Last night, the 70th annual Tony Awards, recognized Broadway’s finest at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan. We were lucky enough to sit in the media room, and interview some of the winners face to face. Jessica Lange: Best Actress in a Play (Long Days Journey Into Night- Mary Tyrone)
Q: Can you talk about the use of your voice in the production?
A: Well, the age, whenever I want to illuminate Mary’s age, I’ll go to the real, deep, darker sound. Obviously, there are times when I’m really using my head voice, when she’s going back in time, when she’s talking about convent days and times like that. And then, I just thought, this is such a huge play and there is so much dialogue, that unless I can find a big range, that I could move back and forth with, that it would become tedious somehow. So, I really concentrated more this time, than I ever have before, on the voice.
Q: Someone said that they might have seen your daughter here with you?
A: Yes, my daughter and my granddaughter. We have three generations of Lange women out here. Oh yeah, it was wonderful to be here with them.
Q: Can you talk about your association with Ryan Murphy?
A: Well, I have loved working with him, and I have loved the characters that he has created for me. And one night, we’re sitting at dinner and I happen to mention to him, that Mary Tyrone, which I played 16 years ago in London, remained the greatest part I ever had, and my favorite role. And I said how much I’d like to revisit it, because I always like to come back to something, after a lapse of time. You bring something back to it, when you revisit a role. And the next thing I knew, he had secured the rights, and we brought it to the Roundabout and got it set up there. It was through his good friendship and good graces that we did this production.
Frank Langella: Best Actor in a Play (The Father- Andre)
Q: You mentioned your brother, and how this weighs on your mind for the subject of the play.
A: My brother is 80, my brother has dementia. My brother is very much alive and I think of him every time I play Andre in “The Father.” He goes in and out, but I’m not alone I guess. I’ve never played a role in which so many people come backstage, sit on the floor in my dressing room and weep. Not necessarily because of my performance, but because how many of us are dealing with people who are losing reality. People who suddenly don’t know who you are, that’s been the most powerful thing that I’ve discovered in this. That the caregiver is quite often, much more in pain, because they are so used to the person knowing who they are.
FIJI Water made its debut as the official water of the 70th Annual Tony Awards. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton won a groundbreaking 11 awards throughout the evening. FIJI helped Best Lead Actor in a Musical winner Leslie Odom Jr. celebrate with his fans and hydrated Broadway’s brightest on the red carpet including: nominee Michelle Williams, Busy Phillips, Jake Gyllenhaal, nominee Jeff Daniels, Best Lead Actress in a Play Jessica Lange, Cate Blanchett, nominee Lupita N’yongo, Claire Danes, Rose Byrne & Bobby Cannavale, Saoirse Ronan, Joan Smalls, Laura Benanti, nominee Megan Hilty and many more.
