| re: Can Audra 'open' a show? | |
| Last Edit: Chazwaza 05:29 pm EDT 10/16/24 | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 05:24 pm EDT 10/16/24 | |
| In reply to: re: Can Audra 'open' a show? - NewtonUK 08:18 am EDT 10/16/24 | |
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| FWIW Ragtime wouldn't count anyway... she wasn't a lead in that show. She has 1.5 songs. And by .5 I mean Sarah Brown Eyes which is itself barely a full song relative to the other full songs in that score (though it's one of my absolute favorite scenes and songs in the show), and she sings not even half of it. But the epicness of her big solo "Your Daddy's Hands" at least makes it add up to 1.5, even 2. I suppose "Mr. President" counts as a song too. So, okay, 2.5-3 songs. In a musical with 36 songs/distinct sung musical sequences. She was already a TWO time Tony winner in Featured in a Musical and Featured in a Play, that's true ... but in no way was Ragtime sold on the names or faces of the cast (outside their TV performances, of course), including Audra, who, again, was not a lead. (there are 3 proper leads, Mother, Coalhouse, Tateh, and several big featured roles, Sarah being by father the most impactful) But I'm sure glad she or her reps didn't decide that after winning already twice as Featured, she would only take leads because she's too big for featured or afraid of cementing herself as only a featured singing actor (because even Master Class her role is dependent on her singing). Shuffle Along is also hard to count, besides Rudin closing it prematurely when Audra left for her pregnancy... because she was one of several lead actors advertised to sell this show. It wasn't like Marie Christine or 110 in the Shade where she was THE lead, THE protagonist, THE biggest role, and THE reason to write or revive the show. Frankie and Johnny of course can't just be pinned on her lack of box office power... she was co-starring with an acclaimed movie star (also stage star), but not one that sell tickets either it seems. It is worth noting that the first revival in 2003 did notably better, surely in part because both actors were in very hot stages of their career, especially Falco who was a raved about standout in one of the most popular and acclaimed TV shows at the time, and she'd just won her 3rd Emmy and a Golden Globe and SAG Award that year for her role. Interestingly, while that revival did get a Tony nom, as did Stanley Tucci, Edie who was a presumable lock, was not nominated. For the 2019 revival, Audra got a Tony nomination, but Michael Shannon did not. (The Best Actor in a Play category was much more crowded that year, with 6 actors nominated as opposed to 4 noms in best Actress. I'm fairly confident in guessing that in a less crowded year, Shannon would have been, and in a more crowded year Audra would not have been) |
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