Is America Going to Finally Let Nicole Scherzinger Be Famous?
Plus, I'm once again thinking about Ariana Grande's Carolee Carmello impression.
This is not a theater review, this is me gagging. I have too much respect for theater criticism (that I agree with), to consider the following as such. This instead is more in the vein of that old woman giving a post-show testimonial after seeing Grand Hotel. That’s exactly how I feel after seeing Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard. “I’d like to see the show two more times. I loved it so much. She is fantastic, her movements, her dancing, her voice. Everything about her is terrific. I loved her. I’m going to see it twice more as soon as I can get tickets, my husband works in this area.”
In a massive win for the name “Lloyd,” the Jamie Lloyd production of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s adaptation of the 1950 film opened on Broadway this week to rave reviews for its star. Nicole Scherzinger, the woman who created One Direction and said, “She is funny!” during Wendy Williams’ Masked Singer performance, leads this production — and should win a Tony just for convincingly playing a woman named “Norma.”
As you might expect from a Jamie Lloyd production, the show (normally incredibly grandeur) is stripped down, with minimal set, and all-black costumes. There’s a ton of camera work and a massive screen splashed with live black-and-white close-ups, much like Kate Berlant’s Kate. Those cameras famously follow Tom Francis outside of the theater at the start of Act 2, as he sings the title number while storming around Shubert Alley before returning to the stage — phenomenal representation for people named Tom who push slow tourists out of the way while rushing to the theater. And Scherzinger delivers the performance of her, and anybody else’s, lifetime.
She can carry the show on talent alone, but her own history in the public eye brings a new layer to the production as well — with winks to her Pussycat Dolls past sprinkled throughout, which feels poignant in a show about fame, gender, and aging. Despite Scherzinger’s obvious talent, the entertainment industry somehow relegated her to reality show judge territory, gaslighting us into believing she’s peers with Jenny McCarthy rather than Celine Dion. Another odd wrinkle in the perception of Scherzinger is that she seems to be way more famous in the U.K. than she is here, but maybe with the success of Sunset Boulevard, she’ll come home at last, and Americans will get their shit together.
So is the Tony all but hers? It should be, yes, but there’s a looming threat emerging right across the street at the Majestic. Audra. In a few weeks, legend, icon, and famed Tony-hoarder Audra McDonald is set to star as Mama Rose in a revival of Gypsy. Or rather “Audra Gypsy” as the signage suggests. With six Tonys already under her belt, the race would otherwise be over, but instead this is shaping up to be a battle for the ages. And while, yes, I have only seen one of them so far, I will be hitting the campaign trail for Nicole — because I love an underdog, and I worry about the structural integrity of Audra’s trophy shelf.
MORE TENSES
PAST — Yes, Ariana Grande was phenomenal on SNL. Yes, she is so good at impressions. But it was yet again a missed opportunity for them not to have Ariana Grande do her most FAMOUS impression of all: Broadway icon Carolee Carmello. Audiences coast to coast would hoot and holler upon seeing Grande break out that classic Carolee, seen here in my favorite video of all time.
PRESENT — I just interviewed Jennifer Hudson for GRAMMY.com about her newly released Christmas album The Gift of Love, out now — and we talked all about her American Idol elimination during Barry Manilow week. She talks about how Manilow was so blown away by her final performance that he brought her along to perform during his slot on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show right after she was unjustly voted off.
FUTURE — Next week, America has to brace itself for what might just be the scariest Halloween imaginable — because in distressing news, The View announced that the hosts will NOT be dressing up for the holiday. It’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.