It is interesting how diverse opinions about her performance in FOLLIES are. In this thread alone two people cited LOSING MY MIND as the best and worst thing about her performance, lol. (In Buddy's Eyes was my favourite).
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
I will admit her "Losing my mind" was not a show stopper, BUT I think she deserved the TONY for her performance in follies, she had me mesmerized from the second she was on the stage. She deserves it more than jan maxwell. Follies was a true gem of this theater season , I hope it cleans up at the TONYs.
I like Bernadette. I even love Bernadette. In Mack and Mabel and Song and Dance and many other shows.
But she should not have been nominated for Gypsy and she was. She was (in my opinion) miscast in Gypsy and many people did not iike her in Follies. Geez she can't get nominated every time simply because she is Bernadette Peters.
Same goes with Angela Lanbury who was good but it simply wasn't her best performance.
The nominations were for the most part............very fair this year.
Perhaps they stole her signature arms-out-throw-head-back move for Jesus Christ Superstar. At least she still has her signature hugs-self-throws-head-back move to console herself.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Rape is never funny. You can't joke about rape here. Rape, even though the word has different definitions, is always about being sexually abused and it's not funny.
No, long time lurker who created a username to defend Carrie but I've always laughed and found myself frustrated with people's posts on this board. Boredom, frustration, and actually having a username have prompted my recent posting.
Is no different than what Jordan posted about Darren Criss last night. Let's even the playing here folks because it's not right to jump down one person's throat with feminist rape culture and ignore the other's.
Okay. I know what you're talking about, but that thread was already in damage control mode by the time I saw it. I don't know if Jordan was doing Sondheim parody lyrics in that thread or not. I can appreciate your indignity in wanting to "level the playing field" but I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and assume you're smart enough to appreciate that difference. And I say all that without taking any stand on that Daren Criss was Raped thread.
It still doesn't matter. Jordan's post was titled "Darren Criss Was Raped" and the body of the message said "of a Tony nomination". While it may not have been in reference to a Sondheim song, it still was a completely valid and un-sexual use of the word. And people pounced.
The first part of this post is no parody. It's a blanket statement that with the use of grammar and spacing is equally offensive.
"ROBBED?
They raped her!"
Is not a take on the words, syllables, or musical phrase in the song. Later in his post he creates a true parody, citing changed lyrics to the actual song.
The first part is a blanket statement. And while I "do" appreciate it and think it's funny, Jordan's post made me chuckle as well. And anyone who laughed at it or defended it was accused of being lower class and giving in to rape culture.
Again, not right. If Jordan's post is going to receive a RIDICULOUS amount of grief, so should henrikegerman's.
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.
EattheBrownie, obviously, as you note (I think), I was alluding to the lyrics, which were introduced by Ms. Peters. Perhaps you should tell Sondheim that rape is never funny. Maybe you should lobby for the lyric to be excised from INTO THE WOODS, and then what's that done, perhaps you could start working on THE FANTASTICKS, that show has an entire funny song on the subject.
I know. And I appreciate your post. And realize that rape is made lightly in The Fantasticks and is a lyric in Into The Woods. I chuckled at your post. As I did Jordan's.
Perhaps the feminist posters who posted last night should spew their venom on Sondheim or Jones and Schmidt. They were adamant that rape is NEVER funny, even when the word is used to describe something non-sexual, and then they went on a rant about how The Book of Mormon isn't funny and is offensive and that only non-intelligent people would laugh at it's jokes. They seemed to assume that making light of rape on BroadwayWorld would create a "rape culture", which in turn would normalize and trivialize the act.
Here's the skinny: Jordan made a post, going along with the "So-and-So Was Robbed!" theme, saying Darren Criss was raped, with no qualifiers about what he meant (though, you know, it was fairly clear). Backlash ensued. Jordan deleted his comment and apologized. EatTheBrownie, however, went on and on and on about how people were overreacting, how there are multiple definitions of the word "rape", accused people who were offended of being feminists, and generally wouldn't let it go. What he's been saying here is a shadow of what he was going on about last night.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Such awards are generally given during the pre-network segment of the festivities, although I suspect Hugh Jackman will receive full telecast coverage with his David Merrick Humanitarian Award while lesser mortals get the usual Tony shaft, like national treasure Marian Seldes. Does ANYONE give this annual clambake any credence anymore?
Actually, Marian Seldes was robbed. And Jones and Schmidt have written an alternate to the rape song to appease any nice-nellies and timid school administrators looking to do THE FANTASTICKS.