Judy Kuhn and Kelli O'Hara

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 2:02am

I feel like both are members of Broadway's royalty and they deserve their Tony this year for once. Even though I was bored out of my mind at Fun Home, I usually listen to Judy's recording of Sunset BLVD with Glenn Close and she is a delight. I wish them both good luck on Sunday.

 

I loved this quote:

 

“I just have a huge level of gratitude pumping through me at all moments,” she says. “One of the things about the Tonys is it can be a nerve-wracking thing, and as we know, I’ve never walked away with a statue. You have to keep reminding yourself how absolutely lucky you are to be invited to the party at all. If I ever got down about not winning —which I have, of course—my husband says to me, ‘Do you know what the percentage of people who get nominated is?’ If I ever lose sight of that even for a second, shame on me. You get in a Broadway show, and all of sudden you’re nominated so it feels really good. Then the pressure to win becomes bigger. But if I could go back and realize — and I do, I make myself — how just doing it was all I really asked for. So stop asking for more.” - Kelli O'Hara

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 2:43am

I saw Kuhn in the L.A. premiere of SB with Glenn Close.   Loved her in the role.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 7:28am

"If I ever got down about not winning —which I have, of course—my husband says to me, ‘Do you know what the percentage of people who get nominated is?’"

Greg, Honey, if you were thinking of the percentage of eligible actresses in the running for this (or almost any) season's best musical lead who actually get nominated, you may want to find a better way to cheer up Kelli when she gets a little down.

Good thing Kelli isn't married to Nate Silver (of course that's not the only reason).

Updated On: 6/5/15 at 07:28 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 7:33am

Tonys aren't awards for you lifetime work (unless you receive an lifetime achievement award).  They are for THIS year's performance.   As we've said before: Tonys seem to mean a lot more to US than they do to most performers.  If they only care about a little trophy, they would live in disappointment for the majority of their careers.   I'm not saying it isn't thrilling to win for most, but it isn't, and cannot be, the goal of their lives.

 

 

Sorry, Henrik, I don't think I realized I "quoted" you!

Updated On: 6/5/15 at 07:33 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 8:40am

^Not quite sure how your post is responsive to mine, Dramamama, but I agree with you.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 10:06am

Um...I read it as him saying, 'Do you know the percentage of actors who get nominated.'  Not actors in shows that year in a specific category...but, well, all actors.  

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 10:06am

"Good thing Kelli isn't married to Nate Silver (of course that's not the only reason)."

 

Henrik:

Just wondering, what in your opinion is the other reason or reasons?

 

[indytallguy]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 10:17am

"Tonys aren't awards for you lifetime work (unless you receive an lifetime achievement award).  They are for THIS year's performance."

 

On paper of course, but voters are human beings and human beings are biased (whether it is intentional or not).  Not doubt a voter's overall impression of an actor's body of work from time to time influences his or her ballot in any given year.

 

 

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 11:03am

"Um...I read it as him saying, 'Do you know the percentage of actors who get nominated.'  Not actors in shows that year in a specific category...but, well, all actors.  "

 Also she works way more consistently than so many other actors. How many other actors have been consistently employed in new works on Broadway to have gotten six nominations in eleven years?

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 11:25am

""If I ever got down about not winning —which I have, of course—my husband says to me, ‘Do you know what the percentage of people who get nominated is?’"

Greg, Honey, if you were thinking of the percentage of eligible actresses in the running for this (or almost any) season's best musical lead who actually get nominated, you may want to find a better way to cheer up Kelli when she gets a little down.

Good thing Kelli isn't married to Nate Silver (of course that's not the only reason)."

 

Oh come on. Kelli Ohara has been nominated 6 times. Thousands of deserving actors don't even get the opportunity walk on a broadway stage. So yes there might be a limited number of performances eligible for a Tony but there are also thousands of actors that don't get the opportunity to be a part of the exclusive group eligible for the award in the first place.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 11:49am

Judy and Kelli are two classy ladies.

With talent as big as their hearts.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 11:05pm

 

I thought that Kelli was in such demand and had so many piles of rave reviews that the actual award wouldn't mean that much to her.

 

I thought someone like Liza Minnelli, who was unsure whether she was a star due to her own talent or due to the woman who happened to be her mother, would want the award to bolster her self-worth.

 

Guess I was wrong. She is a hard-working actress who stays home and graces production after production.

 

Piazaa

Pajama Game

South Pacific

Belles are Ringing (Encores)

Nice Work

Carousel (NY Philharmonic)

Madison County

Merry Widow (at the Met)

King and I

City Center Gala, Roundabout Gala, NY Pops Gala (all this season)

 

Starting with South Pacific, I've seen her in everything except Bridges (a woman's show) and the Roundabout Gala when I couldn't come up with the two thousand dollars.

 

Actually I saw little of her in Carousel since I was on the left side in a box and, as was later explained to me, they had goofed by staging most of the show, including the bench scene, far to the left side of the stage.

 

I had tickets to see her with Mathew Morrison in the holiday concert of the Pops, but a family matter made that impossible. But I saw the dress rehersal the afternoon before which might have been just as interesting. I learned that her son wanted a pet rabbit for Christmas.

 

Perhaps I should swing my great influence behind Kelli. When Kristin is introduced as "Tony and Emmy award winner," not one in twenty people know when and what the Tony was for.** When Kelli is introduced as "six time Tony award nominee," it's pretty clear that she has never won.

 

So, clearly I like Kelli.

 

I also like Kristin, but wished she stuck around and did more theater. Little of her TV and film work has been notable.

 

**Introduced to the public in general, not to New York theatergoers.

   

 

[vfd88]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 12:08am

"I've seen her in everything except Bridges (a woman's show)"

What?

 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 2:52am

What do you mean that Kristin should do more theatre? She's done four musicals in the past 12 years. That's more than many actresses whose dedication to theatre isn't questioned as much.

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 3:43am

Kelli was also recently in Far From Heaven at Playwright's Horizon's, also with Steven Pasquale.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 2:19pm

Terrence Mann deserved his Tony for Pippin.. no one cares about "broadway royalty" from what I've noticed. If only it worked that way.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 2:28pm

I love Kelli very much and I hope this year the tony voters finally give her the recognition she deserves. And I hope the the rest of the egot follows soon after.

Updated On: 6/6/15 at 02:28 PM

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 11:10pm

What do you mean that Kristin should do more theatre? She's done four musicals in the past 12 years. That's more than many actresses whose dedication to theatre isn't questioned as much.

I said that I wished that she would do more theater. Not that it was her obligation.

 

She has many interests and is in great demand.

 

I do think that in Hollywood she has been used mainly as an adornment to existing films and television series, while in New York she is not only the focal point of 20th Century, but without her commitment to the show from the first reading years ago that this lost little gem would have remained in the corner of the attic for many more years..

 

 

 

 

[broadwayfan24]

Posted: 6/7/15 at 12:22pm

If Kristin wins the Tony, there will be cheers and applause, but if Kelli wins the Tony, the place will go insane. I haven't seen either performance yet, although I have tickets for both shows this month, but from what I hear Kristin should win. I think most people think Kristin SHOULD win, but a lot of people WANT Kelli to win. I'm in that boat. I'll be happy for Kristin, but ecstatic for Kelli. I think we can be guaranteed that if either of them win (over the other nominees in their category) there will be tears in the acceptance speech. I'm all for that. 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 6/7/15 at 1:05pm

"If Kristin wins the Tony, there will be cheers and applause, but if Kelli wins the Tony, the place will go insane. I haven't seen either performance yet, although I have tickets for both shows this month, but from what I hear Kristin should win. I think most people think Kristin SHOULD win, but a lot of people WANT Kelli to win. I'm in that boat. I'll be happy for Kristin, but ecstatic for Kelli. I think we can be guaranteed that if either of them win (over the other nominees in their category) there will be tears in the acceptance speech. I'm all for that. "

I find this post refreshing. I wish more people would just admit it like you did.