And you know I mean Raul Esparza in “Company.” When David Hyde Pierce’s name was called out for this year’s Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, I thought he looked stunned (and so did today’s New York Times.)
Nothing against Pierce, who’s a charmer in “Curtains,” but his performance is in no way a reach. What happened? The likeliest answer is that Tony voters never saw “Company” and voted for Pierce, endeared to the world thanks to primetime hit “Frasier” and who has recent New York stage cred thanks to a turn in the original company of “Spamalot.”
Too, Tony voters checked more of a straight ticket than anyone expected for “Spring Awakening,” which slightly surprised with eight awards at the end of the night. It could be that there was a thought to give some kind of tip of the hat to the final show by legendary Broadway musical writing team Kander and Ebb and Pierce was the only option.
When Pierce accepted his Tony, he noted Esparza’s performance was “amazing.” True, as we saw again in Esparza’s show-stopping rendition of “Being Alive” on last night’s telecast.
Esparza’s loss made the winning night for “Company” “bittersweet,” says Playhouse producing artistic director Ed Stern, calling in from New York. Stern raves about Esparza’s Tony performance, “He sang a brilliant song brilliantly.”
Stern is pondering where to put the Playhouse’s second Tony (the first was the 2004 nod for Regional Theatre). “There are worse things to do on your birthday,” Stern laughs, than standing on stage at Radio City Music Hall with the rest of the producers.
Stern expects producers to wait a few days to see if there’s box office bounce from Esparza’s Tonycast performance. If there isn’t, closing notices could be posted soon.
Stern and the Playhouse’s new Tony Award will be in town next week. He’s staying on in New York to cast 2007-2008 season-opener “Dracula.”
Jackie Demaline
