Skip to main content

Reactions to the Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominations

The Outer Critics Circle Awards, announced on Monday, are equal parts great and odd. Here are a few thoughts I have about them:

  • It's really, really exciting that all of the nominees of the John Gassner Award are female. 
  • I'm really pleased Mean Girls did not get an Outstanding New Score nomination but I can't say the Desperate Measures one is any better.
  • Torch Song deserved an Outstanding Revival of a Play nomination over Travesties and Lobby Hero. Guess you can't beat Broadway, huh?
  • So happy to see Sean Carvajal nominated! In that category, with those performances (sorry, Greg Mazgola is not a lead in Cost of Living, Victor Williams is), he is the one who deserves to win.
  • Alright, alright, let's address the elephant in the room. I was looking at these nominations, and naturally I was just looking at the list of names. So I saw Michael Urie, did a fist pump at my desk, and moved on. It was not until my boyfriend emailed me later on in the morning did I realize he was not nominated for Torch Song but for The Government Inspector. I mean...that's...fine. Actually, it's pretty interesting because a) The Government Inspector opened almost a year ago and b) typically people go for drama over comedy. Regardless, his performance in The Government Inspector was amazing, and was the moment I thought, "You know what? This guy is way more talented than I ever, ever imagined." (I call it my "Amazing Grace" moment.) I recall feeling the same way about him during the last scene of the first act of that play as I did about Christian Borle doing the truck scene in Peter and the Starcatcher. He had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand and I couldn't wait to see what he was going to do next.
  • WHERE THE HELL IS JAMES MCARDLE'S NOMINATION? Have you no decency? 
  • Seriously, David Morse? I mean, he was in a totally different play than the rest of them. Maybe it was the play all of the nominators wanted to see?
  • Interesting they considered Johnny Flynn featured but regardless, an incredibly deserving nomination, along with Nathan Lane and the wonderful Anthony Boyle.
  • I am happy to see Jessica Hecht remembered for what I thought was her best performance in years. Also, Katy Sullivan was not leading either, Jolly Abraham was.
  • So so so happy to see Tony Yazbeck remembered as well (although they cleared liked Prince of Broadway) but it's weird that Alexander Gemignani was nominated. He was one of my favorite things about Carousel but his role felt so slight, especially with all of the cuts. I would've liked to see Grey Henson in there instead.
  • Ashley Park for the win!
  • And all and all, great to see all of the love for Spongebob.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amy and the Orphans by Lindsey Ferrentino at the Roundabout Theatre Company

There's so much to celebrate about Lindsey Ferrentino's Amy and the Orphans. The play is not only one of the better things of the season but it manages to be funny, entertaining, well-acted, and a major victory for inclusion. Ferrentino's title character has Down Syndrome, and is played by Jamie Brewer, who also has the disease (as does her understudy, Eddie Barbanell. The play becomes Andy and the Orphans when he plays the role.) Amy is never the butt of a joke, never a punch line, and is never exploited, as writers and directors often tend to do when dealing with disabled actors or characters. But of course, that's Ferrentino's intention. Amy has been locked away in group homes (some terrible, some good) her entire life, with limited time spent with her own family. She has had to fend for herself but has developed into a strong individual with likes and dislikes, and even has a boyfriend and a job. Amy has clearly had to overcome a great deal in her life, and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Favorite Performances of the 2017-2018 Season

Although these should come as no surprise to anyone who has spoken with me about theater this season, here's a list of my favorite performances of the 2017-2018 season (in no particular order): James McArdle, Angels in America . I've written at length about McArdle's performance but man, did he nail Louis Ironson. He not only nailed the New York Jewishness of the character (most impressive for a man from Scotland) but succeeded in not making Louise a one-dimensional monster that he is typically seen as. What Louis does is reprehensible but McArdle shows that he is not irredeemable. He also knocked the character's long (and long-winded) monologues out of the park. Tell me more about justice, Louis. Ethan Slater, Spongebob Squarepants . This guy is insanely talented. What a Broadway debut! He is Broadway's brand new triple (or quadruple!) threat; he sings, dances, acts, and even nails the physicality of the role beautifully. Slater carries the whole musical and wi...
Post a Comment
Read more

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever at the Irish Repertory Theatre

A new revival (revisal?) of One a Clear Day You Can See Forever is now running at the Irish Repertory Theatre. You can make as many changes as you want and rework the book as much as you want but the show is inherently flawed and will probably never work. But the score, oh the score. Which leads me to my next and last point... Nobody, and I mean nobody , is Barbara Harris. See? So don't bother.
Post a Comment
Read more