[NEohioPAL] Broadway World Cleveland Awards -

[Peter Spellos]

I completely agree with Ms. Magid, Mr. Hawkes, and Mr. Corris about
how questionable and suspect these awards are.  I know for a fact that
one of last year's winners canvassed the entire theatre community for
votes, and this individual received, across the boards, absolutely
terrible reviews for their "winning" performance.  Another nominee, a
teacher, solicited votes by passing out slips of paper to her entire
class with the Award 's Website address. What's up with that?  God
help a performer who doesn't receive a Berko Award, or doesn’t end up
on Ableman's End of the Year Awards!!  Does anyone out there remember
when Marlon Brando or George C. Scott refused to accept their Academy
Awards for Best Actor?  Their reasoning behind their decision was that
acting should not be a competition, like the Olympics...their belief:
just do the work.

Okay, here is my love letter, because I am a big fan of both these
performers, and rightly so.  I’m sure many of you will agree.  I’m
very sure that many will not.  I’ve looked at all of the nominee
lists, especially Best Actor/Actress/Equity.  We should stop voting
right now, and just give these awards to Brian Zoldessy, who wasn’t
even nominated, and Deidru Ring, who was not nominated for The Normal
Heart, but another show, for their truly memorable performances in The
Normal Heart.  Mr. Zoldessy’s passion, rage, sensitivity, range, and
vulnerability as Ned Weeks was remarkable.  And Ms. Ring, as Dr. Emma
Brookner, was fierce, fiery, and very powerful.  Read the reviews,
talk to theatre patrons. No doubt about it!  Just give it up and
accept it.  Be big, and give these actors some props.

Now, all of the performers nominated provided us, for the most part,
with decent performances.  Some were good, or very good, some were
just adequate.  None of them ever approached brilliant.  As one critic
stated, “Zoldessy didn’t play Ned Weeks, he was Ned Weeks!” And
“Ring’s performance was electric!”

Two of the best performances I’ve seen on the Cleveland stage….ever.
The question remains:  why were they not nominated for The Normal
heart, and who nominated all the rest for their respective
performances?  Did they nominate themselves, or did they ask their
entire family, or every one of their friends?

So neo-pals,  on with those responses!!




On 11/8/12, Skip Corris <ccorris at gmail.com> wrote:
> I've always been uncomfortable with awards for the performing arts. I've
> never watched an Oscar, Emmy, or even a Tony Award show, the only redeeming
> factor of which is Neil Patrick Harris. Thank goodness for youtube clips.
>