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It’s time for the Tony Awards
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta made a big splash the morning the Tony Award nominations were announced last year. The Alliance Theatre won the Regional Tony for sustained excellence, and August Wilson’s “Radio Golf” (directed by Atlantan Kenny Leon) received four Tony nominations.
When the Tony contenders are announced tomorrow morning, we’ll be watching to see how Georgia’s Broadway contingent fares. Here’s a look at the homegrown talent, all of whom have a chance at nominations but are by no means shoo-ins.
Tituss Burgess. The Athens native is making a delightful turn as Sebastian, the fussy crab in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”
Sutton Foster. Already a Tony winner for “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” the star who grew up in Augusta was also nominated for “The Drowsy Chaperone” and “Little Women.” Foster plays Inga, Dr. Frankenstein’s love interest in the Mel Brooks musical, “Young Frankenstein.” The big news from Foster is that she’ll play Fiona in “Shrek: The Musical,” opening Nov. 8.
Jennifer Ferrin: This lovely actress is a native of Lawrenceville and graduate of Brookwood High School. She’s the lone female in “The 39 Steps,” the frenetic physical comedy send-up of the Alfred Hitchcock film, which happens to be airing at 8 tonight on TMC. Ferrin is known for playing Jennifer Louise Munson on the daytime soap “As the World Turns.”
Shuler Hensley: The Marietta native gets to make whoopy with “Will and Grace” star Megan Mullally, whose character ditches Dr. Frankenstein for his Monster in Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein.” Hensley has already won a Tony for his portrayal of the lonely, downtrodden Jud Fry in Trevor Nunn’s “Oklahoma!”
Atlanta’s Boris Kodjoe recently stepped in for Terrence Howard to play Brick in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” but Kodjoe won’t be eligible for a Tony nom.
If there were a category for biggest disappointments, “Young Frankenstein” and “Little Mermaid” would be in the game. As it is, “Passing Strange,” “In the Heights,” “Catered Affair” and “Xanadu” have all been better received. By all accounts, the best musicals on Broadway right now are the revivals: “Gypsy,” “South Pacific” and “Sunday in the Park with George.” Tracy Letts’ “August: Osage Count,” which won the Pulitzer Prize, is the best American play in decades. It will win a Tony.
The Tony Awards will be handed out live on CBS on June 15. Whoopi Goldberg will host.
Now, What Broadway shows have you seen this year? And who do you think should win a Tony?
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Comments
By Buffalo Chip
May 12, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
I saw ‘Rock and Roll’ and ‘The Seafarers.’ I don’t think there was anybody with Atlanta connections in either play.
By BPJ
May 12, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
August: Osage County as the best American play in decades? Dubious. I saw it last fall in New York, and I liked it. However I had the sense that the terrific cast (from the original Chicago production) was giving the best possible performance of a good play with problems. Letts seemed determined to throw in a number of clichéd plots, and the language was at times derivative. A good play, one that I’d recommend, but go easy on the superlatives.