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New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Tony Award predictions 2025: Audra McDonald vs. Nicole Scherzinger
Here comes a tense Tony's. Last year, many of the major winners were a cinch to predict. This time, well, the bars at Radio City Music Hall will be doing big business. Everybody's freaking out. Producers have been like pollsters the past two weeks, interrogating the 840 Tony voters about who they've chosen. 7 'Maybe Happy Ending,' starring Helen J. Shen and Darren Criss, will win Best Musical. Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman They've also put on their politician hats, hosting more down-to-the-wire cocktail parties than I've ever seen in a single season. 'It's insane,' one insider vented. And it's heated: Audra vs. Nicole; Groff vs. Criss; 'Oh, Mary!' vs. 'Purpose.' For viewers, that's a lot more fun than: 'Hamilton,' 'Hamilton,' 'Hamilton.' As for George Clooney, at least he has his millions and some Oscars to console him when he loses. Here's who I think goes home happy Sunday night. Best Musical: 'Maybe Happy Ending' It's the feel-good story of the year, and I don't mean the South Korean robo rom-com's heartwarming plot. 'Maybe Happy Ending' nearly didn't open on Broadway because of cash problems but, thanks to great reviews and euphoric word of mouth, the show has rebounded big time. Voters adore it. No other musical this season has won any lead-up trophies. And even 'Happy Ending''s glitzier competition — 'Death Becomes Her' and 'Buena Vista Social Club' — aren't exactly the 'Wicked' to its 'Avenue Q.' Definitely happy ending. Best Play: 'Oh, Mary!' There are three shows up for this award that are still running: Cole Escola's Mary Todd Lincoln farce 'Oh, Mary!,' Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' explosive drama about a black political dynasty 'Purpose,' and the high-school MeToo story 'John Proctor is the Villain.' Voters are most vocal about 'Oh, Mary!' and 'Purpose.' What's weird is that the scrappy, strange, downtown show, 'Mary,' is also the commercial juggernaut. With no A-list stars and a unique sense of humor, it regularly outgrosses most musicals. Plus, it's an organic, original hit that began here in New York. Audiences have bombarded it. In recent years, events tend to win. 7 Cole Escola's 'Oh, Mary!' has a great shot to win Best Play. AP A couple of stats. The Drama League has only got this category wrong twice in the past 25 years. They picked 'Oh, Mary!'. 'Purpose' won the Pulitzer, but the last time a Pulitzer winner for Best Play took the Tony was 'Clybourne Park' 14 years ago. Some Broadway insiders find the comedy in 'Oh, Mary!' slight, while others say 'Purpose' is too traditional. I loved both. And both could take it. 'I think 'Proctor' and 'Purpose' split the 'Oh, Mary!'-is-a-skit voters, and 'Oh, Mary!' wins,' said one voter. Best Revival of a Play: 'Eureka Day' 'Eureka Day' was only written in 2018, so it doesn't feel like a revival. It's hilarious Zoom scene sure ain't from 'All My Sons.' 7 'Eureka Day' is in a close race with 'Yellow Face.' Eureka Day But voters liked it a touch more than the older 'Yellow Face.' Best Revival of a Musical: 'Sunset Boulevard' A word about 'Gypsy': Many voters do not care for this production. They cannot stop whining about it. 7 'Sunset Boulevard' will win Best Revival of a Musical. Marc Brenner However, they admire-to-love director Jamie Lloyd's revitalized, reinvented staging of 'Sunset Boulevard,' and it wins handily. Andrew Lloyd Webber snags his first competitive Tony in more than 30 years. Best Actress in a Musical: Nicole Scherzinger, 'Sunset Boulevard' The most exciting Tonys race of the night has been raging for nearly a year, since 'Gypsy' (starring Audra McDonald) and 'Sunset Boulevard' (starring Nicole Scherzinger) began handing out competing merch last summer in the Fire Island Pines: 'Sunset' totes at the pantry, 'Audra Gypsy' cups at the Blue Whale bar. 7 Nicole Scherzinger is in a tight race with Audra McDonald for Best Actress. Marc Brrenner Despite many fantastic reviews for six-time Tony winner McDonald as Rose, the industry itself is more divided on her performance than critics. However, many voters see Scherzinger as a revelation. You can't count Audra out, but smart insiders I've talked to say it's Nicole. Best Actor in a Musical: Darren Criss, 'Maybe Happy Ending' Last year's winner, Jonathan Groff, is exceptional as Bobby Darin in 'Just in Time.' But what gives me pause about his chances is that an actor in a show that's not nominated for Best Musical hasn't won this category since Barry Bostwick in 1977 for 'The Robber Bridegroom.' 7 Darren Criss leads 'Maybe Happy Ending.' Evan Agostini/Invision/AP And a musical performer hasn't won twice in a row since Gwen Verdon. Darin is a flashier part than Criss' android in 'Maybe Happy Ending' — however, many voters will want new blood. Criss by a hair. Best Actor in a Play: Cole Escola, 'Oh, Mary!' How hilarious that, in a year with Oscar winners George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and Robert Downey Jr., the absolutely-no-contest Best Actor winner is Cole Escola for 'Oh, Mary!' Best Actress in a Play: Sarah Snook, 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' Sunday night will be a great success for the 'Succession' actress, who expertly plays 26 roles in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray.' 7 Sarah Snook might win her first Tony Award. Marc Brenner A few other categories: Michael Arden likely edges out Lloyd as Best Director of a Musical for 'Maybe Happy Ending' (there's always some anti-screen people). Sam Pinkleton probably wins Director of a Play for 'Oh, Mary!'. Natalie Venetia Belcon has a lot of support for her Featured Actress in a Musical turn in 'Buena Vista Social Club' And Featured Actor in a Musical goes to Jak Malone for 'Operation Mincemeat.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tony Awards: Predicting the Winners Using Just Math
The world will descend on New York on Sunday night, by way of the 78th Tony Awards. Shows set in the U.S., the U.K., Cuba, Italy, and Iran all make their way to the nominees circle. Not to mention a show from South Korea projected to win more Tonys than any other production, potentially the first one ever to premiere in Asia and win best musical. And when I say 'projected,' I mean that mathematically. Every year, I run a statistical model based on precursor awards, which categories a show is nominated in, blended critic predictions, and betting markets to project the odds that each nominee will emerge victorious in every category. After another wonderful year on Broadway, with 42 new shows opening and 29 of them receiving nominations, it's time to get excited for the big night with a data-based forecast at who might triumph at Radio City Music Hall on June 8 on CBS (and Paramount+). More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Andor' Season 2 Effects Team Did a Wild Number of Things For Real 'Wolf Hall' Director on How He Pulled off The Silent Scene That Relayed a Thousand Words Broadway Box Office: George Clooney's 'Good Night, and Good Luck' Breaks New Record Maybe Happy Ending is both the name of the show and a surprisingly apt description for how its night at the Tonys will conclude. Emphasis on 'maybe': the model is higher on Dead Outlaw than one might suspect, since it takes into account that show's multiple honors for its off-Broadway run a year ago. Best play is much closer than best musical, with three productions above a 1-in-5 chance to win. The Drama League has a remarkable streak in this category, predicting every Tony winner since Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (2013), so that's enough to put this year's Drama League pick of Oh, Mary! over the top. The original run of Sunset Boulevard won best musical in 1995, but that was an odd year: only two original musicals opened that season (the other being Smokey Joe's Café), so the competition wasn't as stiff as usual. The Sunset Boulevard revival will have a tougher path to the podium with three opponents to beat, Gypsy in particular. Yellow Face is an extremely popular pick here, and could very well win. For one thing, it earned an Outer Critics Circle nod that Eureka Day missed. But when the two went head-to-head at the Drama Desk and Drama League Awards, Eureka Day went 2-for-2. Nine actors have won lead actor in a musical twice, and no one has won more than twice. Not only could Jonathan Groff (Just in Time) become the tenth man on that list, but he could become the first ever to do it in consecutive years after his Merrily We Roll Along win a year ago. The model has him at 19.2 percent, a not-insurmountable 20 percentage points the leader, Darren Criss (Maybe Happy Ending). At some point I'll run out of trivia facts to post about Audra McDonald. She's already set the all-time record for the most Tony acting wins, with six, and is favored to win her seventh for Gypsy. But Nicole Scherzinger (Sunset Boulevard) is a popular pick as well in what's shaping up to be both a great race in its own right and a precursor of the musical revival category. Cole Escola is performing double-duty, as both the writer and star of Oh, Mary! and is the clear favorite according to the mathematical model, with Jon Michael Hill in Purpose at a distant runner up. Sarah Snook stars as Dorian Gray – and every other role – and has a 42.8 percent chance to win the Tony for the one-woman show. But close behind her is Laura Donnelly (The Hills of California) at 33.2 percent. Jak Malone (Operation Mincemeat) stands out as not only the favorite in this category, but as the most likely winner across all eight acting categories. Operation Mincemeat is up for four Tonys, but it's projected to lose each of the other three to Maybe Happy Ending (not nominated in this race), making this category its best chance at a victory. There's probably a good debate to be had on whether Natalie Venetia Belcon (Buena Vista Social Club) belonged in the leading or featured category. But regardless of which category she slots into, no one is debating that this was a Tony-worthy performance as Cuban singer Omara Portuondo. That tension you're feeling is the symptom of just a 3.8 percentage-point gap between Conrad Ricamora (Oh, Mary!) and Francis Jue (Yellow Face). Oh, Mary! appears to be the more beloved production overall – projected to win five categories – so that might be enough to tip the scales in Ricamora's favor. Only Judith Light (Other Desert Cities, The Assembled Parties) has won featured actress in a play twice in a row. Kara Young, fresh off her win for Purlie Victorious, could be the second, but she'll have to get past Jessica Hecht (Eureka Day) first. It feels like this happens in so many years: The directors of the best musical and best musical revival frontrunners going head-to-head as the top two candidates in this category. Michael Arden (Maybe Happy Ending) holds a narrow 5.6 percentage-point lead over Jamie Lloyd (Sunset Boulevard). Danya Taymor (John Proctor Is the Villain) could join Trevor Nunn, Jerry Zaks, Joe Mantello, and Jack O'Brien as the only people to win best direction of a musical and best direction of a play in consecutive years. But to accomplish that, she'll need to take down the slight frontrunner, Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!). Boy does Death Becomes Her need a win for Paul Tazewell here. Otherwise, with no other categories it's currently favored in, it risks becoming just the ninth show in Tony history to walk away with zero wins on ten or more nominations. Holly Pierson (Oh, Mary!) does an excellent job threading the needle – apologies for the pun – between faithfully recreating 19th century styles and mirroring the inherent silliness of the show's concept. None of these shows won a Drama Desk or an Outer Critics Circle honor for their costumes, so it's a less informed prediction than most. The original run of Sunset Boulevard won seven Tonys, but this is the only category it won that its successor is also favored to win. The first time around, it was Andrew Bridge winning his second Tony, after a first for The Phantom of the Opera. This time, it's lighting designer Jack Knowles looking to win his first. This is the first of three consecutive play design categories that Stranger Things: The First Shadow holds the highest percentage on. And that's actually underselling how honored this production might be, since it's also due to receive a Special Tony Award for its illusions and technical effects. In a category that typically nominates solo artists, Dane Laffrey and George Reeve (Maybe Happy Ending) are teaming up. Franne and Eugene Lee (Candide in 1974) are currently the only pair of individuals to share this award for a single musical. The prior paragraph notwithstanding, 59 Productions breaks the dichotomy between individuals and duos. This design studio already has a win on the musical side from An American in Paris, and is now looking to notch its first victory for a play for Stranger Things: The First Shadow, in conjunction with four-time nominee Miriam Buether. We now arrive at the single closest category of the year, according to my model. Just 0.8 percent separates Buena Vista Social Club and Sunset Boulevard for sound design of a musical. If you're entering a Tony pool, you may as well flip a coin. Paul Arditti's nomination here for Stranger Things: The First Shadow marks the single most likely winner of any nominee in any category this year. Not sure if this is the category you expected to hear that stat in, but when the critics and the precursor awards are unanimous, that's what happens. In the order of this article, this marks the fifth projected win for Maybe Happy Ending. Should every prediction included here come true (a highly unlikely event), Maybe Happy Ending and Oh, Mary! would become the tenth pair of best musical/best play winners in the same season to each win 5+ Tonys. The most recent occurrence was The Band's Visit and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It might feel like the same show always wins the trio of best musical, book, and score. But in recent years, that's far from true: Kimberly Akimbo is the only show to pull off that trifecta since 2019. Maybe Happy Ending is now hoping to become the second in that timespan. Jerry Mitchell has been widely praised for his choreography for Boop!, and could certainly conclude this awards season with a Tony. But, a key factor in the model is which other categories a show is nominated in, and only two other shows in the past 50 years (Swan Lake, Bandstand) managed to win this award without either a best musical or musical revival nomination. I don't know if the Tonys tipped their hand here or not, but Marco Paguia has technically already won a Tony for Buena Vista Social Club, as he and the rest of the band received a Special Tony Award this year. He's got a 56.2 percent to add a competitive win to that trophy case. *** These blurbs alongside each chart cover but a small fraction of the talent from around the world involved in making this Broadway season happen. Perhaps the same could be said of the Tony telecast itself, which will surely be a delightful three hours that simultaneously leaves us craving more time at the theater. Ben Zauzmer (@BensOscarMath) uses data to write about awards shows for The Hollywood Reporter. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Seeing Double? 25 Pairs of Celebrities Who Look Nearly Identical From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Drama League Awards winners announced: Nicole Scherzinger takes Distinguished Performance
Winners of the 2025 Drama League Awards were announced today in a ceremony hosted by Emmy-winning NY1 reporter Frank DiLella at the Ziegfeld Ballroom. In a competitive year for theater awards, both Maybe Happy Ending and Sunset Boulevard added important feathers to their caps on their march to the Tony Awards. Nicole Scherzinger took home the Drama League's highly coveted Distinguished Performance prize for her radical reinterpretation of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. Actors can only win this catch-all performance award once in their careers. More from GoldDerby 'ER' alum Eriq La Salle looks back on the Benton-Carter rehab moment 25 years later: 'If you have to go to hell, I'm coming to hell with you' 'The Last of Us' Emmy odds shake-up: With Kaitlyn Dever going guest, Isabela Merced jumps up in supporting How Natasha Rothwell helped Belinda get her groove back in 'The White Lotus' Season 3 The winner of this award repeats that victory at the Tonys more often than not. Last year, Sarah Paulson won the Drama League before clinching a Tony win for her role in the play Appropriate. Other recent Drama League winners who went on to win a Tony in the same year include Danny Burstein (Moulin Rouge!), Bryan Cranston (Network), Glenda Jackson (Three Tall Women), Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen), and Neil Patrick Harris (Hedwig and the Angry Inch). It's worth noting that Scherzinger's main Tony competition, Audra McDonald, was not eligible for the Drama League having already claimed the Distinguished Performance prize for Porgy and Bess in 2012. Sunset Boulevard also won the group's award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, but director Jamie Lloyd lost the director prize to Maybe Happy Ending helmer Michael Arden. That tuner also won Outstanding New Musical. A win for this android love story here is important, because it was up against all of its Tony Awards rivals. Tony nominees Buena Vista Social Club and Dead Outlaw weren't nominated at some other awards bodies like the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards, having already competed for their Off-Broadway runs. So this is one of very few precursor awards where Maybe Happy Ending faced all of it's Best Musical Tony competition (and then some), and it showed great strength with voters. As for plays, Oh, Mary! continued its awards season dominance with wins for Outstanding Production of a Play and Director of a Play for Sam Pinkleton. Of more interest for awards watchers is a rare tie in Outstanding Revival of a Play between Manhattan Theatre Club's Eureka Day and the Off-Broadway production of Vanya, starring Andrew Scott. This is the first tie in this category in Drama League history, indicating that none of this year's revivals are going to steamroll their way to a Tony. Eureka Day is certainly timely with its thoughtful discussion of vaccine mandates in schools, but there's room in this flexible race for other Tony nominees like Yellow Face, Our Town, or Romeo + Juliet to make their case. Here is the complete list of Drama League Award winners: OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY — WINNER The Antiquities Becoming Eve English Good Bones Good Night, and Good Luck Here There Are Blueberries John Proctor Is the Villain Liberation The Picture of Dorian Gray Purpose Stranger Things: The First Shadow Walden OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY — WINNER (tie) — WINNER The Cherry Orchard Ghosts Glengarry Glen Ross Home Othello Romeo + Juliet A Streetcar Named Desire Wine in the Wilderness Yellow Face OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL — WINNER Boop! The Musical Buena Vista Social Club Dead Outlaw Death Becomes Her Drag: The Musical Just in Time Macbeth in Stride Operation Mincemeat Real Women Have Curves Smash Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL Sunset Boulevard — WINNER Cats: The Jellicle Ball Floyd Collins Gypsy The Last Five Years Once Upon a Mattress The Marriage of Figaro Pirates! The Penzance Musical Urinetown OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY Sam Pinkleton — WINNER Knud Adams, English Saheem Ali, Good Bones David Cromer, Good Night, and Good Luck Tyne Rafaeli, Becoming Eve Anna D. Shapiro, Eureka Day Danya Taymor, John Proctor is The Villain Whitney White, Liberation Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray Sam Yates, Vanya OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL Michael Arden, — WINNER Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her Robert Hastie, Operation Mincemeat Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard Jerry Mitchell, Boop! The Musical Susan Stroman, Smash Alex Timbers, Just In Time Annie Tippe, Three Houses Sergio Trujillo, Real Women Have Curves George C. Wolfe, Gypsy Distinguished Performance Award Nicole Scherzinger, — WINNER Tala Ashe, English Brooks Ashmanskas, Smash Stori Ayers, Home Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck Kit Connor, Romeo + Juliet Tatianna Córdoba, Real Women Have Curves Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending Kieran Culkin, Glengarry Glen Ross André De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball Tommy Dorfman, Becoming Eve Robert Downey Jr., McNeal Adam Driver, Hold on to Me Darling Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw Cole Escola, Oh, Mary! Mia Farrow, The Roommate Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd. Amber Gray, Eureka Day David Greenspan, I'm Assuming You Know David Greenspan Jonathan Groff, Just in Time Jake Gyllenhaal, Othello Ryan J. Haddad, Hold Me in the Water Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her Robyn Hurder, Smash LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose Nick Jonas, The Last Five Years Ramin Karimloo, Pirates! The Penzance Musical Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time Beth Leavel, Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow Idina Menzel, Redwood Paul Mescal, A Streetcar Named Desire Jinkx Monsoon, Pirates! The Penzance Musical Marjan Neshat, English Sandra Oh, The Welkin Lily Rabe, Ghosts Jasmine Amy Rogers, Boop! The Musical Lea Salonga, Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends Andrew Scott, Vanya Helen J. Shen, Maybe Happy Ending Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray Ephraim Sykes, Our Town Alaska Thunderfuck, Drag: The Musical Adrienne Warren, The Last Five Years Denzel Washington, Othello Joy Woods, Gypsy Kara Young, Purpose and Table 17 The Drama League also acknowledged the previous recipients of the Distinguished Performance Award who appeared in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions this season. They are: Annaleigh Ashford, All In Danny Burstein, Gypsy Norbert Leo Butz, Vladimir Sutton Foster, Once Upon A Mattress Neil Patrick Harris, Shit. Meet. Fan. Patti LuPone, The Roommate Audra McDonald, Gypsy Lin-Manuel Miranda, All In Bernadette Peters, Stephen Sondheim: Old Friends SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Sadie Sink on her character's 'emotional rage' in 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and her reaction to 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' 'Death Becomes Her' star Jennifer Simard is ready to be a leading lady: 'I don't feel pressure, I feel joy' Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in ‘Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends'
'It boggles my mind that this is actually happening,' admits Lea Salonga about the recognition she has been receiving for her performance in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends. Hours before joining Gold Derby to discuss the Broadway revue, the actress earned a nomination from the Drama League for Distinguished Performance in addition to her previously announced special recognition for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre. She will celebrate the honors with her son, whose 19th birthday overlaps with the ceremony, and looks forward to toasting with the cast and crew. 'I think we're gonna be screaming quite a bit once I get to work. I think we're all going to be delirious with joy,' exclaims the actress (watch our full interview above). This is now Salonga's third production of Old Friends, having previously appeared in the West End and Los Angeles engagements of the show. The Tony winner notes how the current audiences process the revue differently. 'I think it's pretty safe to say New York audiences know Steve Sondheim's work better than any other audience does,' admits the star. The question the creatives and company had to answer was therefore, 'What do we do when it's an audience full of people that know the story probably better than we do?' She shares an anecdote from fellow cast mate Jeremy Secomb that held an answer: when he performed Sweeney Todd for Sondheim, the composer 'was laughing at all his own jokes,' and that spirit informs how the ensemble approaches the material. Salonga says, 'You will not be spoon-fed anything, but we will serve everything in the way that we should be serving everything.' The actress adds, 'It's been incredible performing this material. … There is just so much love.' More from GoldDerby Everything to know about the 'Malcolm in the Middle' revival: Returning cast, first photo, streaming info ... 'Predator: Badlands' trailer, Bill Hader heads to Jonestown for HBO, Cannes additions, and more of today's top news stories 'Adolescence' now predicted to receive 5 acting Emmy nominations: Odds update The Sweeney Todd section of the revue is a bravura one for Salonga, as she plays Mrs. Lovett opposite Secomb's demon barber, performing 'The Worst Pies in London' and 'A Little Priest' in a medley of five songs from the musical. 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having,' confesses the actress, who says she loves that she gets to 'disappear into a role far more than I do at any point during the show.' Unlike other numbers, the Sweeney ones find her transformed fully into character with 'wigs, makeup, blacked-out teeth, a costume, an accent.' She credits producer Cameron Mackintosh with the opportunity to play Lovett on Broadway – a role she has portrayed in productions in Manila and Singapore — and for seeing her 'in a way that other producers have not yet been able to. … He saw me as a 17-year-old in the Philippines, so much to cast me in Miss Saigon, and sees me on another level to be able to do this show… He took a risk also casting me as Eponine in Les Misérables.' SEE our interview with Natalie Venetia Belcon, 'Buena Vista Social Club' star One of Salonga's earliest numbers in Old Friends is 'Loving You,' a gorgeous ballad from Sondheim's late career musical Passion. In the context of the original musical, the song is performed by Fosca, an unwell cousin of an Italian colonel who falls into deep infatuation with Giorgio, an Italian military captain on assignment to a remote outpost. For her rendition, Salonga went to a more immediate source to conjure the number's intense emotions: her son, Nick. Before the West End run, Julia McKenzie, the show's artistic consultant who Salonga credits as 'one of the directors,' told the performer to 'just think of the person that you love the most in the world,' and she 'instantly' knew to whom she would now sing the piece. She says the 'beauty' of this revue is that it has 'given brand new meaning and given new life' to these numbers. Old Friends has given rise to many moments of unexpected resonance for Salonga. The Here Lies Love star closes out a six-song section from Into the Woods with the musical's final number, 'Children Will Listen,' and in the final moments, she is joined on stage by Bernadette Peters. 'It's crazy, it's really crazy,' thinks the actress, continuing, 'I'm standing face to face with the original Witch from the Broadway production of Into the Woods, somebody pinch me, please, I'm about to die.' The moment of connection has taken on additional meaning, too, as she will be playing the Witch in a production of the musical in the Philippines after Old Friends concludes and now feels like sharing the song with Peters is a moment in which her scene partner passes the torch and sends 'love and well wishes' to her for when she takes on the role herself. 'It feels deeply meaningful every time we share that moment in the show,' she adds. Near the end of Old Friends, Salonga delivers a rousing performance of 'Everything's Coming Up Roses,' the iconic Act 1 finale from Gypsy. The song has been done on Broadway by legendary actresses in the original production and numerous revivals, including Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Peters, Patti LuPone, and now Audra McDonald. A legend herself, Salonga did not try to 'live up' to all the versions that have come before, which would have been 'unrealistic.' Instead, she leaned fully into the reason producer Mackintosh asked her to do the song, explaining, 'He knows of my own history as a performer that started performing from a very young age, which means that I have a mother who managed my career and who shepherded me through so much of this crazy, crazy, sometimes predatory, fickle business. So I sing it as an homage to her, so I am pulling from real life, therefore I don't really need to pull emotionally from performances that have been done before.' The result is a deeply impassioned interpretation that serves as a part of the incredibly emotional climax of the revue. SEE Tony Talk: Our first Best Musical picks anticipate a showdown between 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Dead Outlaw' Seeing Salonga perform these extended excerpts from Sweeney Todd and this number from Gypsy have New York audience clamoring for the actress to star in a full production of a Sondheim musical on Broadway. 'Mama Rose is definitely something that I'm seeing on the horizon,' admits the Tony winner, who says fellow performer Joanna Gleason nudged her to tackle the role sooner than later. 'I'm definitely putting that on my list of Sondheim ladies that I'd like to be able to one day play while I'm still physically strong enough to do it, because that's a mammoth role and requires so much physical, vocal, mental, emotional energy,' explains the actress. Even though she's portrayed Mrs. Lovett elsewhere, she would love to revisit that character, because performing Sondheim is 'like doing roles in the Shakespeare canon,' as every new production offers a chance to explore 'how much more deeply this character goes.' Best of GoldDerby 'Death Becomes Her' star Jennifer Simard is ready to be a leading lady: 'I don't feel pressure, I feel joy' 'Boop! The Musical' star Jasmine Amy Rogers uses her own 'quirky little eccentricities' to bring iconic cartoon character to life Kennedy Center Honors: 50 entertainers who deserve to be selected Click here to read the full article.
The Star
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Filipino Americans shine brightly with historic nods for Drama League, Tony Awards
NEW YORK CITY: Filipino American talent is shining brightly this awards season. From being featured in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world to earning a spot on Gold House's A100 list of influential Asian Americans, Fil-Ams continue to make waves. Several artists of Filipino lineage have also received nominations for the Drama League and Tony Awards. Among them, Nicole Scherzinger, a pop singer turned Broadway star, stands out for her inclusion in all four prestigious groups. Recently, the Filipino American powerhouse was named to Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people globally and to Gold House's A100 list of impactful Asian Pacific leaders. She is also a leading nominee for both the Drama League and Tony Awards for her acclaimed performance in 'Sunset Boulevard.' Additionally, she is set to perform solo shows at Carnegie Hall in New York and Disney Hall in Los Angeles this fall – marking milestones in her career. The former Pussycat Doll and Laurence Olivier Award winner has received widespread praise for her portrayal of Norma Desmond, earning a Tony nomination for Best Actress. Her performance, which received a six-minute standing ovation, has been lauded for its emotional depth and power, establishing her as a major Broadway talent. Beyond her acting achievements, Scherzinger has recently opened up about her struggles with fame and mental health, sharing her journey toward embracing her authentic self. She often credits her resilient lineage – strong women from Hawaii and Kentucky – for her confidence and authenticity. At age 46, she confidently celebrates her natural beauty, challenging industry standards and embracing aging gracefully. 'Part of my superpower is where I come from,' she told People magazine. 'I bring my ancestors with me on that stage every night.' She also described her Broadway debut as a lifelong dream fulfilled. 'I finally get to share all of me and who I truly am with this role. That's the ultimate success.' Scherzinger reflects on her journey, telling People that 'where I come from is part of my superpower. I carry my ancestors with me every time I step on stage.' She added, 'Growing up, I often felt like I didn't fit in, but now I realise that those differences make me unique and strong.' In celebration of theatrical excellence, other Filipino American performers are also being recognised this year. Broadway legend Lea Salonga is among the recipients of the Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award. She is being honored for her work in Stephen Sondheim's 'Old Friends.' Fellow Drama League nominees include Scherzinger, Tatianna Córdoba ('Real Women Have Curves') and Darren Criss ('Maybe Happy Ending'). Established in 1922, the Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America and are uniquely voted on by the entire theatre community, reflecting broad industry support. The awards will be held May 16 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. Meanwhile, this year, five Filipinos received historic Tony Award nominations. Besides Scherzinger and Criss, other nominees include Conrad Ricamora, Clint Ramos, and Marco Paguia, announced on May 1 in New York. Criss is nominated for his lead role in 'Maybe Happy Ending,' which received ten nominations, including Best Musical. Like Scherzinger, this is his first Tony nomination. He expressed gratitude and excitement in an interview with Playbill. 'Since day one, Maybe Happy Ending has been an ongoing miracle. I'm overwhelmed with joy and grateful to be part of such a talented team,' he said. The former Glee star's character in the musical, set in near-future Seoul, explores themes of companionship, love and the human experience amid technological reliance, as two outdated HelperBots, Oliver and Claire, navigate emotions like love and friendship. Ricamora, known for roles in 'How to Get Away with Murder' and 'The King and I,' also earned his first Tony nomination for his role in 'Oh, Mary!,' a dark comedy about unrequited yearning and suppressed desires. The actor who played Ninoy Aquino in 'Here Lies Love' shared on social media, 'It hasn't really sunk in yet. I've always dreamed of working in theatre and storytelling, and this recognition means the world to me.' A relatively lesser-known Filipino musician, Paguia gained recognition as a nominee for Best Orchestrations for Buena Vista Social Club. A music arranger, orchestrator, conductor and pianist, he expressed his gratitude: 'I'm overwhelmed with gratitude. It's thrilling to be nominated alongside such talented artists. I'm honored to share the legacy of Cuban music with audiences every night.' Finally, Cebu-born Ramos, a Tony winner and this year's nominee for his work on 'Maybe Happy Ending,' is no stranger to the Tonys. This is his seventh nomination. He expressed gratitude and dedicated his nomination 'to the entire company of 'Maybe Happy Ending.' May we all live in this musical's themes of love and what it truly means to be human.' - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
