2002 Tony Reactions

I know I know, I'm as shocked as all of you!! For once I was not tempted to kill anyone after the Tonys this year! In fact, this was one of the best years for the Tonys that I can remember recently. All the awards were spread around nicely and most of the people I wanted to win did, including some that I didn't actually expect to!

Best Choreography - Rob Ashford for Thoroughly Modern Millie

It's Millie, of course I'm happy. And by all accounts the choreography is amazing, and it's NOT STRO!!!! So yay, I was happy all around. And honestly, I think in general Susan Stroman's choreography is over rated and particularly in what I've seen of Oklahoma!. And how can you NOT give it to tap dancing stenographers!!

Best Orchestrations - Doug Besterman and Ralph Burns for Thoroughly Modern Millie

Again, it was Millie so I was happy. And the orchestrations were great from what I heard so YAY!

Best Book of a Musical - Greg Kotis for Urinetown

The way the awards got split, it seems to be like the Tony voters had to at least give U-town a few nods for being clever and witty and innovative, even if they had no desire to give something so anti-establishment and downtown the big enchilada. And by all accounts, the book to U-town was excellent.

Best Original Score - Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis for Urinetown

I have to admit, I'm a bit cheesed by this. The score is not that phenomenal to U-town. It's clever and amusing but as far as functioning as a theatrical score with character development and plot moving songs... I don't think it should have won. But it's not a total travesty or anything.

Best Scenic Design - Tim Hatley for Private Lives

I hadn't heard anything about this set before the Tonys, but what they showed on the first hour of the telecast was SO amazing! The use of perspective and back lighting and everything was just unbelievable. I was surprised not to see Into the Woods win, but I can certainly see that Tim Hatley deserved to win. Fancy that, someone deserving winning a Tony!

Best Lighting Design - Brian MacDevitt for Into the Woods

It's Into the Woods, you know it HAD to win either lighting or sets. And from what I've seen the lighting was gorgeous. Nothing terribly surprising there.

Best Costume Design - Martin Pakledinaz for Thoroughly Modern Millie

The costumes for Millie are AMAZING. The red dress Sutton Foster wears in the second act is just to die for, I probably would have given Martin Pakledinaz the Tony just for that. The only issue I have with the costumes for Millie is this. I realize they're doing the whole comic book-esque contrasting colors thing but WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS HOLY is Marc in an aubergine purple suit and a GOLDENROD shirt for the "Speed Test" scene?!?!?! GAH! NO ONE looks good in that color yellow!! ::pantpant:: Alright, I'm better now.

Best Direction of a Play - Mary Zimmerman for Metamorphoses

I would have died of shock if Mary Zimmerman hadn't won. Metamorphoses is a directorial triumph and looks, from a purely conceptual standpoint, to be absolutely amazing. That and she gave the cutest acceptance speech ever. I want to work with her at some point now!

Best Direction of a Musical - John Rando for Urinetown the Musical

Okay so YES I wanted Michael Mayer to win for Millie but, like Metamorphoses, U-town is a show that was very dependent on its director,so I can respect them for giving it to John Rando.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical - Harriet Harris for Thoroughly Modern Millie

This was one of the big shockers of the evening for me. I was so sure Laura Benati was going to win! But I wasn't upset really that Harriet Harris won. She's fantastic and Laura has a long time to win her Tonys, she's still really young. And on some level I was REALLY glad that Harriet Harris won, simply because I love it when I actually can't predict these things. Makes devoting an evening of my life to watching seem worthwhile.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play - Katie Finneran for Noises Off

Color me shocked on this one. I mean yes, Katie Finneran is fantastic. But to have Kate Burton not win for Elephant Man OR Hedda Gabler seems like a travesty to me somehow. But Kate Finneran is fantastic and I love Noises Off so there ya go.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play - Frank Langella for Fortune's Fool

It's Frank Langella, I think it would go against every rule like... EVER to not give him the Tony.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical - Shuler Hensley for Oklahoma!

Many many MANY narrs on Shuler Hensley. I'm sure he's a nice guy and all but UGH! Damn him damn him damn him!!!! FOUR of my boys were nominated against him, would it have KILLED the fates to let one of them win?!?!?! And poor Gregg!! He's turning into the Susan Lucci of musical theatre. ::sniff:: My boys, all my adorable little boys losing to big stupid Shuler Hensley. I don't care how talented and wonderful he is, I am upset by this immenseley. ::steps off soapbox::

Best Revival of a Play> - Private Lives

Fabulous show, fabulous cast. Fabulous fabulous fabulous!

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical - John Lithgow for Sweet Smell of Success

I love John Lithgow but he can fuck right off for this one. Brian d'Arcy James should have won this one, and he should not have been stuck in Featured with people who have massively smaller roles than he does. The whole thing was stupid and political and NARR!

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play - Lindsay Duncan for Private Lives

Not Kate Burton, which peeves me, but Lindsay Duncan is fabulous so I'm not complaining.

Best Special Theatrical Event - Elaine Stritch at Liberty

Am I the only one who is REALLY irritated by Elaine Stritch?? Am I the only who had negative amounts of desire to see this show? Apparently yes.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play - Alan Bates for Fortune's Fool

Not Alan Rickman. Narr. But a fabulous show nonetheless.

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical - Sutton Foster for Thoroughly Modern Millie

What can I say, I LOVE Sutton. And aside from being phenomenally talented and adorable and everything else, her whole story with Millie is just the sort of thing they LOVE to throw Tonys at. But yeah, YAY! Love her to death.

Best Revival of a Musical - Into the Woods

LOVE this show. As a matter of fact, watching the video of the OBC when I was about 9 was one of the things that originally got me into musical theatre. And of course, Gregg Edelman and Laura Benanti, two of my favorite people. And all of this in a show written by God, Stephen Sondheim. What more could I ask for?

Best Play - Edward Albee's The Goat or Who Is Sylvia?

Very surprised by this. Very very surprised. But it's Edward Albee, so it's not like he didn't deserve it for chrissakes. Just surprising is all.

Best Musical - Thoroughly Modern Millie

::runs around spastically:: MILLIE MILLIE MILLIE MILLIE!!!!!!! ::cough:: Okay seriously, do you have ANY idea how long it has been since my favorite show of the season has actually WON the Best Musical Tony????? AHHH!!!!! I'M GIDDY!!!