Riedel on the Tony nominations....

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 3:12am

An amusing column, complete with Lane/Addams Family bashing.

Some notes:
- American Idiot's producers are PISSED about the lack of nominations. And the show has a lack of support.

- Memphis could trump Fela! because it is the "safer" choice.

- Come Fly Away producers are "in shock."

- Lucy Liu refused to perform Saturday night because of the bomb scare.

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/second_enron_collapse_ycaAnYNNfgEpn2v2IAciMN/0
Updated On: 5/5/10 at 03:12 AM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 3:36am

An amusing column indeed! I did laugh out loud with his dig at The Addams Family there at the end.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 4:09am

best dig ever

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 4:33am

"Memphis" enters the race with a solid voting bloc behind it. "Fela!" -- which would have had the press on its side -- doesn't. If it loses to "Memphis," the Tonys really will be a sham."

He said this a few years ago with if IN THE HEIGHTS were to beat PASSING STRANGE -- and he was right.

We all know the Tonys are a sham. It's nothing new, Riedel.

Updated On: 5/5/10 at 04:33 AM

[sundayclothes2]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 5:03am

"Memphis" enters the race with a solid voting bloc behind it. "Fela!" -- which would have had the press on its side -- doesn't. If it loses to "Memphis," the Tonys really will be a sham."

He said this a few years ago with if IN THE HEIGHTS were to beat PASSING STRANGE -- and he was right.

At least IN THE HEIGHTS set out to do something new and original. I am scratching my head trying to think of one thing MEMPHIS has done to contribute to the evolution of musical theater.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 5:50am

Well, to be fair, I do like IN THE HEIGHTS, and I agree with you that its creators set out to do something different, and in my opinion, succeeded. I don't begrudge their success with the show. However, I felt that PASSING STRANGE was the much more groundbreaking piece of theatre that season, and therefore the "best musical."

[sundayclothes2]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 5:59am

I agree with you about that. I just don't think it is fair to equate Memphis and In the Heights. In the Heights successfully brought a whole new genre of music to the stage, adding rap to the musical theater cannon. Memphis gave us "Everybody Wants To Be Black on a Saturday Night."

I would say that Memphis is this years Spamalot and Fela is this years Light in the Piazza. In fact, I don't understand how Reidel thinks that the TONYs still are not a sham and will only become a sham if Memphis beats Fela. The second Spamalot beat Light in the Piazza, Spelling Bee, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, I considered them to be a sham. Hell, the second that Millie beat Urinetown, I considered them a sham!

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 7:40am

Youthful angst is getting boring

agreed.

"Why are there no designers or orchestrators or more than two people under the age of 50 on the nominating committee?" one of the producers harrumphed yesterday. "Not that I'm bitter!"

And yet Spring Awakening won an ass load of awards. Go figure.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 7:49am

If Lucy Liu chose not to perform the night of the bomb scare, then that's her prerogative. Who's to say what our individual thresholds are regarding fear. As usual, Reidel is an ass.

[sundayclothes2]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 7:59am

I do have to admit that his line about them ruining H2$ made me laugh.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 8:11am

I would say that Memphis is this years Spamalot and Fela is this years Light in the Piazza. In fact, I don't understand how Reidel thinks that the TONYs still are not a sham and will only become a sham if Memphis beats Fela.

Riedel thinks they're a sham beginning this year because this is the first year the press isn't allowed to vote. He's got an axe to grind.

If Lucy Liu chose not to perform the night of the bomb scare, then that's her prerogative. Who's to say what our individual thresholds are regarding fear.

The version of the story I heard involves Ms. Liu running around backstage before the show screaming, "I'm a target!" and then ultimately departing the theater. A bit melodramatic, methinks.

[Piper3500]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 8:37am

Riedel...what an A$$. However, he did make some good points. by some I mean two at the most.

I don't care what Lucy Lui's reason was or what she said. I think it was a reaction. I also do think she probably does regret it now.

As far as his final dig to Nathan, it really wasn't a direct dig as Nathan et al has heard it all before and Riedel still has to see the numbers every week which probably piss him off.

I like Brantley's article much better.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 9:27am

I think the Tony's being a sham goes back to 1948, when Mr. Roberts won over Streetcar Named Desire as Best Play.

[James885]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 10:11am

The Tonys have been a sham for quite some time. It's basically just a 3 hour commercial for Broadway. I'm sure they'll bring in Jersey Boys and Green Day to perform on the telecast because frankly the performances from some of the nominated shows, American Idiot aside, probably won't do much to bring in new viewers since no one outside of New York probably knows anything about Fela, Memphis, and Million Dollar Quartet.

Updated On: 5/5/10 at 10:11 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 10:13am

He said this a few years ago with if IN THE HEIGHTS were to beat PASSING STRANGE -- and he was right.

Unless you preferred In the Heights to Passing Strange. Then he was wrong. I don't think the Tonys were a sham to choose In the Heights because I love In the Heights and I don't like Passing Strange at all. So, perhaps Riedel wasn't right. Perhaps he was stirring sh*t.

I am scratching my head trying to think of one thing MEMPHIS has done to contribute to the evolution of musical theater.

Here's the thing about the Tonys: the Best Musical winner does not have to contribute to the evolution of musical theatre. Not now or ever. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes the shows that contribute the most don't win. The Tonys do not dictate artistic evolution because a) Broadway is still a commercial venture deeply rooted in entertainment and b) artistic evolution happens slowly (as in less than once a season) and reverberates even more slowly (we often don't recognize artistic influence until we've had time to notice change) and c) politics are always involved in every awards ceremony for absolutely anything and the Tonys are no exception (nor have they ever been).

When Hair originally opened, nobody knew it would move to Broadway and create a new movement in musical theatre. When Hair did move to Broadway, nobody knew if it would last or become influential in any way. When it was clear Hair was a success, it still didn't win Best Musical. But if asked which musical that season contributed most to the evolution of musical theatre, I doubt anyone would say it was 1776, as good as it is.

Posted: 5/5/10 at 10:24am

And yet, at the time, a LOT of folks thought Hair did inestimable damage to theater as a whole. Read "the Season" and you'll see some truly venomous remarks directed toward Hair=- from all sides.

[Piper3500]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 10:34am

"When Hair originally opened, nobody knew it would move to Broadway and create a new movement in musical theatre. When Hair did move to Broadway, nobody knew if it would last or become influential in any way. "

I think originally, it was still "too political" perhaps. and now when many are against war and do not have to be ashamed to be against it, it was a resounding yes for the revival to win last year. that is an exception of course. HAIR was original it its day to show things that stuffy people could not deal with. some of those conservativs went, were changed for an hour, but that's it.

now it is more commercial, and they know this is the vibe so couldn't possibly put up Adaams. commericially successful but critically panned. yet it got 8 drama desk nods.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 11:53am

I'm sure they'll bring in Jersey Boys and Green Day to perform on the telecast because frankly the performances from some of the nominated shows

Enough with Jersey Boys, it's getting old.

And Green Day is starting a European tour later this month and will be over there until the first week of July, so it would make for one crazy travel schedule for them to come back to perform at the Tonys.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 12:27pm

What i love is how he makes up all his contacts.
'A Producer said....' or 'a Tony Voter said...' etc

Its very funny how they all seem to sound the same in the tone which comes through in the writing

[Piper3500]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 12:30pm

well i suppose he thinks it sounds better than "my sources tell me"

[amoni2]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 1:31pm

'What i love is how he makes up all his contacts.
'A Producer said....' or 'a Tony Voter said...' etc"


That's a trick all Rupert Murdoch employees learn in training. Like at his Faux News Channel where the hosts of their shows want to attack without any knowledge or information, and start questions with "Some people say...", and it's been documented in "Outfoxed". He's nothing more than a cheap gossip columnist and makes it very clear in his glee about hurt feelings, he has nothing but disdain for theater and it's performers.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 1:51pm

"He's nothing more than a cheap gossip columnist"

Well, yea. That's exactly what he is. And that's exactly what he's paid to be.

I can't believe people actually think he's supposed to be a legitimate and impartial reporter.

All these condemnations are music to his ears, I assure you. It means he's doing his job. And doing it well.

Not a week goes by without some thread picking him and his allegations apart. That in itself is a sure sign of his success.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 3:39pm

The New York Post loses about a million dollars a week or 50 mil a year.

The Addams Family has been grossing 1.2-1.3 mil a week since previews began.

One is making money at least for the moment, and the other hasn't made money in years if not decades and requires subsidy from other more profitable arms of the owning conglomerate.

Neither is aimed particularly high on the cultural ladder, but at least The Addams Family has its moments.

Why doesn't Mister Riedel just shut his hole?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/5/10 at 3:49pm

And yet, at the time, a LOT of folks thought Hair did inestimable damage to theater as a whole.

I'm sure at the time they did. People feared the show what it would bring to Broadway, not entirely unlike those who were so ridiculously against Rock of Ages. But then the dust settles and we look back at what a revolutionary and influential show Hair originally was. That probably won't happen with Rock of Ages or Memphis (unless there is some unforeseen significant event tied to either show in our future), but it's interesting to see how some distance can add a bit of objectivity to our perspective.

Why doesn't Mister Riedel just shut his hole?

Because it's his job?

Updated On: 5/5/10 at 03:49 PM