Today we celebrate the many, many parallels between the 2004 and 2014 Tony Awards races with a celebration of both seasons as we look ahead to this Sunday's 2014 Tony Awards telecast, hosted by - who else? - none other than 2004 Tony Award winner Hugh Jackman!
Another National Anthem History repeats itself. Time and time again, coincidences and striking similarities crop up and we are forced to ponder: why? Is it fate? Circumstance? Divine irony? Magic? Time immemorial, some things happen for a reason - and then happen again. And again. And... again. Such is certainly the case with many appreciable elements of this year's 2014 Tony Awards race versus that of 2004. Although the 2003-2004 Broadway season could not have been more wildly different than the 2013-2014 season insofar as the topics, themes, style of the various shows themselves and subsequent general atmosphere on the Street, a number of familiar faces are once again set to take the stage - or at least the auditorium - of Radio City Music Hall this Sunday, so this is an ideal time to ask: why? First things first, though, let's start with: who. Acting as genial emcee once again - his umpteenth time doing us all the estimable honor - is international stage and screen superstar Hugh Jackman. As many Broadway babies may remember, Jackman took an extended break from his then-burgeoning film career to essay the title role in the Peter Allen biomusical THE BOY FROM OZ on Broadway back in 2003 and was met with rapturous reviews and a well-earned 2004 Tony Award for Best Actor In A Musical for his work. Additionally, Jackman also served as host of that year's telecast, kicking off the ceremony in memorable fashion with a show-stopping, high-kicking rendition of the DREAMGIRLS hit "One Night Only" alongside not only the Rockettes, but Tony Awards champ Tommy Tune, too. And, the similarities extend far beyond that.
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