Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens.

[muscle23ftl]

I know it's been talked about a hundred times. But I have to say that her performance has to go in the story as legendary.
She is just perfection. Her voice, her gestures, what a great artist! What a great woman. I truly hope she gets that Tony and stays on Broadway for quite awhile. She is probably the only Broadway actress that can be compared to Julie Andrews.

[neelyohara]

Amen!

[blaxx]

She is probably the only Broadway actress that can be compared to Julie Andrews.

????

[RevolutionaryCostume]

Julie Andrews never made me cry like that.

and I'm cold and dead inside

~Jacob.

[blaxx]

Comparing Ebersole with Julie Andrews is obviously the effect that watching the Bombay Dreams tour caused on poor muscle...

That makes me cry more than Grey Gardens *sniff*

[bwaygal1]

Christine is in a league of her own, now. She just never ceases to amaze me with how she captures the nuances of her characters, particularly Little Edie.
She's going to win the Tony, IMO.
(And really does deserve it. Never seen anything like her in my twenty years of Broadway theater attendance.)

[Princeton78]

And oddly enough, after anticipating her performance for months, I finally saw it recently, and was not impressed.
Meh?

[Jellylorum]

She gives the most beautiful and touching performance I have ever seen on a stage. She better win the Tony because she really deserves it.

[bwaygal1]

Amen, Jelly. And the empathy with which she portrays her characters makes her performance that much more astonishing and touching.
Still say she'll win the Tony.

[Bettyboy72]

The more you listen to the recordings, the more impressed I get. I think seeing GG once is not enough. I plan to return this summer. GG is definitely a musical that has plenty of room for repeat listenings/viewings. Some of the nuance hits you later. Also, the shifting of singing and music styles from Act 1 to Act 2 is amazing. I just remember how at the end of the show you could hear a pin drop (so rare in a theatre nowadays with rudeness at an all time high) during Around the World and Another Winter. Ebersole broke my heart. Simply divine. Wilson is excellent also, but she is eclipsed by Ebersole.

[Bettyboy72]

The more you listen to the recordings, the more impressed I get. I think seeing GG once is not enough. I plan to return this summer. GG is definitely a musical that has plenty of room for repeat listenings/viewings. Some of the nuance hits you later. Also, the shifting of singing and music styles from Act 1 to Act 2 is amazing. I just remember how at the end of the show you could hear a pin drop (so rare in a theatre nowadays with rudeness at an all time high) during Around the World and Another Winter. Ebersole broke my heart. Simply divine. Wilson is excellent also, but she is eclipsed by Ebersole.

[muscle23ftl]

She has the nicest singing voice I have heard in my life.

[obsessedjb]

I finally got my tickets to see the show for the first time in June. I am really excited!

[uncageg]

I have yet to see the show but do own the recording. A good friend of mine just saw "110" and said that Ms McDonald will most likely give Ms. Ebersole a run for her money come Tony time. he has seen every new musical that has opened so far (except Love Musik which he sees this week) and before 110, he said that the Tony belongs to Ebersole. Now, he says he is not so sure. I can't wait to see them both. Hopefully in June.

[bjh2114]

Uncageg, I am in the exact same boat as your friend, except I have also seen LoveMusik). I thought the exact same thing. Leading up until 110 in the Shade, which was the last musical I saw this season, I would have bet my mother's life on the fact that Ebersole will win. After seeing it though, it's clear that Audra is extremely talented and will give Ebersole a run for her money. That being said, Ebersole is still 95% likely to win in my mind. And when she does win, her Tony will be very meaningful. It will mean that she will have been the best musical actress not only this season, but for the past two seasons. Everyone knows that had Grey Gardens been Tony eligible last season, Ebersole would have beat LaChanze. She won all of the awards leading up to the Tonys, so she most definitely would have taken that one as well.
-BJH

[Jellylorum]

Christine also worked really well with Erin Davie and Mary Louise Wilson (one of them better win the Tony for featured actress). I don't think I have ever cried so much over a show.

[GYPSY1527]

McDonald is the only competition at this point and while she brought me to tears, from an acting standpoint, she didn't have that strong of a relationship with the rest of the cast. Ebersole's performance is beyond perfect in every single way. After seeing Lovemusik over two weeks ago and thinking about it, Donna gives a fantastic performance and certianly worthy of a tony nomination but not a win. Ebersole for me is still the frontrunner.

[Bettyboy72]

I look forward to seeing Audra, but I can't envision anyone coming close to the marathon performance by Ebersole. I mean not only is it well-acted and impeccably sung, it is a nightly Olympic event with the transformations and transitions. I don't understand how anyone could come close.

[uncageg]

I am glad that she was not up against LaChanze last year as I really wanted LaChanze to win. And I was even more happy that I was at the Awards to see her win it. I loved her in The Color Purple.

[Princeton78]

"I think seeing GG once is not enough."

If that's the case, then the Tony belongs to Audra. Her performance hit me right between the eyes from the moment she stepped onto the stage. If you have to go back, to get it or appreciate it, then neither the actor or the musical is doing it's job.

[Bettyboy72]

Prince, you completely took what I said out of context. Not surprising, since you disliked Ebersole. Most exceptional work can be seen over and over again to be re-experienced. Hence, the reason we buy dvds of favorite films, etc. Christine also "hit me right between the eyes", I just choose to get "hit" again. Some things get better over time or deepen with some pondering. It's a shame we live in a society where people need everything, including the theatre they see, to be spoon-fed to them.

[Princeton78]

Please do not insult my intelligence. I was not insulting yours.
Thank you...

Now to comment,
If you reread your post, you most definately give the implication that one cannot fully grasp the supposed genius of Grey Gardens on first viewing. Revisits and relisteng to the recording are necessary. If you have the money to drop to see the show multiple times, then who am I to stop you from enjoying it. I need nothing spoon fed to me. I understood everything Grey Gardens was trying to do and I still found it ultimately unmoving. One viewing of 110 in the shade revealed a seemingly simple story with many layers that were brought out by Ms. McDonald by the time the curtain (or the giant sun) came down.

[bjh2114]

Princeton, I don't think he was insulting your intelligence, especially since none of this has to do with intelligence as much as it does opinion. And as for your analysis of Betty's first comment, it was never the case that he gave "the implication that one cannot fully grasp the supposed genius of Grey Gardens on first viewing." That's just how you chose to read it. All Betty was saying is that Ebersole's is NOT one of those performances you go back and see again and it's boring after the first time. She is just as thrilling if not more thrilling every time you see it. If you weren't moved by her, that's fine, but don't accuse her performance of being bad because "one cannot fully grasp the supposed genius" the first time. It's simply untrue.

[Bettyboy72]

I never meant to insult your intelligence. I meant the comment in general, not as an attack on you. All you are doing is touting Audra, who I love and I would also most likely see more than once. I love to re-examine things, some might say perseverate on a great performance. I know many operate out of a "knowing" immediately while they are watching a show if they like the performances. I do not. I apologize if I offended you. Not my intention. I just have a blindspot for GG-I think it is a work of staggering brilliance with some amazing new songs. I am excited to see Audra and never meant to imply you needed anything spoon-fed to you.

[Princeton78]

Thank you for that...I appreciate it.

I just thought that 110 made it's point simply and yet with many layers at the same time. If you weren't paying attention, it came off as frothy, and it's a lot deeper. I personally felt that GG was deep and dreary from the get-go. Also, as a closeted fan of the movie version of GG, I felt that Mary Louise Wilson actually was much better at embodying the character she was playing. I don't actually think Christine got the character at all, and yes, I know that i'm in the huge, vast majority in saying that, but it's how I feel. After all the hype, I wasn't impressed. I say the Tony goes to Audra, though I appreciate Christine as an actress.