SubscribeHappy B'day, Will Shakespeare! Ah, but does B'way care?
Today is William Shakespeare's 444th birthday! And since it is Tony Awards season and "Macbeth" is on Broadway, it's a good time to look back at how good the Great White Way has been to theater's greatest writer.
Zounds! Not so good.
Only two of his 36 plays has won the award for best revival — "Othello" (1982) and "Henry IV' (2004). There have been two dozen productions of Bard plays since a separate Tony was created just for revivals in 1977, but only eight of these stagings have been nominated.
Since the Tonys were launched in 1947, two lead actors won for Shakespearean roles: Derek Jacobi ("Much Ado About Nothing," 1985) and Ralph Fiennes ("Hamlet," 1995).
One lead actress: Katharine Cornell ("Antony and Cleopatra," 1948).
One featured (or supporting) actor: Hume Cronyn ("Hamlet," 1964).
The Olivier Awards — the English equivalent of the Tonys — do nowhere near as good at job keeping count of their past winners and nominees. However, over the past 20 years, we know that six of the lead actors were lauded for appearing in Shakespearean roles in London, including this year's winner Chiwetel Ejiofor as "Othello." He bested Patrick Stewart who, this year could well become the first actor to even be Tony nominated for playing the lead role in "Macbeth."
The other leading male winners at the Oliviers: Henry Goodman ("The Merchant of Venice," 2000); Ian Holm ("King Lear," 1998); Mark Rylance ("Much Ado About Nothing," 1994); Robert Stephens "Henry IV," 1993); and Ian McKellen ("Richard III," 1991).
And three of the best actress winners came from Shakespearean productions: Tamsin Grieg ("Much Ado About Nothing," 2007); Fiona Shaw ("As You Like It," 1990); and Judi Dench ("Antony and Cleopatra," 1987).
TONY AWARD NOMINATIONS FOR SHAKESPEAREAN PRODUCTIONS ON BROADWAY
Best Revival of a Play
2004 – "Henry IV" (won), "King Lear"
1999 – "Twelfth Night" (lost to "Death of a Salesman")
1996 – "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (lost to "A Delicate Balance")
1995 – "Hamlet" (lost to "The Heiress")
1994 – "Timon of Athens" (lost to "An Inspector Calls")
1990 – "The Merchant of Venice" (lost to "Gypsy")
1985 – "Much Ado About Nothing" (lost to "Joe Egg":)
1983 – "All's Well That End's Well" (lost to "On Your Toes")
Best Actor
2004 – Kevin Kline, "Henry IV"; Christopher Plummer,"King Lear" (both lost to Jefferson Mays, "I Am My Own Wife")
1995 – Ralph Fiennes, "Hamlet" (won)
1994 – Brian Bedford, "Timon of Athens" (lost to Stephen Spinella, "Angels in America: Perestroika")
1985 – Derek Jacobi, "Much Ado About Nothing" (won)
1984 – Ian McKellen, "Acting Shakespeare" (lost to Jeremy Irons, "The Real Thing")
1982 – Christopher Plummer, "Othello" (lost to Roger Rees, "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby")
1964 - Richard Burton, "Hamlet" (lost to Alec Guinness, "Dylan")
Best Actress
1993 – Lynn Redgrave, "Shakespeare for My Father" (lost to Madeline Kahn, "The Sisters Rosensweig")
1990 – Geraldine James, "The Merchant of Venice" (lost to Maggie Smith, "Lettice and Lovage" )
1988 – Glenda Jackson, "Macbeth" (lost to Joan Allen, "Burn This")
1960 – Margaret Leighton, "Much Ado About Nothing" (lost to Anne Bancroft, "The Miracle Worker")
1948 – Katherine Cornell, "Antony and Cleopatra" (won)
Best Featured Actor
1973 – Barnard Hughes, "Much Ado About Nothing" (lost to John Lithgow, "The Changing Room")
1964 – Hume Cronyn, "Hamlet" (won)
Best Featured Actress
1983 – Margaret Tyzack, "All's Well That Ends Well" (lost to Judith Ivey, "Steaming")
(Photos: Belasco/ Lunt-Fontanne Theaters)
You're missing at least two from this list.
Both Kathleen Widdoes (1973) and Sinead Cusack (1985) were nominated as Best Actress for Much Ado About Nothing.
Posted by: steven rosenthal | April 24, 2008 at 06:36 AM