ET non tu, Denzel?
As the Tony Award races start to come into focus, it looks as if the big gest star on Broadway this spring may find himself shut out of the nominees’ circle.
Critics and theater insiders have greeted Denzel Washington’s turn as “Brutus” in the wrong-headed revival of “Julius Caesar” at the Belasco with, at best, indifference and, at worst, disappointment.
Normally, this wouldn’t prevent him from snagging a nomination. Broadway is so dependent on big stars to generate interest that, as an expression of gratitude, it often showers them with garlands whether they deserve them or not.
As one cynical producer notes: “We want to encourage movie stars to work on Broadway. So we give them things like nominations and awards.”
But this year, the competition for the five slots for Best Actor in a Play is fierce – and there is no shortage of big names to spice up the category.
First and foremost – and probably the winner -is James Earl Jones, who has received much praise for his performance in “On Golden Pond.”
The Broadway establishment loves the old-timers, especially when they return in triumph after an absence of many years.
(Jones’ last appearance on Broadway was in “Fences” in 1987, for which he won a Tony.)
The second slot will surely go to Brian F. O’Byrne, simply superb as the priest in “Doubt” who may or may not be a child molester.
O’Byrne may not yet be a household name but he is one of the finest stage actors in America, and Broadway adores him.
Bill Irwin, proving in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” that there’s a lot more to him than, as he puts it, “baggy pants and juggling,” is also sure to be nominated.
Duking it out for the two remaining slots will likely be Liev Schreiber, the star of “Glengarry Glen Ross” and always a formidable stage actor; Billy Crudup and Jeff Goldblum, both above the title in “The Pillowman” and both clutching fine sets of notices; and Boyd Gaines, terrific in “Twelve Angry Men,” a chestnut of a play that may run longer than “Cats.”
John C. Reilly, in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” may be in the mix as well, though there is a prevailing belief that he is miscast as Stanley Kowalski.
Do we really want to see him in a wife-beater shirt?
Given the competition, it’s hard to see how Washington makes the cut.
That may be a blow to his ego, but he can always comfort himself by looking at the box-office receipts.
Despite the poor reviews, the limited-run of “Julius Caesar” is nearly 90 percent sold-out.
CHRISTINA Applegate got through “Sweet Charity” Monday night but not without pain.
The actress, still nursing the most famous broken foot in Broadway history, stumbled a bit during her first big dance number, “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This.”
She winced but soldiered on, limping slightly at times.
The intermission ran long while she iced her foot.
But she was back for Act II and received an enthusiastic standing ovation at the end.
As of late yesterday afternoon, she was planning to perform the show again last night without any changes in choreography.
It’s too early to review her performance. But since I was harsh on her after seeing her in rehearsals two months ago, I have to say she’s come a long way.
She’s a very funny actress, with great comic timing and lots of stage presence.
I hope her foot heals in time for the May 4 opening, and that she wins over the critics.
I’m rooting for her.