With the Olympics over, every TV in America tuned in to watch a different kind of athlete vie for a different kind of “gold.” That’s right, the 86th Academy Awards were Sunday, and like the rest of America, I was itching to see how the star-studded event would turn out. Unlike many of the spectators, I wasn’t watching to see what everyone was wearing or what hilarious shenanigans Ellen DeGeneres would get herself into. I was looking to see which artists would be awarded for their work and what the lasting effect might be on cinema – and theater – in future years. Yes, Broadway and Hollywood seem like they’re often competing, but in many ways, what’s good for movies is good for theater, too. So while I was very happy for all the winners, I was even happier to see some magical moments that were great for theater.
If there was one movie that everybody in the theater community rallied behind, it was without a doubt “Frozen,” Disney’s record-breaking animated musical based loosely off of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen.” There are several reasons theater lovers everywhere wanted to see this show succeed, the biggest of which being that a stage version of the show is already in development. By winning Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (Let it Go), “Frozen” has proven to its producers that it deserves to be put on stage and proven to its audience that the stage version deserves to be seen.
Speaking of “Frozen’s” awards, the happiest moment for me during the Oscars was watching Mr. and Mrs. Lopez win for Best Original Song. Not only because I legitimately love “Let it Go” or because they gave the cutest acceptance speech ever, but because this couple has been a force in the theatrical community for several years now. Yes, the duo who wrote the music to “Frozen” and “Winnie the Pooh” are also the songwriters behind two of Broadway’s biggest smash hits: Tony Award winning “Avenue Q” and Tony/Grammy Award winning “The Book of Mormon.” This means that anybody who loved the “Frozen” soundtrack and wants to hear more music from its writers will be introduced to some of Broadway’s best music and possibly become theater fans for life. Robert Lopez also brought some recognition to the theatrical community by becoming the youngest man ever to win an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award). Of all of these prestigious honors, the Tony Award (Broadway’s Oscar equivalent) is probably the least well-known.
Another great part about the Oscars this year was all the Broadway talent present. Not only was the entire leading cast of “Frozen” comprised of Broadway alums, but other stars such as Meryl Streep, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dame Judy Dench, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tracy Letts and Angela Lansbury are all award-winning stage actors. Even though Oscar night was devoted to their cinematic achievements, they are all advocates of the theater, and many of them have expressed interest in returning to the theater soon (and bringing busses of their fans with them).
In addition to all the nominees, the ceremony itself served as a good commercial for theater. For one thing, it included several live performances in its broadcast. Even the best and brightest people in the movie business realized that if you need to entertain an audience, there’s no substitute for live performances. Some of these performances featured Broadway stars (like the singer of “Let it Go,” who definitely was not named Adele Dazeem), others celebrated movies that later became Broadway shows (such as “The Wizard of Oz”), but all of them were live, and, I think most will agree, they also made up many of the most entertaining parts of the show.
Sunday was a great night for Hollywood, and it was also a great night for Broadway, but, most of all, it was a great night for excellence. People who were the best at their respective fields were honored for their hard work and talent, and it’s that hard work and talent that will keep people coming back to stages and movie theaters for years to come.
