"Is She too Fat to Play Nancy?"

Some people are annoyed about picking the lead of a Broadway (or West End) show via reality TV.

In my ideal universe, this would never happen. But my ideal Broadway season would feature Sam Shepard, Joe Penhall, Sarah Kane, Suzan-Lori Parks, Martin McDonagh, and John Belluso... and everything would be directed by Alex Timbers, or Katie Mitchell. And star Billy Crudup, Elaine Stritch, Anthony Mackie, and Alfre Woodard. (To prove that Drowning Crow was a cosmic anomaly, of course.) My ideal Broadway season: not bloody likely.

Personally, I don't mind it so much. I mean, are you acquainted with Connie, the winner of the Sound of Music competition? Um, she is brilliant. Seriously, what's worse - picking a populist Broadway star on TV, or warming-over a tired show with Drew Lachey?

Anyway, that's not the point. The point is this - a summary of some very upsetting reactions to Jodie, the recent winner of "I'd Do Anything", who will be playing Nancy in Oliver! come January. "Is she too fat to play Nancy?" Too fat to play Nancy? Good grief. This sort of snarking just shouldn't happen in the theatre community.

Unbelievable

Did anyone notice that the Lucille Lortel awards revoked Daniel Fish's nomination for Paradise Park, and gave it to Annie Dorsen? Not that I don't think Ms. Dorsen deserves it, she is awesome, but was it necessary to snatch back Fish's nomination?

This just baffles me. It makes everyone look bad - especially the Lortel awards. Why not just say "oops, please add Annie Dorsen to the list"? It's not like they have to give the award to Fish just because he's nominated. And wow, I would hate to be Annie Dorsen in this situation.

And how did this happen in the first place? This is the kind of thing I would read over once or twice before I released it to the media. I would be really curious to know where this communication broke down - whether it was a press agent, or management, or what.

There must have been a better way to handle this. I don't get it.