A Word About Rachel Bay Jones

[RaisedOnMusicals]

I’ve now seen DEH three times, first at Second Stage, next on Broadway shortly after it opened in December 2016 and again last night. Obviously I was interested in how Taylor Trench did as Evan, particularly as I considered Ben’s performance to have been one of the greatest male performances I had ever seen on Broadway. And don’t worry, Taylor is excellent, and it’s now clear to me what a great show this is. 

But I’d really like to single out the absolutely amazing performance of Rachel Bay Jones. It’s hard to describe a Tony winning performance as underrated, but that’s what I thought as I watched and listened to her last night. She’s been doing this role since the show was in development, and somehow she makes the role seem fresh. In many respects, she brings as much pure emotion to the part of Evan’s mom as did Ben while playing Evan. I think I wasn’t as aware of it before as it was so easy to get caught up in Ben’s performance, but last night I was simply overwhelmed by her performance. Maybe part of that was cause I’m a parent myself, but no matter. She was absolutely brilliant  

 

 

[GeorgeandDot]

She really is a phenomenal performer. She was robbed of a Tony for her performance in Pippin.

[Mildred Plotka]

I’m baffled that she didn’t even get a nomination for Pippin. She transformed a role that is usually just, well, an ordinary woman. And the comedy she brought to it was priceless.

[EllieRose2]

I love the term "robbed" of a Tony.  The act of being robbed is a violent crime, and no one is robbed of any ridiculous award.  No one was going to touch Andrea that year anyways.  She killed it every night in her small but mind blowing performance in Pippin.  

[michaelhale]

I missed out on RBJ the first time I saw Dear Evan Hansen, and so the second time I saw it, when she was in, it was like a revelation. I feel blessed to of seen her incredible performance two more times since, and I think she will be the hardest to replace in the cast. Her energy in the role is incredible and she brings so much to it. I am in shock any time anyone says she robbed the Tony last year from any of the other nominees.

[Call_me_jorge]

Honestly, I connected with her performance way more than Ben’s when I saw the show last June. She was just impeccable.

[GeorgeandDot]

EllieRose2 said: "I love the term "robbed" of a Tony. The act of being robbed is a violent crime, and no one is robbed of any ridiculous award. No one was going to touch Andrea that year anyways. She killed it every night in her small but mind blowing performance in Pippin."

I love Andrea Martin, but RBJ gave a much better performance that year and yet everyone just decided Andrea would win, so she did.  I see this happen all the time.  RBJ was robbed.  Robbed is the term we use.  Sorry if it's so offensive to you.

[dramamama611]

EllieRose2 said: "I love the term "robbed" of a Tony. The act of being robbed is a violent crime, and no one is robbed of any ridiculous award. No one was going to touch Andrea that year anyways. She killed it every night in her small but mind blowing performance in Pippin."

Lol....but you think your signature isn't overblown? 

 

No.....robbery is not always violent, and the very literal world you live in must be incredibly bland. You do realize that WE didnt make up its use in this context, right?

[jkstheatrescene]

EllieRose2 said: "I love the term "robbed" of a Tony. The act of being robbed is a violent crime, and no one is robbed of any ridiculous award. No one was going to touch Andrea that year anyways. She killed it every night in her small but mind blowing performance in Pippin."

I'm with you, dramamama611.  Interesting that Ellie described Andrea's performance as a violent crime, "killed it".

On the other hand, maybe she has a point.  Frances McDormand was literally robbed of her Oscar. A  Broadway performer may be next...

[JBroadway]

Any of you see her in First Daughter Suite? She gave a beautiful performance in that. I had mixed feelings about her in Pippin, but seeing her her in FDS, made me realize how excellent of a performer she is. 

[Miles2Go2]

JBroadway said: "Any of you see her in First Daughter Suite? She gave a beautiful performance in that. I had mixed feelings about her in Pippin, but seeing her her in FDS, made me realizehow excellent of a performer she is."

I loved her in Pippin. She was also gracious at stage door. When I saw DEH In November, she was out (performing on a cruise, I believe) but her stand-in/understudy (sorry, I’m not home right now and her name escapes me) was awesome (brought me to tears with So Big/So Small). When is RBJ leaving the show? I’d love to see it with her in it. Just curious. What role did she play in First Daughter Suite? 

[adam.peterson44]

I was captivated by RBJ's performance in Pippin, which was my first introduction to her work, and immediately became a fan.  Loved her performance in DEH as well - definitely look forward to whatever she does next. 

 

And on the side-topic: robbery is indeed violent by definition - it is theft of something from someone in person by use of violence/force directed at the person or threat of it.   Burglary is the non-violent version of theft from a building/location without force or threat of force against a person.  So yeah, certainly hyperbolic, but widely used in this metaphorical way.  I don't know if it causes trauma to survivors the way some other violence metaphors do, so i'll bow to the opinions of a survivor on whether or not it is trivializing or re-traumatizing to hear the term used in such a way.

[Miles2Go2]

I’d love this thread to stay devoted to how awesome RBJ is, but let me say words can have more than one meaning and they can be used metaphorically as it was above. I think the way the word was used above relates to definition 4 in this link:

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/robbed

[stoptheworld38]

Rachel Bay Jones is the queen

[gypsy101]

JBroadway said: "Any of you see her in First Daughter Suite? She gave a beautiful performance in that. I had mixed feelings about her in Pippin, but seeing her her in FDS, made me realizehow excellent of a performer she is."

i didn't see it, but her performance as Laura Bush singing "Let Go," just on the cast recording, deeply moved me. I love Rachel Bay Jones and everything she sings is gorgeous.

[LuminousBeing]

jkstheatrescene said: 
On the other hand, maybe she has a point. Frances McDormand was literally robbed of her Oscar. A Broadway performer may be next..."

The late, great, gracious Marian Seldes was robbed of her Tony for "A Delicate Balance" when a party guest absconded with it. The Tony Awards committee replaced it years later.

I felt BRI deserved the award for "Pippin," and I screamed with joy when she won for DEH, which I also believed she deserved. She's a gem.

 

[rjm516]

Honestly she was great, but her performance as Catherine will forever stay with me as one of the most incredible acts of brilliance I've ever seen. I know Pippin well and have seen it a lot and what she did with what is usually a thankless role is nothing short of revelatory