“For me to think I would be nominated for a Tony when the nominations came on my 25th day on Broadway would have been totally unrealistic. “
P. Diddy
Reading a quote like this in Entertainment Weekly, one can only sigh, or in my case, go into apoplexy. While Mr. Diddy was as gracious as the situation demanded, perhaps it’s never occurred to him that maybe he wasn’t delivering a noteworthy performance. Or that the well-publicized incident (when he had trouble relating to his character's financial problems) might have tipped his hand. Co-stars, media, friends, even some critics were deferential, I suppose, because they didn’t want to seem arrogant or deprecating. Why would young people need Diddy’s inclusion to see a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, an African American who was a genius, a prodigy, and years ahead of her time?
Assuming Diddy believes the message of Raisin in the Sun, why did he deprive a capable, talented actor who could have used the break? Why didn’t he donate tickets so kids could see it for free? Isn’t success and distinction in his chosen field enough? And if serious, why didn’t he get the training and pay his dues first, instead of walking into a role he clearly didn’t deserve? Even in a time when Broadway has become a candy factory with empty whiz-bang special effects and canned music, this is a new low. It no longer matters if they are creating memorable theatre, they just want to recoup their investment.
At the beginning of Broadway: The Golden Age, Ann Miller observes that they never thought of those days (1940’s-70’s) as a golden age, but looking back, she supposed it was. And like a savvy attorney, Director Rick McKay makes his case almost exclusively on the basis of testimony. You can tell the actors he asks the crucial question are trying to be polite, which makes the sad conclusion just seem all the more unmistakable. An institution that used to be a Mecca for the most brilliant creative minds of its time is fast becoming just another investment opportunity for moguls to exploit. Philistines who would produce a cock fight if they thought it would net them some serious bucks.
You’d have to be naive to think any documentary doesn’t have a viewpoint to sell, but I was leery because this one already sounds like a valentine to yesteryear: Broadway: The Golden Age By The Legends Who Were There. I should explain that I have been a devoted drama queen since attending a local production of Carousel at the age of ten. And McKay’s Broadway is indeed a valentine to a time when Broadway thrived on talent, zeal, dedication and boundless energy.
Article comments
1 - Jonathan Tenggara
I totally agree. Personally, the primal joy from the actors and actress when they are performing is one of the many reasons why I go there.