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Despite much fanfare, a thriving box-office and a stellar cast of characters, the new version of Tennessee Williams' 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' isn't up to snuff.
Well, at least – according to the Drama Desk Awards committee.
Of the near 30 categories, the Debbie Allen-directed all-African American version of the play – starring Tony Award winners James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose, along with Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard – didn't pull in one nomination.The Drama Desk is an organization of theater critics, writers and editors that honors excellence in all areas of New York theater: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway and not-for-profit.
Well when it came to the Stephen Byrd-produced phenomenon, excellence was not recognized.
Nominations for the 53rd annual awards ceremony were announced earlier this week. 'A Catered Affair,' about a Bronx wedding in the 1950s, garnered the most nods with 12.
Considered somewhat of a consolation; theater vet Jones will be honored with a "special award" during the awards, which will be presented on May 18 at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Comments: (19)
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By: JOE COOL on 5/07/2008 10:52PM
WHOA!!!!!! AGAIN NOT SURPRISING THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONE THIS ......REMEMBER THE 11 NOMINATIONS THAT "THE COLOR PURPLE" THE FILM HAD AND IT DIDN'T WIN ONE BUT THEY CALLED THEMSELVES MAKING UP FOR THE SNUB BY AWARDING WHOOPI AN AWARD FOR THE GARBAGE ROLE SHE HAD IN "GHOST" PEACE
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By: NA-NA-NA-NA-BOO-BOO on 5/07/2008 11:47PM
Come now my people, don't act surprised. Whitey has hated us for how long now???
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By: Mike on 5/08/2008 1:34AM
The important thing is that the play made money and enticed black people to come out to the theatre. This will ensure that more black productions of high quality material continue to be produced/performed. We all know as black folk, that many times we are left out in the cold when it comes to being recognized by the white majority. That's okay because the play will be acknowledged during the next NAACP Image Awards.
@Jowanda
You should go a little easy on Vixen for not knowing Tennesse Williams. There are alot of white folk who are not familiar with aspects of African American history.
Remember, it was only recently that Phylicia Rahsad was the first African-American woman to win the tony award for best actress in a dramatic role. You know that means it will be a looooong time before white folks in the theatre are gonna feel like doing that again. The Academy Awards only recently began awarding blacks back-to-back awards. Prior to that we would have to wait 10-20 yrs. in between awards. Unfortunately, the "Great White Way" has not yet caught-up with Hollywood.
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By: sasha on 5/08/2008 3:05AM
Jowanda, why so mean? Vixen was simply asking a question. You had the perfect opportunity to educate someone, but you chose to put them down. Why? There is NEVER a stupid question if someone honestly doesn't know and is willing to learn. So, next time please don't be so harsh and answer the question in a nice manner without insulting people. What would Jesus have done?
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By: JAZZMAN11 on 5/08/2008 5:27AM
I'd like to add to the comment made by #2. Just because a play IS nominated doesn't make it a great play either. The same holds true for film. "Talk To Me" starring Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Taraji P.Henson was an excellent film with an excellent cast, an excellent script, an excellent director, an excellent score, excellent costume design and rave reviews. Yet it was totally shut out of the Oscars.
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By: JDiva on 5/17/2008 12:26PM
The play was okay. It was not the best I've seen on Broadway, or even off Broadway- with or without a Black cast. Every decision is not about racism. Some things just don't deserve the top recognition.
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By: nyc_chica on 5/22/2008 11:35PM
LOL, LOL, LOL @JOWANDA
YOU ARE HILARIOUS! YOU PPUT DOWN SOMEONE FOR NOT KNOWING TENNESSEE WILLIAMS BUT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO REFERENCE TONI MORRISON!!! DON'T YOU FIND IT IRONIC THAT YOU GO OFF ON THIS PERSON AND IN THE SAME TIRADE YOU GET THE NAME OF ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC AND PROMINENT MODERN DAY AFRICAN AMERICAN WRITERS WRONG.
GET OFF YOUR SOAP BOX, HANG YOUR HEAD AND SHAME AND YOU ARE PLACED IN A TIME-OUT UNTIL YOU LEARN TO PLAY NICE OR AT LEAST PROOF YOUR POSTINGS. THAT'S ASSUMING YOU KNOW WHO TONI MORRISON IS IN THE FIRST PLACE :-)
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By: Johnette Rutledge on 10/27/2008 12:38PM
This comment is to Nicole, I went to see the play and I thought it was a very good play, and if you knew anything about Tennesee Williams , HE wrote the play with all the curses, innuendo, etc. Also when the Movie can out with Paul Newman (RIP) & Elizabeth Taylor, there were several humorous moments. As Far as the DRama Desk Award Who cares, but it seems very fishy to me not oone person was nominated? James Earl Jones Should have been nominated if anything!!
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By: The Thespian on 2/05/2009 9:29PM
Wow! Some very strong sentiments about the all African-American version of Tennessee Williams' version of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."
First, a little education (rather than patronizing) for Vixen: Tennessee Williams is considered one of this country's finest playwrights. He is Mississippi born and spent a great deal of time in New Orleans. He penned such classics of theatre as "Cat..." but also "The Glass Menagerie," and "A Streetcar Named Desire." "Menagerie" is set in the 1930s in St. Louis where Williams and his family lived at one time and "Streetcar" is set in post-World War II New Orleans.
"Cat..." is set in the stifling heat of Mississippi Delta plantation country in what appears to be the late 1940s-early 1950s.
Williams was white and, of course, so were most of his characters and I'm sure one of the hurdles the predominantly white theatre critics had to get over was seeing black faces portraying characters they had so strongly associated with people who have traditionally looked like them.
After all, it's one thing to give the wonderful actors in "A Raisin in the Sun" awards for their performances in that show - they weren't breaking new ground or shattering the status quo.
This is something very diffent.
It is politically correct to give lip service to "color blind" or "cross cultural" casting, but it is quite another thing to actually accept it - in any play - even for the drama elite.
P.S. Teacher, teach yourself - it's Toni Morrison. :)
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