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Tony Awards 2015 – Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play / Musical

Posted on: May 27th, 2015 by B.I. C. No Comments

Here are the men nominated for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play” and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical”:

 

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Matthew Beard, “Skylight”

Todd Freeman, “Airline Highway”

Richard McCabe, “The Audience”

Alessandro Nivola, “The Elephant Man”

Nathaniel Parker, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two”

Micah Stock, “It’s Only a Play”

 

Here are a few fun facts:

– You may recognize Matthew Beard from his recent work in the Academy nominated film, “The Imitation Game.”

– K. Todd Freeman’s first Tony nomination came in 1993 for his portrayal of the title character in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s transfer of “The Song of Jacob Zulu.”

– Alessandro Nivola worked with Bradley Cooper on the 2013 film “American Hustle,” and apparently spent the whole time on set talking about their future work together in “The Elephant Man.”

– Micah Stock performed in Terrence McNally’s play last fall called “And Away We Go,” which Nathan Lane and Jack O’Brien saw and loved Micah’s performance, helping him gain his role in “It’s Only a Play.”

 

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Christian Borle, “Something Rotten!”

Andy Karl, “On the Twentieth Century”

Brad Oscar, “Something Rotten!”

Brandon Uranowitz, “An American in Paris”

Max von Essen, “An American in Paris”

 

Here are a few more fun facts:

– Christian Borle has been in the last two live musicals featured on NBC: 2013’s “The Sound of Music Live!” and last year’s “Peter Pan Live!”

– Andy Karl’s first Broadway productions included “Wicked” in which he was the Fiyero replacement and “Jersey Boys” where he was the Tommy DeVito replacement.

– Brad Oscar was the original Uncle Fester in the Broadway production of “The Addams Family.”

 

BIG FISH Composer Andrew Lippa Helps Emerging Chicago Writers Refine Their Work

Posted on: May 3rd, 2013 by broadwayinchicago No Comments
Andrew Lippa and John August

Andrew Lippa and John August

There is nothing more exciting (or daunting) then the traditional out-of-town tryout.  Creative teams get the opportunity to revise, reimagine, and refine their work before it hits the Great White Way and we’re honored whenever Chicago gets chosen to be the city that gets a show’s tryout. The new musical Big Fish currently has the slot, held last season by Kinky Boots (which earned 13 Tony Award nominations on Tuesday, the most of any show this season). Big Fish composer Andrew Lippa is no stranger to Chicago, having worked on the pre-Broadway tryout of his musical adaptation of The Addams Family here in 2009. Even with Big Fish entering the final week of its out-of-town tryout and the revisions that that entails, Lippa still found time to lead a master class for emerging composers at Chicago Dramatists on Monday, April 29.

Working with emerging writers and composers “is one of my favorite things to do,” Lippa told Broadway in Chicago between takes of a behind-the-scenes video filmed at a recent matinee. “I was telling [Big Fish book writer] John August today how I was working with these fantastic writers on Monday night. And of course every time I do that, it’s really selfish because I get better. I listen to what we talk about and what they’re aiming for and not quite getting to and it reminds me of how to do my work.  It’s really the old saying ‘by your pupils you shall be taught.’  Teaching for me is a real opportunity to learn myself.”

When asked to describe the night of the recent master class, Lippa said, “I loved working with Chicago Dramatists, it was really great.” He went on to describe the experience: “It’s like going to church: it’s so incredibly spiritual for me to be around who love making things, in particular music and lyrics.“

It is a rare opportunity for an emerging writer to have the opportunity to have get direct feedback on their work with a writer as successful and acclaimed as Lippa, and he recapped the master class with warmth and fondness, “Look, I’m just one guy who happens to write musicals myself and I was only sharing with them what I’ve learned over time. The beautiful thing was that a couple of them wrote to [Chicago Dramatists Director of New Musical Development] Cheryl Coons and she forwarded some of these messages to me about how the things I said helped them and they started rewriting that very night. That’s just gratifying to know that I can be of help to some emerging writers and make their shows better.” A process we’re sure he can empathize with as he enters the closing weekend of the pre-Broadway tryout of Big Fish.

The show that enters a city for its pre-Broadway tryout is never exactly the same show that heads on to Broadway. Scenes and songs get added and cut, characters are more clearly defined, and both the cast and creative team get to make bold choices and take big risks to make the best show possible for its Broadway run. Those who live in a city lucky enough to get an out-of-town try have the fortunate opportunity to see the show evolve from what it was to what it can be. So even if you saw Big Fish at the beginning of its run here in Chicago, know that the creative team and cast have been passionately revising it each week to make it the best show it can be. Take advantage of the opportunity to see true artistry at work and see how the show has evolved since you first saw it. And if you still haven’t seen it yet, get yourself to the Cadillac Palace Theatre this weekend for the final performances. You definitely want to be able to say “ I saw it when…” before it takes Broadway by storm!

Danny Bernardo, Broadway In Chicago Marketing Team