The Tony Awards are upon us Sunday and we can’t wait. But there’s always drama.
This drama is not about Bette Midler snubbing the Tonys and refusing to perform on the show from “Hello, Dolly!” Midler still expects to be rewarded with a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, but her co-star David Hyde Pierce will lead a number on the Radio City Stage. Maybe Midler will hum something from the fake Seinfeld musical she starred in on that show, called “Rochelle, Rochelle.”
No– this is about the other featured performances on Sunday night. Three current shows, all making money and depending on exposure, have been snubbed. We will not see any numbers from “Anastasia,” “A Bronx Tale,” or “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” What do the shows have in common? They are all based on movies, got so-so reviews, and no Tony nods. But they’re actually bringing audiences to the theatre district, like it or not.
Of course, the plot twist is that the Tonys will feature a number from “Falsettos,” which closed months ago. And Christian Borle will be in that number, as he was in that show. But Borle is playing Willy Wonka in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” open and running. Maybe he can break into a rendition of “Pure Imagination” during the “Falsettos” spot. Or dress like Willy.
