What, No Bette?

[PalJoey]

 

What the F U C K ?

 

BROADWAYWORLD: First Tony Awards Performances Revealed, But No Bette Midler?

 

NY TIMES: Hello? Dolly? Bette Midler Seems Unlikely to Sing at Tony Awards

 

 

[Rhoda4]

 i will second that

[BroadwayConcierge]

I refuse to believe it until it's totally official. I can't imagine this year's telecast without her performing (at least a little..."Sunday Clothes" doesn't have that much Dolly...).

[Kad]

Would Rudin really let the production be represented by "It Takes a Woman" or "Penny in My Pocket"...? 

I mean, David Hyde Pierce delivers them both charmingly, but the former is one of the weakest numbers in the show and the latter is a restored cut song delivered in front of the curtain. 

[jonartdesigns]

i think they'll compromise and do "Sunday Clothes"

[RippedMan]

Is she nervous performing live?

[dramamama611]

^ Like she does 7 nights a week?

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Carol Channing literally performed the show in a wheelchair, toured the country, AND brought the show back to Broadway at Bette's age...

Get off your high horse and just perform the title number, "Parade" (with the monologue), or "So Long, Dearie (this is directed equally towards Rudin).

[Smaxie]

Since it looks like not everyone is reading the Times story...

The awards-show producers offered the musical a prime spot on the television broadcast, hoping Ms. Midler would lead the cast in a performance of its title song.

But the musical’s producers said that they would perform the number only remotely, from their stage at the Shubert Theater, and not on the ceremony’s stage at Radio City Music Hall. They argued that the different configuration of the stage at Radio City — and, in particular, its passerelle — could pose a risk to leaping dancers and would not do the song justice.

The awards show declined to allow “Hello, Dolly!” to perform remotely, concerned about setting a precedent. The Tonys have occasionally aired musical numbers remotely from other theaters, but in recent years the broadcast has ended that practice.

[BroadwayLover4]

I can't believe this!!! Here's hoping for a quick resolution.

[RippedMan]

But it's been done before on the Tonys? 

 

And i get she does it nightly, but different stage, different sound, etc. maybe that freaks them out? I can't imagine they'd rather stay at their theater because they're worried about the Ensemble? Sounds like they just wanna save money on the sets, etc. 

[QueenAlice]

The producers of HELLO DOLLY are just doing their job having a field day making the question of "Will Bette perform?" a press story.  Of course she will perform.

[DramaTeach]

I think if Great Comet can reconfigure their numbers for the Tony stage, so can Dolly.  Great Comet's show is literally built around the set, so if anyone has reason to ask for a remote performance, it's them, but they seem to be fine.  I saw Dolly and loved it, but this is ridiculous.  There's no reason it can't be done at Radio City.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

I know! Great Comet is going the extra mile by not only inviting random people to join them, but to actually adjust the direction to the environment. It's a hard thing to do. Dolly is so easy to stage in Radio City Hall. They're just making up excuses

[ren598]

So different from last year when you had the cast of Hamilton performing at the beginning, middle and end of the Tony telecast.  Hamilton didn't need to promote their show either, but they did it for the Tony telecast.  Any chance this negativity in the news cost Dolly the Tony for Revival of a Musical?  Aren't they still voting?  There is a nice alternative in Falsettos.  They also received 4 acting nominations just like Dolly.

[givesmevoice]

When I suggested a few weeks ago that Hello, Dolly wouldn't perform at the Tonys, my thinking was honestly that Midler wouldn't want to do the notoriously dreadful Tony Sunday schedule (early rehearsal, show, back to the Tonys). War Paint isn't doing a show that day, and I would bet money on the fact that either LuPone or Ebersole negotiated that point. 

[dianamorales]

I'm hoping they do Sunday clothes... with the train, which explains the remote performance.

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Doesn't Bette's shortened theatre schedule begin after the Tonys?  It can't be any more of a strain on her voice than doing two shows on a Wednesday or a Saturday.  I was even more upset that there are no scenes from Dolly in the Tony's CBS commercial and that they didn't add a song to the Tony highlights CD either.  Really bad move Scott Rudin.

[MichelleCraig]

It just seems that, for the most part, the producers, etc., are doing nothing with DOLLY...simply because they don't have to. It costs them money and the show's a guaranteed sellout for the duration of Midler's run. Still, their non-participation sort of stinks...

i do wish they'd allow the title number to be performed remotely from the Shubert. As another poster wrote, it could be dangerous to try and reformat the number to Radio City's stage...

[AC126748]

My guess is this is an engineered publicity stunt. They're ginning up a "will-she-or-won't-she?" fervor.

[BrodyFosse123]

Geez, relax bitches.  Bette will not only be a presenter but she'll perform with the cast of HELLO, DOLLY! as did THE BOOK OF MORMON and HAMILTON - two musicals that didn't need to for all the same reasons.  

[10086Sundays]

I'm having flashbacks to the "Donate to get Spring Awakening to the Tonys" ploy.

[PalJoey]

 

 

BrodyFosse said: "Geez, relax bitches.  Bette will not only be a presenter but she'll perform with the cast of HELLO, DOLLY!"

 

Not according to the Times article, Brody.  quote:

 

"...the producers of the awards show reached an impasse over the conditions under which Ms. Midler would sing, and as a result the plan is for her to present an award, but not to perform...."

 

[BrodyFosse123]

Well, if indeed she doesn't perform, her performance in HELLO, DOLLY! has already been excellently archived (not officially) so full performance footage now survives of Bette as Dolly.  

[chernjam]

Perhaps the real reason is not wanting to have Bette on national TV showing how thin her voice is...  Not that it matters as it's pretty much sold out.  But why risk bad pr?