When the Tony Awards are given out, does anyone watch? I only ask because the presentation comes long after the typical theater season. Even though the video awards season goes from September (Emmys) to February (Oscars) with the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards in between, honors for Outstanding Achievement in regards to theatre are released during the summer.
This year, they were held on the same night as the series finale of The Sopranos. Someone should have realized most people would watch the most talked about ending in prime time history. So much hype occurred prior to air that you TiVoed if necessary. David Hyde Pierce, prior to winning Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for Curtains, acknowledged the hit show's demise with, "Ladies and gentlemen, a Soprano has been whacked!" He then explained he wanted to introduce everyone to his show's plot and mentioned a song from the show would soon be performed. It was a clever move from one of today's funniest comedians.
It's not uncommon for actors to have stage work somewhere in their resume. If one knows how to project voice, a dramatic scene is child's play. Disasters are always an issue, but working live helps one cope. Perhaps the biggest adjustment is learning to stay in one spot so the cameras focus. Stage actors use every bit of space available. Both television and theatre do have some things in common, however. Costumes and makeup can transform someone you might not notice on the street into a dazzling spectacle. Proper lighting and sound changes a space from drab to a particular place and time.
Do plays need big name performers to be a smash success? It depends on both the play and the person. While audiences can be drawn in, a bad review can travel around the world. Media outlets these days follow stars as they travel down the road of their careers. Internet access has the potential to leave a black mark beside a work which does not easily go away.
Article comments
1 - Kayla
Christine Ebersole won for 42nd St, not Sunset Blvd. Also, the awards were not consecutive, they were separated by 6 years.
2 - NancyGail
Proof people watch.