Can we just give Renee Elise Goldsberry the TONY now?

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 6:27pm

I know there is a Hamilton love thread but I wanted to talk about this one performer. I haven't seen Hamilton since August ( was my 3rd time seeing it) and I just NOW have listened to the whole cast album and all the energy came back to me when I replayed "Satisfied" and "The Schuyler Sisters" over and over. Such energy and passion in Renee's voice. She even more breathtaking live. You can literally see the fire in her eyes when she sings with such conviction. Her Character is quite complex and I'd love to see her win a Tony for this role. 

Updated On: 12/14/15 at 06:27 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 6:40pm

No argument here.  I also think her work (and Miranda's for her character) in act two is under-appreciated.  The decision to give the framing verses of "It's Quiet Uptown" to Angelica was a smart one, as her poignant contribution not only gives us another perspective on the deep wounds to be healed in the marriage vis a vis grief, but it also gives Angelica more of a sustained arc, since she's estranged from Alexander after "Say No to This."  She doesn't have a true solo in act two, and yet Miranda has given the character a powerful presence; she never ceases to play a role in the storytelling. Yes, Goldsberry's vocals on "Quiet Uptown" also reveal another side of the gifted artist playing her.

 

I'm guessing Soo will be submitted as Best Actress, Goldsberry Best Supporting, avoid a "Fun Home,"/"Company" split there (it's harder for the countless men in the show, with Miranda and Odom both up for Best Actor surely, and at least 3 other men in Supporting).   

Updated On: 11/4/15 at 06:40 PM

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 6:42pm

You wanna talk about the lunacy of the OBP Company's "split?" Why they submitted the role of April for Leading Actress is beyond me. Company has no leading actress, but even if you wanted to pick one, the strongest argument would be for Joanne or Amy at best.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 6:51pm

I always assumed April was elected as the "romantic" lead for Robert, i.e. the unmarried woman who gets the most stage time, sleeps with Robert during the course of the action and gets a duet with him. Some suggest it's the April beat that moves him into "Being Alive," mode, Joanne sealing the deal.  (The show isn't linear, so that makes no real sense; but I've heard it discussed.)  I'm not defending the decision, but I can see where making any of the wives "best actress" was even more bogus.  April is not the lead.  

 

I think a case can be made, persuasively, that Eliza and Angelica can be split, even though they likely have almost as much to sing.  Eliza's focus in the show is different.  

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 6:57pm

"You can literally see the fire in her eyes when she sings with such conviction."

I think you deserve the award for literally seeing the fire.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 6:58pm

You did NOT literally see fire in her eyes.   That would be painful.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:03pm

I LITERALLY saw the fire. The woman is insane. 

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:11pm

I whole heartedly agree. After just listening to satisfied i know that she just has to win it. 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:15pm

And you KNOW they would skip her in the In Memoriam section on the Tonys that year.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:18pm

I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR MONTHS. You can see my posts supporting her getting the Tony since, like, July. Never have I seen a more decisively clear Tony-deserving performance in my life. Everybody else on the boards have continued to chime in in with "well, we haven't seen Jennifer Hudson and blah blah blah," but I frankly don't take those comments heart because REG absolutely slays.  

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:19pm

She will definitely be nominated. No idea what other performances could give her competition though. 

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:20pm

"with "well, we haven't seen Jennifer Hudson and blah blah blah," but I frankly don't take those comments heart because REG absolutely slays"

 

Yeah but Jennifer Hudson certainly knows how to slay also and she is an incredible performer. It will be an interesting Tony Year. 

Updated On: 11/4/15 at 07:20 PM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:56pm

A large part of me deeply believes that Renée Elise should win but may not because the Tony committee may wish to help Jennifer Hudson EGOT. Having not seen either performance yet (but being very obsessed with the album for the last month and having committed most of it to memory) I can't truly say which is more deserving. But damn if Renée doesn't have that special something on the recording. I wish we could hear from Angelica a few more times since she doesn't appear in the story after the Reynolds Pamphlet until they talk about her death in the finale. I hope she gets the Tony.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 7:57pm

Actually, she does appear, memorably (see my post above) after the Reynolds Pamphlet.  She takes us into "It's Quiet Uptown."  

[gypsy101]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:01pm

Well I know she sings It's Quiet Uptown, but I thought she was being more of a narrator character there since she doesn't seem to be singing anything specifically relating to Angelica's experience with Philip's death. I meant she doesn't appear chronologically in the storyline after Reynolds (where she functions as her own character). But I agree that Angelica singing the verse is poignant given that it is her nephew she has lost.

Updated On: 11/4/15 at 08:01 PM

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:03pm

Miranda and Odom both up for Best Actor surely.

 

We don't even know if Leslie Odom, Jr. will be eligible as a lead or featured actor yet.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:05pm

That was Auggie's prediction.  Of course we don't know yet.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:14pm

"A large part of me deeply believes that Renée Elise should win but may not because the Tony committee may wish to help Jennifer Hudson EGOT."

 

Why would the Tony Committee care if Jennifer Hudson gets an EGOT?

 

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:14pm

Just dropping the fact in here that Renée won both this year's Featured Actress Drama Desk Award as well as the Lucille Lortel Award.

[bfreak]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:16pm

I'm sure Lin-Manuel Miranda will be petitioned for Best Actor, but Leslie Odom Jr. we don't know yet.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:17pm

 Which means she can't win either this year, so the front runner for featured actress will be hard to tell this year. 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:24pm

I wonder if we really know yet, though.

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:24pm

Renee Elise Goldsberry is certainly phenomenal in one of the best roles in the show. I think she's a lock for a nomination and we'll see what else transpires by April. 

 

Regarding Leslie Odom Jr, I cannot fathom him not being up for Lead actor. He is the narrator - he's a part of practically every song - and he has several big numbers in which he takes the lead or is solo. If he were placed into Supporting it would look like a weird play for Lin-Manuel wanting to win himself. Also the show has the best shot to take multiple awards with Leslie in Lead and Daveed Diggs/Chris Jackson in supporting. 

 

Leslie's performance has stuck with me more than any other character and I think he's doing a beautiful, flawless job. Again he'll have competition and I look forward to seeing the other performances of the season. 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:29pm

But it seems we don't really know even if you were discussing the possibilities and the logic of it.

[Hamilton22]

Posted: 11/4/15 at 8:29pm

Yeah but he would win if he went supporting.