I spent Sunday night watching The 66th Annual Tony Awards. It was exciting see the casts of Newsies and The Book of Mormon, plus the talented Neil Patrick Harris as they entertained the TV audience with their wonderful talents. I also loved seeing Diane Sawyer watch with pride as her husband, Mike Nicols, won his sixth Tony for staging Arthur Miller’s, Death of A Salesman. Hugh Jackman…what an amazing man!
I came away from this show with some interesting thoughts:
- There is so much fabulous talent on Broadway.
- I can’t wait to go back to Broadway and see some live Broadway shows.
- So many times I said to myself, “Clay Aiken would really shine in this role.”
The Tony Awards were created for the Broadway community to recognize excellence for plays and musicals as well as those who create them. The idea for this award ceremony came from the American Theatre Wing, a non-profit organization with the mission of supporting excellence in theatre. The first Tony Awards took place in 1947.
Are you wondering why it is called the “Tony” awards? The Tony Awards are named after Antoinette Perry, an actress and producer. Perry was one of the American Theatre Wing founders, who sadly died before the first Tony Awards ceremony.
A show must have appeared in a Broadway theatre within the current year’s eligibility period to be eligible for a Tony Awards nomination. In total, there are 27 categories of Tony Awards. The awards range from recognizing plays, creators, and directors, to recognizing members of the technical crews.
It was fun to be interrupted during the show by a tweet from Clay Aiken.
Clay Aiken@clayaiken
Spamalot goes 4 for 4!! All 4 Spam alums nom. 2nite win Tonys! Congrats to Steve Kazee, Michael McGrath, Christian Borle, and Mike Nichols!
So…I had to know more about these people.
- Steve Kazee played the role of Sir Lancelot in 2006. He was born in Ashland, KY in 1975. Kazee won the 2012 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in the Musical, Once.
- Michael McGrath played the role of Patsy from Mar 17, 2005 – Jan 11, 2009. McGrath received a nomination for a Tony for the Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his work in Spamalot. This year he won for Best Featured Actor in a musical for Nice Work If You Can Get It.
- Christian Borle played the role of Prince Herbert and the Historian in Spamalot in 2005. The role earned him a nomination for the Drama Desk Award in 2005 as Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. He also won the Broadway.com Audience Award that year. This year, Borle a Tony for Best Featured actor in a play for Peter and the Starcatcher, his first-ever Tony.
- Mike Nicols won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Spamalot. Nichols won his 6th Tony this year.
I was so lucky to see Clay when he was on Broadway in Spamalot. He did an amazing job and seemed to enjoy the experience. I hope he will be on Broadway again and find just the right role that will highlight his talent…and have a bit of fun too!
The following video is by the talented SueReu. It is a great look at Clay on Broadway and includes some performances before and after Spamalot…I love the snippets she added from Spamalot. Thank you, Sue!!
Did you see Clay in Spamalot?
Do you think Clay will return to Broadway?
I am so sorry I did not get to see Spamalot but from Clack that I watched you can tell how much of fun it was and just how brilliant Clay was in it! I don't have a clue if he might return to Broadway – he is
always full of surprises! Thank you for all of the interesting info you always bring to us.
Just had to share this on Facebook Sue! Thanks musicfan! Wish I had seen Spamalot live onstate in NYC….
Thanks gaymarie and thanks suerue for making the video, you did a great job, enjoyed it so much this morning, Clay is so talented, he should be on broadway again, wish I could have seen the show but only discovered Clay last year, what a guy! so much to enjoy about him. Also thanks musicfan for posting.
Oh I missed the Tony's b/c I was traveling. Sad me…anyway, I would have loved to have seen it. Would love to see Clay back on Broadway some day since I never got to see him in Spamalot. However, I think I'd like it if he were in something with more singing and a bit less comedy. Don't get me wrong, he's great at comedy but I'd love to see that voice showcased! 🙂
Thanks Sue for a great video. It would be fantastic to see Clay on Broadway again. Hope so!
I was lucky enough to see Spamalot twice on Broadway, with Clay in it, of course. Loved it, love him in it and would LOVE for him to do more Broadway–I need another excuse to go back to NYC! 😉
I vividly remember the first time I watched the Tony Awards! 1969, O Calcutta and bare behinds – I was very young and very impressed they would show bare butts on television LOL!!! I did not watch the show last night – I just followed along on Twitter.
Thanks for using my video! I went twice to NYC to see Spamalot and got to see the show a total of 9 times. I was even Peasant once (ah, good times and fond memories). I'm honestly torn about Clay on Broadway – I want him to go back if it's the right thing for him and the right role. Unfortunately I'll have to "watch" from the other side of the country and hope for lots of stage door photos/video.
I saw Spamalot 3 times. Clay was fantastic in this show along with a cast of amazing broadway performers. I really was not sure I would enjoy this type of show but turned out to be my favorite right up there with Phantom.
i dint see clay aiken in spamalot im not sure if claywoud return to brodway
I know how stupid this sounds but I sat here and cried through that. He is so much more than a pop singer. Such a comic, and such and actor. I can't wait for him to be back on Broadway..
Not stupid at all!! Clay is a multi-talented man and I wish so much that the world could see his talent.
What a wonderful montage of Clay in Spamalot. It brought back such fond memories. I went 3 times to NY from CA to see it, a week each time, seeing every performance during each week. Oh, what FUN that was! I want to relive those days with Clay in a NEW Broadway show. A romantic musical comedy please. Wouldn't that be incredible?
Really enjoyed that video of Spamalot..and Clay was fantastic in it. I never could go to see it in person, but enjoyed all the clack that we got from it. I am torn about him going back to Broadway. Right now, I think I would just like to see him tour and sing for us..and, yes, the banter too. Clay is very funny and puts on the best show when he tours.
Musicfan + SueRue…it doesn't get any better than that. Thanks for these memories. I saw Clay in Spamalot twice, and it was not enough. Watching the Tony's last night I kept wondering when Clay would return to Broadway. I think he'd be great in Book of Mormon. Lots of singing, not too much dancing, and kind of silly…perfect for Clay.
I enjoyed watching the Tony's last night. I really love "live" performances.
I thought it was classy of Clay to tweet about the Spamalot actors. Thanks for more info on them.
As always, Sue has the very best videos…
I hope Clay doesn't wait too long before he returns to Broadway. I want to be able to see him again in a great role on Broadway!!
I really enjoyed watching The Tony's this year. It is by far the most entertaining of the "award" shows that are aired. I do hope Clay does appear on Broadway again. I loved him in Spamalot.
He was so great in all the roles he played. I saw it 4 times and would have seen it far more if I lived closer to NYC. I love the montage that was posted. Clay is just so talented that I truly hopes he gets a part in a new play and wins a Tony. He certainly deserves one.
I loved seeing Clay in Spamlot – thanks, Sue, for this wonderful montage. Brings back some great memories. I HOPE Clay does Broadway again and in something that will show off his voice and comedic talents even more!
Thank you for the wonderful montage Sue….that was fun to watch again.
I was fortunate to see Clay in Spamalot, both runs, and I do believe that Clay will return to Broadway. He has so much talent. Everything he does, he excels in. The sky is the limit.
Ah the wonderful memories of Spamalot….. Love for Clay to star in another Broadway show
Yes, I saw Clay many times in Spamalot and truly wish he would return to Broadway.