Sean Hayes To Host Tonys

[+ Lucky]

Where's Neil Patrick Harris when you need him? Instead we have the straight guy, Sean Hayes, hosting the Tonys this year. Oh, I forgot. Hayes only plays a straight guy in Promises, Promises.

 

I am not a big fan of Hayes, but here's hoping that he has what it takes to make the Tonys a fun show.

 

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/sean-hayes-to-host-tony-awards/?hp

[+ sf westcoaster]

I look forward to Sean's hosting of the Tony's. Saw him in Promises, Promises and was pleasently surprised at his singing ability. It is difficult to not think of him in his Will & Grace role, but he is on stage almost the entire time and very definitely handles the role and his comic timing is near perfect. On the other hand, Kristin is, in my opinion, totally miscast. The scenes associated with the pick-up in the bar are worth the price of admission.

[+ Lucky]

Please let us know how your trip is going and what you think of the shows you are seeing. Enjoy New York!

[Guest OCBeachbody]

LOL... well yeah I would rather see Neil! Sean Hayes is a bit too over the top for me. I remember him from the "Bucket List" and the "Cat in the Hat". (and "Billy's Big Hollywood Screen Kiss"... cough was forced to watch that cough).

Either way I know the award show will be a great watch, I always like the fact that you get great snippets of the performances which opens a wide variety of the music to the public who don't get a chance to entertain themselves at the theatere!

[Guest alanm]

I like Sean and NPH. Harris was one of the best hosts I have ever seen on an Award show at last year's Tony Awards. Wonder if Matthew Morrison was considered -- although "Glee is on another network.

[JackTwist]

Awesome.

 

Love Sean Hayes. He is a funny guy. I wouldn’t miss him at the Tonys. I'm sure he'll have some barbs ready to throw at Newsweek.

[Pegasus]

It's a good choice and would be even better if Kristin Chenoweth was co-hosting with him. I’m sure Haye's will be a fine host, but I seriously doubt he can top Neil Patrick Harris.

[body2body]

I saw Sean Hayes in 'Promises Promises" Friday night. He was a revelation. A surprisingly good singer (although a vibrato you could walk through when he pushed it) and one of the best physical comics I have ever seen on the stage. I think he is an excellent choice to host the Tonys. Kelsey Grammar would have been the best choice this year due to his high Television audience recogintion, and his very fine performance in the superb revival of "La Cage aux Folles" but he probably would have been too expensive.

[+ Lucky]

Tony Favorites?

 

If anything were to get me to decide to start posting again, even after only a two week respite, it would be the thought that the Arts Forum isn't holding up.

It's the day before the Tony Awards and no one is piping in with commentary or predictions. What kind of Arts Forum has nothing on that? Aren't the Tonys sort of the highlight of the theater year?

 

My favorite for Best Play should be easy to guess. I raved over RED after I saw it, and nothing else I saw this year excited me more than that. I didn't see any of the nominees for Best Musical, so you can either decide that I am not big on musicals, or that this year's nominees just weren't compelling enough to get me to the theater on time.

 

As for Best Play Revival, I saw all of them except for Lend Me A Tenor, and my pick would easily be Fences. It was well-done, and one of the biggest hits of the seasons. La Cage Aux Folles should easily get Best Revival of a musical.

 

Best Actor in a Play is likely going to Denzel Washington for Fences, but I'd vote for Alfred Molina, who had a much harder job in RED.

 

Best Actress in a Play seems to be a cinch for Viola David in Fences, and I can't see anyone else who has much of a chance. But it is an honor to be nominated....

 

For Leading Actor in a Musical, I think Doug Hodge in La Cage has that about wrapped up too. I don't have any guess on Best Actress, but Catherine Zeta-Jones would be a fan-favorite. She does tend to mesmerize straight men.

 

Featured Actor in a Play is Eddie Redmayne, beyond a doubt. How that young actor can pull off that complicated role against Molina every night is just amazing. I can't see anyone beating him.

Jan Maxwell will win for the Best Featured Actress in a play since she has two nominations and ought to win one, don't you think?

 

I am rooting for Robin de Jesus to win Best Featured Actor in a musical, since I thought he did a great job, and also because he was so good in the movie Camp! Katie Finneran seems ready to walk away with the female award as she stole the show in Promises, Promises.

 

The more technical awards may be beyond me to judge, but Neil Austin's lighting in RED showed how lighting can be a character in a play as well as a person can be, and he also is nominated for lighting in Hamlet, so I vote for him.

 

But, I also vote for all of you to become best poster in an Arts Forum. If you don't post here regularly, and with some intelligence to move the conversation along, then there may only be a cob-webbed box sitting here at this time next year. It's been two weeks since this thread received a post, and two days since any thread was posted, so, it's your choice if you Comedy & Tragedy all year long!

[+ sf westcoaster]

I am rooting for "Red" in all of its nomianted categories. It was far-and-away the best drama I saw on Broadway this year. I bought the script and have just finished reading it and will reread it in another month - there is so much there to digest that I had missed at the theatre.

 

Lucky, I agree with your choices on lead and feature actors in a musical. Did not see Fences so can not comment, however, Washigton would have to go a long way to beat Molina - unfortuanately awards are all-to-often not given to the one who deserves it the most for their performance.

 

Although not elegible for an award, because it was an Off-Broadway vehicle, Judith Ivy's performance in Glass Menagerie would get my vote for best perfomance by an actress in a drama

[body2body]

I only got to make two trips to New York to see shows this past year. However, If RED does not take best Play I will be very surprised, it was so good on so many levels. Of all the performances Eddie Redmayne's is the one that I found myself thinking about the most. So beautifully nuanced, so perfect in the arc of development his character goes through. I will be very surprised if it does not do well in all the categories it is nominated in.

 

Although Miss Finneran's performance was a show stealer in "Promises Promises" I must say that I still have wonderful memories of Angela Lansbury in "...Night Music". I know she already has a shelf full of Tony's but still I would give her another if it were up to me.

 

Douglas Hodge deserves a Tony for his work in "La Cage aux Folles", but I am wondering if the whole stink about Sean Hayes may boost his chances. The Audience roared its approval for him (even more than for La Chenowith), and there may be some undercurrent of sympathy for him. Don't be surprised if the Host takes home an award.

[JackTwist]

Sean's Big Night (and Knight)...

 

I'm looking forward to watching Sean Hayes host the Tony Awards tonight. Hopefully, Sean will carry home a trophy himself! ...and by "trophy" I'm not necessarily referring to his handsome partner, David Phoenix:

 

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/3131/davidpv.jpg

L.A. Interior Designer David Phoenix

[GoodFella69]

2010 TONY AWARD Winners...

 

Final list of winners for 2010 Tony Awards

 

BEST PLAY: "Red."

BEST MUSICAL: "Memphis."

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL: "Memphis."

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATER: "Memphis."

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: "Fences."

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: "La Cage aux Folles."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Denzel Washington, "Fences."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Viola Davis, "Fences."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Douglas Hodge, "La Cage aux Folles."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Catherine Zeta-Jones, "A Little Night Music."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Eddie Redmayne, "Red."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Scarlett Johansson, "A View From the Bridge."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Levi Kreis, "Million Dollar Quartet."

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Katie Finneran, "Promises, Promises."

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Michael Grandage, "Red."

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Terry Johnson, "La Cage aux Folles."

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Bill T. Jones, "Fela!"

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS: Daryl Waters and David Bryan, "Memphis."

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Christopher Oram, "Red."

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Christine Jones, "American Idiot."

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Catherine Zuber, "The Royal Family."

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Marina Draghici, "Fela!"

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Neil Austin, "Red."

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Kevin Adams, "American Idiot."

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Adam Cork, "Red."

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Robert Kaplowitz, "Fela!"

___

[Guest Sanjar]

Not thinking to compare to other hosts nor to quarrel with who does not agree I think that Sean Hayes was a most charming host. As well his serious pianism made him more attractive to me. The Billy Elliott costume showe a pleasant body and full package. Many see injustices in the awards. I find it unjust that American Idiot was nominted and Addams Family not and that Scarlett Johanson won and Jan Maxwell not. The greatest injustice is that the small talent Catherine Zeta Jones won and Montego Glover not. The reaction of Jones was as well artificial and irritating. The long lasting worshippers of Barbara Cook say that she was deserving.

[edjames]

Another ho-hum awards ceremony. I'm sure there are many who will voice their opinions about how the approximately 700 Tony eligible voters cast their ballots! One thing to remember, sometimes awards are not always about merit but about politics. I have been told that Catherine Zeta-Jones actively campaigned for her Tony by attending many pre-Tony functions to meet and greet the voters. Alas, there is no audience influence in these awards, so our opinions do not count.

 

Sean Hayes made for a fine host, but for me, lacked the pizzazz of Hugh Jackman. Although, I must admit it was nice seeing him in tights spoofing Billy Elliot and Spiderman. His wardrobe in Will and Gracerelied heavily on Dockers and jeans. And yes, I think his lip lock with Kristin Chenoweth did look awkward.

 

As always, there were more than a fair share of openly gay Tony Winners who acknowledged their partners.

 

Not sure Memphis should have won Best Musical over Fela. Michael Reidel’s NYPost column today highlights this injustice.

 

Do you think it coincidence that Lea Michele sang a number from “Funny Girl” after everyone acknowledged she could be the new star of the 2012 revival?

 

And can someone explain what was up with the great Marion Seldes? She was given a Lifetime Achievement award, walked up to the microphone, looked a bit perplexed and then left the stage without saying a word! Next time I see her in the neighborhood, I’m going to ask her!

 

Ed

[MsGuy]

The reaction of Jones was as well artificial and irritating.

 

If I hadn't been watching the show as a tribute to Lucky, I would have switched channels at that point. Ms. Zeta-Jones gave a truly annoying performance.

[adriano46]

Another ho-hum awards ceremony. I'm sure there are many who will voice their opinions about how the approximately 700 Tony eligible voters cast their ballots! One thing to remember, sometimes awards are not always about merit but about politics. I have been told that Catherine Zeta-Jones actively campaigned for her Tony by attending many pre-Tony functions to meet and greet the voters. Alas, there is no audience influence in these awards, so our opinions do not count.

 

Sean Hayes made for a fine host, but for me, lacked the pizzazz of Hugh Jackman. Although, I must admit it was nice seeing him in tights spoofing Billy Elliot and Spiderman. His wardrobe in Will and Gracerelied heavily on Dockers and jeans. And yes, I think his lip lock with Kristin Chenoweth did look awkward.

 

As always, there were more than a fair share of openly gay Tony Winners who acknowledged their partners.

 

Not sure Memphis should have won Best Musical over Fela. Michael Reidel’s NYPost column today highlights this injustice.

 

Do you think it coincidence that Lea Michele sang a number from “Funny Girl” after everyone acknowledged she could be the new star of the 2012 revival?

 

And can someone explain what was up with the great Marion Seldes? She was given a Lifetime Achievement award, walked up to the microphone, looked a bit perplexed and then left the stage without saying a word! Next time I see her in the neighborhood, I’m going to ask her!

 

Ed

 

 

Thanks for this perspective, Ed.

 

I tuned in about 45 minutes into the program and was a bit disappointed. Hadserious reservations on the merits of some of the awards, misunderstood others. Thought Catherine Zeta-Jones' rendition of "Send in the Clowns" (despite a slight sore throat) was one of the WORST I have every heard -- actually switched to the Food Channel for half of the song.

 

I was not that impressed with Sean Hayes' performance as host; like him as a comic, not so sure as a host of a variety show, and found the song they show-cased for choreography from "Promises-Promises" a bit odd. But that's me.

 

Always like seeing Matthew Morrison, but could not understand the choice of the song he sang -- had a very difficult time even hearing what key it was in due to bad sound on the stage. For a minute, I actually thought this highly talented guy was off-key, but it was lousy orchestration. His and Lea Michele's songs were OK -- but why in a Tolny show???

 

And thanks for what you wrote on Marion Seldes... I too thought something was wrong with my TV! She is a tremendous actress and I could not figure that moment out.

 

All in all - I found the show too long, too dull in sections, and the swarming of the stage by dozens for awards for Best Play, Best Musical was ridiculous.

 

Funny moment that was missed -- the guy getting the award for playing Alvin in La Cage... who did not acknowledge the hilarous "Alvin" of Nathan Lane who stood right next to him and presented the award!!!

[Lankypeters]

Funny moment that was missed -- the guy getting the award for playing Alvin in La Cage... who did not acknowledge the hilarous "Alvin" of Nathan Lane who stood right next to him and presented the award!!!

 

 

Maybe he didn't like Lane's performance.

[edjames]

I went to see the annual Irish Reps benefit concert version of Brigadoon last evening at the Schubert. It was an excellent evening celebrating a lovely show and a truly great score.

 

That said, as I looked down from my front-mezz seat, who did I spot sitting first row aisle? None other that Tony Lifetime Acheievement winner....Marion Seldes!

 

My first reaction was to figure a way to stop by and wish her congratulations, however, as I glanced down upon her from time to time during the performance, I noticed that she spent most of it thumbing through the program. I am sorry to say she looked a bit distracted.

 

I was told yesterday that her silent reaction to her Tony Award was her effort to "act" her emotion...

 

Sadly, I didn't get it.

 

ED

[uwsman2]

belated

 

A friend who just stumbled across the whole Newsweek review controversy about Sean Hayes on-line immediately emailed me - we have to support him, let's get tickets right away - so we'll be seeing it on Sunday. I hope we don't get the understudy.