Tony Awards That Let Everyone In on the Joke

June 10, 2016 7:38 AM

This year, Mr. Corden said he hoped to open the Tonys with “a song for, like, the theater kid who lives in Michigan or Nebraska, who just dreams of being on a stage. For them,” he continued, “this night being on TV is everything, and I wonder if we can open our show for them."

Who Said It: Hillary or Hamilton?

The Tony Nominees 2016

Hamilton
Watch the Hamilton Cast Perform “Wait for It” in 360 Glorious Degrees

Bright Star

Sun Is Gonna Shine" from Bright Star

Carmen Cusack Puts ‘Her Pain and Her Joy’ Into a Leading Broadway Role

School of Rock

“You’re in the Band” (360 Video)

'School of Rock' Star Alex Brightman Talks Tony Nom, Jack Black

Road to the Tonys: The Life of a Kid Actor at ‘School of Rock’

Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

"Broadway babies" join the cast of "Shuffle Along"

Road to the Tonys: ‘Shuffle Along’ and Broadway’s Season of Diversity

Waitress

Jessie Mueller and Drew Gehling Sing "Bad Idea" from Sara Bareilles' WAITRESS

Tony Nominee Christopher Fitzgerald: The Anatomy of Broadway’s Biggest Scene-Stealer

Eclipsed

Eclipsed's Tony-Nommed Director Liesl Tommy and Playwright Danai Gurira on Diversity, Drive & Dresses

How Eclipsed’s Costume Designer Created Broadway’s Grittiest Costumes

The Father

The Father Star Frank Langella & Director Doug Hughes on How Not to Be Intimidating, So-Called Celebrities & Awards Season

The Humans

In ‘The Humans,’ Jayne Houdyshell Embodies Mom

King Charles III

Highlights From "King Charles III" on Broadway

Other links

And the winner is ... the ensemble cast: How Broadway's best acting was a group effort

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Rita Moreno & More: A History of Latin Tony Award Winners

Laura Benanti Explains: Broadway Plays of the 2015-2016 Season

Laura Benanti Explains: Broadway Musicals of the 2015-2016 Season

Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr. Talks Diversity on Broadway: 2016 Tony Award Roundtables

Off Script: Jeff Daniels Explains His Strategy for "Sprinting a Marathon" in 'Blackbird' on Broadway

Black Actresses Discuss Why Broadway Needs More Diversity Than 'Hamilton'

TONY Awards 2016: Zachary Levi

Tonys shine a light on struggles, victories of women

Cynthia Erivo Performs 'I'm Here' From 'The Color Purple'

2016-17

Schedule of Upcoming Broadway Shows

posted by roomthreeseventeen (71 comments total)

Me on the train this morning: "I wonder if anybody's gonna do a Tony thread."

I guess this is the room where it happens.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:53 AM on June 10, 2016 [15 favorites]

This is where I confess that I mostly watched Tony Awards on YouTube for Neil Patrick Harris doing grandiose openings.
posted by Martijn at 7:55 AM on June 10, 2016 [6 favorites]

Clicking through the nominees link I find it sort of disturbing that the 3rd & 4th categories are revivals. Jeepers, after Oklahoma it leaves 49 states to base a show on if your not creative enough to pick your own topic... ;-}
posted by sammyo at 7:58 AM on June 10, 2016

Being relatively far away from what's going on on B'way, both geographically and in the time it'll take for these shows to trickle down to a production I can actually see* -- the Tonys always a great chance to actually see what's going on today. And dammit if it's not the best awards ceremony out there -- these people know how to put on a show.

Looking forward to this. Thanks for the thorough post, OP.

*Who, me, bitter that I won't get these Hamilton references for a long time yet? What?
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:04 AM on June 10, 2016

This is where I confess that I mostly watched Tony Awards on YouTube for Neil Patrick Harris doing grandiose openings.

Honestly, the Broadway carpool karaoke clip would make for a great opening number itself.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:04 AM on June 10, 2016 [5 favorites]

Watch the Hamilton Cast Perform “Wait for It” in 360 Glorious Degrees

Until I watched this a few minutes ago, I had not realized how desperately I need an a cappella version of the cast album.
posted by rtha at 8:08 AM on June 10, 2016 [5 favorites]

*Who, me, bitter that I won't get these Hamilton references for a long time yet? What?

The Hamilton cast album is wonderful and tells a complete story (apparently there is only one tiny bit of unsung dialogue missing). My kids and wife are miserable that I discovered it.
posted by joelhunt at 8:22 AM on June 10, 2016 [14 favorites]

If anyone is interested, I'll try to update my Instagram from the Beacon and afterparty on Sunday night.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:26 AM on June 10, 2016 [9 favorites]

“a song for, like, the theater kid who lives in Michigan or Nebraska, who just dreams of being on a stage. ... I wonder if we can open our show for them."

NPH already did it.
posted by Clustercuss at 8:47 AM on June 10, 2016 [4 favorites]

My joke I posted to my Facebook friends when the nominations came out:

In theater news today, the American Theater Wing has announced they're cancelling this year's Tony Awards ceremony and just giving all the awards to "Hamilton." A spokesperson said "We figured we'd save the expense of the lavish awards show production, since everyone knew 'Hamilton' was going to win everything anyway. We're giving them all the regular play awards too because we know nobody pays much attention to those."
posted by dnash at 8:58 AM on June 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

Sorry, You're Not Hamilton
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:00 AM on June 10, 2016 [14 favorites]

I'm kinda sad that American Psycho didn't do better. It looks like an interesting piece to me, although I can see maybe Broadway isn't the right venue for it. I hope some regional productions of it happen anyway, I'd like to see it.
posted by dnash at 9:03 AM on June 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

> *Who, me, bitter that I won't get these Hamilton references for a long time yet? What?

You do not need to see the show to get the references and enjoy the whole everything around it. Listen to the cast album - available for free on various streaming sites or pay for download and dive the hell in on the rap genius annotations. Hamilton is one of the most accessible Broadway shows ever to those who cannot possibly ever see the show.
posted by rtha at 9:04 AM on June 10, 2016 [17 favorites]

All This AND Gloria Estefan?: The MCMikeNamara Gets Hyped for the 2016 Tonys Story.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:04 AM on June 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

rtha: Listen to the cast album - available for free on various streaming sites

Like YouTube! Srsly, you're already online, you have almost no barrier to jumping on this particular bandwagon. Join us, jooooiiinnnn uuuuussss....
posted by filthy light thief at 9:15 AM on June 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

(Except the first track is blocked in the US? So here's the first track with lyrics.)
posted by filthy light thief at 9:18 AM on June 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

I'm in Nebraska. There is no lack of opportunity to get on stage here. In fact, I managed to carve out a national reputation as a playwright from Omaha.

I appreciate your concern for Nebraska kids, Mr. Corden, but New York isn't the only place theater happens and Broadway isn't the only theater that is important.
posted by maxsparber at 9:25 AM on June 10, 2016 [8 favorites]

Tony Sunday is the best of all Sundays! Very excited for the show.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:37 AM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

Team Burr.
posted by sammyo at 9:41 AM on June 10, 2016 [4 favorites]

I appreciate your concern for Nebraska kids, Mr. Corden, but New York isn't the only place theater happens and Broadway isn't the only theater that is important.

Eh, he's from London, I'd cut him a little slack...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:41 AM on June 10, 2016

Eh, he's from London, I'd cut him a little slack...

Well, there's the disconnect. I used to live in Bath, which also had some very good regional theater.
posted by maxsparber at 10:00 AM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

I wept when I learned that Lin is leaving the cast and I will not get the chance to see him play Hamilton. Hoping for a telecast of his last performance so I can at least get a taste of what it's like to be in the room where it happens.
posted by pxe2000 at 10:05 AM on June 10, 2016 [3 favorites]

And hey, maybe there are kids and adults who aren't aware of local theater in Nebraska (or wherever) and this event could be a thing that propels those people to look for it.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 10:07 AM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

He's supposed to reprise his role in the West End run at some future date.
posted by penguinliz at 10:18 AM on June 10, 2016

60 Minutes director's cut of "Hamilton" offers more on the Broadway smash and may be last chance to see Lin-Manuel Miranda before he steps down
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:21 AM on June 10, 2016 [3 favorites]

Hamilaria. I have to admit I'm totally afflicted.

BTW, broadway.com has been doing a multipart backstage series with Leslie Odom Jr and it's amazing:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
posted by kmz at 10:32 AM on June 10, 2016 [4 favorites]

Here we go; @TheTonyAwards rehearsal☺️
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:08 AM on June 10, 2016

Tune in next year to see if the Martin Shkreli musical is up for any nominations. (It's about an imagined heist of his Wu-Tang album, not his pharmaceutical company shenanigans).
posted by terooot at 12:19 PM on June 10, 2016

eepers, after Oklahoma it leaves 49 states to base a show on if your not creative enough to pick your own topic... ;-}

And Sufjan Stevens has already done the legwork for two of them, really.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 1:06 PM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

You do not need to see the show to get the references and enjoy the whole everything around it. Listen to the cast album

Am I the only one who considers this to be like a spoiler since I do intend to see the show when it comes near me?
posted by stopgap at 1:31 PM on June 10, 2016

Am I the only one who considers this to be like a spoiler since I do intend to see the show when it comes near me?

You will have a much better enjoyment of the show if you've listened to the cast recording.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:38 PM on June 10, 2016

You will have a much better enjoyment of the show if you've listened to the cast recording

Having spent a few months listening to it and then seeing it live I can attest to this being true!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 1:58 PM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

All This AND Gloria Estefan?: The MCMikeNamara Gets Hyped for the 2016 Tonys Story.

Did you know: Gloria Estefan auditioned 3,000 people to play her in the role?
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:03 PM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

Am I the only one who considers this to be like a spoiler since I do intend to see the show when it comes near me?

I wrote of my thoughts on this in a previous Hamilton thread. I too have generally been a "not listening to a cast album until I see the show" for new works. I made an exception in this case. Having seen and heard a few clips here and there I noticed the rap parts make this an especially wordy show, and in the clips I heard I already noticed passages where I wasn't picking up all the words well. So I got the album and have listed a couple times. I won't be, like, memorizing it or anything, but I'm comfortable now that when I do see it I won't be annoyed and distracted by the fast lyrics.
posted by dnash at 2:07 PM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

> Having spent a few months listening to it and then seeing it live I can attest to this being true!

Ditto. You already know that Hamilton is dead, and was killed by Burr. The lyrics are intricate and wonderful, and why put off the pleasure of enjoying them until [some long amount of time before you see the show]?
posted by rtha at 2:53 PM on June 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

I won't be, like, memorizing it or anything,

Ha ha ha ha ha!

me: okay, brain. let's not be TOTAL hamiltrash. only memorise a couple of songs, okay?
brain: haha sure cool
[several days pass]
me: LIAR

posted by Lexica at 4:25 PM on June 10, 2016 [4 favorites]

I saw Hamilton yesterday. Although my heart already belonged to Burr, I swear Leslie Odom Jr. sang Dear Theodosia while staring directly into my eyes and now, if he does not win his Tony, I will personally duel with every Tony voter until they change their minds. Watching his smile get tighter and tenser over the course of the show... and his voice ... and and and. ❤
posted by ChuraChura at 7:45 PM on June 10, 2016 [11 favorites]

“a song for, like, the theater kid who lives in Michigan or Nebraska, who just dreams of being on a stage. ... I wonder if we can open our show for them."

NPH already did it .

And it was written by Lin Manuel Miranda!
posted by lunasol at 11:01 PM on June 10, 2016 [2 favorites]

I thought they were calling it The Hamilton's this year.
posted by lkc at 6:41 PM on June 11, 2016 [1 favorite]

Hamiltonys?
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:24 PM on June 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

I cut cable and am not able to stream via CBS. Does anyone know another way to livestream the show?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:39 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Try playbill.com or cbs.com!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:50 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

cbs.com doesn't work unless you sign up for a paid streaming account or you have an active cable account. I do not have the latter and do not wish to pay for the former.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:53 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

And PLaybill is carrying the same "live" coverage that the Tonys site is - which is live coverage of the PRESS ROOM.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:54 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

D'oh! Yeah, they were only streaming pre show coverage. Sorry. :(
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:56 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

It's okay, I did find something after all.

and cracked up when I saw them read off the nominees for best director of a musical - and the first three guys who were NOT directors of Hamilton all shook their heads like "come on, Hamilton's gonna get it, we know already."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:04 PM on June 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

Lin's sonnet made me bawl.
posted by kmz at 6:08 PM on June 12, 2016 [6 favorites]

Me too, kmz. Me too.
posted by inconsequentialist at 6:09 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Not a dry eye at this Tony party, either.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:09 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

BTW, roomthreeseventeen, YOU LOOK FABULOUS!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:12 PM on June 12, 2016 [2 favorites]

Lin made EVERYONE cry with that sonnet.

And after that came Josh Groban getting pranked to lighten the mood again.

...I think I know one of the nominees for scenic design (he didn't win) - there just aren't that many "Beowulfs" in the world.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:20 PM on June 12, 2016

Scenic Design Hamilton's only loss tonight so far... best is tying Producers record now.

Also: Moana teaser!!
posted by kmz at 6:29 PM on June 12, 2016

Law and Order represent!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:34 PM on June 12, 2016 [2 favorites]

I was HOWLING at that Law And Order sequence.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:37 PM on June 12, 2016 [6 favorites]

OMG. Cynthia Erivo.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:41 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

It wasn't the opening number, but I kind of called using the carpool karaoke...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:12 PM on June 12, 2016

That was probably the weirdest moment for me, because like, who hasn't already seen it if they're the kind of person that cares about the Tonys?
posted by kmz at 7:19 PM on June 12, 2016

There were a couple new moments.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:33 PM on June 12, 2016

Damn, I wish I were still able to get to NYC frequently -- all of the Best Play nominees sounded fantastic!
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:35 PM on June 12, 2016

Not only is Leslie Odom, Jr. a prodigiously talented and gracious person, but that was the most beautiful tuxedo I've ever seen!
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:07 PM on June 12, 2016

Yaaaaaaaay!

Cynthia Erivo!!!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:10 PM on June 12, 2016 [2 favorites]

Oh, thank goodness Leslie Odom, Jr. won. My dueling leaves something to be desired.
posted by ChuraChura at 8:40 PM on June 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

Andrew Lloyd Webber on the tambourine!
posted by gingerbeer at 9:30 PM on June 12, 2016

Those were some really good Tonys.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:13 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Andrew Lloyd Webber on the tambourine!

For a split second, I read that just now as "ALW on the trampoline", and that has given me a delightful mental image. Or an idea for a production number next year. I'm not sure.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:29 AM on June 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Maybe I'm just a bad, cranky fan, but I'm actually pretty disappointed in the Hamilton performance(s). LMM had sort of implied that it would perhaps be a medley or at least some longer run of material from the show, but instead it was one of the few performances we can watch at any time on YouTube. And a song that didn't showcase the ladies AT ALL. Plus, the mix for the first part of the performance was pretty terrible, and LMM himself sounded pretty rough. The performance at the end was a nice bonus but apparently wasn't very well received in the theater, and wasn't really accesible to viewers on TV.

I wanted more, dammit. Particularly because I then stayed up 'till 1 am trying and failing to get tickets when they did the post-Tony's ticket release.
posted by anastasiav at 6:09 AM on June 13, 2016

So I liked LMM's speech, but was thrown by its jumping the rails of the conventional sonnet form after the twelfth line. This piece, putting it in the context of George Meredith's Modern Love sequence (of which I'd been unaware) helped.
posted by Shmuel510 at 6:41 AM on June 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Apparently there was also commerical karaoke.

Video of LMM's acceptance speech for Best Book of a Musical.
posted by anastasiav at 8:48 AM on June 13, 2016 [3 favorites]

I watched the Tonys last night and drank pretty pink guava beer that friends got me a growler of for my birthday, because they're awesome.

It was a good awards show--best one I've seen in recent memory, for sure. Broadway clearly had a really strong season, and it showed throughout all the nominations and performances. Still, it was definitely the Hamiltonys; a running joke last night was: "[that nominated show] looks like a great show, but it's not Hamilton."

The inclusive and respectful notes were super-comforting yesterday, and although all the jokes didn't quite hit, there were enough to make me cry tears that were just a little more happy than sad, which was an achievement in and of itself.

Also, I managed to get the beau to put the Hamilton recording on his phone, so there might be another One of Us here soon, and any time that happens, it's a good thing.
posted by PearlRose at 10:30 AM on June 13, 2016

The performance at the end was a nice bonus but apparently wasn't very well received in the theater.

Wow, from that link I see Charles Isherwood is (or at least was last night) upholding the fine, longstanding tradition of newspaper theatre critics being caustic pricks about everything.
posted by FelliniBlank at 2:12 PM on June 13, 2016 [2 favorites]

Sounds like that's Charles Isherwood being his usual self, then.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:05 PM on June 13, 2016 [1 favorite]