Lady Day... has always been classified as a musical as evidenced by original PR, former nominations and the fact that Samuel French categorizes it as a Full Length Musical. I would argue that it's a play with music, for the same reasons other posters have mentioned. And the nominating committee is chock full of folks who like a good show. They may well think that it's more fun to put Audra in the play category seeing as how the musical category already has inherent drama. And her "sweep" would would make nice PR for the League and the Wing.
This isn't a personality contest. They're going to vote for the performance that they believe deserves it; the performance that they were invited too, attended and which moved or convinced them to vote for whichever Actress they choose.
You can't be that naive. Politics always play a part in awards shows. There may be some people who honestly vote for what they think is the best performance/show/what-have-you, but there are also people who will vote for their favorite or even against someone or simply go along with groupthink. That's why awards shows are not a good barometer for what's the "best," which is all subjective anyway.
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Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
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I was bowled over. Let me say I've never liked Audra McDonald very much-this changed my mind. She captures the essence of Billie Holiday perfectly. It was like being there in that time and place. It went beyond mere imitation (which i was afraid was what might be the case).
That said, I'm in the camp of 'it's a musical'. If 'Marlene' was a musical (the show with Sian Phillips which re-created Marlene Dietrich's concerts), then this surely is. The music does serve to tell the story, and does move it along. That to me is a musical.
"I'm really confused here. I keep reading and hearing "…the Tony Voters will give it to the one with 5 nominations and no wins," or "so-and-so's runner up status will earn her the win," etc. This isn't a personality contest. They're going to vote for the performance that they believe deserves it"
The Tonys are hugely political. Elaine Stritch is an example of an actress turning in great performances but being snubbed continuously. Then finally when everyone thinks she was going to die they awarded her the Tony for the show where she plays herself.
For example, she was excellent in "A Delicate Balance" but she was put up against her co-star Rosemary Harris in Best Actress (Zoe Caldwell won for Master Class). Had she been able to be put into Supporting she would have been up against winner Audra in Master Class.
She was totally snubbed for playing Parthy in the Show Boat revival. That year was so bad that only two actresses were in Best Actress (Glenn Close for Sunset Boulevard and Rebecca Luker for Show Boat). In Featured Actress, it was Greta Boston for Show Boat and the three women from Smokey Joe's Cafe.
So yes, I believe politics can play a huge role in the awards.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Read the thread....its' pretty much all laid out there for you.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Those who say it is a musical say it has over a dozen songs and that is the central action of the piece. Those who say it is a play say the music is reality based because the character is actually singing.
I haven't seen the show, but wasn't the music in Jersey Boys reality-based, mainly consisting of The Four Seasons' greatest hits? That was deemed a musical.
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Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
"I haven't seen the show, but wasn't the music in Jersey Boys reality-based, mainly consisting of The Four Seasons' greatest hits? That was deemed a musical. "
On a few occasions they sing the music in response to emotions and not because they are necessarily really singing. I have not seen it in so long but I think I remember Frankie singing a song because he was upset and not because he is actually singing in a club, concert or recording studio.