Morgan Freeman is today’s Oscar winning, Tony nominated actor. After making his debut in Hello, Dolly! and appearing in Purlie, he received a Tony nomination for Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in The Mighty Gents. The Tony that year went to Lester Rawlins for Da. Freeman’s Oscar came for 2004′s Million Dollar Baby.
Posted in Oscars and Theatre | Tagged Tony Awards, Hello Dolly!, Oscars, Morgan Freeman, Da, Purlie, Lester Rawlins, Academy Awards, The Mighty Gents, Million Dollar Baby | Leave a Comment »
Scout, Jem, Atticus, Calpurnia and Boo Radley come to life as the Arkansas Repertory Theatre presents the stage version of Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mockingbird. The production opens tonight and runs through February 12.
This deceptively simple episodic tale of life in the South was adapted for the stage by Christopher Sergel. All of the drama and humor from the novel and subsequent movie are found in the stage version directed by Arkansas Rep’s Producing Artistic Director Bob Hupp.
John Feltch portrays the noble Atticus Finch with Abby Shourd and Damon McKinnis as his children. Others in the cast include Spencer Davis, Laura E. Johnston, John-Patrick Driscoll, Lawrence Hamilton, Michael Jones, Sam Kitchin, Kathy McCafferty, Jason Collins, Briana Pozner, Alanna Hamill Newton, Verda Davenport, Jackie Stewart, and Tricia H. Spione. Will Frueauff and Julia Landfair understudy the children’s roles.
The creative team for this production includes Mike Nichols (scenery), Marianne Custer (costumes), Michael J. Eddy (lighting), Matt Duvall (properties) and M. Jason Pruzin (sound).
Posted in Daily, Production | Tagged Abby Shourd, Alanna Hamill Newton, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Bob Hupp, Christopher Sergel, Damon McKinnis, Harper Lee, Jason Collins, John Feltch, Kathy mcCafferty, Laura E. Johnston, Lawrence Hamilton, M. Jason Pruzin, Marianne Custer, Matt Duvall, Michael J. Eddy, Mike Nichols, Sam Kitchin, Spencer Davis, To Kill a Mockingbird, Verda Davenport, Will Frueauff | Leave a Comment »
Today is the birthday of Paul Newman. This Oscar winning Tony nominee was born on January 26, 1925. Newman starred in the original productions of three classic plays — Pulitzer Prize winning Picnic, Tony Best Play The Desperate Hours and Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth. His Tony nomination came in 2003 for what would be his final stint on stage — his performance as the Stage Manager in Our Town. The Tony that year went to Brian Dennehy for his Long Day’s Journey into Night. Newman won his Oscar for 1986′s The Color of Money.
Posted in Oscars and Theatre | Tagged Academy Awards, Oscars, Our Town, Paul Newman, Picnic, Pulitzer Prize, Sweet Bird of Youth, Tennessee Williams, The Color of Money, The Desperate Hours, Tony Awards | Leave a Comment »
When Wit first opened Off Broadway in 1998, there had been interest by some of the creative team for a Broadway transfer. Theatres were available, but some of the powers that were felt it wasn’t a “Broadway” play. Playwright Margaret Edson got the last laugh, and the Pulitzer Prize in 1999. The production ended up running 545 performances with Judith Light (currently in Other Desert Cities) succeeding Kathleen Chalfont in the central role of Vivian Bearing, PhD.
Wit now has its long awaited Broadway debut as it opens tonight at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel Friedman Theatre. The central role is now played by Cynthia Nixon, a Tony winner for a previous MTC production Rabbit Hole. Others in the cast are Suzanne Bertish, Michael Countryman, Greg Keller, and Carra Patterson. The cast is rounded out by Pun Bandhu, Jessica Dickey, Chike Johnson and Zachary Spicer.
MTC Artistic Director Lynne Meadow is helming this production. Santo Loquasto (scenery), Jennifer von Mayrhauser (costumes), Peter Kaczorowski (lighting) and Jill B. C. Du Boff (sound) are the design team.
Posted in Daily, Production | Tagged Carra Patterson, Cynthia Nixon, Greg Keller, Jennifer von Mayrhauser, Jill B. C. Du Boff, Judith Light, Kathleen Chalfont, Lynne Meadow, Manhattan Theatre Club, Margaret Edson, Michael Countryman, Other Desert Cities, Peter Kaczorowski, Pulitzer Prize, Santo Loquasto, Suzanne Bertish, Tony Awards, Wit | Leave a Comment »
Continuing the look at Oscar winning Tony nominees, today’s feature is Ruth Gordon. She authored the play Years Ago, for which Fredric March won his first Tony (at the first ceremony). Her only Tony nomination came for starring in Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker. She lost the 1956 Tony for Julie Harris for The Lark. Gordon’s Oscar was as Best Supporting Actress for the 1968 film Rosemary’s Baby.
Posted in Oscars and Theatre | Tagged Academy Awards, Fredric March, Julie Harris, Oscars, Rosemary's Baby, Ruth Gordon, The Lark, The Matchmaker, Thornton Wilder, Years Ago | Leave a Comment »
The nominations for the Oscars were announced yesterday. As usual, there are several nominees with stage connections. This year may be a little leaner in the stage connections department (no design or composition crossovers), but there still are some key players.
Scott Rudin, nominated for producing Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close has won Tony Awards for producing Passion; Copenhagen; The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?; Doubt, The History Boys, God of Carnage, Fences (revival) and The Book of Mormon. He has also been a producer of such titles as Indiscretions, Seven Guitars, Skylight, Closer, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, Shining City and Jerusalem.
Three of the five actors vying for the Best Actress Oscar are stage veterans. Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) has three Tony Awards, an Obie and a Drama League Award for her stage performances. The Obie came in 1983 for The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs. This year’s Oscar nomination comes for the film version of that story. Another nominee is Viola Davis (The Help) who has two Tony Awards, a Theatre World Award, an Obie and a New York Drama Critics Circle Award for her stage performances. A third Obie winner in this category is Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady). She also has received a Theatre World Award for her stage work.
In the Supporting Actor category, three of the nominees have NYC stage connections as well. Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn), often a fixture of London stages, has not acted on stage on this side of the pond. He did direct The Play What I Wrote in 2003 and wrote the Off Broadway play Public Enemy. Christopher Plummer (Beginners) has not appeared on Broadway this decade, but has been on the Rialto every decade from the 1950s through the 2000s (with a host of Tony nominations, a couple of Tony Awards and a Theatre World Award). Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) has appeared on Broadway twice. In the 1970s he starred in The Night of the Tribades and in the 1980s he starred in Duet for One.
The Supporting Actress category boasts two actors with stage credits. Jessica Chastain (The Help) has appeared Off Broadway in Rodney’s Wife and Othello. Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) has starred on Broadway in A Doll’s House, God of Carnage and Mary Stuart. She originated her role in God of Carnage in London and appeared as a replacement on Broadway. She earned a Tony and a Theatre World Award for her performance in A Doll’s House.
Woody Allen earned both Directing and Original Screenplay nominations for Midnight in Paris. He has been on Broadway this season with his one act Honeymoon Motel in Relatively Speaking. His previous Broadway writing credits include From A to Z; Don’t Drink the Water; Play It Again, Sam and The Floating Light Bulb. He also acted in Play It Again, Sam. Off Broadway writing credits include Death Defying Acts, Writer’s Block and A Second Hand Memory. He directed the latter two, as well.
Tony winner John Logan earned an Adapted Screenplay nomination for his work on Hugo. Off Broadway, he has directed Hauptman and written Never the Sinner. On Broadway, he wrote the Best Play Red. Playwright Beau Willimon adapted his Off Broadway play Farragut North into The Ides of March for the screen. He shares his Oscar nomination with George Clooney and Grant Heslov. Willimon has also written Spirit Control. Aaron Sorkin has penned the plays A Few Good Men, Making Movies and The Farnsworth Invention. He shares his Oscar nomination for Moneyball with Steve Zaillian and Stan Chervin.
Posted in Daily, Oscars and Theatre | Tagged Tony Awards, Meryl Streep, Christopher Plummer, Viola Davis, Janet McTeer, Copenhagen, Doubt, Glenn Close, Passion, The Goat or Who Is Sylvia?, Obie Awards, Theatre World Awards, God of Carnage, Closer, John Logan, Red, A Doll's House, Max Von Sydow, Fences, Othello, Kenneth Branagh, A Few Good Men, The History Boys, Woody Allen, Skylight, New York Drama Critics Circle Award, Aaron Sorkin, Scott Rudin, The Book of Mormon, Farragut North, Relatively Speaking, Drama League Award, Albert Nobbs, The Play What I Wrote, Jessica Chastain, Never the Sinner, Beau Willimon, George Clooney, The Farnsworth Invention | Leave a Comment »
Continuing with our look at Oscar winners who were Tony nominees is an actor who won the Oscar for her film debut. Barbra Streisand won the 1968 Oscar for her performance in Funny Girl (in a tie with Katharine Hepburn).
Streisand had been Tony nominated in 1964 for her star turn in Funny Girl on stage. That year, she lost the Tony to Carol Channing for Hello, Dolly! (which would star Streisand when it was turned into a screen musical).
In 1962, Streisand was nominated for Featured Actress in a Musical for her scene stealing performance in I Can Get It for You Wholesale. The Tony for that category went to Phyllis Newman for Subways Are for Sleeping. Both shows were produced by David Merrick, who told Newman at the beginning of the ceremony that he had voted for Streisand.
Posted in Oscars and Theatre | Tagged Tony Awards, David Merrick, Carol Channing, Hello Dolly!, Oscars, Phyllis Newman, I Can Get It for You Wholesale, Barbra Streisand, Katharine Hepburn, Funny Girl, Subways Are for Sleeping, Academy Awards | Leave a Comment »
With the State of the Union address set for tonight, it is a good time to consider the play State of the Union. Written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, the play opened at the Hudson Theatre on November 14, 1945. The plot concerned a fictional Republican’s bid for the presidency at the urging of political operatives and his longtime mistress, a newspaper editor.
The play starred Ralph Bellamy (who would later win a Tony Award for playing an actual President, FDR), Ruth Hussey, Margalo Gilmore, Myron McCormick and Arkansas native Minor Watson. It was directed by Bretaigne Windust (who’se next project would be the political satire musical comedy Finian’s Rainbow) and produced by Leland Hayward, a frequent collaborator of Lindsay and Crouse.
Running for 765 performances, this smart comedy examined the relationship between infidelity, politics, business and the media. In many ways it was decades ahead of its time, which makes the lengthy run even more remarkable. The play was awarded the 1946 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well.
Aspects of the play were based on an affair which GOP presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie reportedly had with Irita Van Doren, editor at the New York Herald Tribune. Purportedly some in the NY social scene felt it was a little too close to the truth.
Posted in Daily | Tagged Bretaigne Windust, Finians Rainbow, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Howard Lindsay, Iritia Van Doren, Leland Hayward, Margalo Gilmore, Minor Watson, Myron McCormick, Pulitzer Prize, Ralph Bellamy, Russel Crouse, Ruth Hussey, State of the Union, Tony Awards, Wendell Wilkie | Leave a Comment »
Leading up to the Oscars ceremony, we will look at 34 actors who have received a competitive Oscar for acting and been nominated for a competitive acting Tony, but not taken home the silver medallion.
To kick things off is the winningest Oscar actor – Katharine Hepburn. She took home the golden statuette a record four times. The first was for 1932/33’s Morning Glory. Subsequent wins came for Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968) and On Golden Pond 1981).
Though a good portion of her stage career pre-dated the Tony Awards, she did received two Tony nominations. In 1970, she received a Tony nomination for Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in Coco. In 1982, she picked up a Tony nomination for Actress in a Play for her star turn in The West Side Waltz. The first Tony went to Lauren Bacall for Applause while the second went to Zoe Caldwell for Medea.
Posted in Oscars and Theatre | Tagged Applause, Coco, Katharine Hepburn, Lauren Bacall, Medea, On Golden Pond, Oscars, The West Side Waltz, Tony Awarads, Zoe Caldwell | Leave a Comment »
Today marks the start of the Chinese New Year. This year is THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON. That is also the name of a play by Frank Chin, who was the first Asian American playwright to be commercially produced in the New York theatre.
The Year of the Dragon tells the story of the Eng family in Chinatown as they are gathering to celebrate the Chinese New Year. There are a variety of conflicts between the different generations of the family. Add to this the arrival of the patriarch’s first wife from mainland China, to the chagrin of the patriarch and his second wife.
Randall Duk Kim played Fred, the protagonist. Tina Chen portrayed his sister Sissy with Doug Higgins as her husband Ross. Keenan Shimizu played Fred and Sissy’s brother Johnny. Conrad Yama and Pat Suzuki played Pa and Ma Eng, Fred’s parents. Lilah Khan played China Mama, Fred’s biological mother.
The production was directed by Russell Treyz. The designers were Leo Yoshimura (sets), Susan Hum Buck (costumes) and Victor En Yu Tan (lighting).
The play opened on May 22, 1974 at Off Broadway’s American Place Theatre. It ran for 29 performances through June 15, 1974. It was later filmed for television with George Takei replacing Kim and appearing with the original cast.
Posted in Daily, Special Days | Tagged American Place Theatre, Chinese New Year, Conrad Yama, Doug Higgins, Frank Chin, George Takei, Keenan Shimizu, Leo Yoshimura, Lilah Khan, Pat Suzuki, Randall Duk Kim, Russell Treyz, Susan Hum Buck, The Year of the Dragon, Tina Chen, Victor En Yu Tan | Leave a Comment »
