| re: Was George Rose's Tony for My Fair Lady a shock? : ITS TEH TONY AWARDS RULES | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 07:03 am EST 02/01/25 | |
| In reply to: Was George Rose's Tony for My Fair Lady a shock? - bobby2 09:43 pm EST 01/31/25 | |
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| If your name is above the title in PLAYBILL, you are in a leading role. If not you are in a supporting role. This is a rule enshrined through the mists of time. In 1956, only Harrison and Andrews were above the title. In 1976, Ian Richardson, Christine Andreas, George Rose, and Robert Coote were all above the title. In the 1981 reveal, only Harrison was above the title. In 1993 only Richard Chamberlain. The Tony Committee sometimes decides that someone below the title is actually a lead. In 1993, if Mellissa Errico had been nominated for her Eliza, though below the title, she likely would have been nominated in the Leading Actress category. George Rose was magnificent in that MFL revival - and keep in mind that CHICAGO was not much liked. Donna McKechnie was arguably a Leading Actress in A CHORUS LINE. I imagine that Chita & Gwen's votes cancelled each other out, and voters went for the new kid on the block. Tom Bosley played Fiorello in FIORELLO, but was nominated (and won) as Best Featured Actor in a musical because his name was below the title. Anna Quayle, by any mark playing the leading actress in STOP THE WORLD was nominated (and won) as best featured actress, as only Anthony Newley was above the title. More recently (and bizarrely, IMHO), in 2013 the Tony Committee nominated Kristine Nielsen as Leading Actress for VANYA SONIA ND MASHA AND SPIKE, although only Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Pierce were above the title. It is likely that if the Committee had left Ms Nielsen in the Featured Actress category, when would have won the Tony that year. In 1966, Patrick Magee, playing the Marquis de Sade was nominated as a supporting actor, as he wasn't over the title, although he was playing one of the two leading roles in the show. And as one more example of how random the decisions of the Tony Committee are, in 1970 tye musical PURLIE was a big hit. No actor was above the title. Yet Cleavon Little was nominated as a Leading Actor, and won; and Melba Moore, every bit as much a leading player, was nominated as a supporting actor, and won. When you sign paperwork formally making your production Tony Award eligible, you sign away any right to question the Tony Committee on any decision they may make, The over the title/under the title rule has disappeared, and the Committee now decides unilaterally re Leading/Featured, although producers in their submission put forward what category they think is appropriate. Mhy favorite Tony anomaly is that the original production of ANGELS IN AMERICA on Broadway was treated as two separate unrelated plays. Each one a Tony in the season it opened. Part I opened in May 1993 (1993 Tonys). Part II in November 1993 (1994 Tonys). In 2018 it was treated as one play |
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| Previous: | Was George Rose's Tony for My Fair Lady a shock? - bobby2 09:43 pm EST 01/31/25 |
| Next: | re: Was George Rose's Tony for My Fair Lady a shock? : ITS TEH TONY AWARDS RULES - scoot1er 08:39 am EST 02/01/25 |
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