Hit List Doesn't Exist, But Murder Ballad Is The Next Best Thing

In the move from Manhattan Theatre Club's Studio at Stage II to the Union Square Theatre, Murder Ballad has a larger performance space, lost Karen Olivo, and gained Caissie Levy, but the show remains pretty much the same--a sexy sung-through musical with great performers that make it worth seeing, even if the story is weak. I enjoyed the show more this time around, probably because I was with friends and had a drink.

Rebecca Naomi Jones is the narrator who tells us at the beginning that there will be a murder, though you don't know who will die and who will kill (it's not too hard to figure out if you're paying attention). She tells us about Sara (Levy) and Tom (Will Swenson), who are hot and in love. As evident from the ads, Levy and Swenson have intense chemistry, also seen on Broadway in Hair. But passion isn't enough to keep Sara and Tom together and they breakup. She marries Michael (the ever-reliable John Ellison Conlee), but later reconnects with Tom, and you get the idea.

The score by Juliana Nash (Julia Jordan co-wrote the lyrics) has a generic rock musical feel, which is aided by the powerhouse vocalists (especially Jones) who make it sound much better than it probably is. I did appreciate the mention of The Beatles song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," which is where I got the idea for my blog name. I couldn't help but think of the fictional Hit List in Smash, which also features a murder--touted as daring and edgy, but it's really just a musical theater version of edgy, which is to say, not really at all. The one truly inspired moment is the final one, which I don't want to spoil here.

Scenic designer Mark Wendland has transformed the space into a cabaret with a working bar and a pool table. Trip Cullman's direction uses the space well to create an immersive theater experience. If you are sitting at a table, you might have some actors dancing on it. Kudos to Jessica Pabst for creating costumes that fit the actors so well. If the morality tale doesn't influence you to lead a better life, you will surely at least be motivated to hit the gym.

The SMASH Reality Index: Season 2 Episode 15

Back by popular demand, Dave (@NineDaves) and I have teamed up to bring you our take on what’s keepin’ it real and what’s faking it each week on SMASH. Follow the 'caps here or on Dave's site.

First thing’s first. As you probably know by now, word came in late Friday night that NBC has indeed cancelled SMASH. This isn’t a surprise to anyone, but it’s still sad. Mostly because we will never fulfill our dream of playing ourselves on an episode.

The show’s death actually ties in with the theme death on SMASH lately. You have Kyle’s death, obviously. Then, Julia and Tom’s partnership died. Then, our hearts died when we found out in this Buzzfeed article that Jesse L. Martin and Daphne Rubin-Vega signed off on the idea of using Jonathan Larson’s story as an inspiration for Kyle’s story. Because the thing is, they weren’t just inspired by him, they took his life story. And they should know better! But that said, it’s hard to stay mad at SMASH, especially so close to the end, and when they have cameos by Lindsay Mendez and Lin-Manuel Miranda in one episode.

OK guys. We have three episodes left (including this one), and we’re going to make them count. Let’s do this thing!

Totally True

• Oh hey Hit List is at the Barrymore!
• The signs outside the theater say previews for Hit List start April 13. Just in time for the Tony cutoff!
• Ana doesn't plan on missing performances. No one plans to miss performances, right Karen Olivo?
• OMG LINDSAY MENDEZ! SINGING HER FACE OFF! PLUS 100!
• "Good lord. I hope that thing's insured," says Tom after Lindsay sings. Plus another 50.
• "I think I'll be the only one at Houston/Levitt night who hasn't won a Tony," says Lindsay. (Not yet, but you'll get there, girl!). "Except Houston and Levitt," answers Tom. (You too, Tom! But not for directing!)
• Eileen tells Lindsay Mendez that “Houston/Levitt” night isn’t about the Tonys. “It’s about old friends getting together for a wonderful celebration,” she says. Then she quickly admits to it being about the Tonys. Plus 10.
• "With the Tonys, it's not just about a great performance, it's about a great story," Eileen says. Plus 200. Why do you think actors do all those revealing interviews right before Tony time?
• Eileen then adds, "And your story is that your incredible partnership is overdue." The Tonys also like to award people who have been in the industry a long time who have never won.
• Of course Lindsay Mendez is going to be at Houston/Levitt night. Every time we go to a composer night at Joe's Pub, she's there.
• Ivy and Karen run into one another walking home from their respective shows, and promise one another they’re going to be adults about whatever happens during awards season. Plus 50 because we’re hoping this means SMASH won’t go there either.
• Derek, Julia, and Jimmy sit at Table 46, trying to figure out what’s not working with Hit List. “The energy has slowed down a bit,” says Julia. They debate whether it’s the new set or whether it’s Ana’s onstage stumbles. Ultimately, Derek mentions it could be the book. And judging by what we read of the plot this week, we’re going to have to agree.
• “Oh look. There’s Mom with her new family,” Tom says to Eileen, upon seeing Julia with Derek and Jimmy. Plus 5.
• Eileen suggests Tom and Julia sing a song together at their tribute concert, to show that their relationship is still going strong for Tony voters. “I don’t sing,” protests Julia, before agreeing to “only one song, so it’s got to be something light.” “You can sing the alphabet for all I care,” responds Eileen. “Just so as long as you’re smiling and singing together.” Plus 20 because we’d pay to see Christian Borle sing the alphabet.
• Eileen grumbles that Julia has to leave their conversation to go spend time with “the competition,” and Julia gives a response that’s pretty damn near perfect. “Eileen, a kid died before he was able to finish his work,” she says. “I know and understand the business of theater, but I’ve got to help see this show through, I’m sorry.” We may hate the way SMASH used Kyle’s death as a device to move story forward, but dammit if we don’t appreciate Julia’s honestly in this moment.
• Agnes has been talking to folks at the Tony nominating committee, and she thinks the score is a lock for a nomination. Obviously! Too bad the actual Tony nominating committee couldn’t give Bombshell’s score a nod this year. It was by far our favorite new score on Broadway!
• She also says that if Tom gets nominated, it will be a surprise. We could have told you that. Tom mentions that his concert with Julia will be at The Oak Room. Plus 10 because that place is great.
• Agnes got a heads up on a blind item running in the Village Voice, and it’s pretty damaging to Ivy. “It mentions a certain Broadway blonde’s behavior off-stage,” Agnes explains. “He mentions pills.. an incident at a previous show... he knows about you sleeping your way to the top.. and a particularly nasty comment about you and your former co-star’s fiance.” Ivy objects throughout, except to the last point: “OK, that was pretty bad...” Plus 100.
• Agnes decides to put Ivy in ‘Image Rehab.’ “On-stage you’re Marilyn,” she tells Ivy. “Everywhere else you’re Norma Jean.” Dammit we want to go to ‘Image Rehab!’ Plus 10.
• Jimmy has been reading feedback from Hit List online, and claims the fans are saying the show isn’t as good on Broadway as it was Off-Broadway. Plus 100 because they’d say that about anything.
• Julia thinks the problem Hit List is having translating to the Broadway stage has everything to do with context. “Off Broadway, the theaters are small,” she tells Derek and Jimmy. “There’s no division between the audience and the stage. But on Broadway, the stage is above the audience. They’re far away. Maybe we need to erase that separation - make the house part of the show.” While we do agree that a certain intimacy is lost moving a show from a small to a big theater, plenty of shows have found ways to recreate that in really simple ways (see: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson). Other shows didn’t change much (see: Once), finding that they could still create an intimate show in a big arena. Either way, this seems to be a real challenge any show transferring has to address. And for that, we salute you, SMASH.
• Derek loved Mendes's Cabaret. Of course he did.
• “Too many changes, people think you’re scared of something.” Derek tells Julia and Jimmy. Damn that’s good advice!
• “They’re giving you a break,” Karen tells Ana, reassuring her that Derek’s not replacing her. “You know who else had a break?” Ana says, “Erin Dilly in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Sutton Foster went on for her. Guess who’s still on a break...” Plus 100.
• We feel bad for giving plus points for that Erin Dilly dig. She was really good in A Christmas Story The Musical! It’s nominated for Best Musical at the Tonys this year. She’s doing great!
• Karen reminds Derek that The Diva character wouldn’t have existed in the first place if it weren’t for Ana. “She got The New York Times to notice the show,” she says. Plus 50 because we think this whole plotline to replace Ana is ridiculous.
• "I've got the bookwriter's parents sitting in the audience every night, counting on me to carry on their dead son's legacy. I've got a composer who is hellbent on making a living memorial to his friend, which means he will not change a bloody word. And almost everyone here is making their Broadway debut except me," Derek says. We should take away points for so blatantly copying Rent’s story again, but since it actually happened, we can’t deny it’s realistic.
• Derek is struggling to figure out how to fix the show because everyone keeps mentioning Kyle’s death. “Every decision I make I question ‘would Kyle have wanted it?’” he tells Karen. “And then I have to remind myself that some of Kyle’s ideas were young and I am formed. And then I have to ask, ‘is it good for his memory or is it good for the show?’ Because believe me it is not the same thing.” Plus 50 because we’re glad someone isn’t falling for the sympathy card.
• Oh hey Michael Musto apparently wrote that blind item about Ivy Lynn in the Village Voice. We guess they finally found another real journalist besides Michael Riedel! Plus 10.
• “Everybody guessed it was me,” Ivy says of her blind item. Sorry Ivy, but this one didn’t seem that tough to guess.
• Ivy walks in late because she had an interview with Playbill. Plus 50.
• The new Bombshell stage manager finally has a name. It’s Kathy! Yay!
• Someone leaked to the press that Tom and Julia are splitting up and people are freaking out. Bloggers gone wild! Plus 10. Ana finds out that Daisy is one of the dancers who dropped the lawsuit against Derek, and thinks she must be blackmailing Derek to get into Hit List.
• “That’s the thing about Jonathan Groff - he curses like a sailer.” says Lin-Manuel Miranda! Plus 500,000 because Lin-Manuel Miranda said on Twitter that he improved that line and we’re so glad they kept it in.  
• Lin-Manuel and Tom trade blows about Bombshell and Bring It On and we love it so fucking much.
• Also, Lin tells Tom he’s going to tweet something Tom said about Julia and we know that that’s true because he LOVES Twitter and damn we wish he would just follow us already!
• At Tom and Julia’s concert, Julia is nowhere to be found, and Tom keeps lying to people about her whereabouts. “I told Laura Benanti she’s in the bathroom, I told Norbert she’s in a Taxi, and I told Alice Ripley she’s backstage.” Plus 300 - 100 for each!
• “I have a room full of Tony voters who feel like they’re at a funeral,” Eileen says. Are they at the Houston/Levitt concert or at Wonderland?
• “This reminds me of last year,” Tom tells Julia. “Me working my ass for both of us and you, somewhere else, distracted.” Plus 100 because that’s a read!
• Julia doesn’t understand why this concert is such a big deal to Tom, and he lets her have it. “The big deal is I was looking forward to one last song with my best friend and partner of 11 years. One song that shows that even if we never worked together again, that time meant something.” Awww Tom!
• Ivy is in her dressing room, rehearsing her song. Plus 10! “You’re not a Norma Jean. You’re a Marilyn,” says Eileen, as “Let Me Be Your Star” underscores. Is this a leftover scene from season 1? Either way, that’s our new mantra!
• “Grin and Bear It” is Shaiman and Wittman and Megan Hilty and SMASH at their best. Now that SMASH is over, why don’t they just write a musical for her? We’d say why don’t they just bring Bombshell to Broadway, but we know that’ll never happen.
• Derek gave Daisy her part in Hit List because he promised her an understudy role if she slept with him and she did. She also filmed it. “All of it, including my offer,” Derek says. “If that gets out, I’m done.” Damn, we hate to say it because it makes aspiring Broadway actresses look like total shitheads, but GO DAISY. SMAAAAART GIRL.
• Karen tells Derek his behavior with Daisy is disgusting and dammit we agree with her.
• Derek and Karen yell at one another and sum up their characters perfectly.
• Karen and Daisy perform “I’m Not Sorry” in Hit List and it’s pretty not bad. Andrew McMahon wrote it. He also wrote “I Heard Your Voice in a Dream” and “Reach For Me.” We’re kinda into it!
• Though we don’t love “The Right Regrets,” it somehow feels more poignant knowing SMASH is ending. Seeing the montage of scenes of Julia and Tom from the series reminds us that for all our complaining, we’ll miss this show. We won’t even dock points for a montage. What can we say, we’re feeling generous.
• A producer wants Tom to consider running his review Off Broadway. New World Stages, right?
• Eileen says that 6 people are switching their vote to Bombshell now that Tom and Julia aren’t together anymore. Apparently she’s the one who leaked the news of their split to the press, making this a farewell concert. Hmph. We’d call Eileen out for this, but she’s got that cocktail in her hand, and we know better.
• The Hit List stage door looks great. Plus 50 for authenticity!
• Jimmy is walking in Times Square and OMG THERE’S A NEWSIES POSTER BEHIND JEREMY JORDAN. Do you think he’s regretting his decision to leave that show for SMASH?
• Not going to lie - we wish we lived in a world where Bombshell and Hit List billboards were in Times Square.
• Julia tells Jimmy she doesn't feel comfortable writing anything for Hit List because she had only agreed to help Derek transfer it to Broadway. “This was only supposed to be temporary. I have a show too and I owe it to them to be here.” Plus 20 because Julia is finally doing the right thing.
• “Thank you for the song,” Tom says to Julia, “Thank you for all the songs.” Maybe it’s the way Christian Borle delivers it, but awwwwwwwwwww.
• Ana approaches Ivy, asking her if Derek fired her after the workshop of Bombshell because she stopped sleeping with him. Ooh way to cause trouble, Ana!
• We know we said we didn’t want Ivy and Karen to go after one another anymore, but Ivy telling Karen off for telling Ana that she slept her way to the top was pretty great: “You play this naive just-off the-bus routine to get exactly what you want. But deep down, you’re just as calculating as the next person... You know, I’m actually glad that Hit List made it to Broadway. Because the only thing better than getting the Tony will be beating you to get it... See you on the Red Carpet.” Plus 100.
• “Really, three times in a row?” Ivy screams into the phone, after it rings three times in a row. Plus 20.
• The previews for the 2-hour season finale show Cheyenne Jackson and Christine Ebersole announcing the fake Tony Award nominations! OMG WE CAN’T WAIT!
• We will forever find a place for our favorite feature - THE ANN HARADA LINE OF THE WEEK. “Have you picked up the Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella Original Broadway Cast Recording yet? What are you waiting for? It’s available for digital download!” CONGRATULATIONS ANN!

Oh Hell No! 

• Minus 1,000 to NBC for cutting off the beginning of the episode due to golf. Golf?! Haven't you treated SMASH badly enough already? At least there's Hulu.
• If you did watch on Hulu, you’d have seen Karen singing “Pretender” (written by Lucie Silvas and Michael Busbee) which is kind of meh. We can see why Julia and Derek think something isn’t working on Broadway.
• OK, so Jimmy sang that one song last week, but they had already hired Sam to replace him. What happened? Is Jimmy back in the show? Was Kyle’s death enough to get him his part back? Minus 100.
• Houston and Levitt haven’t won a Tony yet? But we thought Heaven on Earth was a big fat hit? Minus only 10 because we don’t know who they were up against that year.
• We understand that Eileen is obsessed with getting Bombshell that Best Musical Tony. But she’s doing a lot of work before the nominations are even out! At this point, Bombshell is guaranteed the nomination. Shouldn’t she cool down on these special events until post-nominations? When all this work might actually be able to transfer into Tony votes?
• Ivy and Karen run into one another in the middle of Times Square as they’re both on the way to Table 46. Which... is a few blocks in the opposite direction they’re walking. Minus 20.
• Also, there are other restaurants besides Table 46. Would Jimmy want to spend so much time at his former place of employment?
• A waiter at Table 46 sees Jimmy drinking with Derek and Julia and tells him “we’ve got tables to bus if you’re feeling nostalgic.” Minus 10 because Jimmy was a bartender at Table 46, not a busboy.
• Derek tells Jimmy that Hit List is sold out until next January. WHAT THE WHAT? It’s April. Even The Book of Mormon wasn’t sold out for nine months in advance. Minus 50 because... just... no.
• Jimmy says that he wants Hit List to win a Tony “for Kyle.” We should probably feel sentimental about this. But considering Jimmy was a total dick to Kyle for the entire season, it’s hard to really feel like he’s genuine here.
• Agnes says some people say that if Tom is nominated for a Tony, it’ll be a surprise, and Tom is SUPER pissed about it. Like, Tom - how can you be shocked by this news? You didn’t get the best reviews for your directing. And PS the whole show was staged and choreographed by Derek before you even got involved. You don’t really deserve it.
• Eileen says that Derek’s direction of Veronica Moore’s concert “reignited his career.” Um... it did? After the concert, Derek went back into directing Bombshell. Until he quit to do Hit List - which he really only got because he knew Scott (after all - he had nothing to do with the Fringe production). So from where we sit, we can’t really see how “Roni’s concert” did anything to help Derek’s career. Minus 50.
• Tom mentions that Veronica Moore’s concert was televised on Bravo. Has that happened yet? Did we miss it? We’re not sure why Eileen thinks that Tom and Julia’s concert will help score Tom a Tony nomination for directing Bombshell, but yeah, okay - we’ll go down this ridiculous plot point path.
• Agnes delivers the scoop about Ivy’s bad press waaaay too calmly. We hate to criticize Agnes, because she’s pretty flawless. But damn girl - freak out a bit! This is some seriously damaging shit!
• We swear on all things good and holy, if this “blind item” is from Ellis, we’re going to throw our computers at our televisions.
• Derek thinks Ana is exhausted and making too many mistakes. He tells Marissa to give Ana the night off, and put Daisy, Ana’s understudy, in. “It’s taken care of,” he whispers to Daisy as he walks out of Table 46. Minus 30 because this Daisy plotline is already annoying.
• Karen and Jimmy aren’t dating anymore, because Jimmy is too focused on the show. Minus 10 because we know this shit isn’t going to last.
• Sorry Julia, but the problem Hit List has doesn’t seen to be a separation between the audience and the work. It seems to be the work itself!
• “This is what Kyle was good at,” Jimmy tells Julia. Those big ideas!” Really? We don't want to speak ill of the dead, but he seemed pretty bad at it from where we sit.
• Derek says that casting Daisy in the role of The Diva will be an interesting experiment. “The Diva is older than Amanda after all.” Yeah, but like, on Broadway, you don’t see age that clearly. And if you did, then Kerry Butler pretty much wouldn’t have a career, since she’s 41 and always cast playing 16 year-olds. And the whole cast of Newsies would really be in trouble.
• Whoa whoa. Derek says that Kyle’s parents have been in the audience every night. Carolee Carmello is there and we haven’t seen her again? Minus 100.
• Derek tells Daisy she’s done a good job, despite the fact that he was talking to Karen the whole time and didn’t see what she did at all. Minus 10.
• Ivy Lynn is doing Ford Fusion commercials? When’s the last time a Broadway star became a national spokesperson on the strength of their second Broadway starring role? Selling cars, no less. How ‘bout never!
• Tom has decided to transform his Houston/Levitt concert into a something more memorable. As he tells the cast: “we’re going to change what could have been just another boring cavalcade of Broadway stars singing forgotten numbers from obscure musicals into a review with a story and movement. We’ll transform the Oak Room into a down-on-it’s-luck Vegas strip club in the 50s.” Is Tom friends with Jerry Mitchell? Because this sounds like a Broadway Bares event. Minus 50 because even though we know we’ll love it, the idea is not necessarily new and not necessary. We just want to hear some talented people sing some good songs.
• “Commenting on fame was like Kyle’s big thing,” Jimmy tells Julia. Um... isn’t it Hit List’s big thing? And your big thing too? Like, that’s what you’ve said the show’s been about since the beginning. Why are you acting like this is new news?
• “Kyle had an idea for an updated take on newsreel footage,” Julia tells Jimmy, “blown out across the proscenium, just in your face. Gossip sites, tabloids, Twitter, YouTube, a multimedia assault.” Don’t do it, Jimmy! Newsreel footage didn’t work for the Annie revival.
• Apparently at Fringe, Kyle wanted to take the ticket holder’s phone numbers and send them texts during the show. “Live updates during the show?” Julia gasps, in full support. “Audience participation in a 21st Century way!” Call us old fashioned, but we see when people check their phones during the show, and it’s hella distracting. Minus 100.
• Whoa SMASH is sponsored in part by the Ford Fusion! We didn’t see that coming! (Minus 50). That Jonathan Groff line was priceless, but we doubt that clean-cut boy curses like a sailor.
• Also, Bring it On was intended to be a limited run, Tom, so that dig about it closing so fast doesn’t quite work. But props for trying.
• Tom says he hates Lin-Manuel Miranda? Minus 10. But according to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Twitter feed, Christian Borle improvised that, which we appreciate.
• As much as we love Norbert Leo Butz shout outs, we can’t get past the fact that he was on SMASH last season playing an actor starring in Heaven on Earth. So that means he can’t exist as Norbert Leo Butz.
• Julia has no idea that their tribute concert is a review now, or that news broke that she and Tom broke up. Because Julia is the worst.
• After Julia tells Tom she’s leaving for the concert, she then tells Derek she’ll stay 5 more minutes. Choosing the legacy of a dead kid you knew for 2 months over the friendship you had with someone for 11 years. Smart move, Julia! Minus 60.
• “Taking a risk is good. That’s what previews are for,” Julia says as they are trying to implement a tech change into Hit List. We love a show that takes a risk, but maybe not an hour before a paying audience is coming. And we find it hard to believe they could implement this change that quickly.
• Ivy is nervous about doing a striptease number for Tom’s concert. Um... you’re naked in Bombshell, Ivy. We think you’ll be okay.
• Derek says he’s hoping Jerry hates Daisy in the part and then he can be let off the hook. Try keeping it your pants, Derek. Maybe that’ll help!
• Why does Derek think he can only sleep with woman if he gives them a role? He’s so fucking sexy. Of everything on SMASH, this might make the least sense.
• Wait, so what part is Sam playing in Hit List now? And why isn’t he pissed about it?
• Oh shit. That dialogue between Sam’s character and whomever else that was? How terrible. It was all exposition! Did Julia write that? Did Kyle? That’s your problem right there, Derek.
• We’ve seen a fair share of our VMA performances, and this doesn’t look anything like something we’d see on the big show.
• This texting thing is awful. Why does everyone in their audience have their phones on? How do they have everyone’s numbers? Turn off your phones! You’re in the theater! Minus 100.
• Julia interrupts Tom’s show, and the two sing an original Houston/Levitt song, “The Right Regrets.” Turns out Julia was right! She can’t sing! Minus 50.
• If “Grin and Bear It” is Shaiman and Wittman at their best, “The Right Regrets” is Shaiman and Wittman at their worst.
• Is “The Right Regrets” supposed to be in Bombshell? Because it’s on the “cast recording” they released a few months ago. And it’s from an Arthur Miller quote. But shit, it’s terrible. It has to be a cut song, right?
• Jerry loved Daisy in the role of The Diva so he basically fires Ana. “Derek, this is my job!” Ana yells. “Yeah well it’s my career,” Derek responds, explaining that he can’t take the risk of Daisy’s tape going live. Minus 500 because Derek is making this sounds like Ana did something wrong and man we want to like him but he’s the worst right now.
• Karen tells Jimmy that Kyle would be really proud and that she’s proud too. You know what we’re going to say here, right? Do we even have to say it anymore?
• Ivy says that David Cromer wants to do a workshop with her. We love Ivy. We love David Cromer. But we can’t really imagine a project that would suit both of them.
• Karen says Ana is her best friend. We think she meant only friend.
• Ivy’s pregnant! Probably with Derek’s baby! Minus 500! Remember when they tried to make Julia pregnant at the end of season 1 and forgot about it?

…. 

So what did you guys think? Are you happy Ivy and Karen are at one another’s throats again? Did you see that pregnancy coming? And do you want to see Derek’s demise as much as we do right now?

When Bollywood and Hollywood Collide

Photo credit: Monique Carboni

Bunty Berman Presents... is a great idea in theory--a musical about 1950s Bollywood presented in Hollywood Golden Age style. Occasionally, such as at the end of acts 1 and 2, everything comes together, but too often the show falls short of its potential.

Ayub Khan Din wrote the book and lyrics and co-wrote the music with Paul Bogaev. After an actor was injured in early previews, Din stepped in to play Bollywood movie producer Bunty Berman. Berman is struggling as his leading man Raj Dhawan (Sorab Wadia) is aging and can't carry a movie like he used to. There are a bunch of subplots, including a love story between leading lady Shambervi (Lipica Shah) and her childhood friend/tea boy Saleem (Nick Choksi). Despite the best efforts of the cast, who are all working extremely hard with Wadia having the best results, the humor often fails to land. The show should move at a madcap pace, but director Scott Elliott fails to keep the momentum going. It would have been nice to have more Bollywood music, but big, old-fashioned ensemble numbers like "Let's Make A Movie" are the high points. The show is visually appealing thanks to Derek McLane's sets and William Ivey Long's costumes. It just needs a tighter script and about an hour shaved off the run time.

Play Recommendation: Core Values

Reed Birney and Susan Kelechi Watson; Photo credit: Ben Arons

I went to see Core Values at Ars Nova this weekend because I will see Reed Birney in anything. I can now add Erin Wilhemi, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Paul Thureen to the list of actors I will go out of my way to see and Steven Levenson to the list of playwrights I'd like to see more from.

Birney plays Richard, owner of a small travel agency. It's a weekend staff retreat, but because of budget issues, it's being held at the office. Lauren Helpern's set really makes you feel like you're in a drab conference room. The tropical decorations Richard provides only makes it that much sadder. Also present are Eliot (Wilhemi), on her first day at work, Nancy (Watson), a long-time employee, and Todd (Thureen), the tech guy who isn't allowed to talk to clients. Levenson's dialogue captures the way people speak to each other at work. There is a sense of politeness, but also of the bonds and frustrations that form when you spend too much time with people. He's also created realistic, flawed characters that we learn to care about in a short period of time.

Director Carolyn Cantor uses the space effectively and gets memorable performances from her cast. Birney is as always heartbreaking. He is so good at playing sad sacks, but one day I hope to see him play a character who triumphs. Watson was the biggest discovery, perfect at tossing out snarky comments, but also bringing the right amount of pathos to her scenes with Birney. Wilhelmi is hilarious as the eager newcomer, trying so hard to provide the right amount of water bottles and food, but constantly failing. And Thureen is wonderfully awkward, but like the other three, keeps his character from becoming a caricature.

I missed Levenson's The Language of Trees at Roundabout Underground, but his play The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin will be premiering at the Laura Pels this summer and it's now on my want-to-see list. In the meantime, you only have until May 18 to see Core Values, so get to it.

The SMASH Reality Index: Season 2 Episode 14

Back by popular demand, Dave (@NineDaves) and I have teamed up to bring you our take on what’s keepin’ it real and what’s faking it each week on SMASH. Follow the 'caps here or on Dave's site.

When SMASH first started, there was a lot of debate as to where the real world theater line and the fake world theater line would be drawn. Back then, the line was pretty blurry. But theater superfans could easily make adjustments in our heads. Heaven on Earth is at the Shubert, meaning Memphis (and now Matilda) doesn’t exist? Sure. Christian Borle doesn’t exist, but Peter and the Starcatcher still happened? Okay, we can make that adjustment. Catch Me If You Can posters hang in almost every producer office and rehearsal studio around? Doubtful, but we’ll get past it.

Yet deep into this SMASH’s second season, it’s much harder to see where the line is drawn. (We pick apart those fake possible Tony nominees below). And that problem didn’t become clearer than in this week’s episode, “The Phenomenon,” where we learned Hit List bookwriter, Kyle Bishop, had in fact died after last week’s car accident. Suddenly, there was a major outpour from the theater community about Kyle’s brilliance, and a debate about whether or not to go on with Hit List’s evening performance, and talk of a Broadway transfer after all. And yet, NO ONE MENTIONED JONATHAN LARSON ONCE! NOT EVEN ONCE!

It’s not like they haven’t referenced RENT on SMASH before. Give credit where credit is due, yo! 

And sure, Kyle’s death may not follow Jonathan Larson’s story exactly (Larson died of an aortic dissection on RENT’s opening night, not for forgetting to look both ways before crossing the street, a la Bishop). But shit if the after effect wasn’t pretty damn dead on. Down to the eventual staged concert performance. And to have Jesse L. Martin playing the Artistic Director of a New York Theatre Workshop-like theater, with a RENT poster hanging behind him, who NEVER ONCE MENTIONS IT? Bananas.

(We won’t even talk about Daphne Rubin-Vega here because Agnes is kind of the best character on the show and can really do no wrong in our eyes).

But the biggest problem with “The Phenomenon” was that it tried to make Kyle Bishop just that: a phenomenon. Unfortunately, we never really cared about Kyle enough for that to resonate. Sure, Kyle’s a sweet guy. But were you ever really rooting for his character? Kyle was a doormat, who couldn’t have an idea of his own without checking with 100 people first. He was a terrible bookwriter. He cheated on his boyfriend. Heck, for as much as we rooted for Kyle, even we have to admit we weren’t really moved by his death. We’ll miss Andy Mientus, of course. But cute fanboy Kyle Bishop? Yeah, bye.

Let’s see how the rest of the episode worked itself out...

Totally True

• Tom calls Kyle and leaves this awkward voicemail: "I feel like a teenager. Maybe because you're a teenager. Oh my god I'm going to delete this and rerecord this." Plus 15.
• Leigh says she was late because the line at Starbucks was “atrocious.” Ivy says the line was fine, and Leigh had to sign autographs and pose for pictures. “She did everything short of bless a baby!” Ivy teases. “I did that yesterday,” responds Leigh. Plus 10.
• Eileen and Anges are extremely focused on the Tony nominations - and seem to be running a campaign like they’re going for an Oscar. This may seem over the top, but then again, we’ve seen some intense Tony campaigning in our day, right Cubby Bernstein?
• "As we get closer to the Tonys, things are looking up for Bombshell,” Eileen briefs Tom, Agnes, Leigh, and Ivy. “Imitation of Life is closing, which isn't a very good omen." That’s pretty consistent with how the community approaches nominee predictions, as Tony nominators tend to have short memories. Though producers of Motown the Musical would probably say differently (they lost the nomination for “Best Musical” to two closed musicals this season - Bring it On and A Christmas Story).
• "Harold and Maude is struggling to retain the magic it had on the West End," Eileen continues. While shows like Matilda can be hits in both London and New York, sometimes British hits don’t transfer as well here. Enron, anyone? Heck, even Billy Elliot’s box office power wore off fairly quickly here and it’s still going strong in London.
• "And if Road House gets a nomination,” Eileen says, “I'm going to retire." Ha ha ha ha. We bet people said this about Leap of Faith.
• Tom points out that Drood and Pippin are contenders for directing. The directors of those shows, Scott Ellis and Diane Paulus, both were nominated for Tonys this week! Way to call it, SMASH!
• Agnes says the key to keeping at the top of the Tony contender list is marketing. She is consistently the only person on this show who is good at her job.
• "You were a bright light in a bad show," Leigh says to Ivy about Liaisons and her Tony nomination chances. Hey, it worked for Carolee Carmello in Scandalous!
• “It would be embarrassing to beat my own daughter,” Leigh says to Ivy, of their Tony rivalry. Plus 100.
• Yet again, new opening credits! This time, they’re closest to Season 1’s credits. Plus 10!
• Julia is remembering a work session she had with Kyle. It's too bad we had to wait until Kyle’s dead to see that he actually had smart ideas about story structure.
• “Has anyone talked to his parents?” Julia asks the cast of Hit List. FINALLY SOMEONE ASKED THAT QUESTION. PLUS 50!
• Scott and Derek debate whether to go perform Hit List after Kyle’s death, and we can’t help but wonder whether Jesse L. Martin is having major Rent/Jonathan Larson flashbacks. He says as Scott, "Hit List is Kyle's show. I can't think of a better way to honor him." We’ve read Anthony Rapp’s book, so we know these conversations were happening the day after Jonathan Larson died.
• “We need to be very sensitive about this,” Agnes says, of Bombshell’s stance on Kyle’s death. “We don’t want to be silent, but we don’t want to look like we’re jumping on any kind of grief parade either.” Plus 10 because we love that Agnes is always on point.
• Julia wants the marquee lights dimmed on Broadway for Kyle, and Eileen reminders her that that tradition is only meant for Broadway veterans. Plus 50 because Eileen finally gets something right about how Broadway works!
• Jimmy finds out that Kyle’s dead from the entire cast of Hit List, as they just stand there blankly listening to his rant. At first he thinks it’s a joke, and then he storms off. Plus 50 because that entire scene played out just as we’d expect.
• In another flashback, we learn that Kyle has to write down ideas immediately or they’re gone. We’ve definitely woken up in the middle of the night to write down ideas before we lose them.
• Tom reminds Kyle in a flashback that you can’t change a show once it opens. So much for that “theater is a living breathing thing” shit you were spewing before, Kyle.
• Kyle tells Tom that he “has notes” about Bombshell. Plus 500 because every fanboy and fangirl alike wish they could give the creatives of their favorite show notes. Especially the morning after fucking them.
• Kyle’s advice to Tom is to make “At Your Feet” a more upbeat number, as it’s the second song in the show and Marilyn would want to remember that melancholy moment in her life through rose-colored glasses. Plus 50 because damn if that isn’t the first good idea we’ve heard from Kyle.
• “Sometimes the truth is too hard,” Kyle reminds Tom. “Sometimes you want to remember things better than they actually are.” Perhaps this is a little too literal here, as SMASH is clearly trying to get us to remember Kyle as some saint, but we can apply this sentence to almost every show we’ve seen and liked.
• Christian Borle sings Billy Joel’s “Vienna,” to get Kyle to stop worrying. Plus 500 because Christian Borle doesn’t get to sing nearly enough on SMASH, and dammit we want him to sing to us the morning after we hook up!
• (Quick aside, what is with this resurgence of Billy Joel on television shows? SMASH has used him back in episode 4, and Glee and How I Met Your Mother also used him this season. Just asking!)
• PLUS 100 FOR THE KISS BETWEEN TOM AND KYLE! THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF!

• Should I duck?" Jerry asks when Eileen picks up his drink. And a few minutes later she actually throws a drink in his face for the first time all season! Plus 1,000!
• Tom wants to dissolve his partnership with Julia so that she can do her Gatsby adaptation on her own without him getting in the way. See! He’s good after all! Plus 50.
• Despite cancelling the show, folks still show up to rush Hit List. “They want the show,” says Scott. "Maybe we should go on tonight. Maybe it's what everybody needs." Plus 50, because they should totally go on and they’re obviously going to.
• Ivy called Derek to see how he’s doing, and decides to call out of Bombshell to be with Derek because she’s a good friend and a nice person and that’s why we love her so much.
• Meanwhile, Ivy’s calling out on Bombshell already? Damn the All That Chat message boards are going to be ON FIRE.
• Plus 50 for showing that more than one stage manager works on a Broadway show. We’ve always seen them floating around with Linda the Stage Manager before. ‘Bout time one of them finally got a line!
• OH HEY NY1’s FRANK DILELLA! RUINING OUR DREAMS OF BEING THEATER REPORTERS ON SMASH! THANKS FOR NOTHING!
• We can't help but be moved by Jimmy tearing up singing this Hit List song “The Love I Meant To Say.” Damn you SMASH.
• In case you’re wondering, the reason “The Love I Meant To Say” is so great is because Shaiman and Wittman wrote it. Plus 50.
• Kyle tells Karen that Ivy is better as Marilyn in this flashback Karen's having of Bombshell's opening night and we've never loved him more.
• OH HEY BOND 45! Tom had the idea to dim the Bombshell marquee lights in honor of Kyle and damn it if that isn’t sweet.
• Again, Ann Harada may me off the show, but that’s no reason we can’t have THE ANN HARADA LINE OF THE WEEK. “I can’t believe Eileen Rand didn’t think I’d get a Tony nomination for my hilarious turn in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” WE LOVE YOU ANN!

Oh Hell No! 

• At the end of last episode, Karen invited Derek to her apartment. At the start of this episode, it’s 5 in the morning and they’re still drinking. Karen asks Derek to stay, even though he has to be at Sam’s put-in rehearsal in three hours. They probably spent the whole night talking about Karen. Minus 50.
• Karen kisses Derek and they have a totally lame makeout. Are we supposed to be rooting for them to hook up? Are they the Ross and Rachel of SMASH? Minus 100.
• Um... “Ghost Jimmy” sings Radiohead’s “High and Dry” to real Jimmy, following him around the city, and it’s perhaps the most ridiculous moment of SMASH we’ve ever seen. And we still remember when Ivy Lynn and Karen Cartwright broke into that impromptu “Cheers (I’ll Drink to That)” performance in Times Square.
• Seriously, no matter how much we enjoy the idea of two Jeremy Jordans, this is fucking terrible. Minus 500.
• Also, Jeremy Jordan may have sounded good on “High And Dry,” but he should have done Jamie Cullum’s cover.
• Jimmy makes his way to Karen’s apartment window to talk to her, rather than ringing her bell like a normal human being. Is that supposed to be romantic? It’s fucking creepy.
• Also, Karen’s window is made of wood, like she lives in some country farm. This is NYC. Her building would have windows stronger than that.
• “What do I need to do to be the person that you saw in me?” Jimmy asks Karen. “Because when you look at me like that, I know that’s who I really am.” BARF. MINUS 50!
• Kyle’s voicemail says “It’s Kyle, leave a message!” The Kyle we know would have had a longer outgoing message.
• Tom moves to dissolve his partnership with Julia and it's making us feel like we're watching our parents get a divorce. Sadface x100.
• Scott says that if he loses Julia’s Gatsby play, he will lose his job. First of all, shows fall through sometimes at off-Broadway theaters and the artistic director doesn’t lose his/her job over it. He can find a different show.
• Also, we said this before and we’ll said it again - Scott shouldn’t have told his board about Julia’s Gatsby adaptation before she even wrote the damn thing. It doesn’t even have a title!
• Eileen is upset that Jerry took out a full-page ad in The New York Times in support of Bombshell. Are you sure this wasn’t Ellis? Minus 10.
• That full-page ad for Bombshell in The New York Times includes a pull-quote about Julia’s book. Sure, her book was supposed to be strong, but we doubt it would have gotten its own pull-quote! People don’t flock to musical for the book, after all.
• And for the sake of all things good in this world, SMASH, the category is not “Supporting Actress in a Musical.” IT’S FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL. You’d think one of the four Broadway stars (and two Tony winners) in the room would have pointed that shit out!
• Let’s take a deep dive into these crazy/amazing predictions for Tony nominations:

• For Lead Actress in a Musical, we have Kate Baldwin in SeeSaw, Jennifer Damiano in The Beauty Queen, Audra McDonald in The House of Flowers, Karen Cartwright for Hit List, and Laura Osnes for Oliver. 

•  First of all, Kate Baldwin did not win the 2010 Tony. She was nominated for Finian’s Rainbow, but she didn’t win. The Tony went to Catherine Zeta-Jones for her head-spinning turn as Desiree in A Little Night Music. 
•  Eileen says that Hit List is not transferring to Broadway. Yet Karen Cartwright is still on the board as a contender for a Leading Actress in a Musical Tony. Explain.
•  Laura Osnes would be a terrible Nancy in Oliver. 
•  Audra McDonald could fart on Broadway, and she’d get a nomination. And while she’s lost Tonys before (she has seven nominations and only five wins) - and we love Ivy Lynn - there’s no way Ivy would beat her. And there’s NO way Karen Cartwright would beat her. Why isn’t Agnes freaking out about Audra McDonald!?! 
  

• For featured actress, we have Victoria Clark in The Beauty Queen, Leigh Conroy in Bombshell, Ivy Lynn in Liaisons, and Katie Finneran, Patina Miller, and Chita Rivera for something (most likely Annie, Pippin, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood - since that’s what they were all on Broadway with this season, and Tom already mentioned Pippin and Drood).

•  By throwing real shows that were on Broadway this season, it kind of confuses things. Like, Drood and Pippin really were/are on Broadway in both the SMASH and real worlds. But then why are Laura Osnes and Victoria Clark, who were both also nominated for Tonys this week, not in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella? 
•  Patina Miller would have been eligible for Lead Actress in a Musical for Pippin, not Featured.
• Liaisons would not be eligible for any Tonys. It lasted a week, about the same amount of time as The Performers, which wasn’t eligible for Tonys this season. If Ari Graynor can’t get a Tony nomination for Featured Actress in a Play, Ivy Lynn shouldn’t be able to get one for Featured Actress in a Musical. 
•  Speaking of Ivy Lynn, the Post-It note next to her on the Featured Actress Board says “Broadway Debut!” But... it wasn’t her Broadway debut. She was in seven Broadway shows before Liaisons. 
• What the hell does The Beauty Queen sound like? Because Victoria Clark and Jennifer Damiano have voices we can’t imagine would sound good singing the same score. 
• Also, someone over at SMASH must REALLY love Jennifer Damiano. This is the second or third shout-out she’s gotten this season! 
• Finally, this list reminds us that Chita Rivera should have been nominated for a Tony IRL for Drood. She was so good in that role! 

• Karen and Derek apparently “stopped themselves” during their makeout session, and Karen is now claiming that “nothing happened.” UGH. THEY ARE SO LAME.
• About ten minutes into the episode, we finally have confirmation that Kyle is dead. Jonathan Larson 2.0!
• Sorry, but that car was not going fast enough to kill Kyle.
• And why did the cops call Tom to tell him that Kyle’s dead? Sure, Tom may have been a recent call, but they would have looked through Kyle’s phone for contacts like “Mom” or “Dad.”
• Also, even if they did call Tom, they wouldn’t have just told him over the phone that Kyle is dead. They would have asked him to come down to the station to identify the body or some shit like that first.
• Jimmy Collins. Karen Cartwright. Jerry Rand. Eileen Rand. Leo Huston. These are all characters we’d rather see killed off of SMASH, in order of preference.
• Julia says that Amanda’s character can’t sing a song in Hit List after she’s dead. Clearly, she didn’t see Ghost The Musical.
• Kyle says he was in school the night Broadway dimmed the lights for Wendy Wasserstein. Wasserstein died in 2006, meaning Kyle was in school in 2006 and WE’RE ALL SO OLD.
• Kyle’s idea for letting the Hit List audience grieve Amanda’s death is to have her die “in the arms of the man who loved her and he sings the song that brought them together in the first place.” It’s a nice idea, and we don’t want to shit on the dead here, but BOY is it heavy-handed. Minus 20.
• Scott wants to continue with tonight’s Hit List performance, and everyone seems pretty outraged by it. But like... should they be? Call us rude, but this doesn’t seem like a terrible idea here.
• Kyle’s parents were at Hit List just yesterday. They’d still be in town. Why aren’t they here? Why hasn’t anyone called them yet? Minus 100.
• Also, they may have broken up the night before, but Blake had a pretty close relationship with Kyle. When is his flashback coming? We’re guessing never. Minus 10.
• Hit List’s stage manager Marissa (played by Montego Glover) and Scott say they’re going to call all the ticket holders and tell them the show is cancelled. Themselves? That’s weird!
• Marissa is a terrible stage manager. Linda the stage manager wouldn't have let Jimmy leave like that in his distraught state!
• It’s the morning after Tom and Kyle hooked up, and yet they’re both in full pajamas? Surely one of them would be shirtless and in his briefs! Minus 60.
• Kyle wants to introduce social media subtitle transitions in Hit List to walk the audience through the story behind the story. We have no idea what this means, as we still haven’t gotten a grasp of the story IN FRONT OF the story. Besides, these sound like the modern day version of Rent’s answering machine messages. Minus 50.
• Jerry says he wants to give Eileen money to help with her Bombshell Tony campaign, and she says no because she’s a complete moron. Minus 10.
• Derek decides to perform Hit List as a concert with music stands. Plus 50 cause it’s the right decision, but minus 100 because this is exactly what they did for RENT and NO ONE IS SAYING IT.
• Karen isn’t at Hit List because she’s gone to find Jimmy. Let’s hope she finds him dead too!
• Tom turns Bombshell’s “At Your Feet” into a big dance number for Leigh and little Marilyn, and we get to see the last 30 seconds of it. Minus 500 because we should have gotten to see the whole thing, Minus 200 because an upbeat number like this has no place in this episode, and Minus 10,000 because YOU CAN’T CHANGE A SHOW AFTER IT’S OPEN. Sure, it’s happened before (see: Spamalot removing the “Britney Spears” line in “Whatever Happened To My Part”), but that’s very rare. And it’s usually not a giant change like this!
• Karen finds Jimmy hanging in the spot he used to go with Kyle to write sometimes - on the Greenpoint waterfront. Jimmy’s sitting on the ledge. “You’re not thinking of doing something stupid Jimmy, are you?” Karen asks. Like what Karen? Jumping the short distance into the water and catching a cold?
• Actually, now that we say it, Minus 50 for Karen not pushing Jimmy over the ledge herself.
• “He was coming to talk to me,” Jimmy says of Kyle, blaming himself for Kyle’s death. Um... first of all, Kyle wasn’t coming to talk to you, Jimmy. Kyle was dropping off your stuff. If anything, he didn’t want to talk to you. Second of all, how do you know where he died? No one told you that information. You ran away like a little child having a temper tantrum. Just... minus 100 for all of your bullshit!
• "I couldn't sleep with him because I love you," Karen tells Jimmy. Every conversation they have makes us barf. Positive side? We’re losing so much weight!
• There are way more people in line for Hit List than can fit in the theater. That’s including standing room. They’re going to have a fire hazard on their hands!
• Scott lied and said that Julia convinced everyone to perform Hit List. Why would he even lie about that? Clearly Derek was the one who made the decision. This is ridiculous!
• Again, Marissa mentions that she called all the Hit List ticket holders to tell them the show was on. Herself? Give that girl a raise!
• Julia thinks Scott is exploiting Kyle's death, and breaks up with him, taking her Gatsby adaptation with her. Look, it's a fine line between honoring and exploiting, and we're glad they're having this conversation, but this seems like the biggest non-issue ever.
• They still haven’t started Hit List? What time is the show going on? Bombshell was on their second number like, 30 minutes ago!
• Also, Karen got from Brooklyn to downtown pretty damn quickly. The L never runs that fast. Minus 50.
• No entrance applause for Hit List? And the lights of the house are still up?
• In Jimmy’s flashback, Kyle tells Jimmy that Amanda from Hit List must die so that Jimmy’s character can learn something. Oh hey, do you think Kyle had to die so that Jimmy could learn something? Is that what they’re trying to tell us? They’re being really subtle about it.
• Meanwhile, say what you will about all the talented young composers Hit List has, but when it comes to crafting an actual song for the core emotional moment of the show, they have to turn to Shaiman and Wittman. Ha!
• Jimmy shows up at Hit List right before the last number, interrupting the performance. Suddenly he decides he doesn’t want to sing the song in a concert staging, and instead wants to do it like they do it in the show. And then, with the snap of his fingers and in under 30 seconds, the entire stage is transformed. Sets, lighting, the full band - all in place just. like. that. Minus 100.
• Also, good thing Hit List doesn’t have costumes! This feels just like the regular show!
• The whole Hit List cast takes a bow, except for Sam who doesn’t seem to be anywhere to be found. He performs the whole show except that one number and he doesn’t get a bow?
• Derek tells Ivy that he didn't sleep with Karen because of her. That's not how we remember it! It sounds like it was more of a mutual decision!
• Also, telling Ivy you didn’t sleep with Karen shouldn’t be a reason for Ivy to take you back. You still only went with her when Karen rejected her. AND you two still did a pretty decent amount of making out.
• Eileen makes nice with Jerry because Kyle’s death has reminded her that “life is shorter than we think it is.” Um, Eileen? You knew about Kyle’s death when you threw a drink in Jerry’s face. This shit doesn’t work.
• Jerry's bringing Hit List to Broadway. Come on Eileen, you didn't see this coming?
• “Are you mad at me?” Karen asks Jimmy when he rejects her offer to go and talk. OMG GIRL SHUT UP.
• Jimmy’s “not drinking anymore.” Yeah okkaaaaaay.
• Oh hey previews for next week! We saw you last week! Minus 50.

…. 

What did you think of this week’s episode? Were you sad about Kyle? Be honest now...

Mike Bartlett Goes Back To The Ring

From left: Eleanor Matsuura, Sam Troughton, and Adam James; Photo credit: Carol Rosegg

Last summer, Mike Bartlett presented New York theatergoers with a cockfight in the form of two lovers vying for the attention of one man. Now we get a bullfight in the form of three employees fighting for two spots in a company. I personally find the politics of relationships more interesting than that of a workplace, so I was not as invested in Bull, but, like Cock, the writing is sharp and it's being given a polished production as part of the Brits Off Broadway festival at 59E59.

The set (designed by Soutra Gilmour) is a square ring with some audience members standing around it and the rest in arena seating. Isobel (Eleanor Matsuura), Tony (Adam James), and Thomas (Sam Troughton) are waiting to meet with their boss Carter (Neil Stuke). At first, Isobel and Tony pick on Thomas subtly, telling him he has something on the side of his mouth to undermine his confidence, but as the play progresses, their bullying becomes more cruel and explicit. You can pretty much guess the direction the story is going, but it's entertaining, the perfect length of 55 minutes, and features a fine cast, especially Troughton, whose inevitable breakdown in which he becomes the "bull" transcends the gimmick.

And The Tony Nominees Are...

For the weeks leading up to the Tony nominations, it's all us theater fans can talk about it, and now it's finally here. For the next month, we'll be talking about who will win. Then we will discuss who should have won until it's time to start all over with the new season. There are a lot of politics involved in award shows and it's also very subjective, so why do we care so much? I can only speak for myself, but when I love a show, I want it to do well and to be recognized. And this year, there were very few shows on Broadway that I truly loved (Pippin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Golden Boy). The rest were off-Broadway (The Whale, The Flick, Bad Jews). Here is the complete list of nominees followed by my thoughts about what the nominators got right, who was snubbed, and early predictions in each category.

Best Play

The Assembled Parties

Author:  Richard Greenberg

Producers:  Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

Lucky Guy

Author:  Nora Ephron

Producers:  Colin Callender, Roy Furman, Arielle Tepper Madover, Roger & William Berlind, Stacey Mindich, Robert Cole & Frederick Zollo, David Mirvish, Daryl Roth, James D. Stern/Douglas L. Meyer, Scott & Brian Zeilinger, Sonia Friedman Productions, The Shubert Organization

The Testament of Mary

Author:  Colm Toíbín

Producers:  Scott Rudin, Stuart Thompson, Jon B. Platt, Roger Berlind, Broadway Across America, Scott M. Delman, Jean Doumanian, Roy Furman, Stephanie P. McClelland, Sonia Friedman Productions/Tulchin Bartner Productions, The Araca Group, Heni Koenigsberg, Daryl Roth, Eli Bush

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Author:  Christopher Durang

Producers:  Joey Parnes, Larry Hirschhorn, Joan Raffe & Jhett Tolentino, Martin Platt & David Elliott, Pat Flicker Addiss, Catherine Adler, John O’Boyle, Joshua Goodman, Jamie deRoy/Richard Winkler, Cricket Hooper Jiranek/Michael Palitz, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Radio Mouse Entertainment, ShadowCatcher Entertainment, Mary Cossette/Barbara Manocherian, Megan Savage/Meredith Lynsey Schade, Hugh Hysell/Richard Jordan, Cheryl Wiesenfeld/Ron Simons, S.D. Wagner, John Johnson, MacCarter Theatre Center, Lincoln Center Theater

This was a very weak year for new plays. I guess after the past few years, we were due for one. The only new play on Broadway that I think is really deserving this year is Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. What I love about it is that it's so high brow and low brow at the same time, kind of like my taste in everything. The writing is clever, but not so much that you don't care about the characters (at least for me, I know not everyone agrees). The Assembled Parties was very good and quite moving in parts, but I thought it needed a rewrite or two. It did get a lot of love from the critics more recently than VSMS, so it might be a dark horse, but I still expect VSMS to win, not just because of the quality, but because of the regional life potential, which Tony voters like. I'm ok with Lucky Guy being nominated as a tribute to Nora Ephron, as long as it doesn't win because it's just not a very good play. Surprised to see The Testament of Mary here because I heard the play itself was not good, just Fiona Shaw's performance, but I haven't seen it myself yet so I can't comment on whether or not it deserves to be on this list. Really surprised that Douglas Carter Beane's The Nance did not take the fourth slot. 

Best Musical

Bring It On: The Musical

Producers:  Universal Pictures Stage Productions/Glenn Ross, Beacon Communications/Armyan Bernstein & Charlie Lyons, Kristin Caskey & Mike Isaacson

 A Christmas Story, The Musical

Producers:  Gerald Goehring, Roy Miller, Michael F. Mitri, Pat Flicker Addiss, Peter Billingsley, Timothy Laczynski, Mariano Tolentino, Jr., Louise H. Beard, Michael Filerman, Scott Hart, Alison Eckert, Bob Bartner, Michael Jenkins, Angela Milonas, Bradford W. Smith

 Kinky Boots

Producers:  Daryl Roth, Hal Luftig, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Independent Presenters Network, CJ E&M, Jayne Baron Sherman, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams, Yasuhiro Kawana, Jane Bergère, Allan S. Gordon & Adam S. Gordon, Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Lucy & Phil Suarez, Bryan Bantry, Ron Fierstein & Dorsey Regal, Jim Kierstead/Gregory Rae, BB Group/Christina Papagjika, Michael DeSantis/Patrick Baugh, Brian Smith/Tom & Connie Walsh, Warren Trepp, Jujamcyn Theaters

 Matilda The Musical

Producers:  The Royal Shakespeare Company and The Dodgers

Motown, which I haven't seen and can't comment on, was snubbed in favor of two closed shows. I loved A Christmas Story and am happy to see it on this list. Bring It On was a lot of fun, so I'm not mad that it snuck in there. The Tonys do seem to have a lot of love for Kinky Boots, but I still don't think it's possible for Matilda to lose. I saw Matilda in London last year and thought it was overrated, but it was hyped up so much that it couldn't possibly live up to that. But it is a very good musical and there is a lot I love about it, so I do think it deserves to win this year. Kinky Boots won me over by the end, but again, it's not really a great musical. I'm just a sucker for the be yourself message.

Best Revival of a Play

Golden Boy

Producers:  Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten

Orphans

Producers:  Frederick Zollo, Robert Cole, The Shubert Organization, Orin Wolf, Lucky VIII, Scott M. Delman, James P. MacGilvray, StylesFour Productions

The Trip to Bountiful

Producers:  Nelle Nugent, Kevin Liles, Paula Marie Black, David R. Weinreb, Stephen C. Byrd, Alia M. Jones, Kenneth Teaton, Carole L. Haber/Philip Geier, Wendy Federman/Carl Moellenberg/Ricardo Hornos, Fifty Church Street Productions/Hallie Foote/Tyson and Kimberly Chandler, Joseph Sirola, Howard and Janet Kagan/Charles Salameno, Sharon A. Carr/Patricia R. Klausner, Raymond Gaspard/Andréa M. Price, Willette Murphy Klausner/Reginald M. Browne

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Producers:  Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Susan Quint Gallin, Mary Lu Roffe, Kit Seidel, Amy Danis & Mark Johannes, Patty Baker, Mark S. Golub & David S. Golub, Richard Gross, Jam Theatricals, Cheryl Lachowicz, Michael Palitz, Dramatic Forces/Angelina Fiordellisi, Luigi & Rose Caiola, Ken Greiner, Kathleen K. Johnson, Kirmser Ponturo Fund, Will Trice, GFour Productions, Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Again, there weren't a lot of shows this year I really loved, but Golden Boy was one of them. A gorgeous production. I hope it wins, but it's been closed for a long time. The only show on this list I haven't seen yet is The Trip to Bountiful, but it got good reviews recently and I feel like Tony voters have short memories. I didn't love Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf as much as everyone else. I did like Orphans more than I thought I would, but still don't think it's strong enough to deserve to win.

Best Revival of a Musical

 Annie

Producers:  Arielle Tepper Madover, Roger Horchow, Sally Horchow, Roger Berlind, Roy Furman, Debbie Bisno, Stacey Mindich, James M. Nederlander, Jane Bergère/Daryl Roth, Eva Price/Christina Papagjika

 The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Producers:  Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy

 Pippin

Producers:  Barry and Fran Weissler, Howard and Janet Kagan, Lisa Matlin, Kyodo Tokyo, A&A Gordon/Brunish Trinchero, Tom Smedes/Peter Stern, Broadway Across America, Independent Presenters Network, Norton Herrick, Allen Spivak, Rebecca Gold, Joshua Goodman, Stephen E. McManus, David Robbins/Bryan S. Weingarten, Philip Hagemann/Murray Rosenthal, Jim Kierstead/Carlos Arana/Myla Lerner, Hugh Hayes/Jamie Cesa/Jonathan Reinis, Sharon A. Carr/Patricia R. Klausner, Ben Feldman, Square 1 Theatrics, Wendy Federman/Carl Moellenberg, Bruce Robert Harris/Jack W. Batman, Infinity Theatre Company/Michael Rubenstein, Michael A. Alden/Dale Badway/Ken Mahoney, American Repertory Theater

 Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Producers:  Robyn Goodman, Jill Furman, Stephen Kocis, Edward Walson, Venetian Glass Productions, The Araca Group, Luigi Caiola & Rose Caiola, Roy Furman, Walt Grossman, Peter May/Sanford Robertson, Glass Slipper Productions LLC/Eric Schmidt, Ted Liebowitz/James Spry, Blanket Fort Productions, Center Theatre Group

The nominations in this category were a no brainer. The only other eligible show was Jekyll & Hyde. I still haven't seen Cinderella (ridiculous, I know), but I'm planning to change that this week. I really liked all three of the others, and as much as I have a place in my heart for Edwin Drood, I loved Pippin the most and I expect it to win.

Best Book of a Musical

 A Christmas Story, The Musical

Joseph Robinette

 Kinky Boots

Harvey Fierstein

 Matilda The Musical

Dennis Kelly

 Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Douglas Carter Beane

Many people say Matilda has a weak score, but I think its biggest problem is the book, which had an odd focus (why not focus on her powers?), but I am guessing it will sweep most of the creative awards. Again, haven't seen Cinderella yet, but very curious about Beane's modern take. Wasn't a huge fan of the book for Kinky Boots, but I seem to recall liking the one for A Christmas Story, but again, it's mostly the music that I remember.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

A Christmas Story, The Musical

Music and Lyrics: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Hands on a Hardbody

Music: Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green
Lyrics: Amanda Green

Kinky Boots

Music & Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper

Matilda The Musical

Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin

Yeah Pasek and Paul! Loved their score for A Christmas Story and this is a good a time as any to plug my interview with them about it for TDF Stages. I didn't love the score for Hands on Hardbody and the lyrics were terrible. I would have rather the show was nominated than the score. I know I said I was disappointed when I saw Matilda, but I do love a lot of the score (especially "When I Grow Up") and listen to it all the time, so this is the category I really want it to win. I saw Kinky Boots on Friday and don't remember any of the songs except for one, but maybe it's also the type of score that needs to grow on you.

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

Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Nathan Lane, The Nance
Tracy Letts, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tom Sturridge, Orphans

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was Letts's show and I'm happy to see the nominators remembered him. I'm really happy with this list, except I wouldn't have nominated Tom Hanks. I would have probably nominated Michael Shannon, who was really good in Grace (along with everyone else in the cast) even though the show was meh. I haven't seen Macbeth yet, but I was expecting Alan Cumming to be nominated. I mean, he plays every part. I would probably give David Hyde Pierce the award, but I would by happy with any of these guys except Hanks (not that he was bad, but not award worthy). Nathan Lane was the best I've ever seen him in The Nance so I won't be mad if he wins.

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

Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place
Amy Morton, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Holland Taylor, Ann
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

KRISTINE NIELSEN!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so worried when they bumped her up to leading role (even though she does have the biggest female part in the show) that Bette Midler (who I adore) or someone would take her spot. She gave one of my favorite performances on Broadway this year and the best on-the-phone acting I've ever seen in a play. I haven't seen Holland Taylor or Cicely Tyson yet. Didn't love Morton (as I said, it was all about Letts for me). Laurie Metcalf was incredible in The Other Place, but I really want Nielsen to win. I have to say, I feel really bad for Sigourney Weaver. I thought she was really good in VSMS and it must be hard to watch four of your co-stars get nominated, but I hope she's happy for them. If wonder if Nielsen was kept as featured, if Weaver would have been nominated. This was probably the most competitive category this year and Bette Midler and Fiona Shaw are the most surprising omissions.

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

Bertie Carvel, Matilda The Musical
Santino Fontana, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Rob McClure, Chaplin
Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Stark Sands, Kinky Boots

Santino Fontana gave my favorite performance of last season in Sons of the Prophet. I can't wait to see him in Cinderella. I saw Carvel in London and he was good, but for me, the standout was Josie Walker as Mrs. Wormwood (she didn't transfer). Carvel should not be considered a lead since his role is so small, but he's going to win. I'm glad Rob McClure was remembered. I'm also really happy to see Stark Sands on this list. Billy Porter was fun to watch, but I didn't feel emotionally connected to his character. I was sitting in the front row, so I could see every tear in Sands's eyes (the boy can tear up at the drop of a hat), so for me, his performance was more memorable. It's a shame that Anthony Warlow wasn't nominated. Best Daddy Warbucks ever.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Valisia LeKae, Motown The Musical
Patina Miller, Pippin
Laura Osnes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Patina Miller will and should win. Surprised to see Carolee Carmello on this list. Love her, but Scandalous didn't do anyone any favors. I loved all the performances in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and there should be an ensemble acting category for situations like this so they could have all been recognized, but at least a few of them were. Haven't seen the other two yet. 

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

Danny Burstein, Golden Boy
Richard Kind, The Big Knife
Billy Magnussen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tony Shalhoub, Golden Boy
Courtney B. Vance, Lucky Guy

Can we talk about Billy Magnussen for a second? When I interview people, I tend to appreciate their work even more, and when I spoke to him about creating Spike, he told me that he was given a lot of freedom and talked about how meticulous he was with his choices. And all those choices were perfect for the character and hilarious. I think when comedy is done well it looks easy and people forget how hard it is to make people laugh. I was worried when he hadn't been getting nominations for some of the other awards that people remember him as the hot guy who takes off his clothes a lot and don't realize what a great comedic performance he's giving. So all that is to say, I hope he wins. But I'm torn because one of my other favorite performances of the season was Tony Shalhoub in Golden Boy. I think I tweeted right after seeing the show that he better be remembered come Tony nominations. Burstein is great in everything. I don't get all the love for Richard Kind in The Big Knife. I usually like him as an actor, but nobody in that show seemed to be on the same page. Courtney B. Vance was the best part of Lucky Guy.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Carrie Coon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Shalita Grant, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Judith Ivey, The Heiress
Judith Light, The Assembled Parties
Condola Rashad, The Trip to Bountiful

Shalita Grant! Again, I think Kristine Nielsen being bumped up made this possible, but she was great, as was everyone in the cast. Again, where's the ensemble Tony category? Carrie Coon was the second best part of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. I wouldn't be surprised if Judith Light wins for the second year in a row. I was hoping Yvonne Strahovski would get nominated for Golden Boy, but maybe she'll come back to Broadway and get a nomination next time. I also loved Mare Winningham in Picnic.

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

Charl Brown, Motown The Musical
Keith Carradine, Hands on a Hardbody
Will Chase, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Gabriel Ebert, Matilda The Musical
Terrence Mann, Pippin

I love me some Terrence Mann. I'm also happy that Will Chase was remembered, because he was a perfect villain in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and it was the best I've ever seen him. It's nice to see Keith Carradine get a nomination. Gabriel Ebert is the main reason I want to see Matilda in New York.

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

Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Victoria Clark, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Andrea Martin, Pippin
Keala Settle, Hands on a Hardbody
Lauren Ward, Matilda The Musical

I've never understood the appeal of Annaleigh Ashford. She always does the same over-the-top schtick and I don't find it funny. It's just a matter of personal taste. I would have nominated Rachel Bay Jones from Pippin in her place. She was the heart of that show. But Andrea Martin was also a highlight and she will definitely win and deservedly so. Keala Settle gave a memorable breakthrough performance in Hands on a Hardbody and I hope to see more from her. I saw Lauren Ward in London and I liked her a lot.

Best Scenic Design of a Play

John Lee Beatty, The Nance
Santo Loquasto, The Assembled Parties
David Rockwell, Lucky Guy
Michael Yeargan, Golden Boy

For me, it's between the rotating sets of The Nance or The Assembled Parties.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Anna Louizos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Scott Pask, Pippin
David Rockwell, Kinky Boots

This should and will go to Matilda. The set is awesome.

Best Costume Design of a Play

Soutra Gilmour, Cyrano de Bergerac
Ann Roth, The Nance
Albert Wolsky, The Heiress
Catherine Zuber, Golden Boy

I see all the period pieces are unsurprisingly in the costume category. I'd give it to Golden Boy.

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Kinky Boots
Rob Howell, Matilda The Musical
Dominique Lemieux, Pippin
William Ivey Long, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

I've heard great things about the Cinderella costumes, but Kinky Boots should get it just for the boots. Or Pippin because those costumes make everyone in the cast look sexy.

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Lucky Guy
Donald Holder, Golden Boy
Jennifer Tipton, The Testament of Mary
Japhy Weideman, The Nance

I don't know much about lighting, but the lighting in Golden Boy was beautiful.

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kenneth Posner, Kinky Boots
Kenneth Posner, Pippin
Kenneth Posner, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Hugh Vanstone, Matilda The Musical

I would go out on a limb here and say Kenneth Posner will win, but he's up against Matilda, so...

Best Sound Design of a Play

John Gromada, The Trip to Bountiful
Mel Mercier, The Testament of Mary
Leon Rothenberg, The Nance
Peter John Still and Marc Salzberg, Golden Boy

This is the part where I'm trying to speed this up because I have to go back to work and what do I know about sound design?

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm, Pippin
Peter Hylenski, Motown The Musical
John Shivers, Kinky Boots
Nevin Steinberg, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

See above.

Best Direction of a Play

Pam MacKinnon, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Nicholas Martin, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Bartlett Sher, Golden Boy
George C. Wolfe, Lucky Guy

Torn between Bartlett Sher and Nicholas Martin, but I'd have to give it to Martin for directing the controlled chaos of VSMS. 

Best Direction of a Musical

Scott Ellis, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Diane Paulus, Pippin
Matthew Warchus, Matilda The Musical

It's between Matthew Warchus and Diane Paulus and I think Paulus might actually win, but everyone loves Warchus (including me), so I don't know. I'd give it to Paulus.

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical
Peter Darling, Matilda The Musical
Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Chet Walker, Pippin

The cheerleading routines were so fun to watch in Bring It On and were the show's strength. I really enjoyed Peter Darling's choreography. And Chet Walker's. Are the acrobatic tricks considered part of the Pippin's choreography?

Best Orchestrations

Chris Nightingale, Matilda The Musical
Stephen Oremus, Kinky Boots
Ethan Popp & Bryan Crook, Motown The Musical

Danny Troob, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella

I've only seen two of these, but yeah Stephen Oremus!

Anyway, what did you all think of the nominations? Who did you think was snubbed? Let me know in the comments.