Grindstone Theatre combines veteran talent with up-and-comers in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
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'I'm pretty sure I saw one every day,' says the artistic director of Edmonton's Grindstone Theatre. 'It was somewhere around 40 shows. Like, it was a lot of shows. And there was one in particular that really stuck with me.'
That was A Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder, which in 2013 was busy pulling in impressive crowds at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway and eventually winning multiple Tony Awards. If the name of the show doesn't ring a bell you might be familiar with the source novel from 1907, Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal. But if you're going to be honest and admit that you've never heard of that book until just this minute, it's still possible that you've watched or at least heard of the classic 1949 black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets, which featured a tour-de-force performance by Alec Guinness playing multiple members of the D'Ascoyne family as they're dispatched in various gruesome ways.
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CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
What to watch for at the Tony Awards, Broadway's biggest night
Audra McDonald attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) NEW YORK — Twenty-nine shows on Broadway got Tony Award nominations this season, but not all will walk away with a trophy — and the box office attention they usually bring. Here are some key things to know as Broadway's biggest night approaches, including how to watch, who is poised to make history, what old favorite gets to take a victory lap and how you can see George Clooney on Broadway from the comfort of your couch. When are the Tony Awards? The Tonys will be broadcast to both coasts on Sunday, June 8, from 8 p.m. ET-11 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT to 8 p.m. PT., live from Radio City Music Hall. How can I watch them? On CBS and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. Who's hosting the Tony Awards? Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, the 'Wicked' star, will be making her debut hosting the Tonys. She won the lead actress in a musical Tony in 2016 for 'The Color Purple' and will have just released her new album, 'I Forgive You.' A pre-show will be broadcast on Pluto TV from 6:40 p.m.-8:00 p.m. ET/3:40 p.m.-5:00 p.m. PT, where some Tonys will be handed out. Darren Criss and Renée Elise Goldsberry will host that telecast. Viewers can access it on their smart TV, streaming device, mobile app or online by going to Pluto TV and clicking on the 'Live Music' channel, found within the Entertainment category on the service. How many awards are there? A total of 26 competitive categories, from lead and featured actors to scenic, costume and lighting design. Some technical award handouts may be pre-taped and winners won't appear on the live show, only cut down into edited bits sandwiched into the telecast. What are the top nominees? There are three of them: 'Buena Vista Social Club,' which takes its inspiration from Wim Wenders' 1999 Oscar-nominated documentary; 'Death Becomes Her,' based on the 1992 cult classic film; and 'Maybe Happy Ending,' a rom-com musical about a pair of androids. Each have a leading 10 nominations. Who is vying for best new play and musical? For new musicals, it's 'Buena Vista Social Club,' 'Dead Outlaw,' 'Death Becomes Her,' 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.' For new plays, it's 'English,' 'The Hills of California,' 'John Proctor Is the Villain,' 'Oh, Mary!' and 'Purpose.' Many of the races are unusually tight this year, the product of a Broadway heaving with shows after having largely rebounded from the pandemic. 'I haven't seen one nominated show that I haven't been wowed by. Everything brings something,' says Lowe Cunningham, lead producer of 'Death Becomes Her' and also a Tony voter. 'How dare the Broadway community come together with such excellent work,' she jokes. 'I needed everything else to be much worse, and I don't appreciate it.' Can history be made? Audra McDonald, the most recognized performer in the theater awards' history, could possibly extending her Tony lead. Already the record holder for most acting wins with six Tonys, McDonald could add to that thanks to her leading turn in an acclaimed revival of 'Gypsy.' She will push the record for a performer to most wins with seven if she prevails on Tony night. And Kara Young — the first Black actress to be nominated for a Tony Award in four consecutive years — could become the first Black person to win two Tonys consecutively should she win for her role in the play 'Purpose.' Other possible firsts: — Daniel Dae Kim could becomes the first Asian winner in the category of best leading actor in a play for his work in a revival of 'Yellow Face.' And Marjan Neshat and her co-star Tala Ashe are vying to become the first female actors of Iranian descent to win a Tony. A special guest Normally, shows open for several years don't get any Tony telecast attention but 'Hamilton' is no normal show. The original cast will celebrate the show's 10th anniversary on Broadway with a performance featuring creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and actors Goldsberry, Ariana DeBose, Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Javier Muñoz, Leslie Odom, Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan and Phillipa Soo. What will producers hope to avoid? Any repeat of last year, when Jay-Z's electrifying reunion with Alicia Keys on what appeared to be a live duet of 'Empire State of Mind' was actually pre-taped hours before the live show. The appearance by the rapper in support of Keys' musical 'Hell's Kitchen' turned out to be a piece of Hollywood trickery, undercutting the Broadway community's full-throated embrace of live singing and dancing. Broadway's big season The health of Broadway — once very much in doubt during the pandemic lockdown — is now very good, at least in terms of box office. The 2024-2025 season took in $1.9 billion, the highest-grossing season in recorded history, overtaking the pre-pandemic previous high of $1.8 billion during the 2018-2019 season. In terms of attendance, Broadway welcomed nearly 14.7 million ticket buyers, the second best attended season on record, behind only 2018-2019. But sky-high ticket prices have led to fears that Broadway is getting financially out of touch. A revival of 'Othello' with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal broke the record for top-grossing play in Broadway history with a gross of $2,818,297 for eight performances, fueled by some seats going for as high as $921. How can you get in the mood? Even if you haven't been able to get to Broadway this season, you can still see one of the shows. The night before the Tonys, 'Good Night, and Good Luck' — starring and co-written by Clooney, a Tony acting nominee — will stream across CNN properties. Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
What to watch for at the Tony Awards, Broadway's biggest night
NEW YORK (AP) — Twenty-nine shows on Broadway got Tony Award nominations this season, but not all will walk away with a trophy — and the box office attention they usually bring. Here are some key things to know as Broadway's biggest night approaches, including how to watch, who is poised to make history, what old favorite gets to take a victory lap and how you can see George Clooney on Broadway from the comfort of your couch. When are the Tony Awards? The Tonys will be broadcast to both coasts on Sunday, June 8, from 8 p.m. ET-11 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT to 8 p.m. PT., live from Radio City Music Hall. How can I watch them? On CBS and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. Who's hosting the Tony Awards? Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, the 'Wicked' star, will be making her debut hosting the Tonys. She won the lead actress in a musical Tony in 2016 for 'The Color Purple' and will have just released her new album, 'I Forgive You.' A pre-show will be broadcast on Pluto TV from 6:40 p.m.-8:00 p.m. ET/3:40 p.m.-5:00 p.m. PT, where some Tonys will be handed out. Darren Criss and Renée Elise Goldsberry will host that telecast. Viewers can access it on their smart TV, streaming device, mobile app or online by going to Pluto TV and clicking on the 'Live Music' channel, found within the Entertainment category on the service. How many awards are there? A total of 26 competitive categories, from lead and featured actors to scenic, costume and lighting design. Some technical award handouts may be pre-taped and winners won't appear on the live show, only cut down into edited bits sandwiched into the telecast. What are the top nominees? There are three of them: 'Buena Vista Social Club,' which takes its inspiration from Wim Wenders' 1999 Oscar-nominated documentary; 'Death Becomes Her,' based on the 1992 cult classic film; and ' Dead Outlaw,' a musical about a real life alcoholic drifter shot dead in 1911 and whose afterlife proved to be stranger than fiction. Each have a leading 10 nominations. Who is vying for best new play and musical? For new musicals, it's 'Buena Vista Social Club,' 'Dead Outlaw,' 'Death Becomes Her,' 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.' For new plays, it's 'English,' 'The Hills of California,' 'John Proctor Is the Villain,' 'Oh, Mary!' and 'Purpose.' Many of the races are unusually tight this year, the product of a Broadway heaving with shows after having largely rebounded from the pandemic. 'I haven't seen one nominated show that I haven't been wowed by. Everything brings something,' says Lowe Cunningham, lead producer of 'Death Becomes Her' and also a Tony voter. 'How dare the Broadway community come together with such excellent work,' she jokes. 'I needed everything else to be much worse, and I don't appreciate it.' Can history be made? Audra McDonald, the most recognized performer in the theater awards' history, could possibly extending her Tony lead. Already the record holder for most acting wins with six Tonys, McDonald could add to that thanks to her leading turn in an acclaimed revival of 'Gypsy.' She will push the record for a performer to most wins with seven if she prevails on Tony night. And Kara Young — the first Black actress to be nominated for a Tony Award in four consecutive years — could become the first Black person to win two Tonys consecutively should she win for her role in the play 'Purpose.' Other possible firsts: — Daniel Dae Kim could becomes the first Asian winner in the category of best leading actor in a play for his work in a revival of 'Yellow Face.' And Marjan Neshat and her co-star Tala Ashe are vying to become the first female actors of Iranian descent to win a Tony. A special guest Normally, shows open for several years don't get any Tony telecast attention but 'Hamilton' is no normal show. The original cast will celebrate the show's 10th anniversary on Broadway with a performance featuring creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and actors Goldsberry, Ariana DeBose, Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Javier Muñoz, Leslie Odom, Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan and Phillipa Soo. What will producers hope to avoid? Any repeat of last year, when Jay-Z's electrifying reunion with Alicia Keys on what appeared to be a live duet of 'Empire State of Mind' was actually pre-taped hours before the live show. The appearance by the rapper in support of Keys' musical 'Hell's Kitchen' turned out to be a piece of Hollywood trickery, undercutting the Broadway community's full-throated embrace of live singing and dancing. Broadway's big season The health of Broadway — once very much in doubt during the pandemic lockdown — is now very good, at least in terms of box office. The 2024-2025 season took in $1.9 billion, the highest-grossing season in recorded history, overtaking the pre-pandemic previous high of $1.8 billion during the 2018-2019 season. In terms of attendance, Broadway welcomed nearly 14.7 million ticket buyers, the second best attended season on record, behind only 2018-2019. But sky-high ticket prices have led to fears that Broadway is getting financially out of touch. A revival of 'Othello' with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal broke the record for top-grossing play in Broadway history with a gross of $2,818,297 for eight performances, fueled by some seats going for as high as $921. How can you get in the mood? Even if you haven't been able to get to Broadway this season, you can still see one of the shows. The night before the Tonys, 'Good Night, and Good Luck' — starring and co-written by Clooney, a Tony acting nominee — will stream across CNN properties. ___ For more coverage of the 2025 Tony Awards, visit:
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Special Tony for educators goes to NYC high school teacher who urges students to ‘step out the box'
NEW YORK (AP) — The special Tony Award that honors educators is going to a New York public high school teacher who shows how theater skills can apply to a career in the arts — and also far away from it. 'My platform is career focused,' says Gary Edwin Robinson. 'So, as I am working with my students, it's always, 'How is theater going to help develop you in whatever area you're going into?'' Robinson, head of the Theatre Arts Program at Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, will receive the 2024 Excellence in Theatre Education Award on June 8 at the Tony Awards in New York City. 'I love what I do, and I get up and I go to work every morning and I go to the theater. It's a black box theater and the theater just happens to be in a school, but it's theater to me. There's no distinction,' he told The Associated Press ahead of the announcement. Robinson teaches five drama classes a day, offering an average of 95-100 students a three-year sequence of 45-minute parts. 'My thing is 'Go explore and find yourself in this thing called theater,'' he says. Year one is teaching the foundations of theater arts and performing. 'I encourage my students every time they come to class to step out the box, explore, try something new today.' Year two is more text-based, as students explore playwriting and do character analysis. The third year pulls it all together at the school's black box theater. Even if a student is poised for a life in athletics, Robinson says theater skills can help: Theater can make you a better communicator and can even help when you do commercial endorsements. The annual Excellence in Theatre Education Award bestowed by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University recognizes U.S. educators who have 'demonstrated exemplary impact on the lives of students and who embodies the highest standards of the profession.' 'Edwin's dedication to empowering the next generation of artists, both on and off the stage, is both profound and inspiring,' said Carnegie Mellon President Farnam Jahanian in a statement. 'Carnegie Mellon University is thrilled to help recognize his impact in arts education and to celebrate his record of equipping students with the skills, confidence and community needed for lifelong success.' Robinson graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, focusing on music and art. He played the flute and was a second baritone in the school's choir. Robinson went on to the Dance Theatre of Harlem and then to Howard University, where he earned his bachelor's in theater education. He earned an honorable mention in the education category at the 2023 Tonys. He has leaned on the Arthur Miller Foundation Fellows Program and Broadway Bridges Program to take his students to Broadway shows. This season, they've seen 'Hell's Kitchen,' 'Gypsy,' 'A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical' and 'John Proctor Is the Villain.' 'We don't call them trips. I call them theater experiences,' says Robinson. 'It's not a trip and a day out. You're exploring what you learned in class through your drama book and textbook. What do you see on the stage happening? What did you learn in class and how do you make those connections?' After seeing a show, Robinson is often asked by his students when they are going back, so eye-opening has the experience been. 'Many of them walk around the whole day holding the Playbill. I said, 'You can put it away.' But it's like this little Broadway treasure that they have in their hand. And that makes me proud because I know that it has had a major impact on them.' The award includes a $10,000 prize for the Theatre Arts Program and a pair of tickets to the Tony ceremony and gala. Robinson's students will also receive a visiting master class taught by Carnegie Mellon drama professors. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. A panel of judges comprised of the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, Carnegie Mellon and other leaders from the theater industry selects the winner, from candidates submitted by the public. Many of Robinson's students have gone on to careers in the arts — one is on tour in 'Moulin Rouge,' another is a manager at the famed Apollo Theater and another just finished a TV show. 'The ones that are teaching theater, that's the gift to me,' he says. 'When you have these students that are holding positions in professional organizations in the theater, film, and television, that's another award out there. It lets me know that I've done my job and I connected with students and it's worked.' —- More on the Tony Awards:
