount, billed to the account associated with the user’s card.
And like I initially thought, that doesn’t mean each subsequent movie will be $2 to $5. That means you’ll pay for the full-priced ticket, and Moviepass will knock off anywhere from $2-$5, depending on the film.
AMC rolled out its AMC Stubs A-List plan for $19.95/month. While it does limit moviegoers to a quarter of the theatres in America and 60% of the films released, the program allows subscribers to see up to three movies per week (which includes IMAX and 3D films) with no blackouts, as well as discounts on concessions and other amenities.
We all knew the business model for Moviepass was unsustainable, right? I was willing to take advantage of it while I could, of course. $10 per month to see unlimited movies? Sounds pretty good to me.
But now that the business’s volatility has reared its ugly head, it might be time to jump ship.
Most of the theatres I visit are AMC theatres. But there are a select few I visit that show only certain films that are not AMC theatres (like the IFC Center or the Angelika Film Center) which I won’t be able to visit without either paying a full priced ticket or planning a day trip out of where I buy one ticket and see multiple films.
I haven’t seen or heard a good, concrete reason to leave Moviepass yet though, I will say. I tend not to go to the movies in the summertime, for the sole reasoning that blockbusters typically aren’t my thing. I’ll wait until October when Oscar season picks up.
If you’re really good with scheduling, you could time it out to see three movies at the end of your billing cycle and three movies at the start of your next one.
I also haven’t heard a good reason to try AMC’s Stubs program. I want to make sure my $20 per month is going to be put to good use without monopolizing where I go to the movies and really making me feel the hit to my wallet when I go somewhere else to see a film.
This makes my brain hurt. I don’t want this to go away, but I feel like it might have to at some point.
At least Moviepass made going to the movies fun again, right?
It made going to the movies fun before it no longer became fun.
We all knew the business model for Moviepass was unsustainable, right? I was willing to take advantage of it while I could, of course. $10 per month to see unlimited movies? Sounds pretty good to me.
But now that the business’s volatility has reared its ugly head, it might be time to jump ship.
Most of the theatres I visit are AMC theatres. But there are a select few I visit that show only certain films that are not AMC theatres (like the IFC Center or the Angelika Film Center) which I won’t be able to visit without either paying a full priced ticket or planning a day trip out of where I buy one ticket and see multiple films.
I haven’t seen or heard a good, concrete reason to leave Moviepass yet though, I will say. I tend not to go to the movies in the summertime, for the sole reasoning that blockbusters typically aren’t my thing. I’ll wait until October when Oscar season picks up.
If you’re really good with scheduling, you could time it out to see three movies at the end of your billing cycle and three movies at the start of your next one.
I also haven’t heard a good reason to try AMC’s Stubs program. I want to make sure my $20 per month is going to be put to good use without monopolizing where I go to the movies and really making me feel the hit to my wallet when I go somewhere else to see a film.
This makes my brain hurt. I don’t want this to go away, but I feel like it might have to at some point.
At least Moviepass made going to the movies fun again, right?
It made going to the movies fun before it no longer became fun.
Oscar's Popularity Contest
Speaking of movies no longer being fun, let’s talk about The Oscars.
The Oscars are one of my favorite things in all of entertainment; a yearly display of vanity from Hollywood’s finest, where millionaires give other millionaires little golden statues for being good at acting and stuff.
It’s also a realm where I really get to prove I’m right (and shamelessly prove that I’m cultured) a good amount of the time.
Last year, I went 21-for-24 on my Oscar predictions.
Fight me.
But that’s not why I’m here. This time, I’m here to fight the Oscars for adding a new category.
‘A new category? That’s so exciting!’ you might say.
It is exciting, until you find out what it’s for.
This new category will be called the Best Popular Film category.
Best. Popular. Film. Best Achievement in Popular Film, to be exact.
Because that was the squeaky wheel about the Oscars that needed the grease. Not the exclusion of non-white and female actors and designers, not the favorability system of the Best Picture category (or the fact that it’s anywhere from 5-10 nominees instead of a set number).
Nope, the Oscars, under pressure from ABC to increase ratings, decided to make a new category dedicated to blockbuster films that people are “more likely to see.”
The Oscars are one of my favorite things in all of entertainment; a yearly display of vanity from Hollywood’s finest, where millionaires give other millionaires little golden statues for being good at acting and stuff.
It’s also a realm where I really get to prove I’m right (and shamelessly prove that I’m cultured) a good amount of the time.
Last year, I went 21-for-24 on my Oscar predictions.
Fight me.
But that’s not why I’m here. This time, I’m here to fight the Oscars for adding a new category.
‘A new category? That’s so exciting!’ you might say.
It is exciting, until you find out what it’s for.
This new category will be called the Best Popular Film category.
Best. Popular. Film. Best Achievement in Popular Film, to be exact.
Because that was the squeaky wheel about the Oscars that needed the grease. Not the exclusion of non-white and female actors and designers, not the favorability system of the Best Picture category (or the fact that it’s anywhere from 5-10 nominees instead of a set number).
Nope, the Oscars, under pressure from ABC to increase ratings, decided to make a new category dedicated to blockbuster films that people are “more likely to see.”
Much of the talk surrounding the new Best Popular Film category is swirling around Marvel's "Black Panther."
In this case, this category was created specifically to appease the people who saw Black Panther, because superhero movies will never be nominated for Best Picture. At least not now that this deformity has been created by the Academy.
This is a fake award with vague parameters that further taints an awards ceremony with dwindling credibility.
The move came, as I previously mentioned, out of intense pressure from ABC to increase the ratings of the ceremony. In addition to the new category, the ceremony will be cut to three hours and moved up a few weeks on the calendar.
As for the latter two decisions, that’s all fine and dandy. It’s a won’t-hurt-but-also-won’t-help situation.
But in cutting the ceremony to three hours, the Academy will stop showing certain awards live on air (say goodbye to your Oscar moments, Sound Editing and Mixing winners)- resembling another awards show, the Tony Awards, which has its fair share of problems (another issue entirely).
It’s great that the Academy will recognize films like Black Panther and Mission Impossible: Fallout with an award, but this decision seems insincere and more like a cash grab consolation prize.
And what exactly constitutes a “popular film”? And now that this category is in place, what kind of legitimacy does “Best Picture” hold to some of the movies that actually won the award?
Some of the best films in history are blockbusters. Lots of people went to see them, and they were damn good.
Look at films like Titanic, or The Lord of the Rings, or The Sound of Music, or Forrest Gump, or West Side Story. All of these were popular films- 1997 saw the highest ratings of any Oscar telecast (57.25 million people) because Titanic was nominated- and all of these films won Best Picture.
Just because people liked a movie doesn’t mean it should be degraded as a piece of art. “Popular” and “Best” can be the same thing. Black Panther is an important piece of filmmaking. Just because of positive audience reception and non-traditional content aren’t what you might see considered in a Best Picture doesn’t mean things can’t change. Don’t lessen the quality of the film (and, in all likelihood, diminish the prestige of Best Picture) by awarding a more than worthy film a stupid consolation prize.
My suggestion would be to keep the nominees at 10 for Best Picture and nominate a wide array of different films, or only nominate five and keep a more open mind as to what gets nominated.
As I’ve said before, award shows are dumb. Who are we to compare one piece of art to another?
But there’s “dumb because of politics,” and then there’s “dumb because the most prestigious awards ceremony in film is trending toward the same prestige as the MTV Movie Awards.”
This is a fake award with vague parameters that further taints an awards ceremony with dwindling credibility.
The move came, as I previously mentioned, out of intense pressure from ABC to increase the ratings of the ceremony. In addition to the new category, the ceremony will be cut to three hours and moved up a few weeks on the calendar.
As for the latter two decisions, that’s all fine and dandy. It’s a won’t-hurt-but-also-won’t-help situation.
But in cutting the ceremony to three hours, the Academy will stop showing certain awards live on air (say goodbye to your Oscar moments, Sound Editing and Mixing winners)- resembling another awards show, the Tony Awards, which has its fair share of problems (another issue entirely).
It’s great that the Academy will recognize films like Black Panther and Mission Impossible: Fallout with an award, but this decision seems insincere and more like a cash grab consolation prize.
And what exactly constitutes a “popular film”? And now that this category is in place, what kind of legitimacy does “Best Picture” hold to some of the movies that actually won the award?
Some of the best films in history are blockbusters. Lots of people went to see them, and they were damn good.
Look at films like Titanic, or The Lord of the Rings, or The Sound of Music, or Forrest Gump, or West Side Story. All of these were popular films- 1997 saw the highest ratings of any Oscar telecast (57.25 million people) because Titanic was nominated- and all of these films won Best Picture.
Just because people liked a movie doesn’t mean it should be degraded as a piece of art. “Popular” and “Best” can be the same thing. Black Panther is an important piece of filmmaking. Just because of positive audience reception and non-traditional content aren’t what you might see considered in a Best Picture doesn’t mean things can’t change. Don’t lessen the quality of the film (and, in all likelihood, diminish the prestige of Best Picture) by awarding a more than worthy film a stupid consolation prize.
My suggestion would be to keep the nominees at 10 for Best Picture and nominate a wide array of different films, or only nominate five and keep a more open mind as to what gets nominated.
As I’ve said before, award shows are dumb. Who are we to compare one piece of art to another?
But there’s “dumb because of politics,” and then there’s “dumb because the most prestigious awards ceremony in film is trending toward the same prestige as the MTV Movie Awards.”
And the Oscar goes to....
This means The Rock is now considerably closer to winning an Oscar. Let that sink in.
TV!
On the other side of the entertainment world, I took a look at the show Insatiable on Netflix.
Yes, THAT Insatiable.
Yes, THAT Insatiable.
The premise is simple...ish. Debby Ryan stars as Patty Bladell, a high school student bullied for being overweight. After punching a homeless man in the face for mocking her physical appearance, the homeless man retaliates, which fractures her jaw and leaves her on a liquid diet for three months. Patty emerges as a new, skinnier version of herself.
After being sued by the homeless man, Patty finds help in Bob Armstrong, a local civil rights lawyer and disgraced beauty pageant coach, who decides to take her case pro bono, all the while grooming her as his next prodigy.
Bob sees Patty as his way back to stardom on the pageant circuit, and Patty sees Bob as her perfect soulmate.
Oh, and Patty also really really wants revenge on anyone who ever bullied her.
It’s messy. Let’s touch on it as briefly as we can.
So I saw the trailer for this, as well as all the backlash for its supposed “fat shaming.”
And I thought to myself: “it can’t really be about that, can it? I mean, the producers can’t be that dumb to release something that straight up plays on this disgusting idea.”
I really thought there had to be some deeper meaning. After all, the backlash came from the trailer, and none of the people signing petitions for the show’s pulling hadn’t actually seen it.
So I didn’t think it could be that problematic… initially.
And then I watched it.
After being sued by the homeless man, Patty finds help in Bob Armstrong, a local civil rights lawyer and disgraced beauty pageant coach, who decides to take her case pro bono, all the while grooming her as his next prodigy.
Bob sees Patty as his way back to stardom on the pageant circuit, and Patty sees Bob as her perfect soulmate.
Oh, and Patty also really really wants revenge on anyone who ever bullied her.
It’s messy. Let’s touch on it as briefly as we can.
So I saw the trailer for this, as well as all the backlash for its supposed “fat shaming.”
And I thought to myself: “it can’t really be about that, can it? I mean, the producers can’t be that dumb to release something that straight up plays on this disgusting idea.”
I really thought there had to be some deeper meaning. After all, the backlash came from the trailer, and none of the people signing petitions for the show’s pulling hadn’t actually seen it.
So I didn’t think it could be that problematic… initially.
And then I watched it.
Spoiler alert: It is that problematic.
It’s not really a great message to be sending to teens who may be insecure in their own bodies, that this is what you need to do in order to be considered pretty.
Also, it’s just bad writing with unlikeable characters.
I think I may have heard the phrase “but I wanted my revenge” from Patty at least ten times in the pilot alone. I can’t. I don’t care.
NPR’s Linda Holmes gave this show a scathing review:
“Let me assure you: It is not satire. Insatiable is satire in the same way someone who screams profanities out a car window is a spoken-word poet. Satire requires a point of view; this has none. It generally requires some feel for humor, however dark; this has none. It requires a mastery of tone; this has none. It requires a sense that the actors are all part of the same project; this has none.”
I’d agree, especially with the last point. Bob (Dallas Roberts) and Patty have zero on screen chemistry. It also doesn’t help that he’s old enough to be her father, and she’s pining over him. The faux-relationship is fuzzy and it make me feel like I need to take a shower.
The characters are nothing more than grossly broad stereotypes, and the social commentary reeks of feigned wokeness. This is probably Netflix’s worst show so far.
It’s not really a great message to be sending to teens who may be insecure in their own bodies, that this is what you need to do in order to be considered pretty.
Also, it’s just bad writing with unlikeable characters.
I think I may have heard the phrase “but I wanted my revenge” from Patty at least ten times in the pilot alone. I can’t. I don’t care.
NPR’s Linda Holmes gave this show a scathing review:
“Let me assure you: It is not satire. Insatiable is satire in the same way someone who screams profanities out a car window is a spoken-word poet. Satire requires a point of view; this has none. It generally requires some feel for humor, however dark; this has none. It requires a mastery of tone; this has none. It requires a sense that the actors are all part of the same project; this has none.”
I’d agree, especially with the last point. Bob (Dallas Roberts) and Patty have zero on screen chemistry. It also doesn’t help that he’s old enough to be her father, and she’s pining over him. The faux-relationship is fuzzy and it make me feel like I need to take a shower.
The characters are nothing more than grossly broad stereotypes, and the social commentary reeks of feigned wokeness. This is probably Netflix’s worst show so far.
Politics!
On paper, it was just another month for the White House.
But of course, for this White House, another month is always the opposite of “just another month.”
Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, two former associates of Donald Trump, were arrested and indicted in the last few weeks of the month.
Manafort served as chairman of the Trump campaign from June until August 2016. Some of his past work was the subject of controversy, as he participated in meetings with pro-Russian Ukrainian businessmen, one such meeting took place at Trump tower for the purpose of delivering “dirt” on Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Manafort was indicted in October on counts of tax evasion, money laundering, failing to identify as a foreign official, and making false statements to investigators.
He faces up to 80 years in prison.
Cohen, who served as Trump’s personal lawyer from 2006 until his firing in May, plead guilty to eight felony charges ranging from tax evasion, to lying to banks in order to obtain loans, to making illegal contributions to the Trump campaign, and even to two counts of violating campaign finance laws in order to pay off women who claimed to have affairs with Trump.
Cohen implicated the President in his plea, saying he made his payments “at the discretion of the candidate” for the purposes of influencing the election.
So this is fun.
I try not to waste too much of my time being shocked at the fact that the Trump administration is corrupt. I believe what I read in the news, and I can only say that I’m shocked that news actually broke.
What I’m not so surprised by has been the President’s assessment of the situation.
“Doesn’t involve me,” he muttered in an interview, attempting to distance himself from his former lawyer. He later tweeted about Cohen, advising people to not “retain the services of Michael Cohen” if they’re looking for a “good lawyer.”
I’m also not as surprised by Trump’s base reacting by still believing the President is not corrupt.
But I think they know something’s up, and they’re trying to save face by looking tough behind a computer screen in the face of danger.
I’m not going to jump to conclusions and say that Trump should be ready for impeachment because I believe the machine he has created is stubborn and will not allow him to leave office under someone else’s power, if it can be helped.
But god, if this isn’t reason to vote in November, I don’t know what is.
Somebody humble this asshole, and quick.
But of course, for this White House, another month is always the opposite of “just another month.”
Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, two former associates of Donald Trump, were arrested and indicted in the last few weeks of the month.
Manafort served as chairman of the Trump campaign from June until August 2016. Some of his past work was the subject of controversy, as he participated in meetings with pro-Russian Ukrainian businessmen, one such meeting took place at Trump tower for the purpose of delivering “dirt” on Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Manafort was indicted in October on counts of tax evasion, money laundering, failing to identify as a foreign official, and making false statements to investigators.
He faces up to 80 years in prison.
Cohen, who served as Trump’s personal lawyer from 2006 until his firing in May, plead guilty to eight felony charges ranging from tax evasion, to lying to banks in order to obtain loans, to making illegal contributions to the Trump campaign, and even to two counts of violating campaign finance laws in order to pay off women who claimed to have affairs with Trump.
Cohen implicated the President in his plea, saying he made his payments “at the discretion of the candidate” for the purposes of influencing the election.
So this is fun.
I try not to waste too much of my time being shocked at the fact that the Trump administration is corrupt. I believe what I read in the news, and I can only say that I’m shocked that news actually broke.
What I’m not so surprised by has been the President’s assessment of the situation.
“Doesn’t involve me,” he muttered in an interview, attempting to distance himself from his former lawyer. He later tweeted about Cohen, advising people to not “retain the services of Michael Cohen” if they’re looking for a “good lawyer.”
I’m also not as surprised by Trump’s base reacting by still believing the President is not corrupt.
But I think they know something’s up, and they’re trying to save face by looking tough behind a computer screen in the face of danger.
I’m not going to jump to conclusions and say that Trump should be ready for impeachment because I believe the machine he has created is stubborn and will not allow him to leave office under someone else’s power, if it can be helped.
But god, if this isn’t reason to vote in November, I don’t know what is.
Somebody humble this asshole, and quick.
Sports!
We’ll finish up with some sports, because there’s a lot to talk about.
This wasn’t a great month for sports, as we had some major issues and scandals stemming from prominent college football programs.
This wasn’t a great month for sports, as we had some major issues and scandals stemming from prominent college football programs.
Urban Meyer gives a press conference regarding his handling of a domestic violence dispute involving a member of his coaching staff.
The first involves Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer, who was suspended for three games after he failed to efficiently disclose information to the NCAA about one of his assistant coaches (Zach Smith), who was involved in a domestic violence dispute with his wife. Meyer fired Smith, but investigators discovered that Meyer had destroyed texts and emails in order to, as Meyer put it, “give [Smith] the benefit of the doubt.”
Meyer was placed on administrative leave after an investigation by a University panel.
At first, this seemed to be a non-issue. I watched the interview with Zach Smith on ESPN, and he seemed accepting of his punishment. He constantly repeated that Meyer said if he found out anything was going on, Smith would be fired on the spot.
But after this story sat with me for a little bit, it dawned on me just how bad of a leader Urban Meyer is.
Your job as a football coach is to win football games, and I completely understand that. But there is a line between right and wrong. No matter how long you sit on it for, not taking immediate, appropriate action against someone who assaulted his wife is just wrong.
You’re also setting an example for the young men you coach, who were unaware of the fact that you were protecting a man who performed a despicable act. The act of protecting this man is embarrassing and shameful in and of itself, and the subsequent press conferences that Meyer gave just dig the University deeper into a hole.
Will this affect Ohio State this season? Of course not.
The games they’ll play without Meyer are at home against Oregon State and Rutgers (two unranked opponents) and at 10th-ranked TCU.
Even without their head coach, the team will roll over Oregon State and Rutgers. If they can gel as a team without Meyer in those two games, they shouldn’t have a problem with TCU, even if the game is in Fort Worth.
It’s a shame. The NCAA and its coaches need to do better, especially when there are student athletes being suspended for far more benign offenses.
If you’re high-profile, it appears you should be okay. If you’re not gone for too long, people can still make money off your namesake. Which is bullshit.
Be better.
Meyer was placed on administrative leave after an investigation by a University panel.
At first, this seemed to be a non-issue. I watched the interview with Zach Smith on ESPN, and he seemed accepting of his punishment. He constantly repeated that Meyer said if he found out anything was going on, Smith would be fired on the spot.
But after this story sat with me for a little bit, it dawned on me just how bad of a leader Urban Meyer is.
Your job as a football coach is to win football games, and I completely understand that. But there is a line between right and wrong. No matter how long you sit on it for, not taking immediate, appropriate action against someone who assaulted his wife is just wrong.
You’re also setting an example for the young men you coach, who were unaware of the fact that you were protecting a man who performed a despicable act. The act of protecting this man is embarrassing and shameful in and of itself, and the subsequent press conferences that Meyer gave just dig the University deeper into a hole.
Will this affect Ohio State this season? Of course not.
The games they’ll play without Meyer are at home against Oregon State and Rutgers (two unranked opponents) and at 10th-ranked TCU.
Even without their head coach, the team will roll over Oregon State and Rutgers. If they can gel as a team without Meyer in those two games, they shouldn’t have a problem with TCU, even if the game is in Fort Worth.
It’s a shame. The NCAA and its coaches need to do better, especially when there are student athletes being suspended for far more benign offenses.
If you’re high-profile, it appears you should be okay. If you’re not gone for too long, people can still make money off your namesake. Which is bullshit.
Be better.
Maryland and Jordan McNair
Maryland football coach D.J. Durkin (right) sits during a press conference stemming from the death of one of his players back in May.
I also want to touch quickly on Maryland.
Jordan McNair, a 19-year old offensive lineman, passed out from heat exhaustion during a workout on May 29th. He died on June 13th.
Once again, this story has forced not only the University of Maryland, but college football programs across the country, to reflect upon a hypermasculine culture bred on intimidation and belittlement, and whether or not these sports teams are adequately protecting their players.
Maryland strength coach Rick Court has been fired. Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin has been placed on administrative leave after an investigation into the affair was started by University President Wallace D. Loh. On behalf of the college, Loh accepted both “legal and moral responsibility” for McNair’s death.
This makes me shake my head in disgust, this whole thing. It makes me sick.
There have been 31 college player deaths in offseason workouts, drills and practices since 2000 that are related to heat stroke, exhaustion, cardiac issues, and others. Thirty one.
Since 2013 alone, there have been eight cases involving extreme heat stroke that have resulted in three deaths.
These are kids. They’re kids who go to school to get an education. The fact that sports teams have more value in this country than education is absurd.
And the Maryland coaching staff literally intimidated, belittled, and pushed one of these kids so hard that they killed him.
That’s a strong sentence but this pisses me way too much the fuck off to care.
According to a study done by the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut (Stringer was a Minnesota Vikings player who died of heat stroke in 2001), heat stroke is readily treatable with “100 percent survivability.”
There is no way that Jordan McNair should have collapsed and left to suffer out there. His coaching staff should have done something. ANYthing.
But because college football is part of this overly masculine culture, where only the fit survive and any showing of weakness (critical or otherwise) is considered grounds for humiliation and removal, they did nothing.
In the offseason, player workouts, drills, and practices are not as intensely monitored, and so players can be subjected to needlessly intense physical activity.
It’s good that Court was removed, and the Durkin will probably also be let go by the University once this investigation is complete. Props to President Loh for accepting responsibility on behalf of the University.
There needs to be some kind of monitoring that goes on year round for these athletes. It needs to keep the players in check, but it also needs to keep the coaches in check. If sports are so highly regarded in American society, shouldn’t we have some standards of safety to protect the game’s integrity?
Jordan McNair, a 19-year old offensive lineman, passed out from heat exhaustion during a workout on May 29th. He died on June 13th.
Once again, this story has forced not only the University of Maryland, but college football programs across the country, to reflect upon a hypermasculine culture bred on intimidation and belittlement, and whether or not these sports teams are adequately protecting their players.
Maryland strength coach Rick Court has been fired. Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin has been placed on administrative leave after an investigation into the affair was started by University President Wallace D. Loh. On behalf of the college, Loh accepted both “legal and moral responsibility” for McNair’s death.
This makes me shake my head in disgust, this whole thing. It makes me sick.
There have been 31 college player deaths in offseason workouts, drills and practices since 2000 that are related to heat stroke, exhaustion, cardiac issues, and others. Thirty one.
Since 2013 alone, there have been eight cases involving extreme heat stroke that have resulted in three deaths.
These are kids. They’re kids who go to school to get an education. The fact that sports teams have more value in this country than education is absurd.
And the Maryland coaching staff literally intimidated, belittled, and pushed one of these kids so hard that they killed him.
That’s a strong sentence but this pisses me way too much the fuck off to care.
According to a study done by the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut (Stringer was a Minnesota Vikings player who died of heat stroke in 2001), heat stroke is readily treatable with “100 percent survivability.”
There is no way that Jordan McNair should have collapsed and left to suffer out there. His coaching staff should have done something. ANYthing.
But because college football is part of this overly masculine culture, where only the fit survive and any showing of weakness (critical or otherwise) is considered grounds for humiliation and removal, they did nothing.
In the offseason, player workouts, drills, and practices are not as intensely monitored, and so players can be subjected to needlessly intense physical activity.
It’s good that Court was removed, and the Durkin will probably also be let go by the University once this investigation is complete. Props to President Loh for accepting responsibility on behalf of the University.
There needs to be some kind of monitoring that goes on year round for these athletes. It needs to keep the players in check, but it also needs to keep the coaches in check. If sports are so highly regarded in American society, shouldn’t we have some standards of safety to protect the game’s integrity?
The Return of Johnny Football
We’ll shake that one off and move on to a sports story that made me laugh.
This is Johnny Manziel. He used to play football at Texas A&M.
This is Johnny Manziel. He used to play football at Texas A&M.
He’s a good quarterback. He even won the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player. But he’s also cocky. Really cocky.
He left college after two years and got drafted by the Cleveland Browns (where football careers go to die), and he actually won a few games with them.
(Truth be told, I feel like the last time the Browns were actually winning more than two or three games in a season, Manziel was their quarterback.)
But Manziel got into drugs and partying and was quickly out of the league, and checked himself into a rehab facility.
After trying to make a comeback in the NFL, Manziel went to Canada to join the CFL, where he joined the roster of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, after which he was quickly traded to the current basement-dwellers of the CFL, the Montreal Alouettes.
And Manziel got to actually start a game for the Alouettes, in week seven, against his former team.
(Truth be told, I feel like the last time the Browns were actually winning more than two or three games in a season, Manziel was their quarterback.)
But Manziel got into drugs and partying and was quickly out of the league, and checked himself into a rehab facility.
After trying to make a comeback in the NFL, Manziel went to Canada to join the CFL, where he joined the roster of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, after which he was quickly traded to the current basement-dwellers of the CFL, the Montreal Alouettes.
And Manziel got to actually start a game for the Alouettes, in week seven, against his former team.
Manziel (#2, right) watches as Larry Dean (#11) intercepts one of his passes.
Manziel’s first pass was a five yard loss. His second pass was intercepted. By halftime, he had thrown four interceptions. He was 11/24 for 104 yards.
Johnny Football’s fall from grace has been astounding to watch. He was too willing to get out of college, but probably could have benefitted from a few more years’ play (and probably a few more years’ maturity).
He’s just coming back from injury after two weeks away, so we’ll see what happens in the next chapter of Mr. Manziel.
Presently, the Alouettes sit at 2-8, at the bottom of the CFL standings.
Football’s hard.
Johnny Football’s fall from grace has been astounding to watch. He was too willing to get out of college, but probably could have benefitted from a few more years’ play (and probably a few more years’ maturity).
He’s just coming back from injury after two weeks away, so we’ll see what happens in the next chapter of Mr. Manziel.
Presently, the Alouettes sit at 2-8, at the bottom of the CFL standings.
Football’s hard.
The Best Thing I Saw This Month!
And, of course, we wrap things up with the best thing I saw this month.
The best thing I saw this month is actually two things.
The first is this video of a South Korean taekwondo team.
The best thing I saw this month is actually two things.
The first is this video of a South Korean taekwondo team.
If this isn’t something straight of, like, Naruto or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I don’t know what is.
The second, and probably the most important, is from Norway.
The second, and probably the most important, is from Norway.
Enter the world belly flop championships. Or, as they call it in Norway, Dødsing, or, “Death Diving.”
Essentially, it’s the basic belly flop with a bit of a twist. A bit of mustard, if you will.
The competitors launch themselves from a ten-meter diving platform and do all kinds of flips, spins, and other maneuvers, before straightening themselves out and impacting the water abdomen first (you'll notice they'll recoil slightly before impact, because they're not barbarians, obviously).
It’s mystifying, terrifying, and hilarious all at the same time.
Here are some highlights from the 2018 World Championships:
Essentially, it’s the basic belly flop with a bit of a twist. A bit of mustard, if you will.
The competitors launch themselves from a ten-meter diving platform and do all kinds of flips, spins, and other maneuvers, before straightening themselves out and impacting the water abdomen first (you'll notice they'll recoil slightly before impact, because they're not barbarians, obviously).
It’s mystifying, terrifying, and hilarious all at the same time.
Here are some highlights from the 2018 World Championships:
Something about these people flying from above like missiles (and the best is when it’s two or three at a time) is beautiful to me.
And, of course, the divers hitting the water makes me die laughing every time.
This has been your August Wrap Sheet! Leave a comment down below if there's anything you think I missed, or if you have any suggestions for future posts!
Also, some other media news I promised earlier...
I’m working on a new vodcast called Under Further Review, and our first episode just went live on Facebook a few days ago!
Join me and Kata Stevens as we explore the world of sports and drink while we’re doing it.
Click HERE to join in on the fun, and make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram using the handle @ufrvodcast.
And, of course, the divers hitting the water makes me die laughing every time.
This has been your August Wrap Sheet! Leave a comment down below if there's anything you think I missed, or if you have any suggestions for future posts!
Also, some other media news I promised earlier...
I’m working on a new vodcast called Under Further Review, and our first episode just went live on Facebook a few days ago!
Join me and Kata Stevens as we explore the world of sports and drink while we’re doing it.
Click HERE to join in on the fun, and make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram using the handle @ufrvodcast.
The Wrap Sheet
A monthly airing of thoughts and grievances
July, 2018
Happy 242nd birthday, America!
Apologies for the late posting (I know, it’s August 2nd). But let’s talk about July!
I have a lot to get to this week, including some major sports news, a film review, opinions on Twitter, theatre, and a new segment I’m calling the Best Thing I Saw This Month.
Let’s muse.
I have a lot to get to this week, including some major sports news, a film review, opinions on Twitter, theatre, and a new segment I’m calling the Best Thing I Saw This Month.
Let’s muse.
Sports!
That is LeBron James. Wearing purple and gold. (Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Lakers)
I want to get sports out of the way first. The big story didn’t really feel like a big story because we all knew it was coming- LeBron James is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. He signed a 4-year, $153.3 million contract earlier in the month.
My hot take is that this doesn’t make the Lakers championship contenders. I mean, obviously it does, any team with LeBron on it is a contender, but it doesn’t make them automatic championship contenders. In fact, I think LeBron made it harder on himself by going to the Western Conference, especially since the Warriors just brought in DeMarcus Cousins to add to their superteam.
As it stands, LeBron is surrounded by an underwhelming but somewhat-decent cast including Rajon Rondo, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, and Brandon Ingram, with players like Lonzo Ball, Lance Stephenson, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope coming off the bench. I don’t know about you, but I’m not scared of that team if I’m the Warriors, Rockets, or Celtics.
The West is going to be a bloodbath this season.
My hot take is that this doesn’t make the Lakers championship contenders. I mean, obviously it does, any team with LeBron on it is a contender, but it doesn’t make them automatic championship contenders. In fact, I think LeBron made it harder on himself by going to the Western Conference, especially since the Warriors just brought in DeMarcus Cousins to add to their superteam.
As it stands, LeBron is surrounded by an underwhelming but somewhat-decent cast including Rajon Rondo, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, and Brandon Ingram, with players like Lonzo Ball, Lance Stephenson, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope coming off the bench. I don’t know about you, but I’m not scared of that team if I’m the Warriors, Rockets, or Celtics.
The West is going to be a bloodbath this season.
France: Because Nobody Else Wanted To. (Getty)
In soccer, France defeated Croatia, 4-2, in the most boring World Cup Final pairing of all time.
Woods, understandably frustrated, could not hold his final round lead. He finished at 5-under for the championship. (Harry How/Golf Digest)
In golf, Tiger Woods made a run at the British open after being fairly mediocre through the first two rounds, eventually holding an outright lead on the front nine of his final round. Unfortunately, Woods couldn't hold the lead for long. The 14-time major champion finished three strokes back of eventual winner, Italian Francesco Molinari, who became the first of his countryman to win a major championship.
What really struck me, though, was Rory McIlroy's beautiful double-fist-pump-pirouette combo after sinking a long eagle putt on #14 to put him within a stroke of the leaders.
What really struck me, though, was Rory McIlroy's beautiful double-fist-pump-pirouette combo after sinking a long eagle putt on #14 to put him within a stroke of the leaders.
RORS! □️ #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/6wGUv1EjGk
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 22, 2018
LOL at Putin's smug-ass face. (Yuri Kadobnov/Getty Images)
Donald Trump, after meeting with Vladimir Putin at a summit in Helsinki, said that he didn’t “see any reason why it would be Russia” interfering with this country’s elections, causing major internet backlash.
Trump sided with Russia. What else is new?
What I want to talk about is the backlash and eventual revision of the statement. In a press conference a few days later, facing fury from both his supporters and opposers, said that he misspoke.
“I thought it would be obvious,” he told the press, “but I would like to clarify just in case it wasn’t (it wasn’t, hence the backlash). In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word ‘would’ instead of ‘wouldn’t’... The sentence should have been: ‘I don’t see any reason why I wouldn’t, or why it wouldn’t be Russia.’ Sort of a double negative. So you can put that in, and I think that probably clarifies things pretty good by itself.”
Obviously it didn’t clarify things pretty good by themselves. The comment sparked the hashtags #would and #wouldnt trended worldwide on twitter.
But Trump very clearly being an idiot again is not what I want to discuss.
I’m sorry if this seems to “normalize” Trump’s behavior, but I think we need to stop being shocked at what he does or doesn’t do that is defined as “normal,” and look forward to the next voting cycle so that we can put an end to this buffoonery.
This story brings me to my main point: Twitter.
Trump sided with Russia. What else is new?
What I want to talk about is the backlash and eventual revision of the statement. In a press conference a few days later, facing fury from both his supporters and opposers, said that he misspoke.
“I thought it would be obvious,” he told the press, “but I would like to clarify just in case it wasn’t (it wasn’t, hence the backlash). In a key sentence in my remarks, I said the word ‘would’ instead of ‘wouldn’t’... The sentence should have been: ‘I don’t see any reason why I wouldn’t, or why it wouldn’t be Russia.’ Sort of a double negative. So you can put that in, and I think that probably clarifies things pretty good by itself.”
Obviously it didn’t clarify things pretty good by themselves. The comment sparked the hashtags #would and #wouldnt trended worldwide on twitter.
But Trump very clearly being an idiot again is not what I want to discuss.
I’m sorry if this seems to “normalize” Trump’s behavior, but I think we need to stop being shocked at what he does or doesn’t do that is defined as “normal,” and look forward to the next voting cycle so that we can put an end to this buffoonery.
This story brings me to my main point: Twitter.
So fly.
Twitter and I have a love-hate relationship. I use it to get a lot of my breaking news from journalists I follow. It’s very convenient to have all of my news in the same place divided not by media outlet, but by primary source. It’s also a convenient place for me to find memes and other funny things to retweet so I can convince my followers that I have a sense of humor.
It also pisses me the hell off sometimes; so much utter shit goes through that universe that it makes me want to pull the plug on social media altogether. There’s just so many opinions on Twitter that I do. Not. Care. About.
One such issue I take with Twitter is that of a potential “edit tweet” option. And I totally get understand its appeal to the mass-users, the “casual tweeters.”
You spend a few minutes crafting a tweet. Maybe it’s over the 280 character mark. Maybe you’re looking for just the right wording. And you send it, and it gets a bunch of likes and retweets, but you notice -gasp- it’s got a typo. Maybe even a few typos. But you’ve already worked so hard to get those likes! And since there’s no editing option, you’re forced to delete the tweet, type it again, and resend it, and you look like an idiot to your friends because you’re double posting, and the same people probably won’t like/retweet it again because they did the first time and I GET THE APPEAL OKAY.
My opinion on the edit button is that there shouldn’t be one. That’s the beauty of Twitter- it’s very stream-of-consciousness, at least for most of us who don’t use twitter to break news. I say leave the edit button to Facebook and Instagram. Also, if you can’t take two seconds re-read a tweet for typos, you don’t deserve an “edit tweet” button.
Also, consider the following, if you want to get technical about it: a certain politician tweets something nice and considerate. It receives a million likes and a million retweets.
And then that certain politician uses the “edit tweet” function to make that tweet really racist or homophobic or xenophobic, and it looks like those million people who liked and retweeted actually liked and retweeted a really awful tweet.
Hold people accountable for their actions and don’t even think about adding an “edit tweet” option.
Also, learn to spell check your own work.
It also pisses me the hell off sometimes; so much utter shit goes through that universe that it makes me want to pull the plug on social media altogether. There’s just so many opinions on Twitter that I do. Not. Care. About.
One such issue I take with Twitter is that of a potential “edit tweet” option. And I totally get understand its appeal to the mass-users, the “casual tweeters.”
You spend a few minutes crafting a tweet. Maybe it’s over the 280 character mark. Maybe you’re looking for just the right wording. And you send it, and it gets a bunch of likes and retweets, but you notice -gasp- it’s got a typo. Maybe even a few typos. But you’ve already worked so hard to get those likes! And since there’s no editing option, you’re forced to delete the tweet, type it again, and resend it, and you look like an idiot to your friends because you’re double posting, and the same people probably won’t like/retweet it again because they did the first time and I GET THE APPEAL OKAY.
My opinion on the edit button is that there shouldn’t be one. That’s the beauty of Twitter- it’s very stream-of-consciousness, at least for most of us who don’t use twitter to break news. I say leave the edit button to Facebook and Instagram. Also, if you can’t take two seconds re-read a tweet for typos, you don’t deserve an “edit tweet” button.
Also, consider the following, if you want to get technical about it: a certain politician tweets something nice and considerate. It receives a million likes and a million retweets.
And then that certain politician uses the “edit tweet” function to make that tweet really racist or homophobic or xenophobic, and it looks like those million people who liked and retweeted actually liked and retweeted a really awful tweet.
Hold people accountable for their actions and don’t even think about adding an “edit tweet” option.
Also, learn to spell check your own work.
Movies!
Writer/director Bo Burnham (left) and Elsie Fisher (right) work on a scene from "Eighth Grade."
I only saw one movie in July, and that was Bo Burnham’s coming of age comedy, Eighth Grade.
Jesus, was this movie a hot mess.
And by "hot mess," I mean the life of Kayla (played by Elsie Fisher, a shy, awkward thirteen-year-old who struggles to figure out what it means to be popular, pretty, social, and above all, herself, as she navigates the murky waters of her final week of middle school.
(Because I can’t do movie reviews that aren’t spoiler-free, there are mild spoilers ahead.)
Anyone who has been through the actual eighth grade in the last two decades knows what Kayla has been through: the terror of attending school, the anxiety of trying to impress the cool kids, and the pressure of living up to the expectations of parents. Eighth Grade makes you take a long, cringey trip down memory lane, while all the while making you look your own awkward experiences in the face.
Kayla’s father Mark (Josh Hamilton) plays a loving parent who wants nothing more than to show his daughter love and support as she grows older. His monologue toward the end about taking pride in being a parent and how he wants the same for Kayla is soul-stirring.
But where Eighth Grade took a turn for me was its setting. It’s set in the present, and middle school in 2018 is very different from middle school in 2008.
What the kids in Eighth Grade have that I never had at that age were smartphones and easy internet access. Kayla makes and shares advice videos on YouTube, the other kids in the movie navigate Instagram and Snapchat with relative ease. There’s also the added pressure of sexual discovery that is briefly touched upon in the film, but Burnham refrains from going too over the top on that front. It’s perfectly cringey and illustrates 2000s teenage insecurity perfectly. It’s deliciously agonizing to watch Kayla’s every move.
Navigating this current world is hard enough (and I say that now, as a twentysomething living on his own in New York), but I can’t even imagine doing it when you’re newly thirteen. Eighth Grade knocks it out of the park. Depending on the competition, Bo Burnham could find himself at the Oscars with a screenwriting nomination next year.
Jesus, was this movie a hot mess.
And by "hot mess," I mean the life of Kayla (played by Elsie Fisher, a shy, awkward thirteen-year-old who struggles to figure out what it means to be popular, pretty, social, and above all, herself, as she navigates the murky waters of her final week of middle school.
(Because I can’t do movie reviews that aren’t spoiler-free, there are mild spoilers ahead.)
Anyone who has been through the actual eighth grade in the last two decades knows what Kayla has been through: the terror of attending school, the anxiety of trying to impress the cool kids, and the pressure of living up to the expectations of parents. Eighth Grade makes you take a long, cringey trip down memory lane, while all the while making you look your own awkward experiences in the face.
Kayla’s father Mark (Josh Hamilton) plays a loving parent who wants nothing more than to show his daughter love and support as she grows older. His monologue toward the end about taking pride in being a parent and how he wants the same for Kayla is soul-stirring.
But where Eighth Grade took a turn for me was its setting. It’s set in the present, and middle school in 2018 is very different from middle school in 2008.
What the kids in Eighth Grade have that I never had at that age were smartphones and easy internet access. Kayla makes and shares advice videos on YouTube, the other kids in the movie navigate Instagram and Snapchat with relative ease. There’s also the added pressure of sexual discovery that is briefly touched upon in the film, but Burnham refrains from going too over the top on that front. It’s perfectly cringey and illustrates 2000s teenage insecurity perfectly. It’s deliciously agonizing to watch Kayla’s every move.
Navigating this current world is hard enough (and I say that now, as a twentysomething living on his own in New York), but I can’t even imagine doing it when you’re newly thirteen. Eighth Grade knocks it out of the park. Depending on the competition, Bo Burnham could find himself at the Oscars with a screenwriting nomination next year.
Theatre!
Taylor Iman Jones (center) and the company of the new broadway musical "Head Over Heels," currently playing at the Hudson Theatre. (Joan Marcus/Playbill)
17 years ago, a show featuring the music of ABBA opened up on Broadway to mixed reviews. That show was Mamma Mia!. It won a grand total of zero Tony Awards after being nominated for only five. But it ran for 14 years, spawned various national tours, and had two movie spin-offs. Anything can happen to a show if enough people give it a chance and see it.
I work as an usher on Broadway for the show Head Over Heels, which just opened last Thursday to, let’s be less, less than stellar reviews. You can read one of those reviews here.
Head Over Heels is based on Sir Philip Sidney’s poem The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia, set to the music of the popular revolutionary 80’s band The Go-Go’s. It’s a bizarre combination of heightened english text and mainstream pop music that blends together really well. It’s also the gayest thing I’ve ever had the pleasure to see and I’m so here for it.
But the show got bashed over the head by reviews. Now, ticket sales have been relatively steady and I don’t know how much of that has to do with the fact that the show is now finally open or the controversy surrounding New York Times reporter Ben Brantley, who intentionally misgendered the show’s transgender star, Peppermint, as a joke during his review (Peppermint is the first transgender woman to originate a principal role on Broadway) and his subsequent apology.
The jukebox musical has run its course on Broadway, I’d say. Ever since Jersey Boys reached the top of the mountain, you don’t see too many reaching that same fanfare. That’s not to say they’re not popular, because we’ve had a plethora of them reach Broadway since 2000- they are recognizable commodities, after all- but as far as critical reception, I feel like folks are generally tired of their existence and prevalence over more original works.
The thing with Head Over Heels is that it doesn’t feel like a jukebox musical, at least not to this particular millennial. Perhaps it’s because I was not ultra-familiar with the Go-Go’s canon before seeing the show, and thus many of the songs feel fresh to me (thanks to the brilliant work of orchestrator Tom Kitt), not to mention the lyrics lend themselves to the book, which I think is the strength of the piece.
Working in show business, so often do I hear “oh, I heard it didn’t get very good reviews,” which is basically the same thing as saying “someone else I don’t know said it’s not worth my time, so I’m not going to give it a try.”
This is less of an opinion piece and more of a public service announcement. The only person who can decide if something is for you is YOU. Not a reviewer, not the internet, not your friend or family member- you.
I stress this every year- don’t let reviews or the number of Tony Awards a show wins dictate what you see in New York. Some musicals make you think- there’s nothing wrong with that. Some musicals make you smile and laugh until your face hurts, and that’s their only purpose- there’s nothing wrong with that either. I am sick and tired of people going to see award-winning shows for the sake of seeming cultured or bragging to their friends that they got to see their favorite movie star in a garbage play. Alas, this is the nature of commercial theatre- marketing and selling tickets in any way a show can. Perhaps Head Over Heels hasn’t done the best possible job at that, but in my attempt to sway the populace away from the norm and into the unknown: give the show a chance. Theatre is entertainment, and that’s what this show brings to the table. Its message is also timeless- Love and acceptance and equal representation for all. What’s not to love?
I work as an usher on Broadway for the show Head Over Heels, which just opened last Thursday to, let’s be less, less than stellar reviews. You can read one of those reviews here.
Head Over Heels is based on Sir Philip Sidney’s poem The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia, set to the music of the popular revolutionary 80’s band The Go-Go’s. It’s a bizarre combination of heightened english text and mainstream pop music that blends together really well. It’s also the gayest thing I’ve ever had the pleasure to see and I’m so here for it.
But the show got bashed over the head by reviews. Now, ticket sales have been relatively steady and I don’t know how much of that has to do with the fact that the show is now finally open or the controversy surrounding New York Times reporter Ben Brantley, who intentionally misgendered the show’s transgender star, Peppermint, as a joke during his review (Peppermint is the first transgender woman to originate a principal role on Broadway) and his subsequent apology.
The jukebox musical has run its course on Broadway, I’d say. Ever since Jersey Boys reached the top of the mountain, you don’t see too many reaching that same fanfare. That’s not to say they’re not popular, because we’ve had a plethora of them reach Broadway since 2000- they are recognizable commodities, after all- but as far as critical reception, I feel like folks are generally tired of their existence and prevalence over more original works.
The thing with Head Over Heels is that it doesn’t feel like a jukebox musical, at least not to this particular millennial. Perhaps it’s because I was not ultra-familiar with the Go-Go’s canon before seeing the show, and thus many of the songs feel fresh to me (thanks to the brilliant work of orchestrator Tom Kitt), not to mention the lyrics lend themselves to the book, which I think is the strength of the piece.
Working in show business, so often do I hear “oh, I heard it didn’t get very good reviews,” which is basically the same thing as saying “someone else I don’t know said it’s not worth my time, so I’m not going to give it a try.”
This is less of an opinion piece and more of a public service announcement. The only person who can decide if something is for you is YOU. Not a reviewer, not the internet, not your friend or family member- you.
I stress this every year- don’t let reviews or the number of Tony Awards a show wins dictate what you see in New York. Some musicals make you think- there’s nothing wrong with that. Some musicals make you smile and laugh until your face hurts, and that’s their only purpose- there’s nothing wrong with that either. I am sick and tired of people going to see award-winning shows for the sake of seeming cultured or bragging to their friends that they got to see their favorite movie star in a garbage play. Alas, this is the nature of commercial theatre- marketing and selling tickets in any way a show can. Perhaps Head Over Heels hasn’t done the best possible job at that, but in my attempt to sway the populace away from the norm and into the unknown: give the show a chance. Theatre is entertainment, and that’s what this show brings to the table. Its message is also timeless- Love and acceptance and equal representation for all. What’s not to love?
And finally... The best thing I saw this month.
Ah yes. Dudes shoving hot dogs in their mouths. As American as apple pie. (AP)
This last section is the best thing I saw this month, and it revolves around the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, which took place at Coney Island on July 4th. I had the pleasure of being there this year (although it is something I will probably never do again), and I was introduced first hand to one particular individual who will live forever in my memory.
And no, I’m not talking about any of the eaters. I was there- there’s no way in hell Joey Chestnut ate 74 hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes due to a "massive judging error."
No, the real hero of the day was a man by the name of George Shea. He's this guy, who does all the announcing for the event. The guy who wears the hat that says to everyone he's a guy running for mayor in a small town in Missouri (pronounced mizz-UR-uh, not mizz-UR-ee).
George Shea.
And no, I’m not talking about any of the eaters. I was there- there’s no way in hell Joey Chestnut ate 74 hotdogs and buns in 10 minutes due to a "massive judging error."
No, the real hero of the day was a man by the name of George Shea. He's this guy, who does all the announcing for the event. The guy who wears the hat that says to everyone he's a guy running for mayor in a small town in Missouri (pronounced mizz-UR-uh, not mizz-UR-ee).
George Shea.
Shea was an aspiring writer who studied literature at Columbia, but later found himself managing a PR firm along with his brother Richard, the same firm that handled the Nathan’s account. Together, the two took the hot dog eating contest from a sideshow event and turned it into an international phenomenon watched by millions of people on national television every independence day.
In 1997, the brothers founded the International Federation for Competitive Eating, later renamed Major League Eating, and began to hold eating competitions around the world (and yes, there are videos of people shoving not just hot dogs, but everything from pork rolls, to oysters, to raw onions down their gullets in an allotted time). Thanks to the success of breakout stars like Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut (and the two’s back-and-forth rivalry), the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has become an event that is far removed from a vaudeville event.
With George Shea at the helm as emcee, he has elevated it from a sideshow attraction to a place on the pedestal at God’s right hand.
Shea has a knack for introducing the colorful competitors with such incredibly outlandish fervor, that he has turned himself into a national treasure. He has the ability to dance upon the razor-sharp edge between a joke and a very real emotional event. These introductions are absurd, verbose, elaborate, ironic, and uniquely inspiring, packed with esoteric references and grandiose language. He delivers his speeches with a charismatic energy that it rivals (and, more often than not, surpasses) the heart of most sports commentators.
For example:
In 1997, the brothers founded the International Federation for Competitive Eating, later renamed Major League Eating, and began to hold eating competitions around the world (and yes, there are videos of people shoving not just hot dogs, but everything from pork rolls, to oysters, to raw onions down their gullets in an allotted time). Thanks to the success of breakout stars like Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut (and the two’s back-and-forth rivalry), the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has become an event that is far removed from a vaudeville event.
With George Shea at the helm as emcee, he has elevated it from a sideshow attraction to a place on the pedestal at God’s right hand.
Shea has a knack for introducing the colorful competitors with such incredibly outlandish fervor, that he has turned himself into a national treasure. He has the ability to dance upon the razor-sharp edge between a joke and a very real emotional event. These introductions are absurd, verbose, elaborate, ironic, and uniquely inspiring, packed with esoteric references and grandiose language. He delivers his speeches with a charismatic energy that it rivals (and, more often than not, surpasses) the heart of most sports commentators.
For example:
Current world champion and world-record holder Joey "Jaws" Chestnut. (Getty)
Of current champion Joey Chestnut:
“He has God’s username and password and does with it what he pleases!”
And also, because this is too good to pass up:
“He is the citadel, and he shall endure forever, because he is freedom. And he will fight until the dome of heaven collapses, and the black avalanche of space pours down around him.”
In 2014, Chestnut was carried to the stage on a mustard yellow palanquin, which prompted this epic speech from Shea, accompanied by The Who's "Baba O'Reilly." ("Out heeeere in the fields, I fight for my mealllllls")
“He has God’s username and password and does with it what he pleases!”
And also, because this is too good to pass up:
“He is the citadel, and he shall endure forever, because he is freedom. And he will fight until the dome of heaven collapses, and the black avalanche of space pours down around him.”
In 2014, Chestnut was carried to the stage on a mustard yellow palanquin, which prompted this epic speech from Shea, accompanied by The Who's "Baba O'Reilly." ("Out heeeere in the fields, I fight for my mealllllls")
Thomas is a three-time women's hot dog eating champion. (Getty)
Of former women’s champion Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas:
“She is the shadow under the lotus petal. She is the absence of beauty. She is the memory of pain more painful than the pain itself. She is the darkness driven ever westward by the rising sun."
Of former women’s champion Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas:
“She is the shadow under the lotus petal. She is the absence of beauty. She is the memory of pain more painful than the pain itself. She is the darkness driven ever westward by the rising sun."
Of former competitor Yasir Salem:
“He is entirely committed to competitive eating. He will do whatever it takes to win. Three days ago he broke up with his girlfriend and euthanized his dog to leave a void of emptiness inside him that he could fill today with hot dogs and buns.”
“He is entirely committed to competitive eating. He will do whatever it takes to win. Three days ago he broke up with his girlfriend and euthanized his dog to leave a void of emptiness inside him that he could fill today with hot dogs and buns.”
Lefevre is actually the "buttery flaky crust" guy.
Of Rich “The Locust” Lefevre, the 73-year old competitive eater:
“When we’re young we drink our coffee with milk and sugar, and as we age we drink it with milk only, and then we drink it black, and then we drink it decaf, then we die. Our next eater is at decaf.”
Martinez wears a luchador mask to the table.
Of eater Pablo Martinez:
“His marriage troubles began when he named his children Mild, Medium, and Hot. But he will not let domestic issues get in the way of the task at hand."
The mystical "Eater X" always an intro befitting such a wondrous athlete.
Two for former competitor Tim “Eater X” Janus:
“His lost his arm to a Bengal tiger in a boyhood trip to the Atlanta zoo. But his arm grew back. He can speak Neutrino, the language of the sun, and all day long he listens to the conversations in the sky.”
And:
“He was born outside of time. A witness to all possible realities. He was there when the sea and the sky were mixed together as one and humans floated from the depths of the Pacific to the very edge of space where they looked out at the stars in the blackness. He was there when druids walked the earth, and he watched as mankind built great cities, developed technology, and invented complex language with combination words such as bromance, labradoodle, manscaping, frenemy and craptacular.”
“His lost his arm to a Bengal tiger in a boyhood trip to the Atlanta zoo. But his arm grew back. He can speak Neutrino, the language of the sun, and all day long he listens to the conversations in the sky.”
And:
“He was born outside of time. A witness to all possible realities. He was there when the sea and the sky were mixed together as one and humans floated from the depths of the Pacific to the very edge of space where they looked out at the stars in the blackness. He was there when druids walked the earth, and he watched as mankind built great cities, developed technology, and invented complex language with combination words such as bromance, labradoodle, manscaping, frenemy and craptacular.”
And finally, there is Eric “Badlands” Booker, who is also a self-producing rapper. During the 2018 event, Badlands performed three rap songs, and then went on to eat a respectable 20 hot dogs and buns. But no performance was more epic than when Shea and Booker tag teamed his entrance. Eat your heart out, Hamilton.
George Shea. A living legend if there ever was one. You’re my hero, and the best thing I saw this month.
That about does it for this month's wrap sheet. Keep a lookout for lots more coming this August from the blog, including my yearly NFL preview!
That about does it for this month's wrap sheet. Keep a lookout for lots more coming this August from the blog, including my yearly NFL preview!
The Wrap Sheet
A monthly airing of thoughts and grievances.
I'm going to try a little something new starting today.
I have come to the realization that most blogs are opinion-based. And while top ten lists and others are fun, they're not the only thing. I find that much of the feedback I receive comes from my opinion-based pieces.
Thanks to an idea from a friend of mine, a new segment- The Wrap Sheet- is born.
This is basically "Andrew Airs His Grievances," where I take a look at some of the events that happened in a given month and give opinions about them. You might find some of this fun to read, and it might even encourage some fun constructive debate.
The Wrap Sheet will be a monthly thing, and since June was super eventful, I figured this was a good place to start.
Again, I want to thank everyone who's been reading this blog over the last three and a half years.
Let's wrap up the month of June, now, shall we?
This month was a wild one, wasn’t it? I guess after that prolonged winter, June decided it really was time to bust out all over.
So let’s hucka those bejeepers and dive right into it.
If you’re not sure what I’m referring to by that, I’ll let Leslie Uggams explain.
Did you know she’s the old woman in Deadpool??? I sure didn’t.
There’s a lot to cover this month, and I’ll try to keep it as organized by category as I possibly can.
There’s a lot to cover this month, and I’ll try to keep it as organized by category as I possibly can.
Pancakes! I mean...
My featured story this month stems from the magical (or, rather not-so-magical-anymore) world of pancakes.
... I mean burgers.
... I mean burgers.
Can’t re-add the Cinn-A-Stax, but you can change the LOGO??
IHOP, the beloved International House of Pancakes, went ahead and changed its damn name. Henceforth, the restaurant will be known as IHOb, otherwise known as the International House of Blasphemy.
I mean, the International House of Burgers.
My problem with this is, well, everything.
And I believe the root of the problem, and ultimately the demise of the P, comes from the removal of the beloved Cinn-A-Stack pancakes from the IHOP menu.
I mean, the International House of Burgers.
My problem with this is, well, everything.
And I believe the root of the problem, and ultimately the demise of the P, comes from the removal of the beloved Cinn-A-Stack pancakes from the IHOP menu.
Look at these. And their sweet, sweet cinnamon-y goodness.
These half-pastry, half-pancake bundles of joy were what kept me coming back time and time again. Hell, for national pancake day, I would STILL pay the $8.99 (or whatever it was) for an extra plate of these majestic creatures.
And then they were taken off the menu, and my lust for IHOP began to gradually die a little every day.
There was talk of the Cinn-A-Stacks being a secret menu item, allowing patrons to order them for a limited time until they were taken off the menu for good. When eating at the IHOP off I-90 in Newton on a fall morning some time in late 2016 (or maybe it was even before that. But it definitely wasn’t after April 2017, when they were officially ruled out as a food option), I was told that IHOP no longer made them anymore and that there was no way to recreate them, like the plans had been lost forever.
So, I say IHOP had what was coming to it. Makes sense that if you discard your BEST MENU ITEM, people will stop buying your pancakes enough for you to change your name.
I don’t have a problem with companies like Dunkin’ Donuts changing their name (at least, as far as I know there is impending change) to Dunkin’; I already call it that, and I can probably count on one hand how many donuts I purchased from there in the last 18 months.
But this? This one burns me. You’re a breakfast place, IHOP. Act like it. And if this is your idea of a publicity stunt, it’s stupid and no one likes you. I have always and will continue to refuse to eat your burgers.
IHOB. International House of Bring Back the Cinn-A-Stack Pancakes.
And then they were taken off the menu, and my lust for IHOP began to gradually die a little every day.
There was talk of the Cinn-A-Stacks being a secret menu item, allowing patrons to order them for a limited time until they were taken off the menu for good. When eating at the IHOP off I-90 in Newton on a fall morning some time in late 2016 (or maybe it was even before that. But it definitely wasn’t after April 2017, when they were officially ruled out as a food option), I was told that IHOP no longer made them anymore and that there was no way to recreate them, like the plans had been lost forever.
So, I say IHOP had what was coming to it. Makes sense that if you discard your BEST MENU ITEM, people will stop buying your pancakes enough for you to change your name.
I don’t have a problem with companies like Dunkin’ Donuts changing their name (at least, as far as I know there is impending change) to Dunkin’; I already call it that, and I can probably count on one hand how many donuts I purchased from there in the last 18 months.
But this? This one burns me. You’re a breakfast place, IHOP. Act like it. And if this is your idea of a publicity stunt, it’s stupid and no one likes you. I have always and will continue to refuse to eat your burgers.
IHOB. International House of Bring Back the Cinn-A-Stack Pancakes.
Politics!
Moving on to politics, because if Donald Trump isn’t featured, is it really considered a month?
Of course, our cartoon president was involved in two major things that happened this past month, both of which I will touch on only very quickly because he does not deserve my attention for any more than I can bare.
The first is his meeting with Kim Jong-Un of North Korea, in the first summit between the leaders of the two countries.
After much hemming and hawing, with both sides threatening to pull out, and Trump even submitting a formal letter to call off the meeting, the two met in Singapore on June 12th.
Of course, our cartoon president was involved in two major things that happened this past month, both of which I will touch on only very quickly because he does not deserve my attention for any more than I can bare.
The first is his meeting with Kim Jong-Un of North Korea, in the first summit between the leaders of the two countries.
After much hemming and hawing, with both sides threatening to pull out, and Trump even submitting a formal letter to call off the meeting, the two met in Singapore on June 12th.
"As soon as he stops shaking my hand, I'm gonna make a run for it."
International opinion was on the positive side, but I really think it’s because the two sides met, talked, and left, without really making complete asshats of themselves.
My favorite part of this was this little nugget from Trump:
“As an example, they have great beaches. You see that whenever they’re exploding their cannons into the ocean. I said, boy, look at that view. Wouldn’t that make a great condo? And I explained, I said, you know, instead of doing that you could have the best hotels in the world right there. Think of it from a real estate perspective. You have South Korea, you have China, and they own the land in the middle. How bad is that, right? It’s great.”
Ah, yes. World peace in the form of real estate development. Joy.
I mean, sure, the guy does have a little bit of a point, but it just amuses me to no end that THIS is what he got out of it.
Meeting with the dictator of a country that the United States has had hostile tensions with ever since the 1950s? You know what would ease international tensions and bring world peace. HOTELS. Bingo. On to the next one.
We are all aware that his entire presidency is all about him, right? It’s just one huge publicity stunt to be relevant again before he withers away and dies in his insanity. We know this, right?
My overall opinion on the guy is that nothing irreparable will be accomplished. I think republicans are just happy to have their title on the presidency, and the human internet troll can have his fun before politics becomes politics again in two and a half years and every executive order he’s introduced gets overturned again.
Think about it. He’s not getting much done at all with a REPUBLICAN CONGRESS. You can’t blame the Democrats for things not getting done if your party controls both the presidency and congress.
Which brings me to my next story.
The Cages
So, there were children being held in cages at the border, separated from their families after they were detained for crossing the border illegally.
And by separated, I mean there are children being held inside an old Wal-Mart in giant chain link cages, sleeping on floors or mats, totally away from their parents and forced to care for their fellow child.
No one’s political compass is exactly 100% the same as anyone else’s, I don’t believe anyone is the same in that respect. I’ve always been self conscious about sharing my precise political opinions. I’ve always tried to see both sides of an argument and empathize with each (the difference is empathy, not agreement). Perhaps my rhetoric isn’t always correct, and perhaps I’m even a little misguided in my remarks. But here are my two cents.
I think separating families at the border is cruel. I think keeping children locked away together in cages is inhumane. I think the immigration system (and while we’re at it, the prison system) in this country is all kinds of messed up and needs to be fixed.
I feel like there’s deportation of illegal immigrants, and then there’s this humiliation-of-sorts that happens beforehand that just makes me angry.
Being arrested for being in the country illegally, and then held in the United States for being an illegal immigrant? I mean… it feels kind of redundant and I don’t understand why it has to happen.
Obviously one solution is to close the border completely. But I still hold out hope that this country can serve as a melting pot and we can have people from other countries living here trying to make better lives for themselves.
Why not just fucking make it easier? If you’re obsessed with removing people that are here illegally because they’re here illegally, why not make it easier to live here legally? Isn’t that the problem?
We all know “we don’t want them here because they’re here illegally” isn’t really the overt problem. We know it goes much deeper than that. There’s some other heavily-rooted shit in this country that needs addressing. I really don’t feel like getting into it at this juncture, because there’s more to get to, and God knows I’ll probably end up addressing it another time.
Oh, and don’t put children in cages. That’s pretty much the end of my thoughts on that. Stop being cruel and disguising it as patriotism.
*Deep breath.*
And by separated, I mean there are children being held inside an old Wal-Mart in giant chain link cages, sleeping on floors or mats, totally away from their parents and forced to care for their fellow child.
No one’s political compass is exactly 100% the same as anyone else’s, I don’t believe anyone is the same in that respect. I’ve always been self conscious about sharing my precise political opinions. I’ve always tried to see both sides of an argument and empathize with each (the difference is empathy, not agreement). Perhaps my rhetoric isn’t always correct, and perhaps I’m even a little misguided in my remarks. But here are my two cents.
I think separating families at the border is cruel. I think keeping children locked away together in cages is inhumane. I think the immigration system (and while we’re at it, the prison system) in this country is all kinds of messed up and needs to be fixed.
I feel like there’s deportation of illegal immigrants, and then there’s this humiliation-of-sorts that happens beforehand that just makes me angry.
Being arrested for being in the country illegally, and then held in the United States for being an illegal immigrant? I mean… it feels kind of redundant and I don’t understand why it has to happen.
Obviously one solution is to close the border completely. But I still hold out hope that this country can serve as a melting pot and we can have people from other countries living here trying to make better lives for themselves.
Why not just fucking make it easier? If you’re obsessed with removing people that are here illegally because they’re here illegally, why not make it easier to live here legally? Isn’t that the problem?
We all know “we don’t want them here because they’re here illegally” isn’t really the overt problem. We know it goes much deeper than that. There’s some other heavily-rooted shit in this country that needs addressing. I really don’t feel like getting into it at this juncture, because there’s more to get to, and God knows I’ll probably end up addressing it another time.
Oh, and don’t put children in cages. That’s pretty much the end of my thoughts on that. Stop being cruel and disguising it as patriotism.
*Deep breath.*
Sports Ball!
The World Cup is happening right now!
First, let’s all laugh at Germany for getting eliminated before the knockout round courtesy of South Korea.
First, let’s all laugh at Germany for getting eliminated before the knockout round courtesy of South Korea.
Row, row, row your boat, gently down the loser stream!
Secondly, look at these Mexico supporters joyfully embracing partying outside the South Korean embassy and even letting them get in on the fun.
South Korea's performance is literally why the World Cup exists.
Thirdly, I don’t know that I’ve watch a single minute because the United States is not involved. This is perhaps a generalization, but unless you live in Seattle, Portland, or perhaps Columbus, Ohio, I don’t think there are casual soccer fans that exist in America. Like, even when the U.S. is involved in the World Cup, it’s like you can smell the stench of all the fairweather fans hopping up on the “I Believe That We Will Win” bandwagon.
Oh, I 100% am one of those people. But I don’t forget that U.S. soccer embarrassingly lost to Trinidad last year to fail to qualify for the World Cup when there are other sports things happening in this world.
Oh, I 100% am one of those people. But I don’t forget that U.S. soccer embarrassingly lost to Trinidad last year to fail to qualify for the World Cup when there are other sports things happening in this world.
The USMNT lost in November to Trinidad and Tobago to eliminate themselves from World Cup contention.
The bandwagon thing is similar to the Olympics, but the United States has traditionally been successful at sports that come along every four years. But not soccer. David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney are nice and all, but it’s nowhere near enough to pull the casual fan in.
Soccer also has to compete with football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. And people can complain all they want about how the NFL and NBA are “rigged” and how baseball is “too slow” and how they “can’t see the puck” in hockey. But those same people will, nine times out of ten, go back to the “Big Four” tit when faced with the choice of that or a soccer match.
That’s nice that all that money was invested into a program that fell off the face of the earth in November, though.
Soccer also has to compete with football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. And people can complain all they want about how the NFL and NBA are “rigged” and how baseball is “too slow” and how they “can’t see the puck” in hockey. But those same people will, nine times out of ten, go back to the “Big Four” tit when faced with the choice of that or a soccer match.
That’s nice that all that money was invested into a program that fell off the face of the earth in November, though.
Let me also touch on the U.S. Open, while we’re here.
Golf is a hard sport. But I don’t think golf should be THIS hard. A final, 72-hole tournament where the winner finishes at ONE OVER PAR? Come on.
Golf is one of those underrated sports. Like NASCAR (yes, stock car racing is a wildly popular and fascinating underrated sport. Fight me). But the way golf is different than NASCAR is that you don’t have to be 16 and have a driver’s license to swing a golf club. Gold has the ability to garner interest from fans who watch or play at a very young age. But I think having the country’s national championship for the sport be so excruciatingly tough to watch (and I can’t even imagine how hard courses like Shinnecock Hill are to play) is going to drive away interest. People WANT to see someone run away with a championship at 20-under par. They want to see someone drive the ball 400 yards or sink a 75-footer. They want to see good golfers actually playing good golf, instead of seeing their idols shoot 11-over on the first nine of the week (looking at you, Rory McIlroy). And maybe the USGA could learn a little from the Masters, by limiting the U.S. Open to a select few courses. Just a thought.
But props to Brooks Koepka, who won his second consecutive U.S. Open. I remember the commentators during the telecast say the Koepka plays overseas a lot in Europe, and how he possesses the mental toughness to get through these tough courses, and that not many other golfers like him have such grit. I respect that.
Golf is a hard sport. But I don’t think golf should be THIS hard. A final, 72-hole tournament where the winner finishes at ONE OVER PAR? Come on.
Golf is one of those underrated sports. Like NASCAR (yes, stock car racing is a wildly popular and fascinating underrated sport. Fight me). But the way golf is different than NASCAR is that you don’t have to be 16 and have a driver’s license to swing a golf club. Gold has the ability to garner interest from fans who watch or play at a very young age. But I think having the country’s national championship for the sport be so excruciatingly tough to watch (and I can’t even imagine how hard courses like Shinnecock Hill are to play) is going to drive away interest. People WANT to see someone run away with a championship at 20-under par. They want to see someone drive the ball 400 yards or sink a 75-footer. They want to see good golfers actually playing good golf, instead of seeing their idols shoot 11-over on the first nine of the week (looking at you, Rory McIlroy). And maybe the USGA could learn a little from the Masters, by limiting the U.S. Open to a select few courses. Just a thought.
But props to Brooks Koepka, who won his second consecutive U.S. Open. I remember the commentators during the telecast say the Koepka plays overseas a lot in Europe, and how he possesses the mental toughness to get through these tough courses, and that not many other golfers like him have such grit. I respect that.
Movies!
I only want to talk about one movie, and that is Solo: A Star Wars Story.
There will be potential spoilers. Read at your own risk.
For anyone that knows me, I am a huge Star Wars fan. Solo was the first movie of the franchise that I was actually disappointed with.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a fine movie. Great visual effects, and some of the action sequences were quite fun.
But it wasn’t Rogue One and, after much thought, I question whether this film actually needed to exist.
For anyone that knows me, I am a huge Star Wars fan. Solo was the first movie of the franchise that I was actually disappointed with.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a fine movie. Great visual effects, and some of the action sequences were quite fun.
But it wasn’t Rogue One and, after much thought, I question whether this film actually needed to exist.
First, the good. I really liked Alden Ehrenreich in the lead role. I felt he accurately captured the aesthetic of Han Solo without coming off too much like an imitation or caricature. Then there were the effects, which were stunning. Solo is one of the most expensive movies ever made, and it showed. They put some effort into the effects.
But where Ehrenreich’s Solo falls short is in the actual action, and that falls with the concept, writing, and directing more than it does with Ehrenreich’s acting.
Han Solo is a scoundrel. He’s a pessimist. His catchphrase is “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” What I saw in Solo was a dreamer, a lover, a fighter. I think that’s the wrong outlook on the character, but that’s just me, especially with no bridge showing what got him from “I have a really good feeling about this” to “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
The plot dragged in the middle, and, to be honest, I really didn’t care much about the backstory that was being presented to me.
I cared more about the characters in Rogue One having never met them before than I did about the characters in Solo, two of whom I have known since I was six. I guess that’s what switching creative teams mid-project will do.
Han Solo is already an epic, iconic character. No film needs to convince me that he is already even more epic than he is. They’d be better off making a movie about Obi-Wan Kenobi (which isn’t being made right now, thanks to how this film turned out) and his relationship with Qui-Gon Jinn after Episode III because THAT WAS A HUGE THING FOR ME AND THEY NEVER TOUCHED ON IT NOT ONE TIME AFTER THAT.
But where Ehrenreich’s Solo falls short is in the actual action, and that falls with the concept, writing, and directing more than it does with Ehrenreich’s acting.
Han Solo is a scoundrel. He’s a pessimist. His catchphrase is “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” What I saw in Solo was a dreamer, a lover, a fighter. I think that’s the wrong outlook on the character, but that’s just me, especially with no bridge showing what got him from “I have a really good feeling about this” to “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
The plot dragged in the middle, and, to be honest, I really didn’t care much about the backstory that was being presented to me.
I cared more about the characters in Rogue One having never met them before than I did about the characters in Solo, two of whom I have known since I was six. I guess that’s what switching creative teams mid-project will do.
Han Solo is already an epic, iconic character. No film needs to convince me that he is already even more epic than he is. They’d be better off making a movie about Obi-Wan Kenobi (which isn’t being made right now, thanks to how this film turned out) and his relationship with Qui-Gon Jinn after Episode III because THAT WAS A HUGE THING FOR ME AND THEY NEVER TOUCHED ON IT NOT ONE TIME AFTER THAT.
Other thoughts on Solo:
- L-3 is a blatant rip-off of K-2SO from Rogue One and wasn’t all that funny.
- Did they make this whole film from the quote “made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs”? I feel like they did.
- Also, Han was involved in the Imperial Navy? What?? I need to go back and watch A New Hope.
- Unpopular opinion: Donald Glover was just okay. His character arc gave me no reason to believe that Lando and Han are lifelong buddies.
- Oh and THIS NUGGET. (SPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILER)
I'm sorry... WHAT?
I guess I should be watching Rebels. The filmmakers knew they screwed up by killing off Darth Maul, so they’re trying to make this half-assed second attempt to make him relevant again. Which is fine but also not at all fine.
So we've had enough pessimism for one day, I think. Let's do a positive story, just to finish this thing out on a high note.
So we've had enough pessimism for one day, I think. Let's do a positive story, just to finish this thing out on a high note.
Time to feel good!
Go, daredevil raccoon, go!
This raccoon in Minnesota scaled a building. Not just any building, the 15th-tallest building in St. Paul, Minnesota. And I don’t mean like there was a big ladder or a cable or anything.
I mean he straight up Mission-Impossible’d this thing.
I mean he straight up Mission-Impossible’d this thing.
What you've all been waiting for... #MissionImpossible #MPRraccoon □ @kare11 @ElleryTV @DPet_KARE11News @timnelson_mpr pic.twitter.com/SZKNem45yf
— Alicia Lewis (@alicialewisKARE) June 13, 2018
The videos and images of this adorable creature lit up Twitter, and captivated the nation as the tweets went out.
Raccoons have incredible climbing skills (according to Google), but climbing 23-story tall buildings is obviously way out of the ordinary for these backyard trash-searchers.
The New York Times chronicled the climb in story fashion and I encourage you to check it out.
Raccoons have incredible climbing skills (according to Google), but climbing 23-story tall buildings is obviously way out of the ordinary for these backyard trash-searchers.
The New York Times chronicled the climb in story fashion and I encourage you to check it out.
And, that was your monthly report for June, 2018.
I don’t know if there are any July puns like there are for May and June, and I really don’t feel like looking. But thank you, readers, for indulging me in this new project. Leave a comment below if you like it, and let me know if there’s anything you’d rather I touch on for next time!
I don’t know if there are any July puns like there are for May and June, and I really don’t feel like looking. But thank you, readers, for indulging me in this new project. Leave a comment below if you like it, and let me know if there’s anything you’d rather I touch on for next time!
Top 10 Tony Awards Performances
What that makes the Tony Awards different from any other awards show are the performances. For a medium that is unlike any other, in that people can only see shows in one place at one time for an absurd amount of money, the Tonys offer us normal people a glimpse of what beautiful spectacle and artwork awaits us in New York.
Since the Tony Awards are this evening, I thought I’d throw a quick list together of the greatest Tony television performances.
There are a bunch that didn’t make this list, I understand that right out of the gate. Betty Buckley’s stirring rendition of “Memory” from Cats isn’t here. Neither is “Turkey Lurkey Time” from Promises, Promises, and neither is “I Am What I Am” from La Cage Aux Folles. I 110% acknowledge that these songs and performances are great in their own rights.
Other personal preferences include "Run Freedom Run" from Urinetown, "Gold" from Once, "I Believe" from The Book of Mormon, "Anything Goes" from the 2011 revival of Anything Goes. All incredible. And if I had more room (and more time), the list would be longer and they'd all be here too.
But every other song on this list is here for a reason… and of course, I certainly like some shows over others.
So, on we go.
Since the Tony Awards are this evening, I thought I’d throw a quick list together of the greatest Tony television performances.
There are a bunch that didn’t make this list, I understand that right out of the gate. Betty Buckley’s stirring rendition of “Memory” from Cats isn’t here. Neither is “Turkey Lurkey Time” from Promises, Promises, and neither is “I Am What I Am” from La Cage Aux Folles. I 110% acknowledge that these songs and performances are great in their own rights.
Other personal preferences include "Run Freedom Run" from Urinetown, "Gold" from Once, "I Believe" from The Book of Mormon, "Anything Goes" from the 2011 revival of Anything Goes. All incredible. And if I had more room (and more time), the list would be longer and they'd all be here too.
But every other song on this list is here for a reason… and of course, I certainly like some shows over others.
So, on we go.
Honorable Mentions:
Les Misèrables, "At The End of the Day"/"One Day More" (1987)
This was the performance the showed that the British invasion was here and was very, very real. I may not be Les Mis’s biggest fan, but these are two of my favorite songs. There’s something oddly satisfying about the simple two-step marching and red flag waving in the background. Not to mention all those swirling motifs building over the course of “One Day More.”
Fun Home, "Ring of Keys" (2015)
Fun Home, "Ring of Keys" (2015)
Note how Sydney Lucas plays to the camera on this one. As great as the performances of Something Rotten and The King and I were, Fun Home stole the show with this quiet, intimate, soul-searching song for a proto-lesbian girl after trying to make sense of what a fateful encounter with another woman might mean. Truly stirring.
In the Heights, "In the Heights"/"96,000" (2008)
In the Heights, "In the Heights"/"96,000" (2008)
Before Lin-Manuel Miranda created Hamilton, he created In the Heights. Having lived in Washington Heights, In the Heights is, to a T, the world that Miranda described. This jubilant medley that creates the high-energy world of upper Manhattan, and then flies into a song dealing with the prospects of winning the lottery, was one of the best performances of the night. This fresh take on what music belongs on a Broadway stage earned the show the Tony for Best Musical.
Company, "Being Alive" (2007)
Company, "Being Alive" (2007)
I really love Raul Esparza’s Bobby. It’s classy and refined, yet rough and deeply flawed all at the same time. Watching the full version of the 2007 revival of Company and this performance are two different things, but the fact that it is stripped down to a man and his piano allows us to see, bare bones, the personal breakthrough that Esparza’s Bobby is on the verge of, in all its glorious intensity.
Spring Awakening, "Mama Who Bore Me"/"The Bitch of Living"/"Totally Fucked" (2007)
Spring Awakening, "Mama Who Bore Me"/"The Bitch of Living"/"Totally Fucked" (2007)
The Deaf West performance was moving, but there’s nothing like the original, especially when Spring Awakening had first appeared on Broadway. Is that… is that a rock musical whose songs actually sound like rock songs? And yeah, maybe covering up of mouths during swear words is a little corny… but that chorus of “blah blah blah”s during “Totally Fucked” is chilling and inspiring.
Next to Normal, "You Don't Know"/"I Am the One" (2009)
Next to Normal, "You Don't Know"/"I Am the One" (2009)
I love me some Next to Normal. And I actually… don’t hate Alice Ripley in this. She’s like steel wool- rough, but powers through and gets the job done. I love everything about this performance, from the song choice, to the direction, to Ripley’s every choice as the frazzled Diana, dealing with her husband’s frustration and her son’s haunting temptation. Also, baby Aaron Tveit for the win.
The Top 10:
10. Hamilton, "History Has Its Eyes On You"/"Yorktown" (2016)
Taking place on the night after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, the LGBT and greater theatre community was in a vulnerable state. Hamilton, the favorite for just about every award that year, brought the house down and helped heal hearts a little bit with a performance for the ages. The caveat- their song choice, involving the Battle of Yorktown, featured soldiers carrying muskets. In a powerful statement, the cast chose to do the number without the use of guns. When everyone freezes after the intense dance break to see people holding invisible guns- it’s a really powerful and moving image. On top of that, Hamilton is representative of a reset of how the world sees musical theatre, as Miranda's war story pushed Broadway once more to the forefront of cultural relevance.
9. Guys and Dolls, "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" (2009)
9. Guys and Dolls, "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" (2009)
Ah, the power of live theatre. When Tituss Burgess’ microphone died on him, the run crew stepped up and frantically delivered a handheld mic mid-song (hooray for shotty audio feeds allowing us to hear when the crew member was “going in with it”). No hat, no problem. I love the arrangement of this showstopper, as the coda has this really cool new gospel-type groove, which I much prefer to the shorter, less-climactic original version. Also, Tituss casually knocking a high E out of the park on the last line. Look, ma! One hand!
8. Gypsy, "Everything's Coming Up Roses" (2008)
8. Gypsy, "Everything's Coming Up Roses" (2008)
Angela is the OG. Bernadette was fantastic. But, as I begrudgingly admit, there’s something romantic about Patti LuPone playing Mama Rose. I think this is the last great Patti performance we’ll get, but man, is this Act I closer of Gypsy powerful. Patti has this extraordinary ability to fill both the television screen as well as Radio City Music Hall, as Rose’s bottomless frustration grows in intensity, as she refuses to let reality get in her way.
7. Hairspray, "You Can't Stop the Beat" (2003)
7. Hairspray, "You Can't Stop the Beat" (2003)
This is the best closing number in the history of musical theatre. Fight me. And even though the song is very formulaic- with something like five different character groups getting a verse and chorus to themselves- it is futile to bop along with the music. High points include Harvey Fierstein’s entrance, Matthew Morrison’s white suit, and everything from 3:41 onwards. Enjoy.
6. Evita, "A New Argentina" (1980)
6. Evita, "A New Argentina" (1980)
My opinion is that everything that Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote 1980 and before it is amazing, and everything after it is garbage. Evita fits into that category as the last piece, premiering in 1979. It is amazing how a composer make a chanting crowd sound terrifying. But the story here is the “A New Argentina,” the Act I finale, in which we get to see peak Mandy and Patti as Che and Eva- and where Patti becomes the first mainstream talent to create the concept of the belting diva in a rock musical. Also, there’s fire! Hooray fire! (Spoiler, the vocals were pre-taped for the telecast, but it’s still fierce as hell.)
5. A Chorus Line, "I Hope I Get It" (1976)
5. A Chorus Line, "I Hope I Get It" (1976)
A Chorus Line was widely expected to win the Tony for Best Musical in 1976, so much so that the producers for the Tonys actually allowed the show to perform twice on the telecast- first and last. The first is the opening number to the show, and while it does clock in at just over seven minutes in length, it’s shot brilliantly, effectively capturing the essence of the stressful audition world. This timeless number being placed at the start of the Tony Awards is metaphorical for the life cycle of a performer, in a way; starting out at the audition and putting oneself out there for judgment, only to find themselves taking home the big prize at the end of the night.
4. The Will Rogers Follies, "Will-a-Mania"/"Our Favorite Son" (1991)
4. The Will Rogers Follies, "Will-a-Mania"/"Our Favorite Son" (1991)
It is time for me to bite the bullet and confess something about The Will Rogers Follies. That confession is that the show, and in particular, these two numbers, are BRILLIANT. Because of the nature of the show being essentially a Ziegfeld-revue, the show’s creators could really go all-out with the showmanship. That’s exactly what they did. Placed between a group of chorus girls decked out in stars and stripes, Keith Carradine leads the row in a masterclass of precision dancing and syncopated movement reminiscent of a Rockettes show, while SEATED. I am floored and I am glad to know this music.
3. Grand Hotel, "We'll Take a Glass Together" (1990)
3. Grand Hotel, "We'll Take a Glass Together" (1990)
There aren’t many greater joys than drunken romps. Maury Yeston’s Grand Hotel, a lesser-known show among casual theatergoers, features this exuberant number where a terminally-ill accountant poised on having a good time, is egged on by a shady baron into indulging in some drinks and other revelry.
My question is: does Michael Jeter have bones? Watch as he seems to turn into human liquid, bending, twisting, and flailing about in a ridiculous show of control.
Not surprisingly, Jeter won a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a musical.
2. The Lion King, "Circle of Life" (1998)
My question is: does Michael Jeter have bones? Watch as he seems to turn into human liquid, bending, twisting, and flailing about in a ridiculous show of control.
Not surprisingly, Jeter won a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a musical.
2. The Lion King, "Circle of Life" (1998)
Admit it, you got chills when that blare from Tsidii Le Loko hit at the beginning of “Circle of Life.” While a Disney show, Julie Taymor’s reimagining showed us that this was not your children’s version of the Lion King. A dazzling menagerie of brilliantly-created puppetry transformed Radio City into the plains of the Serengeti, complete with antelopes, birds, jungle cats, giraffes, an elephant and a rhino. There’s nothing like this Tony performance, and it’s a testament as to why Lion King has been able to survive for so long.
1. Dreamgirls, "It's All Over"/"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (1982)
1. Dreamgirls, "It's All Over"/"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (1982)
There is nothing but awe for this one. Just watch it. It’s the best. There is no competition. Jennifer Holliday is a queen.
What are your favorite Tony performances? Leave a comment down below.
The 72nd Tony Awards are tonight, Sunday, June 10th on CBS.
What are your favorite Tony performances? Leave a comment down below.
The 72nd Tony Awards are tonight, Sunday, June 10th on CBS.
72nd Tony Awards Predictions, Act 2: The Chosen Ones
Update June 7, 2018
Tony nominees Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles will host the 72nd Tony Awards.
As I went back and edited my “Way-Too-Early Tony Predictions” sheet from the end of April, considering all the nominations for the ceremony on Sunday have come out, my initial thought is what it always is: Award shows are stupid.
Maybe it’s because you can’t and shouldn’t really compare art. Maybe it’s because I went to college to study acting, and the Tony Awards are the one ceremony out of the four that are blatantly geared toward the casual and non-theatre-goer, and void of much of the artistic integrity and heart that most shows are built upon. And that bothers me.
Or, maybe it’s because I should be really good at predicting this particular field of awards and I’m just straight up NOT.
Maybe it’s because you can’t and shouldn’t really compare art. Maybe it’s because I went to college to study acting, and the Tony Awards are the one ceremony out of the four that are blatantly geared toward the casual and non-theatre-goer, and void of much of the artistic integrity and heart that most shows are built upon. And that bothers me.
Or, maybe it’s because I should be really good at predicting this particular field of awards and I’m just straight up NOT.
"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," "Spongebob Squarepants," "Mean Girls," and "The Band's Visit" are just four of the blockbusters that graced Broadway this season. (Chicago Tribune)
I guess the American Theatre Wing really loved Carousel this year. I didn’t care for it. And yet, here sits the Rodgers and Hammerstein “classic,” with 11 nominations in the bag, the most for any musical revival this year.
Jessie Mueller (left) and Joshua Henry (right) in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel." (Sara Krulwich/The New York Times)
There was no love shown for a lot of shows this year, both deserved and undeservedly so.I mean, it may be because the season was dominated by a handful of powerhouse shows, not leaving much room for others, but I’m really disappointed that shows like Farinelli and the King weren’t shown as much respect for its Broadway counterparts this year.
"Angels in America" has 11 Tony nominations this year, making it the most Tony-nominated play in history. (Playbill.com)
I’ll get into my problems with each category as we go, but my point through all this blabbering is that I have no idea what was happening this year for the Wing to come up with THIS slew of nominees.
I’m honestly dumbfounded. Last year there were four nominees in every category, and when there was word getting around that a (gasp) fifth nominee would be added to the mix, there was a big deal made about it. Now, every category varies, ranging from four, to five, to (in some cases) SIX nominees. I’m shook.
But, this is the Tony Awards. And, like in theatre, “the show must go on,” as they say (I say, gagging).
I’m honestly dumbfounded. Last year there were four nominees in every category, and when there was word getting around that a (gasp) fifth nominee would be added to the mix, there was a big deal made about it. Now, every category varies, ranging from four, to five, to (in some cases) SIX nominees. I’m shook.
But, this is the Tony Awards. And, like in theatre, “the show must go on,” as they say (I say, gagging).
Sam Crane (left) and Mark Rylance (right) in Clair van Kampen's new play, "Farinelli and the King." (NY Daily News)
Nominees aside, your predicted winners remain largely unchanged. And I could be wrong because I’ve been home in Boston for the last two months and the number of shows I have seen remains the same. But I also really think I saw a lot of the good ones this year, and my intuition will serve me well on the rest.
But I’ve been wrong before. I mean, look at last year. I’ve been VERY wrong before.
But I’ve been wrong before. I mean, look at last year. I’ve been VERY wrong before.
Best Musical
Tony Shalhoub and Katrina Lenk in "The Band's Visit." (Playbill.com)
- The Band’s Visit
- Frozen
- Mean Girls
- Spongebob Squarepants
Considering there was never much competition aside from Escape To Margaritaville, which is scheduled to close in three weeks, this is your solidly user-friendly group of Best Musical nominees. Mean Girls and Frozen continue to be the fan favorites, but Spongebob Squarepants, and especially The Band’s Visit have ruled the news columns. Band’s Visit was the first musical of the four to open, meaning it has the tendency to lose steam among voters. But I think we get another case of the Dear Evan Hansens this year, and The Band’s Visit makes a wire-to-wire trip to the top.
Will win: The Band’s Visit
Should win: Spongebob Squarepants
Could win: Mean Girls
Best Play
Jon Leguizamo's one-man show, "Latin History for Morons" was a surprise nominee this season. (Playbill.com/Joan Marcus)
- The Children
- Farinelli and the King
- Junk
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Latin History for Morons
The Children? Wait, like, really?
Maybe I missed something with that show.
Anyway, there’s one clear winner, and the rest aren’t even close. Harry Potter may have some other battles to fight with Angels in America, but it’s had the Best Play category in the bag since the West End show went up two years ago.
Will and should win: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Could win: Farinelli and the King
Best Revival of a Musical
Lauren Ambrose takes on the role of Eliza Doolittle in Lincoln Center Theatre's revival of "My Fair Lady." (Variety)
- Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel
- My Fair Lady
- Once On This Island
If Once On This Island doesn’t win, I’m gonna be rip shit on someone, because this “little-revival-that-could” DESERVES. TO. WIN. Given, no, I haven’t seen My Fair Lady yet. But I’m tired of all these Bart Sher- directed Lincoln Center productions winning Best Revival prizes. Give it to another show, for goodness sake.
Will and should win: Once On This Island
Could win: My Fair Lady
Best Revival of a Play
"Three Tall Women" stars Alison Pill (left), Glenda Jackson (center) and Laurie Metcalf (right). (Broadway.com)
- Angels in America
- Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh
- Edward Albee's Three Tall Women
- Lobby Hero
- Travesties
Lobby Hero technically does qualify as a revival since it premiered in New York Off-Broadway in 2001, but I thought it was new enough (and since Kenneth Lonergan did just win an Oscar for writing Manchester by the Sea), and that its playwright was relevant enough to garner a Best Play nomination. Not that it would win in either category as both are dominated by huge productions that are both locks to win, but I thought it was interesting. Angels in America is the front runner in the category and will probably win. Three Tall Women does make a great case, due to the success of its leading and supporting actresses in Glenda Jackson and Laurie Metcalf. The other one I’m throwing in is Travesties, because why not? It got great reviews in London, Patrick Marber is a genius, and because the American Theatre Wing will probably try to mess with us.
Will and should win: Angels in America
Could win: Three Tall Women or Travesties
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Ethan Slater stars as the titular not-so-simple sponge in "Spongebob Squarepants." (New York Times)
- Henry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
- Joshua Henry, Carousel
- Tony Shalhoub, The Band’s Visit
- Ethan Slater, Spongebob Squarepants
Apparently, when a category is shortened to feature only four nominees, that means the competition is light. That doesn’t change my pick to win the category, as the talk surrounding Ethan Slater as the titular sponge has been in full force since the show was in Chicago. These are four great roles, but I think Slater’s job as Spongebob is the most difficult, as he attempts not only physical and vocal feats of absurdity, but also succeed at the most difficult task: transferring one of the most recognizable cartoon characters of the 21st century to the stage in a non-caricaturistic way. This is not to discredit Tony Shalhoub, or Henry Hadden-Paton, or Joshua Henry (I actually quite liked Mr. Henry’s performance in Carousel), it's just that Slater's role is more demanding, and the fact that he far exceeds those expectations makes him my favorite to win.
Will and should win: Ethan Slater, Spongebob Squarepants
Could win: Joshua Henry, Carousel
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Taylor Louderman (center) leads the Plastics as Regina George in "Mean Girls."
- Lauren Ambrose, My Fair Lady
- Hailey Kilgore, Once On This Island
- LaChanze, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
- Katrina Lenk, The Band’s Visit
- Taylor Louderman, Mean Girls
- Jessie Mueller, Carousel
The first thing I was surprised at was that there were six nominees in the category. The second thing was that there are six women nominated in this category and not one of them was a Disney princess- not that you are under any obligation to nominate a Disney princess, I’m just saying. There’s something for everyone in this group, from classic Broadway characters in Lauren Ambrose’s Eliza Doolittle, to some veteran winners in Jessie Mueller and LaChanze (Donna Summer? Really?), to a veteran nominee in Katrina Lenk, to a long-time-first-time nominee in Taylor Louderman, to Hailey Kilgore, the greenhorn who may very well win herself a Tony. Katrina Lenk has had lots of head way for much of the year, but who knows? This is live theatre. Anything could happen.
Will win: Katrina Lenk, The Band’s Visit
Should win: Hailey Kilgore, Once On This Island
Could win: Lauren Ambrose, My Fair Lady
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Our Lord and savior Denzel Washington returns to Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh." (Playbill/Julieta Cervantes)
- Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
- Tom Hollander, Travesties
- Jamie Parker, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Mark Rylance, Farinelli and the King
- Denzel Washington, The Iceman Cometh
This category is stacked and I’m not mad about it. Originally I had thought Nathan Lane would be included in this mix, but his eligibility falling to the Featured Actor in a Play category has opened the door for Tom Hollander for his performance in Travesties. Along with Andrew Garfield and Tom Hollard are Denzel Washington and Mark Rylance, two former Tony winners who both turn in upper-echelon performances this season in Farinelli and the King and The Iceman Cometh. Flying somewhat under the radar is Jamie Parker, who plays everyone’s favorite Boy Who Lived in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I’m not sure he’ll win over Andrew Garfield’s glorious (and perhaps, dare I say, over the top?) portrayal of Prior Walter, but I think Parker does more than enough to carry and make good on a play that is essentially just bad fan fiction with mind-numbing special effects.
Will win: Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Should win: Jamie Parker, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Could win: Anyone. And I'm not mad about it.
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
That's right, kids. Uma's here. She stars alongside Josh Lucas in "The Parisian Woman." (The New York Times)
- Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
- Condola Rashad, Saint Joan
- Lauren Ridloff, Children of a Lesser God
- Amy Schumer, Meteor Shower
Uma Thurman was so bad in The Parisian Woman that they literally removed a nomination slot from the category. And so, we’re left with four, which, while the roles are all stellar, means that the competition is limited. Glenda Jackson is a two-time Oscar winner seeking her first Tony Award in her long and illustrious career, and she’s already won both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance in the Pulitzer-winning play Three Tall Women. She’s my pick.
Will and should win: Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Could win: Condola Rashad, Saint Joan
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz plays Alfred P. Doolittle in "My Fair Lady." (The New York Times).
- Norbert Leo Butz, My Fair Lady
- Alexander Gemignani, Carousel
- Gary Hensen, Mean Girls
- Gavin Lee, Spongebob Squarepants
- Ari’el Sachtel, The Band’s Visit
This category is pretty grey. And I mean that in the way that there is no cut-and-dry winner, at least in my eyes. But I could also be color blind. Two-time Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz sticks out the most on this list, but maybe The Band’s Visit could bolster its chances to win Best Musical if Ari’el Satchel steals a win here. Gavin Lee and Alexander Gemignani are both stellar with potential show-stealing performances. As for Gary Hensen… Mean Girls is definitely first on my list when I get back to the city.
Will and should win: Norbert Leo Butz, My Fair Lady
Could win: Ari'el Satchel, The Band's Visit
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
The cast of "Mean Girls." (NY Stage Review- Joan Marcus)
- Ariana DeBose, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
- Renee Fleming, Carousel
- Lindsay Mendez, Carousel
- Ashley Park, Mean Girls
- Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady
I saw Carousel and was not impressed with Renee Fleming. I have been told to stay away from Donna Summer. Lindsay Mendez was great! But I like Ashley Park in this one. Diana Rigg might be a close second, just because she’s a former Tony winner herself. Make that ONE for Gretchen Wieners! You go, Gretchen Wieners!
Will and should win: Ashley Park, Mean Girls
Could win: Lindsay Mendez or Diana Rigg
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Nathan Lane as Roy Cohn (left) and Nathan James Stewart as Belize (right) in "Angels in America." (Playbill.com)
- Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Michael Cera, Lobby Hero
- Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero
- Nathan Lane, Angels in America
- David Morse, The Iceman Cometh
Like I said before, having Nathan Lane placed in the Featured Actor in a Play category certainly shakes things up. My former frontrunner, Anthony Boyle, no longer seems like a lock for the category (although, he would win if it were up to me). Nathan Lane seems like a safe choice for this award, just because he’s a two-time Tony winner. Yes, his portrayal of Roy Cohn in Angels in America is weighty and scary. But there’s an equal amount of depth (and maybe even more so) in Anthony Boyle’s performance as Scorpius Malfoy in Cursed Child. Both characters are shrouded in mystery, integral to their respective plays, and more than deserving of this award. We’ll see who wins the dogfight on Sunday.
Will win: Nathan Lane, Angels in America
Should win: Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Could win: Michael Cera, Lobby Hero
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Laurie Metcalf returns fresh off a Tony win last year to the Golden Theatre in Edward Albee's "Three Tall Women." (Brigitte Lacombe)
- Susan Brown, Angels in America
- Noma Dumezweni, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Deborah Findlay, The Children
- Denise Gough, Angels in America
- Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women
This is another loaded category. I would say Denise Gough’s performance is the most impactful to her respective show, though I really do appreciate Noma Dumezweni and Laurie Metcalf. While there was no initial ruling on Three Tall Women made by the eligibility committee, the consideration of Glenda Jackson as leading and Laurie Metcalf as featured may have cleared the way for Ms. Gough and her performance as Harper Pitt in Angels in America.
Will and should win: Denise Gough, Angels in America
Could win: Noma Dumezweni or Laurie Metcalf
Best Book of a Musical
- Tina Fey, Mean Girls
- Kyle Jarrow, Spongebob Squarepants
- Jennifer Lee, Frozen
- Itamar Moses, The Band’s Visit
Four musicals. Four based on existing source material. Since The Band’s Visit is probably the most serious of the four books, not to mention I’m sure not too many people knew it was based on a film, I like Itamar Moses for The Band’s Visit to win this category. I do appreciate a good episode of Spongebob though (however preachy that book may be), if I’m being fully honest.
Will and should win: Itamar Moses, The Band's Visit
Could win: Kyle Jarrow, Spongebob Squarepants
Best Original Score
- Adrian Sutton, Angels in America
- David Yazbek, The Band’s Visit
- Robert Lopez & Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Frozen
- Jeff Richmond & Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls
- Everyone and their mother, Spongebob Squarepants
This has to be a record for most people nominated (other than producers) for a single award. Let me just rattle off the people nominated who wrote the score for Spongbob Squarepants:
Jonathan Coulton, David Bowie & Brian Eno, the Plain White T’s, T.I., Panic at the Disco, Alex Ebert, Cyndie Lauper, Yolanda Adams, The Flaming Lips, Sara Bareilles, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, Lady Antebellum, John Legend, They Might Be Giants, Andy Paley, Tom Kenny, Derek Drymon, Mark Harrison, Stephen Hillenburg & Blaise Smith (those last six all having a hand in creating the show Spongebob Squarepants).
Just out of curiosity, are all those people invited to the Tony Awards? And if Spongebob were to win, are they all invited up on stage? Things to think about.
Or David Yazbek could win for The Band’s Visit and my thinking would be all for naught. Oh well. They’ll show it on TV if all those famous people end up winning.
Will and should win: The composers of Spongebob Squarepants
Could win: David Yazbek, The Band's Visit
Best Orchestrations
- The Band’s Visit- Jamshied Sharifi
- Frozen- Dave Metzger
- Once On This Island- AnnMarie Milazzo & Michael Starobin
- Spongebob Squarepants- Tom Kitt
I really liked what AnnMarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin did with the orchestrations for Once On This Island: stripping down what used to be a full-fleshed pit with horns and other instruments, they replaced a lot of the extra flushes of sound with a cappella voices; a nice touch for a show that is about the essence of storytelling. You’ve also got The Band’s Visit, where much of the music is played live by the band on stage. And then there’s Spongebob, who’s got Tom Kitt in his back pocket, as well as Carousel, which has EGOT-winner Jonathan Tunick on its orchestrations.
Will and should win: Once On This Island- AnnMarie Milazzo & Michael Starobin
Could win: The Band's Visit- Jamshied Sharifi
Best Direction of a Musical
The cast of "The Band's Visit." (Times Square Chronicles)
- Michael Arden, Once On This Island
- David Cromer, The Band’s Visit
- Tina Landau, Spongebob Squarepants
- Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls
- Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady
The direction categories for the musicals and plays are my favorite because there’s so much to choose from, and the medium of live theatre breaks down that wall that the camera and screen of the film provide, making the differences in directional style much more varied and easier to recognize. There’s so much to love about both Spongebob and Once On This Island, each one with its own easter eggs from depending on where you look. I think Spongebob is a show built on concept, design, and execution. The show, despite being literally plucked from a cartoon, keeps all that fun energy around it, but feels so real at the same time. Once On This Island deserves some kind of recognition for its tropical atmosphere, use of lights, set, and found-props to create a magical story, but I feel like it may meet its match in Spongebob.
Will and should win: Tina Landau, Spongebob Squarepants
Could win: Michael Arden or David Cromer
Best Direction of a Play
Sam Clemmett (left) and Jamie Parker (right) in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I and II." (Playbill.com- Manuel Harlan)
- Marianne Elliott, Angels in America
- Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women
- Patrick Marber, Travesties
- John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- George C. Wolfe, The Iceman Cometh
Harry Potter and Angels in America are the two to watch. You knew they would be. Both epics make cases to win as well. Marianne Elliott’s brilliant Angels, much like the play, start rooted firmly in reality, but expand and blossom into a full-on heavenly acid trip, complete with neon lights, falling snow, and naked men. Harry Potter does the pretty much same in far less time (almost a full three hours shorter than its counterpart). As I’ve said before, Cursed Child reads more like bad fan fiction, but the effects are mind blowing (MIND. BLOWING.), and the acting is good enough to make even the most groan-inducing lines jump off the page and come off as serious enough. If, for some reason, the votes cancel out, Three Tall Women, directed by Joe Mantello, could swipe the prize.
Will and should win: John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Could win: Marianne Elliott, Angels in America
Best Choreography
The cast of "Carousel" on Broadway. (Broadway Box)
- Christopher Gattelli, My Fair Lady
- Christopher Gattelli, Spongebob Squarepants
- Steven Hoggett, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls
- Justin Peck, Carousel
This award probably won’t be shown on TV (much like the other technical awards, because even though every theatre kid is taught that shows are nothing without the crew, the Tony Awards think crew is irrelevant and a travesty to show the winners on television- rant over), but you’ll probably get a taste of the choreography during the nominee performances. All you need to know is that Justin Peck’s choreography for Carousel is extensive and immaculate. My Fair Lady might be the only other show that has a prayer.
Will and should win: Justin Peck, Carousel
Could win: Christopher Gattelli, My Fair Lady
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Hailey Kilgore (left) and the company of "Once On This Island." (Sara Krulwich/The New York Times)
- The Band’s Visit- Scott Pask
- Mean Girls- Scott Pask, Finn Ross and Adam Young
- My Fair Lady- Michael Yeargan
- Once On This Island- Dane Laffrey
- Spongebob Squarepants- David Zinn
Spongebob’s has a kinetic sculpture surrounding the proscenium, and the entire show explodes from the ground up with an explosion of colorful ferocity and joy.
Once On This Island is a literal beach, complete with sand, water, and a tractor trailer truck. Also, if livestock matters, there’s a live goat in the show.
Choose your weapon.
Will and should win: Spongebob Squarepants- David Zinn
Could win: Once On This Island- Dane Laffrey
Best Scenic Design of a Play
The company of "Farinelli and the King." (The New York Times)
- Angels in America- Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce
- Farinelli and the King- Jonathan Fensom
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- Christine Jones
- The Iceman Cometh- Santo Loquasto
- Three Tall Women- Miriam Buether
Again (and probably from here on out), we have the fight between Angels in America and Harry Potter. Angels’ set design starts mundane enough, with three turntables pretty much throughout the whole of Millennium Approaches. In Perestroika, we get to see the space expand in a multitude of ways. Harry Potter is all about the magic- trapdoors, hidden slides, etc. Paired with some amazing lights and sounds, the set works wonders. My dark horse to win the category is Farinelli and the King. A simple set that brings about shades of Shakespeare’s Globe and sixteenth-century plays, it’s warm and intimate, much like the heart of the music weaving its way through the plot.
Andrew's early winner: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I and II- Christine Jones
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gavin Lee as Squidward Tentacles in "Spongebob Squarepants." (The New York Times)
- Carousel- Ann Roth
- Mean Girls- Gregg Barnes
- My Fair Lady- Catherine Zuber
- Once On This Island- Clint Ramos
- Spongebob Squarepants- David Zinn
Spongebob has the most outrageous costumes of the five, so I’m going with that one. I’m still shook at Gavin Creel’s Squidward costume.
Will and should win: Spongebob Squarepants- David Zinn
Could win: Once On This Island or Mean Girls
Best Costume Design of a Play
Mary Rylance (center) and the cast of "Farinelli and the King." (Playbill/Joan Marcus)
- Angels in America- Nicky Gillibrand
- Farinelli and the King- Jonathan Fensom
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- Katrina Lindsay
- The Iceman Cometh- Ann Roth
- Three Tall Women- Ann Roth
I’m pretty sure Angels in America is here mostly because of the Angel herself. There are fantastic character disguises throughout the show, but that Angel costume is something else. Harry Potter will probably win, but my heart says Angels should.
Will win: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- Katrina Lindsay
Should win: Angels in America- Nicky Gillibrand
Could win: Farinelli and the King- Jonathan Fensom
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Merle Dandrige (Papa Ge) stands over Isaac Powell (Daniel) in "Once On This Island." (Broadway Box)
- The Band’s Visit- Tyler Micoleau
- Carousel- Jules Fisher
- My Fair Lady- Jules Fisher
- Once On This Island- Jules Fisher
- Spongebob Squarepants- Kevin Adams
There’s lots of fun things happening here. I mean, the best lighting this season comes from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but if I were to pick a musical, I’d say Spongebob continues its roll through the technical categories.
Will and should win: Spongebob Squarepants- Kevin Adams
Could win: Once On This Island- Jules Fisher
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Stephen Pasquale in Ayad Akhtar's "Junk." (The New York Times)
- Angels in America- Paule Constable
- Farinelli and the King- Paul Russell
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- Neil Austin
- Junk- Ben Stanton
- The Iceman Cometh- Peggy Eisenhauer and Jules Fisher
Harry Potter. Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter. Not even close. Not even remotely close.
Will and should win: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Neil Austin
Could win: LOL.
I mean Angels in America.
Best Sound Design of a Musical
- The Band’s Visit- Kai Harada
- Carousel- Scott Lehrer
- Mean Girls- Brian Ronan
- Once On This Island- Peter Hylenski
- Spongebob Squarepants- Mike Dobson and Walter Trarbach
The Sound Design Tony Awards are back!!! Not that they’ll be shown on TV, but it’s good that sound designers are back to being deservedly recognized for their contributions to Broadway shows. I’m going with Spongebob here. Can’t go wrong with live foley artists doing all the work.
Will and should win: Spongebob Squarepants- Mike Dobson and Walter Trarbach
Could win: Once On This Island- Peter Hylenski
Best Sound Design of a Play
- 1984- Tom Gibbons
- Angels in America- Ian Dickinson
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I and II*- Gareth Fry
- The Iceman Cometh- Dan Moses Schreier
- Travesties- Adam Cork
This is the one nomination that the previously-ineligible 1984 got this year; a well-deserved one for sound design. I’m not sure it has any chance of winning behind Harry Potter and Angels in America, but good for Tom Gibbons. The Party congratulates you on your success, comrade.
Will and should win: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- Gareth Fry
Could win: Angels in America or 1984
The awards are on Sunday. Who ya got? Leave a comment down below.
The 72 Tony Awards will be held on Sunday, June 10th on CBS.
71st Tony Award Predictions
Kevin Spacey is the host of the 71st Annual Tony Awards.
An update on my life: I now live in the center of it all- New York. I am in the thick of it with the hustle and bustle, living my life New York minute by New York minute. And so far, I love it. I even work in the theatre district (everyone come see 1984), and so far I’m not tired of seeing the flashing lights of Times Square. But being in the theatre district, I have no excuse for not seeing more shows. And since the Tony Awards are on Sunday, I should share my predictions for the event.
The casts of Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (left to right)
The landscape has changed slightly since we last convened on this topic. What was once a two horse race is now very much a three horse race, with Come From Away, the underdog, feel-good/hopeful musical of the year, certainly in the middle of the Best Musical conversation. I can only guess that Dear Evan Hansen has begun to lose a little bit of its steam. Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 has pretty much stood pat.
But, see what I said about Come From Away? Huh? People love that stuff.
But, see what I said about Come From Away? Huh? People love that stuff.
A Doll's House, Part 2; Indecent; Oslo; Sweat. Your nominees for Best Play (left to right).
The Best Play landscape has changed as well. I love categories like this: we have the indie darlings: Indecent and Sweat, the Pulitzer Prize winner (I see you hiding up there on 54th street); the fan favorite: A Doll’s House, Part 2, which saw all four cast members nominated for Tony Awards; and then there’s the dark, dramatic looming shadow- Oslo. This monster of a piece has been hanging out at Lincoln Center, and garnering some serious praise. This is a category reminiscent of both 2012 and 2015. 2012 saw Clybourne Park, the Pulitzer Prize winner, beat out indie darling Other Desert Cities, fan favorite Peter and the Starcatcher, and the dark drama Venus in Fur. 2015 saw fan favorite The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime beat out Pulitzer Prize-winner Disgraced, indie darling Wolf Hall, and dark dramedy Hand to God. A Doll’s House, Part 2 seems to have the momentum for now. Will it hold on until Sunday night?
Once again, this is such a refreshing year for Broadway Theater, as last year was overloaded with Hamilton and not much else. Sunday night will be a night of joy, and ultimately (puns), lots of drama.
Also, Come From Away is the story America needs right now and should win Best Musical.
Without further ado:
Once again, this is such a refreshing year for Broadway Theater, as last year was overloaded with Hamilton and not much else. Sunday night will be a night of joy, and ultimately (puns), lots of drama.
Also, Come From Away is the story America needs right now and should win Best Musical.
Without further ado:
Best Musical
The Nominees:
- Come From Away
- Dear Evan Hansen
- Groundhog Day
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
First, a quick run down of all of the shows nominated, and why each could (and couldn’t) win Best Musical:
Come From Away
- Come From Away
- Dear Evan Hansen
- Groundhog Day
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
First, a quick run down of all of the shows nominated, and why each could (and couldn’t) win Best Musical:
Come From Away
What it has going for it: Subject matter, ensemble energy
Come From Away is the musical for America, 2017. A story about a small Canadian town taking in well over 7,000 passengers around the world after the September 11th attacks which left American and Canadian airspace closed, the musical gets everything right, from its score to its tone, thanks to the fantastic ensemble that fuels the show. Using nothing but 12 actors, some chairs, and some tables, the show is able to establish all kinds of moods, ranging from elation to desperation, while tearing at the heartstrings of everyone in the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre all the while.
What is has against it: Competition, lack of star power
Come From Away also has to face two juggernauts: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, and Dear Evan Hansen, both of which have gained dedicated followings of their own, and for different reasons. The second reason, lack of star power, doesn’t have too much to do why Come From Away won’t win, but having to fight Josh Groban and Ben Platt (with Pasek and Paul in his corner- remember the year they had with La La Land) is no easy feat.
Dear Evan Hansen
Come From Away is the musical for America, 2017. A story about a small Canadian town taking in well over 7,000 passengers around the world after the September 11th attacks which left American and Canadian airspace closed, the musical gets everything right, from its score to its tone, thanks to the fantastic ensemble that fuels the show. Using nothing but 12 actors, some chairs, and some tables, the show is able to establish all kinds of moods, ranging from elation to desperation, while tearing at the heartstrings of everyone in the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre all the while.
What is has against it: Competition, lack of star power
Come From Away also has to face two juggernauts: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, and Dear Evan Hansen, both of which have gained dedicated followings of their own, and for different reasons. The second reason, lack of star power, doesn’t have too much to do why Come From Away won’t win, but having to fight Josh Groban and Ben Platt (with Pasek and Paul in his corner- remember the year they had with La La Land) is no easy feat.
Dear Evan Hansen
What is has going for it: Its core group, emotional impact
The core of Dear Evan Hansen is its bread and butter: direction by Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, American Idiot, etc.), music by Pasek and Paul (who were all the rage at the Oscars because La La Land), and a cast including Ben Platt, Rachel Bay Jones, Mike Faist, and Laura Dreyfuss- all powerhouses in their own rights. Another part of its core is how well it’s been able to connect with audiences- in particular, every high school theatre lover and social outcast. Dear Evan Hansen was the favorite to win early this spring. But that also might be what could bring it down.
What it has against it: Loss of momentum
It could be just my Facebook bubble, but it seems like I’m seeing a lot more people seeing Come From Away, and Great Comet. And while Dear Evan Hansen has had all the momentum, remember La La Land? And how it lost all the momentum until Moonlight won Best Picture in controversial fashion? I could also be wrong, but perhaps the fact that Dear Evan Hansen has resonated with most social outcast teens is alienating it from the much older Tony voters? But then again, I could be wrong.
Groundhog Day
The core of Dear Evan Hansen is its bread and butter: direction by Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, American Idiot, etc.), music by Pasek and Paul (who were all the rage at the Oscars because La La Land), and a cast including Ben Platt, Rachel Bay Jones, Mike Faist, and Laura Dreyfuss- all powerhouses in their own rights. Another part of its core is how well it’s been able to connect with audiences- in particular, every high school theatre lover and social outcast. Dear Evan Hansen was the favorite to win early this spring. But that also might be what could bring it down.
What it has against it: Loss of momentum
It could be just my Facebook bubble, but it seems like I’m seeing a lot more people seeing Come From Away, and Great Comet. And while Dear Evan Hansen has had all the momentum, remember La La Land? And how it lost all the momentum until Moonlight won Best Picture in controversial fashion? I could also be wrong, but perhaps the fact that Dear Evan Hansen has resonated with most social outcast teens is alienating it from the much older Tony voters? But then again, I could be wrong.
Groundhog Day
What it has going for it: the Andy Karl narrative, West End Success
Andy Karl has become something of a folk hero- the dude tore his ACL mid-show, and managed to finish it, cane in hand and all. The guy has put the entire team on his back and carried them to the Promised Land. His story has thrust Groundhog Day into the spotlight, and may very well be the reason why it could win Best Musical. On top of that, the show also won last year’s Olivier Award for Best New Musical- something it very well deserved.
What it has against it: Competition
All in all, the competition may just be too stiff for Groundhog Day, which, as a musical based on a film, is competing against three original musicals. The odds are stacked against them in that respect.
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Andy Karl has become something of a folk hero- the dude tore his ACL mid-show, and managed to finish it, cane in hand and all. The guy has put the entire team on his back and carried them to the Promised Land. His story has thrust Groundhog Day into the spotlight, and may very well be the reason why it could win Best Musical. On top of that, the show also won last year’s Olivier Award for Best New Musical- something it very well deserved.
What it has against it: Competition
All in all, the competition may just be too stiff for Groundhog Day, which, as a musical based on a film, is competing against three original musicals. The odds are stacked against them in that respect.
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
What it has going for it: Innovation
70 pages of Tolstoy’s War and Peace has been adapted into an electro-pop-opera, staring the incomparable Josh Groban. The Imperial Theatre has been turned into a 360-degree Russian supper club. Everything about this show is bonkers. I don’t think the marketing team (and reviewers) were lying when they said that Great Comet is “the most innovative new musical since Hamilton.” Could this innovation lead it to a Best Musical prize? Of the four, Great Comet is far and away the most creative show from a conceptual standpoint.
What it has against it: Plot
The lines “This is all in your program, you are at the opera/gonna have to study up a little bit if you want to keep with the plot/’cuz it’s a complicated Russian novel, everyone’s got nine different names/so look it up in your program, we’d appreciate it, thanks a lot” are literally IN the first song of the show. They are flat out telling us that the show is going to be overly complex. But, the show is overly complex, and a character relationship web is really only helpful for after the show while listening to the recording a few times. But it is Tolstoy, so anything is possible. Maybe the plot’s not that complicated, but it did take some further research for me to finally be on board with this show.
This is about as wide open as it gets, folks. All four shows have given us reasons why they should be the best musical of the 2016-17 Broadway season. Will it be the stunning Great Comet, a production that epitomizes the word “elaborate”? Does Andy Karl’s “the show must go on” story have enough to propel Groundhog Day to the top of the mountain? Could it be the visceral Dear Evan Hansen, who apparently hasn’t stopped the world from crying since it premiered? Or will it be Come From Away, a musical with a message- the story America needs right now? In a city dominated last year by Hamilton, it’s so refreshing to have a nice wholesome race for best musical. Great Comet has just about everything going for it, but I believe Come From Away (which has made a bunch of headway in the last few months) can pull off one of the greater upsets in Tony history.
Will win: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Should win: Come From Away
Could win: Dear Evan Hansen
In Andrew’s perfect world: Say it with me now: WELCOME TO THE ROCK.
70 pages of Tolstoy’s War and Peace has been adapted into an electro-pop-opera, staring the incomparable Josh Groban. The Imperial Theatre has been turned into a 360-degree Russian supper club. Everything about this show is bonkers. I don’t think the marketing team (and reviewers) were lying when they said that Great Comet is “the most innovative new musical since Hamilton.” Could this innovation lead it to a Best Musical prize? Of the four, Great Comet is far and away the most creative show from a conceptual standpoint.
What it has against it: Plot
The lines “This is all in your program, you are at the opera/gonna have to study up a little bit if you want to keep with the plot/’cuz it’s a complicated Russian novel, everyone’s got nine different names/so look it up in your program, we’d appreciate it, thanks a lot” are literally IN the first song of the show. They are flat out telling us that the show is going to be overly complex. But, the show is overly complex, and a character relationship web is really only helpful for after the show while listening to the recording a few times. But it is Tolstoy, so anything is possible. Maybe the plot’s not that complicated, but it did take some further research for me to finally be on board with this show.
This is about as wide open as it gets, folks. All four shows have given us reasons why they should be the best musical of the 2016-17 Broadway season. Will it be the stunning Great Comet, a production that epitomizes the word “elaborate”? Does Andy Karl’s “the show must go on” story have enough to propel Groundhog Day to the top of the mountain? Could it be the visceral Dear Evan Hansen, who apparently hasn’t stopped the world from crying since it premiered? Or will it be Come From Away, a musical with a message- the story America needs right now? In a city dominated last year by Hamilton, it’s so refreshing to have a nice wholesome race for best musical. Great Comet has just about everything going for it, but I believe Come From Away (which has made a bunch of headway in the last few months) can pull off one of the greater upsets in Tony history.
Will win: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Should win: Come From Away
Could win: Dear Evan Hansen
In Andrew’s perfect world: Say it with me now: WELCOME TO THE ROCK.
Best Play
The cast of Lincoln Center's "Oslo".
The nominees:
- A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Indecent
- Oslo
- Sweat
Another wide-open field, as all four nominees have given us reason why they should be the best play for this season. It’s almost as if all of these shows have flown under the radar for much of this year. A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Oslo both earned the two most nominations for plays (8 and 7, respectively), but both Indecent and Sweat have stirred pre-Tony wins of their own, with Indecent director Rebecca Taischman winning an Outer Critics Circle Award, and Sweat taking home this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Will win: Oslo
Should win: A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Sweat or Indecent
In Andrew’s perfect world: A Doll’s House, Part 2
- A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Indecent
- Oslo
- Sweat
Another wide-open field, as all four nominees have given us reason why they should be the best play for this season. It’s almost as if all of these shows have flown under the radar for much of this year. A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Oslo both earned the two most nominations for plays (8 and 7, respectively), but both Indecent and Sweat have stirred pre-Tony wins of their own, with Indecent director Rebecca Taischman winning an Outer Critics Circle Award, and Sweat taking home this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Will win: Oslo
Should win: A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Sweat or Indecent
In Andrew’s perfect world: A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Revival of a Musical
Bette Midler leads the company of "Hello, Dolly!"
The nominees:
- Falsettos
- Hello, Dolly!
- Miss Saigon
There were a fair amount of successful revivals to add to this season’s already-impressive list of original musicals. Of the three nominated, two are still playing (Hello, Dolly! and Miss Saigon), but one has continued to keep momentum as a serious contender for the Best Revival of a Musical award. With an all-star cast including Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells, Stephanie J. Block, Brandon Uranowitz, Tracie Thoms and Betsy Wolfe, James Lapine’s revival of William Finn’s Falsettos has nabbed best revival nominations from many major awards committees prior to the Tony Awards. Will they be any match for the equally-stacked, Bette Midler-led Hello, Dolly!? Or will an underdog take it home- the revamped Miss Saigon, fresh of a West End run?
Will & should win: Hello, Dolly!
Could win: Falsettos
- Falsettos
- Hello, Dolly!
- Miss Saigon
There were a fair amount of successful revivals to add to this season’s already-impressive list of original musicals. Of the three nominated, two are still playing (Hello, Dolly! and Miss Saigon), but one has continued to keep momentum as a serious contender for the Best Revival of a Musical award. With an all-star cast including Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells, Stephanie J. Block, Brandon Uranowitz, Tracie Thoms and Betsy Wolfe, James Lapine’s revival of William Finn’s Falsettos has nabbed best revival nominations from many major awards committees prior to the Tony Awards. Will they be any match for the equally-stacked, Bette Midler-led Hello, Dolly!? Or will an underdog take it home- the revamped Miss Saigon, fresh of a West End run?
Will & should win: Hello, Dolly!
Could win: Falsettos
Best Revival of a Play
The ensemble from the Manhattan Theatre Club's production of August Wilson's "Jitney".
The nominees:
- Jitney
- The Little Foxes
- Present Laughter
- Six Degrees of Separation
Four completely different plays are all nominated for Best Revival of a Play. August Wilson’s Jitney is the last of his plays in the Pittsburgh Cycle to make an appearance on Broadway, and has received much critical acclaim, with many praising the direction of Ruben Santiago-Hudson. There’s also The Little Foxes, starring Laura Linney and Cynthia Nixon, both of whom have been nominated for Tonys in the Leading and Featured Actress in a Play categories (respectively). A new revival of Six Degrees of Separation features stunning performances by Allison Janney, John Benjamin Hickey, and Corey Hawkins. Finally, Kevin Kline has helmed the cast of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter to massive success. Overall, Jitney seems the most timely, as it holds true to August Wilson’s message that not only black lives matter, but that black life matters, a mantra that is extremely relevant to the world that we populate right now.
Will & should win: Jitney
Could win: Present Laughter
- Jitney
- The Little Foxes
- Present Laughter
- Six Degrees of Separation
Four completely different plays are all nominated for Best Revival of a Play. August Wilson’s Jitney is the last of his plays in the Pittsburgh Cycle to make an appearance on Broadway, and has received much critical acclaim, with many praising the direction of Ruben Santiago-Hudson. There’s also The Little Foxes, starring Laura Linney and Cynthia Nixon, both of whom have been nominated for Tonys in the Leading and Featured Actress in a Play categories (respectively). A new revival of Six Degrees of Separation features stunning performances by Allison Janney, John Benjamin Hickey, and Corey Hawkins. Finally, Kevin Kline has helmed the cast of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter to massive success. Overall, Jitney seems the most timely, as it holds true to August Wilson’s message that not only black lives matter, but that black life matters, a mantra that is extremely relevant to the world that we populate right now.
Will & should win: Jitney
Could win: Present Laughter
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Ben Platt, nominated as the titular social outcast in "Dear Evan Hansen".
The nominees:
- Christian Borle, Falsettos
- Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
- David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
- Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
The conversation for Andy Karl began when he tore his ACL mid-preview of Groundhog Day, and powered through the rest of the show. Even though the show had received critical acclaim in London, Karl reminded us all that, in the age of technology and medicine and theatrical magic, sometimes things happen, and the show must go on. Strangely enough, Josh Groban made his Broadway debut this year as the dear, bewildered, and awkward Pierre Bezukhov in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. He kills it in this performance, not only playing multiple instruments, but also demonstrating both the power and grace of his character in Dave Malloy’s innovative musical. David Hyde Pierce, as you may remember, would have been my alternate for this category, and he’s managed to sneak his way in behind a fantastic turn as Horace Van der Gelder in Hello, Dolly! Christian Borle turns in another stellar in the Falsettos revival, as he guns for his third Tony Award. But, let’s be honest, the story has always been about Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen, as both his performance, and a recent New York Times article, have given the theatre world a reason to cry about this socially awkward, hauntingly subtle performer.
Will win: Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Should win: Christian Borle, Falsettos OR Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Could win: Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Christian Borle, Falsettos
- Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
- David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
- Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
The conversation for Andy Karl began when he tore his ACL mid-preview of Groundhog Day, and powered through the rest of the show. Even though the show had received critical acclaim in London, Karl reminded us all that, in the age of technology and medicine and theatrical magic, sometimes things happen, and the show must go on. Strangely enough, Josh Groban made his Broadway debut this year as the dear, bewildered, and awkward Pierre Bezukhov in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. He kills it in this performance, not only playing multiple instruments, but also demonstrating both the power and grace of his character in Dave Malloy’s innovative musical. David Hyde Pierce, as you may remember, would have been my alternate for this category, and he’s managed to sneak his way in behind a fantastic turn as Horace Van der Gelder in Hello, Dolly! Christian Borle turns in another stellar in the Falsettos revival, as he guns for his third Tony Award. But, let’s be honest, the story has always been about Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen, as both his performance, and a recent New York Times article, have given the theatre world a reason to cry about this socially awkward, hauntingly subtle performer.
Will win: Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Should win: Christian Borle, Falsettos OR Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Could win: Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christine Ebersole (left) and Patti Lupone (right) are two nominees from "War Paint".
The nominees:
- Deneé Benton, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Christine Ebersole, War Paint
- Patti Lupone, War Paint
- Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
- Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
So I debated even writing out a description for this category. We have three legends and two first timers. Deneé Benton’s performance as Natasha in The Great Comet is fluttery, yet grounded, emotional, and strong. Eva Noblezada is, far and away, the best performer in Miss Saigon. Christine Ebersole has her two Tony wins. Patti Lupone is Patti Lupone, who has her two Tony wins. But we all know who’s taking this one: it’s Bette Midler. DUH.
Will & should win: Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Could win: Deneé Benton, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Deneé Benton, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Christine Ebersole, War Paint
- Patti Lupone, War Paint
- Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
- Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
So I debated even writing out a description for this category. We have three legends and two first timers. Deneé Benton’s performance as Natasha in The Great Comet is fluttery, yet grounded, emotional, and strong. Eva Noblezada is, far and away, the best performer in Miss Saigon. Christine Ebersole has her two Tony wins. Patti Lupone is Patti Lupone, who has her two Tony wins. But we all know who’s taking this one: it’s Bette Midler. DUH.
Will & should win: Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Could win: Deneé Benton, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Kevin Kline and Kate Burton in a scene from "Present Laughter".
The nominees:
- Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
- Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
- Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
- Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Of the five men nominated in this category, Jefferson Mays has flown under the radar for much of this season, as has the entire production of Oslo. I don’t really consider Chris Cooper to be a leading actor in A Doll’s House, Part 2 (a show can have one leading lady and that’s IT, you know). As of this moment, Mays’ only competition appears to be Kline, but I don’t think anything will stop Mr. Mays from taking home his second Tony in this category on Sunday.
Will win: Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Should win: Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Could win: Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
- Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
- Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
- Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
- Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Of the five men nominated in this category, Jefferson Mays has flown under the radar for much of this season, as has the entire production of Oslo. I don’t really consider Chris Cooper to be a leading actor in A Doll’s House, Part 2 (a show can have one leading lady and that’s IT, you know). As of this moment, Mays’ only competition appears to be Kline, but I don’t think anything will stop Mr. Mays from taking home his second Tony in this category on Sunday.
Will win: Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Should win: Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Could win: Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Laurie Metcalf (left) and Condola Rashad (right) in "A Doll's House, Part 2".
The nominees:
- Cate Blanchett, The Present
- Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
- Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
- Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
- Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Laurie Metcalf was not on my initial predictions list for this category. But after much consideration, she’s here now, and, according to much of the buzz surrounding A Doll’s House, Part 2, there’s a lot of implication that she could finally win the big one. She’s in a field with superstars, however, and for her to come out of this one isn’t going to be easy. While Cate Blanchett and Sally Field are both nominated, I think there’s some degree of Tony committee politics involved here (see the Best Featured Actor in a Play category), as to which celebrity the committee wants to hang out with at the ceremony. Metcalf’s real competition lies with Laura Linney, and even more so with Jennifer Ehle, as Oslo continues to gain ground on A Doll’s House, Part 2 in the best play race.
Will & should win: Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
- Cate Blanchett, The Present
- Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
- Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
- Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
- Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Laurie Metcalf was not on my initial predictions list for this category. But after much consideration, she’s here now, and, according to much of the buzz surrounding A Doll’s House, Part 2, there’s a lot of implication that she could finally win the big one. She’s in a field with superstars, however, and for her to come out of this one isn’t going to be easy. While Cate Blanchett and Sally Field are both nominated, I think there’s some degree of Tony committee politics involved here (see the Best Featured Actor in a Play category), as to which celebrity the committee wants to hang out with at the ceremony. Metcalf’s real competition lies with Laura Linney, and even more so with Jennifer Ehle, as Oslo continues to gain ground on A Doll’s House, Part 2 in the best play race.
Will & should win: Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Christian Borle (left) and Andrew Rannells (right) in "Falsettos".
The nominees:
- Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
- Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
- Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
- Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos
This is a category stacked with Tony circuit heavyweights. Brandon Uranowitz, Gavin Creel, and Andrew Rannells are all reputable names, but Lucas Steele and Mike Faist are no slouches either in their respective roles in Great Comet and Dear Evan Hansen. If I had my way, Lucas Steele would be the winner in this category, but something tells me that Andrew Rannells’ time at the podium is nearing, as his endearing turn as Whizzer further embroils the Best Revival feud between Falsettos and Hello, Dolly!
Will win: Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Should win: Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
In Andrew’s perfect world: Joel Hatch from Come From Away is nominated for this award. Who the hell is Mike Faist?
- Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
- Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
- Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
- Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos
This is a category stacked with Tony circuit heavyweights. Brandon Uranowitz, Gavin Creel, and Andrew Rannells are all reputable names, but Lucas Steele and Mike Faist are no slouches either in their respective roles in Great Comet and Dear Evan Hansen. If I had my way, Lucas Steele would be the winner in this category, but something tells me that Andrew Rannells’ time at the podium is nearing, as his endearing turn as Whizzer further embroils the Best Revival feud between Falsettos and Hello, Dolly!
Will win: Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Should win: Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
In Andrew’s perfect world: Joel Hatch from Come From Away is nominated for this award. Who the hell is Mike Faist?
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Jenn Colella and the ladies of "Come From Away".
The nominees:
- Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
- Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
- Jenn Colella, Come From Away
- Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
- Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia
WOW I really want Jenn Colella to win this one. She deserves it. Come From Away deserves it. However, I think Stephanie J. Block has been held away from the winner’s circle for too long. She has given us many, many, many incredible roles, but not been recognized enough for her work. While it could be the boost that Come From Away needs, I think Ms. Block takes home that long-overdue Tony Award.
Will win: Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Should win: Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Could win: Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
- Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
- Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
- Jenn Colella, Come From Away
- Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
- Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia
WOW I really want Jenn Colella to win this one. She deserves it. Come From Away deserves it. However, I think Stephanie J. Block has been held away from the winner’s circle for too long. She has given us many, many, many incredible roles, but not been recognized enough for her work. While it could be the boost that Come From Away needs, I think Ms. Block takes home that long-overdue Tony Award.
Will win: Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Should win: Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Could win: Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Mark Ruffalo (left) and Danny DeVito (right) in Arthur Miller's "The Price".
The nominees:
- Michael Aronov, Oslo
- Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
- Nathan Lane, The Front Page
- Richard Thomas, The Little Foxes
- John Douglas Thompson, Jitney
OKAY. Danny DeVito. Nathan Lane. I mean, truly, it could be more packed with A-listers (I mean, John Goodman and Mark Ruffalo could also be nominated). But, which celebrity would you; if you were a Tony voter, want to hang with more? Sure, Nathan Lane has certainly been around the block many times, and Danny DeVito is in the midst of another renaissance as an actor. Don’t count out people like Michael Aronov and John Douglas Thompson, but something tells me Danny DeVito will bring it home on Sunday.
Will win: Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Should win: Michael Aronov, Oslo
Could win: John Douglas Thompson, Jitney
- Michael Aronov, Oslo
- Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
- Nathan Lane, The Front Page
- Richard Thomas, The Little Foxes
- John Douglas Thompson, Jitney
OKAY. Danny DeVito. Nathan Lane. I mean, truly, it could be more packed with A-listers (I mean, John Goodman and Mark Ruffalo could also be nominated). But, which celebrity would you; if you were a Tony voter, want to hang with more? Sure, Nathan Lane has certainly been around the block many times, and Danny DeVito is in the midst of another renaissance as an actor. Don’t count out people like Michael Aronov and John Douglas Thompson, but something tells me Danny DeVito will bring it home on Sunday.
Will win: Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Should win: Michael Aronov, Oslo
Could win: John Douglas Thompson, Jitney
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Michelle Wilson (left) and Johanna Day (right) in Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize winning play, "Sweat".
The nominees:
- Johanna Day, Sweat
- Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
- Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Michelle Wilson, Sweat
This one is tough. We’re looking at two nominees from the Pulitzer-Prize-winning Sweat, and two of the actresses rounding out the cast of A Doll’s House, Part 2. As a fifth wheel, Cynthia Nixon’s performance in The Little Foxes (and don’t forget, she switches roles nightly with Laura Linney) rounds out the category. A win for Johanna Day or Michelle Wilson might implicate further success for Sweat later in the evening, and likewise for Doll’s House if Jayne Houdyshell or Condola Rashad were to win. If I had my way, Condola Rashad would be the winner. As a role that I didn’t think merited a Tony nomination when I saw the play, Rashad’s performance as Emmy is critically important to the message of the play, and has changed my mind in the complete opposite direction. However, I think the fact that Nixon plays two roles (even though she’s only nominated for one) will be the deciding factor in this race.
Will win: Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
Should win: Johanna Day, Sweat OR Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Literally any of them. This one is close.
In Andrew’s perfect world: Condola Rashad.
- Johanna Day, Sweat
- Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
- Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Michelle Wilson, Sweat
This one is tough. We’re looking at two nominees from the Pulitzer-Prize-winning Sweat, and two of the actresses rounding out the cast of A Doll’s House, Part 2. As a fifth wheel, Cynthia Nixon’s performance in The Little Foxes (and don’t forget, she switches roles nightly with Laura Linney) rounds out the category. A win for Johanna Day or Michelle Wilson might implicate further success for Sweat later in the evening, and likewise for Doll’s House if Jayne Houdyshell or Condola Rashad were to win. If I had my way, Condola Rashad would be the winner. As a role that I didn’t think merited a Tony nomination when I saw the play, Rashad’s performance as Emmy is critically important to the message of the play, and has changed my mind in the complete opposite direction. However, I think the fact that Nixon plays two roles (even though she’s only nominated for one) will be the deciding factor in this race.
Will win: Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
Should win: Johanna Day, Sweat OR Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Literally any of them. This one is close.
In Andrew’s perfect world: Condola Rashad.
Best Direction of a Musical
The nominees:
- Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
- Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
- Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day
- Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 truly is as innovative as everyone claims it to be. From the set design to the music design to the casting; it’s all brilliant. Dear Evan Hansen is as moving as everyone claims it to be. Come From Away is a wonderfully, creatively told story of acceptance, love, hope, and tolerance in the face of tragedy. Groundhog Day is wonderfully funny, and Hello, Dolly! brings back all the nostalgia of the original show. With five brilliant directors as the helms, any of these people could win the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical. Does Michael Greif finally break through and win the big one?
Will win: Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Should win: Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Could win: Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly! OR Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
- Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
- Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
- Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day
- Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 truly is as innovative as everyone claims it to be. From the set design to the music design to the casting; it’s all brilliant. Dear Evan Hansen is as moving as everyone claims it to be. Come From Away is a wonderfully, creatively told story of acceptance, love, hope, and tolerance in the face of tragedy. Groundhog Day is wonderfully funny, and Hello, Dolly! brings back all the nostalgia of the original show. With five brilliant directors as the helms, any of these people could win the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical. Does Michael Greif finally break through and win the big one?
Will win: Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Should win: Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Could win: Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly! OR Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Direction of a Play
The nominees:
- Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney
- Bartlett Sher, Oslo
- Daniel Sullivan, The Little Foxes
- Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
This is anybody’s race. Ruben Santiago-Hudson appears to be the front-runner, but only because Jitney has gotten so much praise from critics as far as Best Revival of a Play is concerned. With the exception of Daniel Sullivan, whom I just can’t see winning this race, we have Sam Gold and Bartlett Sher, both of whom have won Tony Awards of their own for directing musicals (Gold for Fun Home in 2015, Sher for South Pacific in 2008). Furthermore, we have Rebecca Taichman, who won the Outer Critics Circle award for best director. When the races are this close, I simply consider it to be like a horse race and pick the favorite.
Will & should win: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney
Could win: Bartlett Sher, Oslo OR Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney
- Bartlett Sher, Oslo
- Daniel Sullivan, The Little Foxes
- Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
This is anybody’s race. Ruben Santiago-Hudson appears to be the front-runner, but only because Jitney has gotten so much praise from critics as far as Best Revival of a Play is concerned. With the exception of Daniel Sullivan, whom I just can’t see winning this race, we have Sam Gold and Bartlett Sher, both of whom have won Tony Awards of their own for directing musicals (Gold for Fun Home in 2015, Sher for South Pacific in 2008). Furthermore, we have Rebecca Taichman, who won the Outer Critics Circle award for best director. When the races are this close, I simply consider it to be like a horse race and pick the favorite.
Will & should win: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jitney
Could win: Bartlett Sher, Oslo OR Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Book of a Musical
The nominees:
- Steven Levinson, Dear Evan Hansen
- Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Danny Rubin, Groundhog Day
- Irene Sankoff & David Hein, Come From Away
The best book and score categories are the battles in the trenches between each of the four nominees for Best Musical. While Great Comet is certainly innovative in regards to just about everything, the book isn’t all that fancy. A lot of the dialogue is word for word from Tolstoy’s War and Peace, and it shows. And while Steven Levinson’s book of Dear Evan Hansen had all the momentum earlier this spring, Irene Sankoff and David Hein have come from behind and stolen a lot of that thunder. I’m picking the upset with this one.
Will and should win: Come From Away, Irene Sankoff & David Hein
Could win: Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levinson
- Steven Levinson, Dear Evan Hansen
- Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Danny Rubin, Groundhog Day
- Irene Sankoff & David Hein, Come From Away
The best book and score categories are the battles in the trenches between each of the four nominees for Best Musical. While Great Comet is certainly innovative in regards to just about everything, the book isn’t all that fancy. A lot of the dialogue is word for word from Tolstoy’s War and Peace, and it shows. And while Steven Levinson’s book of Dear Evan Hansen had all the momentum earlier this spring, Irene Sankoff and David Hein have come from behind and stolen a lot of that thunder. I’m picking the upset with this one.
Will and should win: Come From Away, Irene Sankoff & David Hein
Could win: Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levinson
Best Original Score
The nominees:
- Come From Away, Music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hien
- Dear Evan Hansen, Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
- Groundhog Day, Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Music and lyrics by Dave Malloy
On the other hand, something Great Comet does have going for it is the score, which is beautifully composed and orchestrated by Dave Malloy: combining Russian folk music and EDM, the electro-pop-opera should win this one handily. Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen may have the songs that are a bit more melodic and memorable, but Great Comet’s score is just so intricately and fantastically written. Score one for the Comet here.
Will win: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Music & lyrics by Dave Malloy
Should win: Come From Away, Music & lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Could win: Dear Evan Hansen, Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
- Come From Away, Music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hien
- Dear Evan Hansen, Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
- Groundhog Day, Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Music and lyrics by Dave Malloy
On the other hand, something Great Comet does have going for it is the score, which is beautifully composed and orchestrated by Dave Malloy: combining Russian folk music and EDM, the electro-pop-opera should win this one handily. Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen may have the songs that are a bit more melodic and memorable, but Great Comet’s score is just so intricately and fantastically written. Score one for the Comet here.
Will win: Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Music & lyrics by Dave Malloy
Should win: Come From Away, Music & lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Could win: Dear Evan Hansen, Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Best Orchestrations
The nominees:
- Bandstand, Bill Elliott & Greg Anthony Rassen
- Dear Evan Hansen, Alex Lacamoire
- Hello, Dolly!, Larry Hochman
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy
Will & should win: Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
- Bandstand, Bill Elliott & Greg Anthony Rassen
- Dear Evan Hansen, Alex Lacamoire
- Hello, Dolly!, Larry Hochman
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy
Will & should win: Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Choreography
The nominees:
- Bandstand, Andy Blankenbuehler
- Come From Away, Kelly Devine
- Groundhog Day, Peter Darling
- Holiday Inn, Denis Jones
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Sam Pinkleton
Will win: Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Should win: Denis Jones, Holiday Inn
Could win: Kelly Devine, Come From Away
- Bandstand, Andy Blankenbuehler
- Come From Away, Kelly Devine
- Groundhog Day, Peter Darling
- Holiday Inn, Denis Jones
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Sam Pinkleton
Will win: Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Should win: Denis Jones, Holiday Inn
Could win: Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
The nominees:
- Groundhog Day, Rob Howell
- Hello, Dolly!, Santo Loquasto
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Mimi Lien
- War Paint, David Korins
Will & should win: Mimi Lien, Natasha Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. There truly is just no other competition in this category.
- Groundhog Day, Rob Howell
- Hello, Dolly!, Santo Loquasto
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Mimi Lien
- War Paint, David Korins
Will & should win: Mimi Lien, Natasha Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. There truly is just no other competition in this category.
Best Scenic Design of a Play
The nominees:
- The Front Page, Douglas W. Schmidt
- Jitney, David Gallo
- Oslo, Michael Yeargan
- The Play That Goes Wrong, Nigel Hook
Will win: David Gallo, Jitney
Should win: Nigel Hook, The Play that Goes Wrong
Could win: Michael Yeargan, Oslo
- The Front Page, Douglas W. Schmidt
- Jitney, David Gallo
- Oslo, Michael Yeargan
- The Play That Goes Wrong, Nigel Hook
Will win: David Gallo, Jitney
Should win: Nigel Hook, The Play that Goes Wrong
Could win: Michael Yeargan, Oslo
Best Costume Design of a Musical
The nominees:
- Anastasia, Linda Cho
- Hello, Dolly!, Santo Loquasto
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Paloma Young
- War Paint, Catherine Zuber
Will win: Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Should win: Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Linda Cho, Anastasia
- Anastasia, Linda Cho
- Hello, Dolly!, Santo Loquasto
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Paloma Young
- War Paint, Catherine Zuber
Will win: Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Should win: Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Linda Cho, Anastasia
Best Costume Design of a Play
The nominees:
- A Doll’s House, Part 2, David Zinn
- Jitney, Toni-Leslie James
- The Little Foxes, Jane Greenwood
- Present Laughter, Susan Hilferty
Will win: David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Jane Greenwood, The Little Foxes OR Toni-Leslie James, Jitney
- A Doll’s House, Part 2, David Zinn
- Jitney, Toni-Leslie James
- The Little Foxes, Jane Greenwood
- Present Laughter, Susan Hilferty
Will win: David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Could win: Jane Greenwood, The Little Foxes OR Toni-Leslie James, Jitney
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
The nominees:
- Come From Away, Howell Binkley
- Dear Evan Hansen, Japhy Weideman
- Hello, Dolly!, Natasha Katz
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Bradley King
Will win: Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen
- Come From Away, Howell Binkley
- Dear Evan Hansen, Japhy Weideman
- Hello, Dolly!, Natasha Katz
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Bradley King
Will win: Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Could win: Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Lighting Design of a Play
The nominees:
- A Doll’s House, Part 2, Jennifer Tipton
- Indecent, Christopher Akerlind
- Jitney, Jane Cox
- Oslo, Donald Holder
Will win: Donald Holder, Oslo
Could win: Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Am I right? How am I wrong? Who's going to win Best Musical? Leave a comment down below.
The Tony Awards are Sunday, June 11th at 8pm on CBS.
- A Doll’s House, Part 2, Jennifer Tipton
- Indecent, Christopher Akerlind
- Jitney, Jane Cox
- Oslo, Donald Holder
Will win: Donald Holder, Oslo
Could win: Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Am I right? How am I wrong? Who's going to win Best Musical? Leave a comment down below.
The Tony Awards are Sunday, June 11th at 8pm on CBS.
Top 10 Netflix Original Opening Title Sequences
Orange is the New Black, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and House of Cards are all set to premiere their new seasons within the next four weeks.
We are in another Golden Age of Television, and we have the advent of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon to thank for that.
Netflix’s original television and film content is at its most creative, with the future only appearing brighter. Since the online streaming site first started developing original shows in 2012 (first was Lilyhammer, a joint U.S.-Norway production, soon followed by the Netflix original House of Cards in 2013), its production has skyrocketed. In 2016 alone, Netflix released over 100 new television series and films to its site, all “Netflix originals.”
Not only has Netflix been in the original content business, they’ve also been thrown into the conversation with regards to critically-acclaimed shows like Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, Master of None and The Crown all garnering major television award nominations in the last year.
Netflix’s original television and film content is at its most creative, with the future only appearing brighter. Since the online streaming site first started developing original shows in 2012 (first was Lilyhammer, a joint U.S.-Norway production, soon followed by the Netflix original House of Cards in 2013), its production has skyrocketed. In 2016 alone, Netflix released over 100 new television series and films to its site, all “Netflix originals.”
Not only has Netflix been in the original content business, they’ve also been thrown into the conversation with regards to critically-acclaimed shows like Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, Master of None and The Crown all garnering major television award nominations in the last year.
But it’s not just the content of these shows that makes television in the 21st century memorable. Believe it or not, it can be something like a good opening title sequence that can cement a show into the annals of TV history. Starting (more or less) with HBO’s The Sopranos, visual artists have made a name for themselves simply by introducing the viewer to the atmosphere in which the TV show exist. What kind of mood does a well-placed camera angle or lighting selection set? How does the music (oh my god the music to some of these shows) play a part? Are we introduced to characters? How does all of this encapsulate our favorite show to binge-watch? What kind of visual identity does the title sequence give the show? Now, we’ve come to expect magnificent, bizarre, and downright stunning works of art in some of these title sequences. Look at shows like Westworld and True Detective for some reference.
Today we take a look at the best opening credit sequences that Netflix has to offer.
All entries are ranked on five categories: Visual quality (just how pretty/weird/stylistic does it look), re-watchability (does it change at all? Now that Netflix has developed a new “skip intro” button, how willing will you be to press it when the intro starts?), audio quality (How good is the music and does it fit the series?), re-listenability (same for re-watchability, just for the music), and the overall encapsulation of the show- how much are we drawn in by this introduction and how excited does it get us for what comes after it?
Also, we’re only considering Netflix original series, with no series pickups, which means that series like Arrested Development and Black Mirror, which were picked up from FOX and Channel 4, respectively, will not be included.
Honorable Mentions
The Crown
All entries are ranked on five categories: Visual quality (just how pretty/weird/stylistic does it look), re-watchability (does it change at all? Now that Netflix has developed a new “skip intro” button, how willing will you be to press it when the intro starts?), audio quality (How good is the music and does it fit the series?), re-listenability (same for re-watchability, just for the music), and the overall encapsulation of the show- how much are we drawn in by this introduction and how excited does it get us for what comes after it?
Also, we’re only considering Netflix original series, with no series pickups, which means that series like Arrested Development and Black Mirror, which were picked up from FOX and Channel 4, respectively, will not be included.
Honorable Mentions
The Crown
Length: 1 minute, 10 seconds
Design: Patrick Clair
Music: Hans Zimmer
One of Netflix’s more recent critically successful shows is The Crown, which follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II (played by Claire Foy), from the 1940s to today. This opening credit sequence shows a rather simplistic design with a positively regal execution. A sprawling, almost liquid-like golden substance interweaves its way to form a crown, which is then taken over by shadows and darkness. The ever-swelling score by Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer helps us to understand the very weight that a crown hangs on the person wearing it. While it’s simple and not exactly the most watchable sequence in the world, The Crown reveals just enough for us to carry us into the action.
Haters Back Off!
Design: Patrick Clair
Music: Hans Zimmer
One of Netflix’s more recent critically successful shows is The Crown, which follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II (played by Claire Foy), from the 1940s to today. This opening credit sequence shows a rather simplistic design with a positively regal execution. A sprawling, almost liquid-like golden substance interweaves its way to form a crown, which is then taken over by shadows and darkness. The ever-swelling score by Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer helps us to understand the very weight that a crown hangs on the person wearing it. While it’s simple and not exactly the most watchable sequence in the world, The Crown reveals just enough for us to carry us into the action.
Haters Back Off!
Length: 25 seconds
Design: Linda del Rosario/Richard Paris
Music: Amotz Plessner
I’m not sure how keen Miranda would be about me including her on the honorable mention list for her show’s opening title. So don’t tell her, okay guys? Haters Back Off can be overwhelming. Even in just the pilot episode I was already cringing at how much Miranda there was. Her character is hilarious (and don’t get me wrong, the show’s not half bad), but she can be a little creepy. The opening sequence makes this list because it allows us to see just how creepy this fantasy world Miranda is living in really is. With some pleasant music to juxtapose the various sculptures and paintings of the singer in question, we’re treated to a slice of what Haters Back Off is all about: the immensely confident, utterly untalented, fame-obsessed force of nature that is Miranda Sings.
Narcos
Design: Linda del Rosario/Richard Paris
Music: Amotz Plessner
I’m not sure how keen Miranda would be about me including her on the honorable mention list for her show’s opening title. So don’t tell her, okay guys? Haters Back Off can be overwhelming. Even in just the pilot episode I was already cringing at how much Miranda there was. Her character is hilarious (and don’t get me wrong, the show’s not half bad), but she can be a little creepy. The opening sequence makes this list because it allows us to see just how creepy this fantasy world Miranda is living in really is. With some pleasant music to juxtapose the various sculptures and paintings of the singer in question, we’re treated to a slice of what Haters Back Off is all about: the immensely confident, utterly untalented, fame-obsessed force of nature that is Miranda Sings.
Narcos
Length: 1 minute, 29 seconds
Design: Digital Kitchen Studios
Music: “Tuyo” by Rodrigo Amrante
This intro is essentially Breaking Bad: The Period Version. Using more juxtaposition with Rodrigo Amrante’s song “Tuyo,” combined with computer-generated imagery of real-life events surrounding Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, Narcos effectively reels us in with all the background information we could want. While it does establish setting and mood for us, it’s a “you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen it a million times” intro.
Marco Polo
Design: Digital Kitchen Studios
Music: “Tuyo” by Rodrigo Amrante
This intro is essentially Breaking Bad: The Period Version. Using more juxtaposition with Rodrigo Amrante’s song “Tuyo,” combined with computer-generated imagery of real-life events surrounding Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, Narcos effectively reels us in with all the background information we could want. While it does establish setting and mood for us, it’s a “you’ve seen it once, you’ve seen it a million times” intro.
Marco Polo
Length: 1 minute, 37 seconds
Design: Ben Smith and Bruce Wymer
Music: Daniele Luppi
This gorgeous title sequence combines artistic techniques from the 13th century, and combines them with technology from the 21st century. Designers Ben Smith and Bruce Wymer experimented with calligraphic imagery, dripping ink onto paintings sketched with water. The flowing effect seen in the credits sequence is all done with high speed cameras (the whole process is explained more thoroughly in this behind the scenes video https://vimeo.com/114565666 ). Daniele Luppi’s haunting score provides a journeyman’s anthem reminiscent of Ennio Morricone (says executive producer John Fusco http://www.john-fusco.com/the-music-of-marco-polo/ ), and takes us with Marco on his journey through the Far East. Luppi’s music earned her a nomination at the 67th Primetime Creative Arts Emmys for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music. It’s a shame the show couldn’t be as good as its title sequence; Marco Polo was cancelled after two seasons, the first cancelled original series for Netflix.
Sense8
Design: Ben Smith and Bruce Wymer
Music: Daniele Luppi
This gorgeous title sequence combines artistic techniques from the 13th century, and combines them with technology from the 21st century. Designers Ben Smith and Bruce Wymer experimented with calligraphic imagery, dripping ink onto paintings sketched with water. The flowing effect seen in the credits sequence is all done with high speed cameras (the whole process is explained more thoroughly in this behind the scenes video https://vimeo.com/114565666 ). Daniele Luppi’s haunting score provides a journeyman’s anthem reminiscent of Ennio Morricone (says executive producer John Fusco http://www.john-fusco.com/the-music-of-marco-polo/ ), and takes us with Marco on his journey through the Far East. Luppi’s music earned her a nomination at the 67th Primetime Creative Arts Emmys for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music. It’s a shame the show couldn’t be as good as its title sequence; Marco Polo was cancelled after two seasons, the first cancelled original series for Netflix.
Sense8
Length: 1 minute, 50 seconds
Design: Karin Winslow Wachowski
Music: Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer
Think of Sense8 like House of Cards: a super long title sequence, featuring slow-motion, fast-cutting shots to many different locations, with increasingly intense music building throughout. With the Wachowskis attached to the project, however, imaginations everywhere are sure to take a beating, as the two filmmakers have a tendency to mess with our heads with every shot. While we meet many different people (I shouldn’t say “meet,” but you get it) around the world, and the sections of the planet are breathtaking, the show is about connections. The jump cuts to seemingly unrelated parts of the planet don’t fit. On top of that, it’s nearly two minutes of introduction. That’s not to say it’s bad; the music is pretty good, and I’m all for panoramic nature shots. But it’s too damn long. Seriously.
The Top 10:
10. Marvel's Jessica Jones
Design: Karin Winslow Wachowski
Music: Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer
Think of Sense8 like House of Cards: a super long title sequence, featuring slow-motion, fast-cutting shots to many different locations, with increasingly intense music building throughout. With the Wachowskis attached to the project, however, imaginations everywhere are sure to take a beating, as the two filmmakers have a tendency to mess with our heads with every shot. While we meet many different people (I shouldn’t say “meet,” but you get it) around the world, and the sections of the planet are breathtaking, the show is about connections. The jump cuts to seemingly unrelated parts of the planet don’t fit. On top of that, it’s nearly two minutes of introduction. That’s not to say it’s bad; the music is pretty good, and I’m all for panoramic nature shots. But it’s too damn long. Seriously.
The Top 10:
10. Marvel's Jessica Jones
Length: 1 minute, 8 seconds
Design: Imaginary Forces
Music: Sean Callery
The two Marvel Netflix shows on this list are fairly comparable to one another. Jessica Jones’s intro begins slow and jumbled: a smooth jazz score and some grainy imagery of a woman traversing the streets of New York. The score explodes into a rip-snorting guitar solo, punctuated by an urgent array of strings, while the visuals of the city become more and more erratic. It’s a “detective” vibe that transforms into full-on superhero. The seedy imagery is just grainy enough for us to be confused at first, but slowly pick up new things with each viewing. Paired with many vibrant colors, this intro takes us deep into the mind of Marvel’s resident private eye.
9. Bloodline
Design: Imaginary Forces
Music: Sean Callery
The two Marvel Netflix shows on this list are fairly comparable to one another. Jessica Jones’s intro begins slow and jumbled: a smooth jazz score and some grainy imagery of a woman traversing the streets of New York. The score explodes into a rip-snorting guitar solo, punctuated by an urgent array of strings, while the visuals of the city become more and more erratic. It’s a “detective” vibe that transforms into full-on superhero. The seedy imagery is just grainy enough for us to be confused at first, but slowly pick up new things with each viewing. Paired with many vibrant colors, this intro takes us deep into the mind of Marvel’s resident private eye.
9. Bloodline
Length: 1 minute, 14 seconds
Design: Nik Kleverov
Music: “The Water Lets You In,” by Book of Fears
A setting like the Florida Keys can be beautiful- until a hurricane rolls in and provides a healthy bit of devastation. That’s what we’re dealing with for Bloodline, which deals with a group of adult siblings grappling with their secrets and inner demons when the black sheep brother returns home. Just like Sense8 and House of Cards, Bloodline plays with the time-lapse trick, but stays in one spot and lets the weather do the talking. Paired with it is the band Book of Fears, which provides a stylistic, yet melancholy feel for the show.
8. A Series of Unfortunate Events
Design: Nik Kleverov
Music: “The Water Lets You In,” by Book of Fears
A setting like the Florida Keys can be beautiful- until a hurricane rolls in and provides a healthy bit of devastation. That’s what we’re dealing with for Bloodline, which deals with a group of adult siblings grappling with their secrets and inner demons when the black sheep brother returns home. Just like Sense8 and House of Cards, Bloodline plays with the time-lapse trick, but stays in one spot and lets the weather do the talking. Paired with it is the band Book of Fears, which provides a stylistic, yet melancholy feel for the show.
8. A Series of Unfortunate Events
Length: 1 minute, 17 seconds
Design: Stuart Bass
Music: Nick Urata & Daniel Handler, performed by Neil Patrick Harris
If you are in need of a happy and delightful opening sequence, you may want to look elsewhere. The opening to A Series of Unfortunate Events, adapted from the children’s book series of the same name, is a highly-stylized visual sequence, paired with an unexpectedly quirky and darkly funny theme song. Ripe with visual imagery, not only playing with the idea of complex conspiracy theory webs, but also throwing in images fans know and love (the eye, V.F.D., etc) for some added fun. The title song, “Look away” is performed by Neil Patrick Harris, who also happens to play the dreaded antagonist Count Olaf in the series. In every episode, the intro lyrics are different, summing up the main idea of the upcoming episode, while also foreshadowing into the future. Harris (as Olaf) contributes his character’s varying disguises to the song, stirring up the villainy even more. While he warns of the show “wrecking our evening, our home lives and our days,” this intro makes us hungry for more misfortune of our favorite orphans. Look away, we will certainly not.
7. Grace and Frankie
Design: Stuart Bass
Music: Nick Urata & Daniel Handler, performed by Neil Patrick Harris
If you are in need of a happy and delightful opening sequence, you may want to look elsewhere. The opening to A Series of Unfortunate Events, adapted from the children’s book series of the same name, is a highly-stylized visual sequence, paired with an unexpectedly quirky and darkly funny theme song. Ripe with visual imagery, not only playing with the idea of complex conspiracy theory webs, but also throwing in images fans know and love (the eye, V.F.D., etc) for some added fun. The title song, “Look away” is performed by Neil Patrick Harris, who also happens to play the dreaded antagonist Count Olaf in the series. In every episode, the intro lyrics are different, summing up the main idea of the upcoming episode, while also foreshadowing into the future. Harris (as Olaf) contributes his character’s varying disguises to the song, stirring up the villainy even more. While he warns of the show “wrecking our evening, our home lives and our days,” this intro makes us hungry for more misfortune of our favorite orphans. Look away, we will certainly not.
7. Grace and Frankie
Length: 40 seconds
Design: Mr. X
Music: “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Grace Potter
This intro is short, sweet, and to the point. We’ve got Grace and Frankie, whose husbands end up leaving the two women for each other. Did I mention? Grace and Frankie hate each other. That’s the way the cookie (or in this case, cake) crumbles. Featuring an infectious cover of the Stealers Wheels song “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Grace Potter, and an adorable yet simple design of wedding cake figurines re-enacting the story for us, this will have you tapping your feet and smiling right into the meat of the show- before the show moves you to tears, of course. The only thing about this- I wish we could hear a full version of Potter’s cover instead of a 40 second snippet.
6. Marvel's Daredevil
Design: Mr. X
Music: “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Grace Potter
This intro is short, sweet, and to the point. We’ve got Grace and Frankie, whose husbands end up leaving the two women for each other. Did I mention? Grace and Frankie hate each other. That’s the way the cookie (or in this case, cake) crumbles. Featuring an infectious cover of the Stealers Wheels song “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Grace Potter, and an adorable yet simple design of wedding cake figurines re-enacting the story for us, this will have you tapping your feet and smiling right into the meat of the show- before the show moves you to tears, of course. The only thing about this- I wish we could hear a full version of Potter’s cover instead of a 40 second snippet.
6. Marvel's Daredevil
Length: 1 minute, 2 seconds
Design: Elastic
Music: John Paesano
A beautiful, blood soaked introduction is the defining feature for Marvel’s Daredevil. It’s the perfect length for an intro, clocking in at just over a minute, but the driving music composed by John Paesano makes it go by even faster. Elastic’s production design is both menacing and entrancing, as Matt Murdock’s world slowly floats into focus in this hypnotic main title. Utilizing few colors other than red and allowing topography to play a major factor in the creation of the images on screen, it’s almost as if the figures on screen are slowly coming into focus, the way a blind man learns to feel his surroundings using his sense of spatial awareness and touch. It’s a haunting, beautiful, thought-provoking introduction to one of Marvel’s most underrated superheroes.
5. Orange is the New Black
Design: Elastic
Music: John Paesano
A beautiful, blood soaked introduction is the defining feature for Marvel’s Daredevil. It’s the perfect length for an intro, clocking in at just over a minute, but the driving music composed by John Paesano makes it go by even faster. Elastic’s production design is both menacing and entrancing, as Matt Murdock’s world slowly floats into focus in this hypnotic main title. Utilizing few colors other than red and allowing topography to play a major factor in the creation of the images on screen, it’s almost as if the figures on screen are slowly coming into focus, the way a blind man learns to feel his surroundings using his sense of spatial awareness and touch. It’s a haunting, beautiful, thought-provoking introduction to one of Marvel’s most underrated superheroes.
5. Orange is the New Black
Length: 1 minute, 14 seconds
Design: Thomas Cobb Group
Music: “You’ve Got Time” by Regina Spektor
There are many secrets behind the main title for Orange is the New Black. At first watch, we get a kickass Regina Spektor song with a multitude of jump cuts to the faces (mouths, noses, eyes) of different women who are similar to the incarcerated women in the show. After some research, we learn that the women in the intro are not the actors in the show, but in fact real life women, all of whom are former prison inmates (including the real-life Piper Chapman, whose smile is seen in the video at about the 1-minute mark). Designer Thomas Cobb instructed the women seen in the intro to think of different places, people, and memories that evoked different emotions http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/20/orange-is-the-new-black-opening-credits_n_3786127.html , which works to great effect, as we’re given a raw look at the women that inspire the layered, emotional comedy drama.
4. House of Cards
Design: Thomas Cobb Group
Music: “You’ve Got Time” by Regina Spektor
There are many secrets behind the main title for Orange is the New Black. At first watch, we get a kickass Regina Spektor song with a multitude of jump cuts to the faces (mouths, noses, eyes) of different women who are similar to the incarcerated women in the show. After some research, we learn that the women in the intro are not the actors in the show, but in fact real life women, all of whom are former prison inmates (including the real-life Piper Chapman, whose smile is seen in the video at about the 1-minute mark). Designer Thomas Cobb instructed the women seen in the intro to think of different places, people, and memories that evoked different emotions http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/20/orange-is-the-new-black-opening-credits_n_3786127.html , which works to great effect, as we’re given a raw look at the women that inspire the layered, emotional comedy drama.
4. House of Cards
Length: 1 minute, 31 seconds
Design: Andrew Geraci
Music: Jeff Beal
Once more, we have a time-lapse introduction. This time, we’re taking to Washington, D.C. to see the dry, cold political world of the American political scene. The shots of certain famous D.C. landmarks are gorgeous, as we see places like Nationals Park and the Kennedy Center in the background of some of the shots. Jeff Beal’s music slowly builds from a singular bass guitar to include sweeping violins, dark cellos, and even a faint trumpet (Beal’s signature instrument), giving the music a hint of quintessential American-ism (fun things to look for include certain lights that pop on as certain percussion beats hit).It’s also worth noting that the theme music changes slightly every season, as Beal decides to add different instruments or qualities, as if another obstacle has been thrown into the path of Frank Underwood, our ambitious anti-hero politician. Much like Beal’s music builds, the visuals change from a bright, clear day, to overcast, cloudy skies, to a dark knight. Overall, the House of Cards main title is incredibly menacing; it’s almost like we’re slowly seeing the shroud of Frank Underwood close in on America’s highest seat of power. The credits are 90 seconds long (which is over 20 minutes of buildings if you watch every episode in a season without skipping the intro), but I don’t care. I’ll never get tired of this one. Welcome to Washington.
3. Stranger Things
Design: Andrew Geraci
Music: Jeff Beal
Once more, we have a time-lapse introduction. This time, we’re taking to Washington, D.C. to see the dry, cold political world of the American political scene. The shots of certain famous D.C. landmarks are gorgeous, as we see places like Nationals Park and the Kennedy Center in the background of some of the shots. Jeff Beal’s music slowly builds from a singular bass guitar to include sweeping violins, dark cellos, and even a faint trumpet (Beal’s signature instrument), giving the music a hint of quintessential American-ism (fun things to look for include certain lights that pop on as certain percussion beats hit).It’s also worth noting that the theme music changes slightly every season, as Beal decides to add different instruments or qualities, as if another obstacle has been thrown into the path of Frank Underwood, our ambitious anti-hero politician. Much like Beal’s music builds, the visuals change from a bright, clear day, to overcast, cloudy skies, to a dark knight. Overall, the House of Cards main title is incredibly menacing; it’s almost like we’re slowly seeing the shroud of Frank Underwood close in on America’s highest seat of power. The credits are 90 seconds long (which is over 20 minutes of buildings if you watch every episode in a season without skipping the intro), but I don’t care. I’ll never get tired of this one. Welcome to Washington.
3. Stranger Things
Length: 54 seconds
Design: Imaginary Forces
Music: Michael Stein & Kyle Dixon
If you want style, Stranger Things has it. The opening title is far and away the most stylized on this list. A simple design with nothing more than different shots of red lines that eventually form together to make the title of the show, the sequence makes some subtle nods to film directors like John Carpenter and writers like Stephen King. With a heavy synth score by Michael Stein & Kyle Dixon, we see elements of famous horror films like The Dead Zone coming to the forefront of the design. Finally, the show title's font is very similar to 80s print media; it uses the font Benguiat, which is also found on many a Stephen King novel, and many Choose Your Own Adventure books. Sometimes, simple is better, but the Stranger Things title has so many secrets to unpack, as its barrage of homages to 80s pop culture is undeniable and utterly infectious.
2. BoJack Horseman
Design: Imaginary Forces
Music: Michael Stein & Kyle Dixon
If you want style, Stranger Things has it. The opening title is far and away the most stylized on this list. A simple design with nothing more than different shots of red lines that eventually form together to make the title of the show, the sequence makes some subtle nods to film directors like John Carpenter and writers like Stephen King. With a heavy synth score by Michael Stein & Kyle Dixon, we see elements of famous horror films like The Dead Zone coming to the forefront of the design. Finally, the show title's font is very similar to 80s print media; it uses the font Benguiat, which is also found on many a Stephen King novel, and many Choose Your Own Adventure books. Sometimes, simple is better, but the Stranger Things title has so many secrets to unpack, as its barrage of homages to 80s pop culture is undeniable and utterly infectious.
2. BoJack Horseman
Length: 53 seconds
Design: Mike Roberts
Music: Patrick Carney
A weird show with a weird intro sequence to boot. The three seasons of BoJack Horseman are reflected in its theme song, written by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys (not to mention the outro song is really great as well). The first season is a lot like the song's intro: wacky, disoriented, and not exactly sure where to go. The last two thirds are much like the second and third seasons: much, much stronger. The more you hear the intro, the more you learn to love it. And then there's the animation design, done by Mike Roberts. We're introduced to our titular horse's world, populated by the cast of loony characters that comprise his life. In the middle of all this is BoJack, a washed-up celebrity who's not sure where he wants to go, stuck in the doldrums of figuring out what it means to truly be happy. With each passing season (and in some cases, each passing episode), BoJack is shown drifting through different backgrounds, each one reflecting on the events of the current storyline- a bit of an inside joke for serious watchers. Despite all these background changes, it's a bittersweet and ultimately morbidly depressing mood, as we see that no matter how hard BoJack tries (or doesn't try), he struggles to find his place both within Hollywoo (Hollywoo. Watch the show) and within himself. I think we're all BoJack at some point or another in our lives, and this main title sequence reinforces that perfectly.
1. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Design: Mike Roberts
Music: Patrick Carney
A weird show with a weird intro sequence to boot. The three seasons of BoJack Horseman are reflected in its theme song, written by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys (not to mention the outro song is really great as well). The first season is a lot like the song's intro: wacky, disoriented, and not exactly sure where to go. The last two thirds are much like the second and third seasons: much, much stronger. The more you hear the intro, the more you learn to love it. And then there's the animation design, done by Mike Roberts. We're introduced to our titular horse's world, populated by the cast of loony characters that comprise his life. In the middle of all this is BoJack, a washed-up celebrity who's not sure where he wants to go, stuck in the doldrums of figuring out what it means to truly be happy. With each passing season (and in some cases, each passing episode), BoJack is shown drifting through different backgrounds, each one reflecting on the events of the current storyline- a bit of an inside joke for serious watchers. Despite all these background changes, it's a bittersweet and ultimately morbidly depressing mood, as we see that no matter how hard BoJack tries (or doesn't try), he struggles to find his place both within Hollywoo (Hollywoo. Watch the show) and within himself. I think we're all BoJack at some point or another in our lives, and this main title sequence reinforces that perfectly.
1. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Length: 30 seconds
Design: Emily Oberman
Music: Jeff Richmond
A sitcom about a former cult kidnapping victim, mixed in with a healthy dose of autotune. This wackiness defines Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Jeff Richmond, who also did the theme music for 30 Rock, composed the music for Kimmy Schmidt, a show created by his wife, Tina Fey. We see a theme that utilizes techniques created by The Gregory Brothers, YouTubers famous for their "Auto-Tune the News" videos. Together, the composers have made the phrases "it's a miiiiiracle!" and "females are strong as hell" household lines to any fans of the show. Clocking in at 30 seconds (the second shortest on this list), we're treated to a quick intro to Kimmy's background and the premise of the show, and we completely understand that this dark subject will indeed be a wacky, light-hearted sitcom. It is the perfect embellishment of the traditional sitcom theme (the show is an embellishment of the traditional sitcom itself), and it earns the top spot on this list, dammit!
The next month is huge for Netflix. Master of None’s second season premieres on May 12th, and the third season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt returns on May 19th. Bloodline’s final season premieres on May 26th. House of Cards returns for a fifth season on May 30th, the same for Orange is the New Black, which comes back on June 9th. It’s gonna be a big spring- there’s something for everyone.
Design: Emily Oberman
Music: Jeff Richmond
A sitcom about a former cult kidnapping victim, mixed in with a healthy dose of autotune. This wackiness defines Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Jeff Richmond, who also did the theme music for 30 Rock, composed the music for Kimmy Schmidt, a show created by his wife, Tina Fey. We see a theme that utilizes techniques created by The Gregory Brothers, YouTubers famous for their "Auto-Tune the News" videos. Together, the composers have made the phrases "it's a miiiiiracle!" and "females are strong as hell" household lines to any fans of the show. Clocking in at 30 seconds (the second shortest on this list), we're treated to a quick intro to Kimmy's background and the premise of the show, and we completely understand that this dark subject will indeed be a wacky, light-hearted sitcom. It is the perfect embellishment of the traditional sitcom theme (the show is an embellishment of the traditional sitcom itself), and it earns the top spot on this list, dammit!
The next month is huge for Netflix. Master of None’s second season premieres on May 12th, and the third season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt returns on May 19th. Bloodline’s final season premieres on May 26th. House of Cards returns for a fifth season on May 30th, the same for Orange is the New Black, which comes back on June 9th. It’s gonna be a big spring- there’s something for everyone.
For Your Consideration- 71st Annual Tony Awards Predictions
Frank Underwood is a theatre kid at heart: Kevin Spacey will host this year's Tony Awards.
Edit: Updates made on 4/28/17 after another round of rulings from the Tony committee.
I was in New York for the first time in a while last weekend, and I treated myself to a little mini vacation. I ended up seeing four shows in three days. I am very tired. But I’d gladly see any of the four I saw again. All four shows were unique in their own way, and each one provided a unique, visceral, emotional experience that made me love what I do and made me so excited to move to New York.
The 2016-17 Broadway season has been full of imaginative and wholly impressive theatre. And because we don’t have a dominating force like Hamilton in the mix this year, the 71st Tony Awards should be more than interesting, as there’s some great competition to be had all across the board.
I was in New York for the first time in a while last weekend, and I treated myself to a little mini vacation. I ended up seeing four shows in three days. I am very tired. But I’d gladly see any of the four I saw again. All four shows were unique in their own way, and each one provided a unique, visceral, emotional experience that made me love what I do and made me so excited to move to New York.
The 2016-17 Broadway season has been full of imaginative and wholly impressive theatre. And because we don’t have a dominating force like Hamilton in the mix this year, the 71st Tony Awards should be more than interesting, as there’s some great competition to be had all across the board.
Ben Platt (center) steps into the spotlight as the titular character in Dear Evan Hansen.
The big race for Best Musical appears to be between Dear Evan Hansen- the definition of “new musical theatre,” featuring a young, awkward, anti-social leading man (if you did theatre in high school, I’m sure you can relate), relevant topics (tackling suicide and fitting in, among others), and a rock score by Pasek and Paul, who have had a HUGE last 12 months between this and La La Land- and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. Great Comet has gathered a huge following since it moved from the American Repertory Theatre to Broadway, partially due to its Russian folk/rock/EDM score, but also partially due to its incredible, tech-heavy set. Great Comet scenic designer Mimi Lien converted the Imperial Theatre into a Russian dinner club (as seen below). It doesn’t hurt to have Josh Groban in your cast, either.
Everyone's favorite choir boy, Josh Groban (right) helms the cast of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.
Each show has its reasons why it should win. Each show also has its reasons why it shouldn’t win.
Allow me to give you a third door, should you not feel like supporting either of those shows.
Come From Away.
Allow me to give you a third door, should you not feel like supporting either of those shows.
Come From Away.
Jean Colella (left) and the company of Come From Away.
A musical about the aftermath of September 11th, 2001 has the potential to go very, very wrong. Come From Away, which tells the story of the people of Gander, Newfoundland, who took in over 7,000 passengers from all over the world after their flights were diverted away from the United States, does literally everything right. The music, first and foremost, is great, combining rock with traditional Irish (with some Titanic thrown in there for good measure), but the characters, who take their words straight from interviews of these people, make us fall in love, give us hope, and help us understand that “because we come from everywhere, we all come from away.” If complicated Russian novels and pop-rock high school psychology aren’t your thing, Come From Away is a show with a message of acceptance, tolerance, and decency that we all can relate to.
And so, with awards season upon us, I present my predictions for the nominations of the 71st Tony Awards.
Now, something about making a Tony prediction list: it’s very difficult. Way more difficult than I could have thought. I have my speculations, obviously, but it’s hard for me to see all of these shows (theatre is expensive and I don’t live in New York). There is a lot of guessing involved here. Hopefully it’s good, educated guessing. So here we go.
And so, with awards season upon us, I present my predictions for the nominations of the 71st Tony Awards.
Now, something about making a Tony prediction list: it’s very difficult. Way more difficult than I could have thought. I have my speculations, obviously, but it’s hard for me to see all of these shows (theatre is expensive and I don’t live in New York). There is a lot of guessing involved here. Hopefully it’s good, educated guessing. So here we go.
Best Musical:
Christy Altomare in Anastasia, the adaptation of the Dreamworks animated film.
- Anastasia
- Come From Away
- Dear Evan Hansen
- Groundhog Day
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Look out for: War Paint
How refreshing is it to have three original musicals not based on films? Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, and Great Comet are my three locks. Anastasia, the adaptation of the 1997 animated film (I use the term "adaptation" loosely), takes a new spin on the well-known tale of the fabled Russian princess, and has been fairly well received since its opening. Groundhog Day, another 90s film adaptation, is fresh off its run in the West End, and makes its debut in New York to similar rave reviews. People are also pulling for Andy Karl because of that whole "show must go on" thing with his knee.
- Come From Away
- Dear Evan Hansen
- Groundhog Day
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Look out for: War Paint
How refreshing is it to have three original musicals not based on films? Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, and Great Comet are my three locks. Anastasia, the adaptation of the 1997 animated film (I use the term "adaptation" loosely), takes a new spin on the well-known tale of the fabled Russian princess, and has been fairly well received since its opening. Groundhog Day, another 90s film adaptation, is fresh off its run in the West End, and makes its debut in New York to similar rave reviews. People are also pulling for Andy Karl because of that whole "show must go on" thing with his knee.
Best Play:
Jennifer Ehle (left) and Jefferson Mays (right) in J.T. Rogers' Oslo, about the 1993 Oslo Accords.
- A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Indecent
- Oslo
- The Play That Goes Wrong
- Sweat
Look out for: Significant Other
The Best Play race is down to really, a three horse race: First is J.T. Roger's historical drama, Oslo, which tells an against-all-odds story about a Norwegian husband-and-wife diplomat team coordinating peace talks between Israel and Palestine, which culminated in the Oslo accords in 1993. Another is Pulitzer-Prize winner Paula Vogel's Indecent, which tells the story of a play nearly lost to history- the 1923 Broadway staging of Sholem Asch's "God of Vengeance," which prompted authorities to shut down the piece and charge Asch on grounds of obscenity. The third is Lynn Nottage's Sweat, which won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Keep an aye out for Lucas Hnath's A Doll's House, Part 2, which is an unexpectedly fantastic sequel to the Ibsen classic, and for the hilarious The Play That Goes Wrong.
- Indecent
- Oslo
- The Play That Goes Wrong
- Sweat
Look out for: Significant Other
The Best Play race is down to really, a three horse race: First is J.T. Roger's historical drama, Oslo, which tells an against-all-odds story about a Norwegian husband-and-wife diplomat team coordinating peace talks between Israel and Palestine, which culminated in the Oslo accords in 1993. Another is Pulitzer-Prize winner Paula Vogel's Indecent, which tells the story of a play nearly lost to history- the 1923 Broadway staging of Sholem Asch's "God of Vengeance," which prompted authorities to shut down the piece and charge Asch on grounds of obscenity. The third is Lynn Nottage's Sweat, which won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Keep an aye out for Lucas Hnath's A Doll's House, Part 2, which is an unexpectedly fantastic sequel to the Ibsen classic, and for the hilarious The Play That Goes Wrong.
Best Revival of a Musical:
Christian Borle, Andrew Rannels, Anthony Rosenthal, and Stephanie J. Block in this season's revival of William Finn's Falsettos.
- Cats
- Falsettos
- Hello, Dolly!
- Miss Saigon
- Sunset Boulevard
Musical to be potentially excluded: Miss Saigon
So there are only five eligible musical revivals this year (Sunday In the Park with George withdrew itself from consideration), so I'm nominating all of them. Will the Tony committee do the same? Or will they keep it to two or three? If I were to hazard a guess, I think it will be the latter. If they cut it from five, Miss Saigon will be the first to go.
- Falsettos
- Hello, Dolly!
- Miss Saigon
- Sunset Boulevard
Musical to be potentially excluded: Miss Saigon
So there are only five eligible musical revivals this year (Sunday In the Park with George withdrew itself from consideration), so I'm nominating all of them. Will the Tony committee do the same? Or will they keep it to two or three? If I were to hazard a guess, I think it will be the latter. If they cut it from five, Miss Saigon will be the first to go.
Best Revival of a Play:
Joe Mantello and Sally Field in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.
- Arthur Miller’s The Price
- The Glass Menagerie
- The Front Page
- Jitney
- Six Degrees of Separation
Look out for: Present Laughter
A very deep category this year, the Best Revival of a Play nominees boast some big titles with some even bigger names attached. Included in these plays are names like Mark Ruffalo, Danny Devito, Tony Shalhoub, Joe Mantello, Sally Field, Nathan Lane, John Goodman, and Allison Janney.
- The Glass Menagerie
- The Front Page
- Jitney
- Six Degrees of Separation
Look out for: Present Laughter
A very deep category this year, the Best Revival of a Play nominees boast some big titles with some even bigger names attached. Included in these plays are names like Mark Ruffalo, Danny Devito, Tony Shalhoub, Joe Mantello, Sally Field, Nathan Lane, John Goodman, and Allison Janney.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Andy Karl (center) and the company of Groundhog Day.
- Jon Jon Briones, Miss Saigon
- Christian Borle, Falsettos
- Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
- Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Look out for: David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
The acting categories are where it gets really fun. Ben Platt appears to be the front runner, but everyone is all aboard the Andy Karl train, particularly since he made his comeback after hurting his leg during a performance. If anyone gets bumped, it'll have to be either Josh Groban or Jon Jon Briones, who makes a fantastic turn as The Engineer. David Hyde Pierce's Horace Vandergelder is some stiff competition.
- Christian Borle, Falsettos
- Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
- Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Look out for: David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
The acting categories are where it gets really fun. Ben Platt appears to be the front runner, but everyone is all aboard the Andy Karl train, particularly since he made his comeback after hurting his leg during a performance. If anyone gets bumped, it'll have to be either Josh Groban or Jon Jon Briones, who makes a fantastic turn as The Engineer. David Hyde Pierce's Horace Vandergelder is some stiff competition.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical:
QUEEN. Bette Midler makes a triumphant return to Broadway as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!
- Christy Altomare, Anastasia
- Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Christine Ebersole, War Paint
- Patti Lupone, War Paint
- Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Look out for: Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
Three living legends. Two extraordinary young ladies (three if you could count Eva). This is a category bursting with talent. I could see all five of these women winning the big one come June 11th. No qualms about that.
- Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Christine Ebersole, War Paint
- Patti Lupone, War Paint
- Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Look out for: Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
Three living legends. Two extraordinary young ladies (three if you could count Eva). This is a category bursting with talent. I could see all five of these women winning the big one come June 11th. No qualms about that.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play:
Cobie Smulders (left) and Kevin Kline (right) in Noel Coward's comedy, Present Laughter.
- Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
- Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
- Joe Mantello, The Glass Menagerie
- Richard Roxburgh, The Present
- Harry Shields, The Play That Goes Wrong
Look out for: Jefferson Mays, Oslo
This field doesn't look like your typical "Best Actor in a Play" field. Gone are the days of the James Earl Jones/Philip Seymour Hoffman/Frank Langella/John Lithgow-crowded categories. While all of these actors are veterans of their craft, it'll truly be interesting to see who the five named in this category will be.
- Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
- Joe Mantello, The Glass Menagerie
- Richard Roxburgh, The Present
- Harry Shields, The Play That Goes Wrong
Look out for: Jefferson Mays, Oslo
This field doesn't look like your typical "Best Actor in a Play" field. Gone are the days of the James Earl Jones/Philip Seymour Hoffman/Frank Langella/John Lithgow-crowded categories. While all of these actors are veterans of their craft, it'll truly be interesting to see who the five named in this category will be.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play:
Seven-time Primetime Emmy Winner Allison Janney and John Benjamin Hickey in Six Degrees of Separation.
- Cate Blanchett, The Present
- Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
- Allison Janney, Six Degrees of Separation
- Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
- Laurie Metcalf, A Doll's House, Part 2
Look out for: Mary-Louise Parker, Heisenberg
Since Cynthia Nixon is now considered for the Featured Actress in a Play category (she was originally projected for this one), the field is now wide open for Laurie Metcalf to take her slot. So, which A-list celebrity does the theatre community want to hang out with on Tony night? Combined (including the newly added Mary-Louise Parker), these six actresses have garnered a total of four Academy Awards (with 13 nominations), EIGHTEEN Primetime Emmy Awards (with 41 nominations), and 11 Tony nominations (with one win). You want star power? You got star power.
- Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
- Allison Janney, Six Degrees of Separation
- Laura Linney, The Little Foxes
- Laurie Metcalf, A Doll's House, Part 2
Look out for: Mary-Louise Parker, Heisenberg
Since Cynthia Nixon is now considered for the Featured Actress in a Play category (she was originally projected for this one), the field is now wide open for Laurie Metcalf to take her slot. So, which A-list celebrity does the theatre community want to hang out with on Tony night? Combined (including the newly added Mary-Louise Parker), these six actresses have garnered a total of four Academy Awards (with 13 nominations), EIGHTEEN Primetime Emmy Awards (with 41 nominations), and 11 Tony nominations (with one win). You want star power? You got star power.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Joel Hatch (center) leads the company of Come From Away.
- Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
- Joel Hatch, Come From Away
- Michael Park, Dear Evan Hansen
- Andrew Rannels, Falsettos
- Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Look out for: Lee MacDougall, Come From Away
The Best Featured Actor in a Musical category is stacked. None of these men have ever won a Tony, and one of them will be well deserving of one. If I could nominate all the men from Come From Away, I would.
- Joel Hatch, Come From Away
- Michael Park, Dear Evan Hansen
- Andrew Rannels, Falsettos
- Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Look out for: Lee MacDougall, Come From Away
The Best Featured Actor in a Musical category is stacked. None of these men have ever won a Tony, and one of them will be well deserving of one. If I could nominate all the men from Come From Away, I would.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Ben Platt (left) and Rachel Bay Jones (right) as Evan and Heidi Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen.
- Brittain Ashford, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
- Jean Colella, Come From Away
- Laura Dreyfuss, Dear Evan Hansen
- Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Look out for: Jennifer Laura Thompson, Dear Evan Hansen
While the category may be stacked with talents from Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen and Great Comet, there's one name that stands out: Stephanie J. Block. She's never won a Tony and is WELL overdue for one.
- Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
- Jean Colella, Come From Away
- Laura Dreyfuss, Dear Evan Hansen
- Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Look out for: Jennifer Laura Thompson, Dear Evan Hansen
While the category may be stacked with talents from Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen and Great Comet, there's one name that stands out: Stephanie J. Block. She's never won a Tony and is WELL overdue for one.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play:
André Holland and Carra Patterson in the revival of August Wilson's Jitney.
- John Benjamin Hickey, Six Degrees of Separation
- André Holland, Jitney
- Nathan Lane, The Front Page
- Richard Topol, Indecent
- Harold Parrineau, The Cherry Orchard
Look out for: John Goodman, The Front Page
Five poignant and nuanced performances populate the Best Featured Actor in a Play category, with no clear front runner right out of the gate. Plays like Jitney, The Front Page, and The Cherry Orchard all have large casts with multiple actors who could land themselves a nomination. Don't count out anyone from The Play That Goes Wrong, either.
- André Holland, Jitney
- Nathan Lane, The Front Page
- Richard Topol, Indecent
- Harold Parrineau, The Cherry Orchard
Look out for: John Goodman, The Front Page
Five poignant and nuanced performances populate the Best Featured Actor in a Play category, with no clear front runner right out of the gate. Plays like Jitney, The Front Page, and The Cherry Orchard all have large casts with multiple actors who could land themselves a nomination. Don't count out anyone from The Play That Goes Wrong, either.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play:
Adina Verson (left) and Katrina Lenk (right) star in Indecent.
- Katrina Lenk, Indecent
- Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
- Charlie Russell, The Play That Goes Wrong
- Cobie Smulders, Present Laughter
Look out for: Joanna Day, Sweat or Sas Goldberg, Significant Other
Robin from "How I Met Your Mother" is included in this category! It also features last year's winner for Best Actress in a Play, Jayne Houdyshell, who delivers a great performance in A Doll's House, Part 2. But could Katrina Lenk steal one and further intensify the Best Play race? Let's find out.
- Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
- Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
- Charlie Russell, The Play That Goes Wrong
- Cobie Smulders, Present Laughter
Look out for: Joanna Day, Sweat or Sas Goldberg, Significant Other
Robin from "How I Met Your Mother" is included in this category! It also features last year's winner for Best Actress in a Play, Jayne Houdyshell, who delivers a great performance in A Doll's House, Part 2. But could Katrina Lenk steal one and further intensify the Best Play race? Let's find out.
Best Direction of a Play:
The company of The Play That Goes Wrong.
- Mark Bell, The Play That Goes Wrong
- Trip Cullman, Six Degrees of Separation
- Bartlett Sher, Oslo
- Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
- Kate Whoriskey, Sweat
Look out for: Sam Gold, The Glass Menagerie
With the exception of A Doll's House, Part 2, which is mostly a bare set with a lot of talking, I'm sticking to my guns and keeping the other four projected nominees for Best Play in with the Best Direction of a Play Category. The one difference is Trip Cullman, who directed Significant Other as well this year, and is included here for his direction of Six Degrees of Separation.
- Trip Cullman, Six Degrees of Separation
- Bartlett Sher, Oslo
- Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
- Kate Whoriskey, Sweat
Look out for: Sam Gold, The Glass Menagerie
With the exception of A Doll's House, Part 2, which is mostly a bare set with a lot of talking, I'm sticking to my guns and keeping the other four projected nominees for Best Play in with the Best Direction of a Play Category. The one difference is Trip Cullman, who directed Significant Other as well this year, and is included here for his direction of Six Degrees of Separation.
Best Direction of a Musical:
The cast of Come From Away.
- Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
- Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
- Darko Tresnjak, Anastasia
- Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day
Look out for: Robert DeNiro, A Bronx Tale, The Musical OR James Lapine, Falsettos
I'm sticking to my guns here as well- all of the directors here have shows that are projected to be nominated for Best Musical. Darko Tresjnak and Matthew Warchus have both won before (Warchus for Best Director of a Play for God of Carnage, Tresnjak for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder). Will Michael Greif finally break through and win his first Tony for direction?As far as my inclusion of A Bronx Tale- it all depends on if the Tony voters want to hang out with Bob DeNiro on June 11th.
- Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
- Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
- Darko Tresnjak, Anastasia
- Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day
Look out for: Robert DeNiro, A Bronx Tale, The Musical OR James Lapine, Falsettos
I'm sticking to my guns here as well- all of the directors here have shows that are projected to be nominated for Best Musical. Darko Tresjnak and Matthew Warchus have both won before (Warchus for Best Director of a Play for God of Carnage, Tresnjak for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder). Will Michael Greif finally break through and win his first Tony for direction?As far as my inclusion of A Bronx Tale- it all depends on if the Tony voters want to hang out with Bob DeNiro on June 11th.
Best Book of a Musical:
Two legends: Christine Ebersole (left) and Patti Lupone (right) star as Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein in War Paint.
- Come From Away: Irene Sankoff & David Hein
- Dear Evan Hansen: Steven Levinson
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Dave Malloy
- War Paint: Doug Wright
Look out for: In Transit: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan & Sara Wordsworth
This is what bothers me about the Tony Awards- every category has a different number of nominees. Now we're getting into the awards with only four nominees, even though the year before last we had six nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Play. I like In Transit to steal a nomination here, only because the idea of an all a cappella musical hasn't been mounted before. I like the chances of the four-headed writing team.
- Dear Evan Hansen: Steven Levinson
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Dave Malloy
- War Paint: Doug Wright
Look out for: In Transit: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan & Sara Wordsworth
This is what bothers me about the Tony Awards- every category has a different number of nominees. Now we're getting into the awards with only four nominees, even though the year before last we had six nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Play. I like In Transit to steal a nomination here, only because the idea of an all a cappella musical hasn't been mounted before. I like the chances of the four-headed writing team.
Best Original Score:
Pasek and Paul won an Oscar earlier this year for writing the lyrics for "La La Land." Can they score another big win in June?
- Come From Away: Music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hien
- Dear Evan Hansen: Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
- Groundhog Day: Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Music and lyrics by Dave Malloy
Look out for: Bandstand: Music by Richard Oberacker, lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker
This one is pretty straightforward. If I could nominate five writing teams, I would. Unfortunately, I can't. If Bandstand is going to swap places with one of the other nominees, look for Groundhog Day to be the first to go.
- Dear Evan Hansen: Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
- Groundhog Day: Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Music and lyrics by Dave Malloy
Look out for: Bandstand: Music by Richard Oberacker, lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker
This one is pretty straightforward. If I could nominate five writing teams, I would. Unfortunately, I can't. If Bandstand is going to swap places with one of the other nominees, look for Groundhog Day to be the first to go.
Best Orchestrations:
Corey Cott and Laura Osnes (center) in Bandstand.
- Bandstand: Bill Elliott & Greg Anthony Rassen
- Come From Away: August Eriksmoen
- Dear Evan Hansen: Alex Lacamoire
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Dave Malloy
Look out for: In Transit: Deke Sharon
Again, fairly straightforward here. And while In Transit isn't orchestrated very cleverly (it's not orchestrated at all, really), the arrangements and the fact that it's an ALL A CAPPELLA musical has to carry some weight, right? By pure achievement alone?
- Come From Away: August Eriksmoen
- Dear Evan Hansen: Alex Lacamoire
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Dave Malloy
Look out for: In Transit: Deke Sharon
Again, fairly straightforward here. And while In Transit isn't orchestrated very cleverly (it's not orchestrated at all, really), the arrangements and the fact that it's an ALL A CAPPELLA musical has to carry some weight, right? By pure achievement alone?
Best Choreography:
The company of the new Irving Berlin musical, Holiday Inn.
- Amélie: Sam Pinkleton
- Bandstand: Andy Blankenbuehler
- Groundhog Day: Peter Darling & Ellen Kane
- Holiday Inn: Denis Jones
- Hello, Dolly!: Warren Carlyle
Look out for: In Transit: Kathleen Marshall
And again, we're back to five nominees. If Holiday Inn has a chance to win anything, it's the choreography award. Gershwin. Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Berlin musicals typically have large dance breaks. If Holiday Inn truly is no exception, there shouldn't be a contest in this category.
- Bandstand: Andy Blankenbuehler
- Groundhog Day: Peter Darling & Ellen Kane
- Holiday Inn: Denis Jones
- Hello, Dolly!: Warren Carlyle
Look out for: In Transit: Kathleen Marshall
And again, we're back to five nominees. If Holiday Inn has a chance to win anything, it's the choreography award. Gershwin. Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Berlin musicals typically have large dance breaks. If Holiday Inn truly is no exception, there shouldn't be a contest in this category.
Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
The sprawling, elaborate set of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.
- Anastasia: Alexander Dodge & Aaron Rhyne
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Mark Thompson
- Dear Evan Hansen: David Korins
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Mimi Lien
Look out for: A Bronx Tale The Musical: Beowulf Boritt
All of these sets are GORGEOUS. Great Comet's set is so ridiculous, we're left to wonder if there is even an audience of any kind. It's a masterwork of set design. And even if the sets aren't super dazzling, at least the projection design for some of these shows are immaculate (Anastasia and Dear Evan Hansen). And if Beowulf Boritt can't grab a nomination for A Bronx Tale, well, it proves he should have been using a Mac instead of one of those damn Windows tablets.
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Mark Thompson
- Dear Evan Hansen: David Korins
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Mimi Lien
Look out for: A Bronx Tale The Musical: Beowulf Boritt
All of these sets are GORGEOUS. Great Comet's set is so ridiculous, we're left to wonder if there is even an audience of any kind. It's a masterwork of set design. And even if the sets aren't super dazzling, at least the projection design for some of these shows are immaculate (Anastasia and Dear Evan Hansen). And if Beowulf Boritt can't grab a nomination for A Bronx Tale, well, it proves he should have been using a Mac instead of one of those damn Windows tablets.
Best Scenic Design of a Play:
The set of Roundabout Theatre Company's The Cherry Orchard. The floor of the stage is a chopped down tree. If that's not foreshadowing, I don't know what is.
- The Cherry Orchard: Scott Pask
- Jitney: David Gallo
- The Play That Goes Wrong: Nigel Hook
- Present Laughter: David Zinn
Look out for: Significant Other: Mark Wendland
Interior sets, galore! The Best Scenic Design of a Play category is just a guess on my opinion, based purely on Google Imaging. But a lot of these have beautiful interior sets. Except that one part in The Cherry Orchard where they're outside.
- Jitney: David Gallo
- The Play That Goes Wrong: Nigel Hook
- Present Laughter: David Zinn
Look out for: Significant Other: Mark Wendland
Interior sets, galore! The Best Scenic Design of a Play category is just a guess on my opinion, based purely on Google Imaging. But a lot of these have beautiful interior sets. Except that one part in The Cherry Orchard where they're outside.
Best Costume Design of a Musical:
Philippa Soo (right) in the new musical, Amélie. Look at all the quirk!
- Amélie: David Zinn
- Anastasia: Linda Cho
- Hello, Dolly!: Santo Loguasto
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Paloma Young
Look out for: War Paint: Catherine Zuber
My thought process is this:
- So, obviously Anastasia has to get a nod for this. Those ball gowns. THOSE BALL GOWNS.
- Hello, Dolly! has Bette Midler walking around in a beautiful dress. So there's another.
- Great Comet will get all the technical nominations, so chalk one up for Paloma Young's innovative and ever changing costumes.
- Amélie... well, all the marketing design has Pippa Soo in these adorable multi-color outfits... something tells me they'll get one too.
- Anastasia: Linda Cho
- Hello, Dolly!: Santo Loguasto
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812: Paloma Young
Look out for: War Paint: Catherine Zuber
My thought process is this:
- So, obviously Anastasia has to get a nod for this. Those ball gowns. THOSE BALL GOWNS.
- Hello, Dolly! has Bette Midler walking around in a beautiful dress. So there's another.
- Great Comet will get all the technical nominations, so chalk one up for Paloma Young's innovative and ever changing costumes.
- Amélie... well, all the marketing design has Pippa Soo in these adorable multi-color outfits... something tells me they'll get one too.
Best Costume Design of a Play:
John Goodman (left), John Slattery (center) and Nathan Lane (right) in The Front Page.
- The Cherry Orchard: Michael Krass
- The Front Page: Ann Roth
- The Little Foxes: Jane Greenwood
- Present Laughter: Susan Hilferty
Look out for: A Doll’s House, Part 2: David Zinn
It's clear that I'm basing my predictions for this category based on which plays are period, right? For men, it's the 1920s and 30s (Present Laughter & The Front Page), and for women it's the 19th century. Tony bait. Tell your friends.
- The Front Page: Ann Roth
- The Little Foxes: Jane Greenwood
- Present Laughter: Susan Hilferty
Look out for: A Doll’s House, Part 2: David Zinn
It's clear that I'm basing my predictions for this category based on which plays are period, right? For men, it's the 1920s and 30s (Present Laughter & The Front Page), and for women it's the 19th century. Tony bait. Tell your friends.
Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Look at that cheeky grin. Tony winner Christian Borle stars in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
- Anastasia, Donald Holder
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Japhy Weideman
- Dear Evan Hansen, Japhy Weideman
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Bradley King
Look out for: Groundhog Day, Hugh Vanstone
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 will win the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical. It just will. There is no other competition in this category.
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Japhy Weideman
- Dear Evan Hansen, Japhy Weideman
- Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Bradley King
Look out for: Groundhog Day, Hugh Vanstone
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 will win the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical. It just will. There is no other competition in this category.
Best Lighting Design of a Play:
Simon McBurney's one man show, The Encounter.
- Arthur Miller’s The Price, David Weiner
- The Encounter, Paul Anderson
- The Play That Goes Wrong, Ric Mountjoy
- Six Degrees of Separation, Ben Stanton
Look out for: Oslo, Donald Holder
So lighting design in plays is very different than lighting design in musicals. So I guessed. Sue me.
Of everything projected to be nominated, I have seen only: Great Comet, Come From Away, and Doll's House, Part 2. The rest is all conjecture, but I feel like my guesses are pretty good. Isn't feeling like you're going to be right half the fun?
Also, a note on Waitress, which I also saw last weekend and had recently brought composer Sara Bareilles into its leading role. I have never cried that much (EVER) at a piece of theatre. Sara Bareilles is a very fine actress, and I challenge that her vocal talent on these songs is better than Jessie Mueller (I mean, she did write the music, after all). Go see Waitress while she's still in it.
The Tony Award nominations will be announced Tuesday, May 2nd. The 71st Annual Tony Awards will air on Sunday, June 11th at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.
- The Encounter, Paul Anderson
- The Play That Goes Wrong, Ric Mountjoy
- Six Degrees of Separation, Ben Stanton
Look out for: Oslo, Donald Holder
So lighting design in plays is very different than lighting design in musicals. So I guessed. Sue me.
Of everything projected to be nominated, I have seen only: Great Comet, Come From Away, and Doll's House, Part 2. The rest is all conjecture, but I feel like my guesses are pretty good. Isn't feeling like you're going to be right half the fun?
Also, a note on Waitress, which I also saw last weekend and had recently brought composer Sara Bareilles into its leading role. I have never cried that much (EVER) at a piece of theatre. Sara Bareilles is a very fine actress, and I challenge that her vocal talent on these songs is better than Jessie Mueller (I mean, she did write the music, after all). Go see Waitress while she's still in it.
The Tony Award nominations will be announced Tuesday, May 2nd. The 71st Annual Tony Awards will air on Sunday, June 11th at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.
2016 in Review: Why this year was the most absurd year ever
The good, the bad, the ugly, the weird, and everything else.
Well, friends, another year’s gone by. The site has officially turned one years old, and I want to thank you all for sticking with me while I post various opinion after opinion. As I sit here writing all this down, and New Year’s Eve being on Saturday, I’m anxiously anticipating the entrance of 2017, and the exit of the year from hell, better known as the subject in question, 2016.
And a lot happened this year.
In fact, so much happened, that some of us may forget that January 2016 was actually part of 2016. It seems so far away that we might not remember it. But it happened.
It all began on New Year’s on 2015, with numerous Facebook posts and tweets about how “2016 is going to be my year!” and the typical “New year, new me,” or “new start.”
Boy, how we were sadly mistaken.
Because I am a sports guy, I will make a sports reference. I went to the Winter Classic (the NHL’s annual outdoor winter hockey game) at Gillette Stadium on January 1st, 2016. The game was between the hometown Boston Bruins, and their arch rival, the Montreal Canadiens.
The Canadiens beat the Bruins in their own building, in front of 65,000 people, 5-1.
I would say that’s about how the year has gone for us, wouldn’t you?
In this article (which was going to be a top ten list, but then I thought I would just ramble on), I’m going to be examining the absurd things that made this year possible. It can be anything from music, to sports, to politics (oh, politics), to film, to the most miniscule thing in American culture. If it had something to do with shaping 2016, I will include it.
Because 2016 was absurd. The most absurd year ever.
First and foremost, to get it out of the way: We decided to elect-
Wait.
I have to include another event to tie into THAT one in order to make it somewhat humorous.
So. First:
The Canadiens beat the Bruins in their own building, in front of 65,000 people, 5-1.
I would say that’s about how the year has gone for us, wouldn’t you?
In this article (which was going to be a top ten list, but then I thought I would just ramble on), I’m going to be examining the absurd things that made this year possible. It can be anything from music, to sports, to politics (oh, politics), to film, to the most miniscule thing in American culture. If it had something to do with shaping 2016, I will include it.
Because 2016 was absurd. The most absurd year ever.
First and foremost, to get it out of the way: We decided to elect-
Wait.
I have to include another event to tie into THAT one in order to make it somewhat humorous.
So. First:
The United Kingdom decided to exit the EU, or: Brexit.
It truly sounds a lot like “breakfast,” “Brexit” does. On June 23, the United Kingdom held a referendum on whether to keep itself in the European Union. In a 51% to 48% vote, the British people voted to leave the EU, with many citing the influx of immigrants from other European nations as a major concern (the EU allows people to move into and out of other countries with minimal customs or paperwork).
There was a lot of news circulating about more conservative British politicians deeming Brexit as their “Independence Day,” subtly hinting that they were going to give Britain “back to its people” (do you see where I’m going with this?), and being able to sever immigration travel, many of whom were refugees of different religions (hint, hint to the next point).
There was a lot of news circulating about more conservative British politicians deeming Brexit as their “Independence Day,” subtly hinting that they were going to give Britain “back to its people” (do you see where I’m going with this?), and being able to sever immigration travel, many of whom were refugees of different religions (hint, hint to the next point).
The morning after the referendum, global stock markets fell. A lot. UK Prime Minister David Cameron resigned, feeling he had let the British people down. And millions of people who voted to leave the EU flocked to Google to search “What is the EU?”
And, for a time, Britain was known as the imbecilic laughingstock of the entire world, as they showed they had invented a new kind of stupid. The worst kind of stupid.
And America said: “Hold my beer.”
And, for a time, Britain was known as the imbecilic laughingstock of the entire world, as they showed they had invented a new kind of stupid. The worst kind of stupid.
And America said: “Hold my beer.”
The Election of 2016: A Shit Storm in Many Acts.
We decided it would be a smart idea to elect Donald Trump as our President. And on January 21st, that’s probably going to become a reality (trust me, uttering the phrase “President Trump” is very, very difficult for me).
To backtrack, we had Hillary Clinton, an extremely qualified former First Lady, Secretary of State, and senator from New York (she told you all this, right?), as the Democratic nominee, the first female nominee from a major political party in history.
She defeated Bernie Sanders, the outspoken, crazy-haired, socialist, Brooklyn-raised, Jewish grandpa senator from Vermont, in the Democratic primaries.
Sanders started a revolution online, gaining a mass amount of attention via social media.
Sanders started a revolution online, gaining a mass amount of attention via social media.
Clinton stuck to her roots as a well-qualified, politically seasoned option for the presidency.
There were some rumblings of corruption within the voting system. There were emails (there were emails. Did you know that?).
There were some rumblings of corruption within the voting system. There were emails (there were emails. Did you know that?).
And Clinton won. We were all with her. The first female nominee for president from a major political party. A defining moment in our nation's history.
And then there was the circus of the Republican race for the presidency.
And then there was the circus of the Republican race for the presidency.
Keep in mind, literally everyone thought it was going to be Jeb Bush before all this crap began.
Donald Trump knocked out Marco Rubio, then finally, Ted Cruz. John Kasich also hung around until the very end, I think.
Like or dislike Trump, but I will say it again: he correctly gauged the amount of anger that correlates with the lack of education of certain people in this country, and campaigned accordingly. You may hate him, but that tactic is what any politician would do.
The dude didn’t make his millions by being an idiot.
So, there we were. The election. Clinton vs. Trump. A race no one thought Hillary would lose.
At the Republican Convention, Trump entered to “We are the Champions.”
Donald Trump knocked out Marco Rubio, then finally, Ted Cruz. John Kasich also hung around until the very end, I think.
Like or dislike Trump, but I will say it again: he correctly gauged the amount of anger that correlates with the lack of education of certain people in this country, and campaigned accordingly. You may hate him, but that tactic is what any politician would do.
The dude didn’t make his millions by being an idiot.
So, there we were. The election. Clinton vs. Trump. A race no one thought Hillary would lose.
At the Republican Convention, Trump entered to “We are the Champions.”
Queen was not happy about that.
At the Democratic Convention, Obama gave the best speech I personally have ever seen. Remember Vince Carter at that dunk contest one year? THAT’S how good it was.
And Hillary was rousing as well.
Then, the debates. Things got very interesting. We all thought Trump would implode. And he did, a little.
There was one handshake. One.
There was “locker room talk,” and “radical Islamic terrorism,” and “nasty woman,” and “you’ll be in jail.”
And then there was Hillary’s scathing comment where she complimented Trump’s kids instead of him.
There was one handshake. One.
There was “locker room talk,” and “radical Islamic terrorism,” and “nasty woman,” and “you’ll be in jail.”
And then there was Hillary’s scathing comment where she complimented Trump’s kids instead of him.
Oh, and there was Ken Bone. I wonder who Ken Bone voted for.
And then a bunch of other malarkey happened and the election results came in.
We all know how that turned out.
Please read my election article HERE if you need any kind of comfort in this matter.
And here we are now, twenty-some days from having a Cheeto with a bad comb-over as our President. America is the best again- at inventing new kinds of stupid.
In conclusion, the last three major elections (2016, 2008, 2000) will be talked about for AGES to come.
I promise I’m doing all the bad things first, and we’ll get to the good stuff at the end. It’ll be okay, I promise.
I have to address the elephant in the room now, and that’s the amount of bad things that happened to human beings this year. Really quick.
And then a bunch of other malarkey happened and the election results came in.
We all know how that turned out.
Please read my election article HERE if you need any kind of comfort in this matter.
And here we are now, twenty-some days from having a Cheeto with a bad comb-over as our President. America is the best again- at inventing new kinds of stupid.
In conclusion, the last three major elections (2016, 2008, 2000) will be talked about for AGES to come.
I promise I’m doing all the bad things first, and we’ll get to the good stuff at the end. It’ll be okay, I promise.
I have to address the elephant in the room now, and that’s the amount of bad things that happened to human beings this year. Really quick.
The Bad.
Flint, Michigan
This year, I heard maybe ONE major news network cover Flint, Michigan’s water crisis this year. John Oliver did a masterful segment on it during Last Week Tonight. I encourage you to check it out above.
Essentially, Flint had no clean water. The drinking water had been contaminated after the city changed its water source from Detroit (which got its water from Lake Huron) to the Flint River, to which health officials failed to apply corrosion inhibitors. This led to a series of problems culminating in lead contamination, as the pipes were not properly treated.
6,000 to 12,000 children in the city have been exposed to contaminated drinking water in the city. There was an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease that killed 10 people and affected an additional 77.
President Obama declared a federal state of emergency, and several lawsuits against the city were filed. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder promised to fix the problem, donating millions of dollars to families affected by the medical issues associated with the water. We’re two years into this thing. Let’s get these people some clean water, now.
The Orlando Nightclub Shooting
Essentially, Flint had no clean water. The drinking water had been contaminated after the city changed its water source from Detroit (which got its water from Lake Huron) to the Flint River, to which health officials failed to apply corrosion inhibitors. This led to a series of problems culminating in lead contamination, as the pipes were not properly treated.
6,000 to 12,000 children in the city have been exposed to contaminated drinking water in the city. There was an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease that killed 10 people and affected an additional 77.
President Obama declared a federal state of emergency, and several lawsuits against the city were filed. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder promised to fix the problem, donating millions of dollars to families affected by the medical issues associated with the water. We’re two years into this thing. Let’s get these people some clean water, now.
The Orlando Nightclub Shooting
A sad, sad event indeed. It does need to be touched on, however.
June 12th, at Pulse, a primarily gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, a 29-year old Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured another 53 in what has been deemed a terrorist attack and a hate crime.
Many people questioned Mateen’s motive- they thought he could have been gay himself. Others considered a possible allegiance to ISIS; more specifically, a reaction to the killing of ISIS militant Abu Waheeb in an airstrike the week before.
Regardless of the motive, the gun control conversation was opened up again and magnified intensely, as was the “radical Islamic terrorist” door.
It remains the deadliest mass shooting by a single perpetrator in American history, the
second most in American history as an event only to September 11th, 2001.
What struck me, however, is what happened after the event. As I will reiterate more, I’m sure: there was more love being spread than I’ve ever seen before, in spite of all the hate.
People came out in throngs to show support for those in the LGBT community. There were vigils. There were public showings of support (like the Tony Awards that evening, for example). Even in the dark, love shines the strongest light.
Standing Rock, North Dakota
June 12th, at Pulse, a primarily gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, a 29-year old Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured another 53 in what has been deemed a terrorist attack and a hate crime.
Many people questioned Mateen’s motive- they thought he could have been gay himself. Others considered a possible allegiance to ISIS; more specifically, a reaction to the killing of ISIS militant Abu Waheeb in an airstrike the week before.
Regardless of the motive, the gun control conversation was opened up again and magnified intensely, as was the “radical Islamic terrorist” door.
It remains the deadliest mass shooting by a single perpetrator in American history, the
second most in American history as an event only to September 11th, 2001.
What struck me, however, is what happened after the event. As I will reiterate more, I’m sure: there was more love being spread than I’ve ever seen before, in spite of all the hate.
People came out in throngs to show support for those in the LGBT community. There were vigils. There were public showings of support (like the Tony Awards that evening, for example). Even in the dark, love shines the strongest light.
Standing Rock, North Dakota
The government was trying to build an oil pipeline, known as the Dakota Access Pipeline, or DAPL. Its purpose was to run from a set of oil fields in North Dakota, underneath the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, to Southern Illinois. The pipeline was supposed to go through a residential, more urban area in North Dakota, but the people there wouldn’t have it.
Instead, the builders wanted to go through some lands underneath the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. It would potentially contaminate local water supplies, as well as cross though sacred Native American burial grounds.
The people there didn’t like that either.
Except this time, we finally broke through as a people, and told the government trying to push us around to go shove it.
The grassroots movement lasted into the early winter, as thousands of people (supported by millions on Facebook) endured freezing temperatures, muddy terrains, and cold water being sprayed on them by authorities. Eventually, the hard times paid off. In early December, President Obama’s administration deemed that the Pipeline could not be built through the Standing Rock plantation, and that the engineers developing the project would have to find alternatives.
In a year filled with events like Orlando and Flint, it was nice to actually get a victory for human beings for once this year. I don’t mean to make it sound like the fight at Standing Rock is over (because it’s not), but it’s a step in the right direction.
I’m going to try to combine death and love into one section here. Bear with me.
Instead, the builders wanted to go through some lands underneath the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. It would potentially contaminate local water supplies, as well as cross though sacred Native American burial grounds.
The people there didn’t like that either.
Except this time, we finally broke through as a people, and told the government trying to push us around to go shove it.
The grassroots movement lasted into the early winter, as thousands of people (supported by millions on Facebook) endured freezing temperatures, muddy terrains, and cold water being sprayed on them by authorities. Eventually, the hard times paid off. In early December, President Obama’s administration deemed that the Pipeline could not be built through the Standing Rock plantation, and that the engineers developing the project would have to find alternatives.
In a year filled with events like Orlando and Flint, it was nice to actually get a victory for human beings for once this year. I don’t mean to make it sound like the fight at Standing Rock is over (because it’s not), but it’s a step in the right direction.
I’m going to try to combine death and love into one section here. Bear with me.
Too many celebrities died this year.
Just for future reference, here’s a list of just a few of the celebrities who died in 2016:
| David Bowie Alan Rickman Glenn Frey Abe Vigoda Joe Alaskey Paul Kantner Maurice White Dave Mirra Antonin Scalia George Gaynes Boutros Boutros-Ghali Angela “Big Ang” Raiola Harper Lee George Kennedy Pat Conroy Nancy Reagan George Martin Natalie Cole Frank Sinatra, Jr. Rob Ford Patty Duke Erik Bauersfeld Merle Haggard David Gest Doris Roberts Chyna Prince Michelle McNamara Billy Paul Afeni Shakur Davis Morely Safer Alan Young Muhammad Ali Kimbo Slice Peter Shaffer | Gordie Howe Christina Grimme Anton Yelchin Ralph Stanley Buddy Ryan Pat Summitt Elie Wiesel Michael Cimino Garry Marshall David Huddleston Marni Nixon Kenny Baker Lou Pearlman Gene Wilder Phyllis Schlafly Lady Chablis Greta Zimmer Friedman Edward Albee Jose Fernandez Arnold Palmer Leonard Cohen Robert Vaughn Leon Russell Gwen Ifill Florence Henderson Fidel Castro John Glenn Alan Thicke Craig Sager Henry Heimlich Zsa Zsa Gabor George Michael Carrie Fisher Debbie Reynolds |
It makes you think about the crazy amount of people who have given so much to this country and to this world in terms of culture, the way we can connect with one another.
While it is a terrible thing to see such a long list of awesome people leaving us, we know that: A) they certainly knew when to get out (hint, hint, the next president, hint, hint), and B) David Bowie is obviously creating a new world and is hand picking his perfect society one by one.
There are many other events that happened in the rest of the world this year. I don’t mean to leave them out, but there are only so many things I can write before getting too depressed to stop. And, I want to get to the happy things.
But first, we get to the really absurd things that happened this year.
While it is a terrible thing to see such a long list of awesome people leaving us, we know that: A) they certainly knew when to get out (hint, hint, the next president, hint, hint), and B) David Bowie is obviously creating a new world and is hand picking his perfect society one by one.
There are many other events that happened in the rest of the world this year. I don’t mean to leave them out, but there are only so many things I can write before getting too depressed to stop. And, I want to get to the happy things.
But first, we get to the really absurd things that happened this year.
Everyone lost their shit over a gorilla.
Okay, so preface time. Yes, it’s sad that an endangered gorilla was gunned down at a Cincinnati zoo. It’s bizarre that a child was even in the cage to begin with. You can make the argument that the gorilla should or shouldn’t have been shot (hell, people are still fighting about it). You can make the argument that it’s poor parenting, but you can also make the argument that real people don’t have their eyes on everything all the damn time.
Harambe is, admittedly, a symbol of 2016. It’s inspired both good, constructive conversation about animal rights and good parenting, but it’s also inspired enough memes to fill even the dankest of tumblrs, twitter feeds, and Facebook pages.
All of a sudden, various body parts were being whipped out for Harambe.
PEOPLE CAST VOTES. FOR PRESIDENT. FOR HARAMBE. A GORILLA. A DEAD GORILLA.
And this event is so bizarre, I’m not sure if we’ll get anything to get us away from Harambe for a while.
But give it a rest. We get he’s dead. We don’t need you to remind us how shitty we are as people. Harambe wouldn’t want you shaming people for cursing his name, now would he? Think of Harambe.
#RIPHarambe
Harambe is, admittedly, a symbol of 2016. It’s inspired both good, constructive conversation about animal rights and good parenting, but it’s also inspired enough memes to fill even the dankest of tumblrs, twitter feeds, and Facebook pages.
All of a sudden, various body parts were being whipped out for Harambe.
PEOPLE CAST VOTES. FOR PRESIDENT. FOR HARAMBE. A GORILLA. A DEAD GORILLA.
And this event is so bizarre, I’m not sure if we’ll get anything to get us away from Harambe for a while.
But give it a rest. We get he’s dead. We don’t need you to remind us how shitty we are as people. Harambe wouldn’t want you shaming people for cursing his name, now would he? Think of Harambe.
#RIPHarambe
Clowns were a thing.
There was a brief time around Halloween where people were dressing up as clowns with knives and other threatening objects and following people around. Because of course there were. As if this year could get any weirder.
The Olympics were a mess, and then they weren’t, and then they were again.
The Olympics happened this year! Remember the Olympics? This Olympics was just like any other Olympics at the outset. People made a huge deal about some kind of human rights violation (2014 in Sochi) or medical concern (2008 in Beijing), and then it magically disappeared just as the games started and was never heard from again.
Of course, the Olympics began with reports that construction crews were months behind in preparation for the athletes’ arrivals.
This year’s medical fiesta was the Zika virus. We had many golfers drop out of the games, fearing getting stung by a mosquito. The U.S. basketball team stayed on a private cruise ship for the duration of the games. The only people who spoke the word “Zika” during the games were the Brazilian fans taunting U.S. soccer goalie Hope Solo after she posted a picture on Instagram covered in bug-resistant clothing, stating she was “Ready for Rio.” Other than that, we didn’t hear about it for the rest of the summer.
Officials were also complaining about the toxicity in the water for swimmers and sailors, saying that it would actually kill you if you went in the water.
Last I checked, nobody died.
But then, of course, no summer Olympic shenanigans would ever be complete without Ryan Lochte.
Also, watch this video of John Oliver (again). Because he sums it up in a way that I could not.
Of course, the Olympics began with reports that construction crews were months behind in preparation for the athletes’ arrivals.
This year’s medical fiesta was the Zika virus. We had many golfers drop out of the games, fearing getting stung by a mosquito. The U.S. basketball team stayed on a private cruise ship for the duration of the games. The only people who spoke the word “Zika” during the games were the Brazilian fans taunting U.S. soccer goalie Hope Solo after she posted a picture on Instagram covered in bug-resistant clothing, stating she was “Ready for Rio.” Other than that, we didn’t hear about it for the rest of the summer.
Officials were also complaining about the toxicity in the water for swimmers and sailors, saying that it would actually kill you if you went in the water.
Last I checked, nobody died.
But then, of course, no summer Olympic shenanigans would ever be complete without Ryan Lochte.
Also, watch this video of John Oliver (again). Because he sums it up in a way that I could not.
The puppy dog-disguised-as-a-swimmer was caught red-handed lying to Brazilian officials about being held at gunpoint during a robbery at a Rio gas station. The problem was, he wasn’t being robbed. He vandalized a gas station by peeing outside of the restroom area, then tried to bribe two security guys who confronted him about the issue. Not to mention all of this was caught on camera.
Idiot.
The Olympics were a mess, and then they weren’t, and then they were again.
I can’t wait to see what kind of trouble we get into in 2018. They’re in South Korea, and we’ll have a crazy person as our president. Yay!
And finally, here are three good, pop culture-y things that happened in 2016.
Idiot.
The Olympics were a mess, and then they weren’t, and then they were again.
I can’t wait to see what kind of trouble we get into in 2018. They’re in South Korea, and we’ll have a crazy person as our president. Yay!
And finally, here are three good, pop culture-y things that happened in 2016.
Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar!
It finally happened. The man nobody thought would win finally won, for his brilliant (and disgustingly real) performance in the adventure-drama The Revenant. It’s a shame that DiCaprio hadn’t won for performances in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, Blood Diamond, or The Wolf of Wall Street, but the fact that he can add “Academy Award Winner” to his title now is something fans have been waiting for a long time.
A hip-hop musical about Alexander Hamilton became a cultural phenomenon.
Every so often, a musical like Rent comes along: Great new musical vibes, interesting characters, compelling storylines- something that’s never been done before. In mid-2015, we got Hamilton, a musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda about the life and adventures of one of the most underrated founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. The three-hour long (did I mention it’s entirely sung- or rapped- through?) show finally transferred to Broadway, and really picked up steam heading into 2016, where it finally caught fire.
It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016, the first musical since 2009 to win the prize, where it joins such company as Rent and A Chorus Line.
At the Tony Awards, it was nominated for a record 14 awards across all categories it was eligible for. It ended up winning 11, just one short of the record held by The Producers, but won awards for Miranda (Best Score and Best Book), Best Actor in a musical (Leslie Odom, Jr. as Aaron Burr), Best Featured Actor and Actress (Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler, respectively), and the all important Best Musical.
It’s kind of absurd that the musical is sold out until late 2017. But it also goes to show that theatre is alive and well. Who knew a show about a founding father set to hip-hop and rap music would become such a cultural phenomenon?
It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016, the first musical since 2009 to win the prize, where it joins such company as Rent and A Chorus Line.
At the Tony Awards, it was nominated for a record 14 awards across all categories it was eligible for. It ended up winning 11, just one short of the record held by The Producers, but won awards for Miranda (Best Score and Best Book), Best Actor in a musical (Leslie Odom, Jr. as Aaron Burr), Best Featured Actor and Actress (Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler, respectively), and the all important Best Musical.
It’s kind of absurd that the musical is sold out until late 2017. But it also goes to show that theatre is alive and well. Who knew a show about a founding father set to hip-hop and rap music would become such a cultural phenomenon?
The Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series!
Okay, one last sports thing. The Cubs haven’t won a World Series in 108 years. They hadn’t made it to the World Series in 68 years before this year.
In sports, the term “wait till next year,” is a common phrase for teams that get so close, but never taste the sweet nectar of victory.
For the 2016 Cubs, next year is this year.
Down three games to one in a best of seven World Series against the Cleveland Indians (a team also searching for its first Championship since 1948), one game from losing it all, the Cubs miraculously came back to tie the series at three games apiece. In one of the greatest World Series games ever played, the Cubs outlasted the Indians, 8-7 in 10 innings to win their first World Series title in 108 years.
And believe it or not, there are fans that were alive to see the Cubs win in both 1908 and 2016. Rejoice, Chicago. The Cubbies don’t suck anymore.
In sports, the term “wait till next year,” is a common phrase for teams that get so close, but never taste the sweet nectar of victory.
For the 2016 Cubs, next year is this year.
Down three games to one in a best of seven World Series against the Cleveland Indians (a team also searching for its first Championship since 1948), one game from losing it all, the Cubs miraculously came back to tie the series at three games apiece. In one of the greatest World Series games ever played, the Cubs outlasted the Indians, 8-7 in 10 innings to win their first World Series title in 108 years.
And believe it or not, there are fans that were alive to see the Cubs win in both 1908 and 2016. Rejoice, Chicago. The Cubbies don’t suck anymore.
Okay, so I actually did make this article a 10-item list.
You just went back to check.
I know. I’m great.
In conclusion, I would give 2016, on an A to F scale, around a D. There were some good things that happened, but it really seemed like there was more bad than good happening every single day.
Of the good that I saw, there is one thing we can take from this year and run with for 2017. We can love each other more with our full hearts. I have never seen so much love and support pouring out from all corners of the internet, from the news on my TV, and in real life.
The road ahead is tough, we know that. There are fights to be fought and won, and there are lots of hardships that we must face if we are to grow as a society.
But we will still love.
We can get down on ourselves for a little bit. But after that, we need to stand up and dust ourselves off and say to ourselves that we will not go quietly into the night.
We will support one another.
We will put the past behind us and release ourselves from it, because holding onto it will only make the bitterness linger.
So, we’re now going to wave goodbye to 2016.
And, starting Sunday at midnight, the ball will drop.
And that’s when we start to make 2017 the best fucking year we can.
Have a happy and restful New Year, everyone.
-Andrew
Up for reading more? Check out According to Andrew's complete "Best of 2016" spread HERE.
You just went back to check.
I know. I’m great.
In conclusion, I would give 2016, on an A to F scale, around a D. There were some good things that happened, but it really seemed like there was more bad than good happening every single day.
Of the good that I saw, there is one thing we can take from this year and run with for 2017. We can love each other more with our full hearts. I have never seen so much love and support pouring out from all corners of the internet, from the news on my TV, and in real life.
The road ahead is tough, we know that. There are fights to be fought and won, and there are lots of hardships that we must face if we are to grow as a society.
But we will still love.
We can get down on ourselves for a little bit. But after that, we need to stand up and dust ourselves off and say to ourselves that we will not go quietly into the night.
We will support one another.
We will put the past behind us and release ourselves from it, because holding onto it will only make the bitterness linger.
So, we’re now going to wave goodbye to 2016.
And, starting Sunday at midnight, the ball will drop.
And that’s when we start to make 2017 the best fucking year we can.
Have a happy and restful New Year, everyone.
-Andrew
Up for reading more? Check out According to Andrew's complete "Best of 2016" spread HERE.
Top 15 Completely Original Musicals
When we go to New York, we see all these musicals based on films, books, other plays, etc. It’s not very often we see a show that comes solely from the mind of an individual or individuals. Original musicals are what keep true artistry alive in the theatre. Only a select few are brought to the forefront of the theatre world and can make an appearance on Broadway. Today, we’re taking a look at the best of what completely original theatre has to offer.
In celebration of the new musical film La La Land arriving in theatres, Broadway connoisseur Harper Leander and myself have put together a list of the top 15 completely original musicals.
In celebration of the new musical film La La Land arriving in theatres, Broadway connoisseur Harper Leander and myself have put together a list of the top 15 completely original musicals.
This list is part of a three-list series, counting down the best in musical theatre. You can find our list of the top 15 film-to-musical adaptations here, and our list of the top 15 musical-to-film adaptations here.
We have determined this list based on the following criteria:
Honorable Mentions:
The Music Man
We have determined this list based on the following criteria:
- The musical must not have any material pre-dating it. All material must have been written for the show itself.
- The musical must have played on Broadway.
- We’re also taking into account critical and commercial success, as well as our own personal preference (because we can).
Honorable Mentions:
The Music Man
When Harold Hill strolls into your town, you know you’ve got trouble. This musical, written in 1957 by Meredith Wilson, tells the story of a con man who sells instruments to schoolchildren in a small Indiana town, promising to start and train a new boys’ band. Obviously, the con man plans to skip town, but ends up falling in love with a local librarian. Hijinks and late 1950s rapping ensue. Originally, the show underwent more than forty draft changes, and 23 song cuts before finally ending up with the product we know today, showing just how long it takes to get a show off the ground. The show ended up captivating the attention of audiences (probably taking away from the grittier and more complex West Side Story, which opened just three months earlier), and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. A revival opened in 2000, and ran for 699 performances.
Follies
Follies
Stephen Sondheim’s 1971 musical Follies concerns four former performers (say that three times fast) of a “Ziegfeld-esque follies” musical revue, holding a reunion inside crumbling Broadway theatre. The four are comprised of two couples: Buddy and Sally, and Ben and Phyllis, who are all deeply unhappy with their marriages. The four circle around each other reminiscing about the old days, while performing old numbers, sometimes with the ghosts of their past younger selves. It’s a simple but fascinating premise. Follies has spawned a number of revivals since its 1971 production, including one most recently in 2011, which featured Broadway heavyweights such as Danny Burstein, Bernadette Peters, Ron Raines, Jan Maxwell, Jayne Houdyshell, and Elaine Paige.
Dishonorable Mention:
Blood Brothers
Dishonorable Mention:
Blood Brothers
Why this show is so loved in England is beyond me. The concept is stupid. The songs are dumb. The premise is as follows: A mother (who happens to be obsessed with Marilyn Monroe for some reason) has two twin boys, but realizes that, due to financial constraints, she cannot keep one of them. She gives one of her children to the rich family for whom she nannies. Then, there’s something about a curse, where we discover that if the two ever discover that they’re brothers, they’ll both die. Obviously, there wouldn’t be drama without the two boys meeting. It’s this whole idea of nature vs. nurture, and this whole thing about class difference. I don’t even want to get into the fact that there’s an omnipresent narrator who INVADES PEOPLE’S HOMES TO SPEAK IN RHYME. This show sucks. Also, it was on Broadway for like two years in the early 1980s. But who cares, really?
The Top 15:
15. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
The Top 15:
15. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Hedwig has been flying under the radar as a musical for a long time, developing a cult following when it was first premiered in 1998, until it finally made it to Broadway in 2014. Featuring a David Bowie-esque glam post-punk rock score by Stephen Trask, and a book by the original man in the wig, John Cameron Mitchell, Hedwig follows the titular singer, as she follows her former protégé’s tour, reflecting on her botched sex change operation, her love, her past, and her complex gender identity. Hedwig is a fantastic example of how one small idea can blossom into a cultural phenomenon, as Mitchell watched this little seed of a show grows to become the massive, Tony-winning show it is today.
14. Caroline, or Change
14. Caroline, or Change
Caroline, or Change features one of the best creative teams to ever helm a musical. With music by Jeanine Tesori, and lyrics and a book by famed playwright Tony Kushner, Caroline, or Change opened on Broadway in 2003, after nearly 10 years of workshops. The musical is completely sung-through, and blends elements of spirituals, blues, Motown, folk music, classical, and even Jewish klezmer, as Caroline, an African-American maid to a white Jewish family, debates keeping money found in the clothes of the family’s youngest son to provide for her own family, while some of the most important events of the 1960s are taking place right outside the doors. Caroline, or Change is truly awe-inspiring, and Tonya Pinkins’ turn as Caroline takes your breath away, as she begs God for forgiveness as seen in songs like “Lot’s Wife.” The creative super team really knocks it out of the park with this show.
13. Of Thee I Sing
13. Of Thee I Sing
The oldest entry on this list, Of Thee I Sing holds the honor of being the first musical ever awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. With a score by George and Ira Gershwin, and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind (I mean, you wanna talk about super teams, here’s one right here), Of Thee I Sing is a lampoon of American politics. A presidential candidate runs on a platform of just “love” (wouldn’t politics be much simpler if that’s all politicians were about?). His campaign advisors hold a beauty pageant for him to select the most beautiful girl in the country and marry her. When John P. Wintergreen (the candidate in question) falls for a much more sensible woman instead of one he does not know, he gets into a bit of political hot water. The Gershwin’s score is fairly complex, relating very much to the patter style of Gilbert and Sullivan. The book was one of the first musicals to undertake a completely satirical tone, and doing so against the backdrop of the Great Depression that was really happening at the time (it was 1931 after all), was a very daring move on the part of Kaufman and Ryskind. Of Thee I Sing is truly one of a kind as a musical, and it’s a wonder why it hasn’t been revived recently.
12. The Drowsy Chaperone
12. The Drowsy Chaperone
A very unique but familiar concept- a theatre junkie (known only as the “Man in Chair”) takes the audience through one of his favorite Broadway showtune records, “The Drowsy Chaperone.” The musical in question turns out to be your typical love story, with a bit of mistaken identity thrown in, along with some vengeful baker-gangsters for good measure. Drowsy is beloved by many theatregoers, and for good reason. Starring big names like Sutton Foster, Danny Burstein, Beth Leavel (who nabbed a Tony Award for her performance as the Chaperone), and Bob Martin (who co-wrote the book with Don McKellar), Drowsy takes the audience on a back-and-forth journey in and out of fantasy and reality, as the Man in Chair inserts his factoids and footnotes into every song and scene in the show. The songs by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison are so catchy, especially tracks like “Show Off,” “As We Stumble Along,” and “Toledo Surprise.” The Drowsy Chaperone won 5 Tony Awards in 2006, including Best Book and Best Original Score.
11. Avenue Q
11. Avenue Q
It’s “Sesame Street” combined with “South Park.” Avenue Q’s unique concept of using puppetry and friendly looking characters to tackle real issues like racism, depression, homelessness, and internet porn addiction is genius. Featuring a witty (honk honk) by book by Jeff Whitty, and a score by Robert Lopez, Avenue Q follows the residents of a block in New York City, as they deal with the adult world, and just how hard it can be to survive in it. It offers crude humor, Gary Coleman from “Diff’rent Strokes,” full-out puppet sex, but Avenue Q also has a big, furry heart way down inside, as characters address things like relationships and commitment, ultimately determining that there’s happiness underneath all that shittiness here on earth, and that everything in life is only “for now.” For all the hype surrounding it when it first came out in 2004, Avenue Q is actually one of the more profound pieces of theatre out there. It took down Wicked to win Best Musical, believe it or not.
10. [title of show]
10. [title of show]
Try to keep up with me here. This is a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical. Based on the real-life story of Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, [title of show] follows the two aspiring playwrights and their attempt to enter the inaugural New York Musical Festival. Utilizing only an on stage pianist (as if the audience is in a rehearsal studio the entire time), and two other actors (the incomparable Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell), the musical essentially happens in accelerated time, and ends back in the present day, where the show was being performed at the Vineyard Theatre off-Broadway at the time (it did later play at the Lyceum Theatre in 2008). The show deals with issues we all face as artists, including self-doubt, artistic integrity vs. marketability, and artistic direction. Overall, the lasting theme of opting to be “nine people’s favorite thing than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing” is touching and extremely hopeful for anyone trying to make it in the world of theatre.
9. Passing Strange
9. Passing Strange
Stew, guitarist and singer of the LA-based group The Negro Problem, had never written a play before Passing Strange, which premiered on Broadway in 2008. But what he did write is an extremely profound and very underrated piece of musical theatre. Passing Strange is a rock musical about a young black man and his journey of self-discovery as he travels from South Central Los Angeles to Amsterdam. The piece offers lots of philosophical existentialism and self-referential humor. Stew, Heidi Rodewald, Daniel Breaker, and De’Andre Aziza were all nominated for Tony Awards for their efforts in book writing, composing, and acting, respectively (although Stew was nominated for all three, winning for best book). Passing Strange’s pulse is so strong, and its rousing anthems of about individuality and selfhood make it a treat for all who witness it.
8. Urinetown
8. Urinetown
Urinetown is a bad place. Urinetown the place is bad, of course, not the musical. Urinetown the musical is actually quite delightful. As a satire on big business, corporate greed, the legal system, and capitalism, this 2001 musical tells the story of a near-future city in America where drinking water has become scarce, and public toilets are the only places for people to relieve themselves. In musical styles that mimic all kinds of musical theatre, including The Threepenny Opera and Les Misèrables, Urinetown offers some of the most campy, the most complex, the most touching, and the most confusing songs ever found in a musical. Starring Hunter Foster, Jennifer Laura Thompson, John Cullum, Jeff McCarthy, and Nancy Opel, the show was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2002, winning three, including best Book and Original Score for Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis.
7. In the Heights
7. In the Heights
For those of you who are at least generally aware of Hamilton- this show was the step to the high platform for Lin-Manuel Miranda, as his show about finding home danced and rapped its way to Broadway in early 2008. Miranda began writing the show when he was a sophomore in college at Wesleyan University, and it eventually grew become a massive hit in New York. In the Heights is the story of a tight-knit group of people on a street corner in the largely Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in upper Manhattan, as their lives are changed in different ways by one of them hitting the jackpot on the lottery, and a blackout, over the course of three days in the summertime. It’s safe to say that no one on Broadway had ever seen or heard anything quite like In the Heights before, which may be why it received so much notoriety upon its release. With a powerful score by Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, In the Heights will make you want to get up and dance, and then proceed to rip your heart out, tape it up and put it back together again by the end of the night. The show won four Tony Awards in 2008.
6. Hair
6. Hair
This musical, a product of 60s counterculture, as well as American involvement in the Vietnam war, was the first of its kind to appear on Broadway, as it featured a psychedelic rock score by Galt McDermott, with lyrics and a book by James Rado and Gerome Ragni. The musical surrounds a group of individuals known as “the tribe,” and two members, Claude and Berger, as they struggle to balance their young lives as part of the sexual revolution and rebellion against the Vietnam war with their much more conservative parents and the country they live in. While many of the songs in “Hair” leave much to be desired (not all of them- many of them are pretty damn good), the musical was revolutionary in that it broke new ground for establishing what a “rock musical” is, while also featuring a racially integrated cast. Its nude scenes and irreverence for the American flag stirred much controversy as well. It may not be the best or most cohesive musical on this list, but it’s original, and it’s damn revolutionary, and that’s what matters. The original production ran for 1,750 performances in 1968, and the 2009 revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. That, friends, is sticking it to the system.
5. The Book of Mormon
5. The Book of Mormon
The world exploded when it was announced that Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of “South Park” were teaming up with Avenue Q composer Robert Lopez to write a musical about Mormons. In 2011, when the show premiered on Broadway, the theatre world was treated to its first cultural phenomenon in a long, long time. The songs in Book of Mormon aren’t the most well-written (Stone and Parker admitted to needing to use a rhyming dictionary to come up with song lyrics), but they are extremely catchy and well-loved. The musical follows two Mormon missionaries, as they attempt to spread the word of God to natives in Uganda. What’s great about Mormon is the way it spoofs just about every trope in musical theatre; every song in the show is a parody of some great Broadway song, whether they’re parodying Bye Bye Birdie’s “The Telephone Hour,” in “Hello,” or Wicked’s “The Wizard and I,” in “You and Me (But Mostly Me),” and Hairspray’s “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” with their finale, “Tomorrow is a Latter Day.” Being able to root for the Mormon version of The Odd Couple in Elders Price and Cunningham (Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad, respectively) is something no audience member will forget doing- or maybe you will, it depends on if your head explodes from laughter. Ultimately, The Book of Mormon, while irreverent and certainly unlike anything Broadway has ever seen before, is a show with a lot of heart and soul- something completely unexpected from the creators of “South Park.”
4. Anything Goes
4. Anything Goes
Nothing like a good case of mistaken identity on a boat, am I right? This 1934 musical about an array of characters chasing love and each other features some of the best standards by one Cole Porter, including “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “It’s De-Lovely,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” and “You’re the Top.” What makes this show so fantastic (aside from the its incredible dance sequences and songs) is its longevity. Even 80 years after it was first produced, companies are still mounting revivals of the show left and right. The 2011 revival starring Sutton Foster and Joel Grey won Foster a second Tony and Best Revival of a Musical. Anything Goes is a classic show, and it set the groundwork for many screwball comedies down the road.
3. Next to Normal
3. Next to Normal
Never before has a piece of theatre tackled the subject of mental illness before. This 2008 musical, written by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, stars Alice Ripley as Diana, a woman with bipolar depressive disorder, and explores her and her family’s differences in dealing with the illness, as well as her husband and daughter looking to achieve a sense of normalcy in the house despite . The original cast also included J. Robert Spencer, Jennifer Damiano, Aaron Tveit, and Adam Chanler-Berat. It would become the first musical since Rent in 1996 to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. No musical before has ever tackled mental illness with more accuracy and sympathy. Anchored by a powerhouse rock score, the actors are incredibly brave in taking on such characters on the verge of being ripped apart by the mental illness of one and the subsequent actions of a few. Next to Normal is far and away one of the most important musicals of the 21st Century.
2. Company
2. Company
A series of vignettes in New York revolving around one Bobby and his various married friends is the setting for Stephen Sondheim’s Company. The single Bobby can’t stay in a committed relationship, much less marriage, and struggles to determine exactly what love, commitment and marriage means before he gets too old. Unlike most Broadway musicals of the day, Company is nonlinear, presented in non-chronological order, all tied together by Bobby’s 35th birthday party. Sondheim’s comment of throwing the upper-middle-class’s upper-middle-class problems back in their faces is genius, since most musicals of the day were meant to serve as an escape for these people and their problems. Company also contains another of the greatest finale songs in the history of musical theatre in “Being Alive,” as Bobby makes the arc of his journey complete, and rips our hearts out in the process. It’s a true realization of what it means to live and love in adulthood, and Company was the first one through the wall, tackling these issues head on, and to great effect. When it premiered in 1970, it won six Tony Awards, including best Musical, not to mention Best Book, Original Score, and Direction for the legendary Hal Prince . The 2006 Broadway revival, directed by the great John Doyle, starred Raùl Esparza, and a troupe of actor musicians. This production won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical.
1. A Chorus Line
1. A Chorus Line
A true musical about artists and why they do what they do, the story behind the creation of A Chorus Line is immaculate. Long sessions of taped interviews with actual Broadway chorus dancers were compiled to create the beloved characters of the piece, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976. Through the actual words spoken by these people (many of whom went on to be in the original cast), we learn how and why these people left their homes without a dollar to their names and became Broadway dancers. It is an extraordinary study of what actors go through to achieve their dreams, and even how fast all of that can be taken away, in a split second. This all goes without saying that Marvin Hamlisch’s score is fantastic, accomplishing appropriate mood and tone in songs like “At The Ballet,” “What I Did For Love,” “The Music and the Mirror,” and the incomparable “One.” Anyone who is an artist, performer or otherwise, needs to see a production of A Chorus Line at some point in their lives. Now, get to it. “A-five, six, seven eight!”
What did we miss? What are your favorite original musicals? Leave a comment down below.
La La Land is in theatres beginning December 9th.
What did we miss? What are your favorite original musicals? Leave a comment down below.
La La Land is in theatres beginning December 9th.
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