Broadway fans around the world are in suspense for Sunday’s premiere. Tony Awardswondering which of your favorite stars will be rewarded for their talent.
But almost three decades ago, the Great White Way was mired in scandal when one of its leading figures turned his back on its highest honor.
Julie Andrews was nominated for best leading actress in a musical in 1996, only to dramatically reject her nomination in a protest.
His decision sparked a huge controversy and even generated wild rumors that he would star in a rival telecast that would air the same night as the Tonys.
Now DailyMail.com remembers the great gesture that divided Broadway…
Julie Andrews received her third and final Tony nomination in 1996 for her starring role in the Broadway musical Victor/Victoria; she appears in the photo during the curtain call of her last performance.
She announced that she would reject the nomination during the curtain call of a Victor/Victoria matinee; She is pictured giving the news on stage on May 8, 1996.
Julie Andrews received her third and final Tony nomination in 1996 for her starring role in the Broadway musical Victor/Victoria.
She had previously starred in the 1982 musical film of the same name, directed by her husband and longtime collaborator, Blake Edwards.
The comic story, taken from a 1933 German film, revolves around a down-on-her-luck singer whose gay friend devises an ingenious publicity strategy.
Instead of trying to make a living as a woman, she manages to captivate audiences in interwar Paris by posing as a drag queen.
With music by Pink Panther composer Henry Mancini and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse of Goldfinger fame, the Julie and Blake film became an instant classic.
Husband and wife teamed up again to bring the musical to Broadway in 1995, and Julie’s acclaimed performance earned her a Tony nomination.
She had already been nominated decades earlier for two Lerner & Loewe musicals, My Fair Lady and Camelot, but never won the award.
However, when presented with one last chance at the coveted Tony Award, Julie decided to pass on the opportunity.
Hers was the only Tony nomination Victor/Victoria received, and she was so incensed that her colleagues were snubbed that she rejected her own nomination in protest.
She had previously starred in the 1982 musical film of the same name, directed by her husband and longtime collaborator, Blake Edwards.
The comic story, originally taken from a 1933 German film, revolves around a down-on-her-luck singer whose gay friend devises an ingenious publicity strategy.
Instead of trying to make a living as a woman, she manages to captivate audiences in interwar Paris by posing as a drag queen.
Hers was the only Tony nomination Victor/Victoria received, and she was so incensed that her colleagues were snubbed that she refused her own nod in protest.
He announced his decision during a matinee presentation between Victor and Victoria, days after the nominations were made public.
“I have searched my conscience and my heart and discovered that I cannot accept this nomination and prefer to stand on the side of those atrociously ignored…” she began, before being interrupted by a burst of cheers and applause.
After she declared she was rejecting his nomination, the New York Post ran the headline Julie Andrews: “Take this Tony and…”
The industry was polarized by his gesture, and some luminaries came to his defense while others reacted with open mockery.
David Letterman took the second option, joking on air that he was turning down a Tony nomination that he had not, in fact, gotten.
Writer Michael Musto joked, “You can’t get angry every time someone you think deserves an honor doesn’t receive it, or Jennifer Jason Leigh would be a serial killer.”
Charlton Heston, however, wrote a letter to New York Times praising Julie for the “courage” he felt she had shown.
Donna Murphy ultimately won best lead actress in a musical for a revival of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic The King And I; in the photo of her giving her acceptance speech
“I have found for many years that critics are repelled by success unless they first anoint it themselves,” the Ben-Hur star added.
“Even among the people who make the works, those who haven’t had the thrill of a big hit resent those who have, especially if their successes include movies.”
Phantom of the Opera director Hal Prince, who at the time had already won a record 20 Tony Awards, said the nominations “do not reflect the opinion of the majority of us who work on Broadway.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber, on the other hand, expressed his sympathy for Julie, but argued that “everyone involved in Broadway theater should support the Tonys.”
As the furor gained momentum, Victor/Victoria producer John Scher announced that the team would not even allow a segment of the show to air during the Tony Awards.
Evidently, they were only offered one minute of a larger montage, and “we didn’t feel like we could present our show as part of a medley,” the producer sneered.
Sensational rumors began to circulate that Julie and other Broadway names were in talks to star in a rival television broadcast that would air the same night as the Tony Awards, according to Program. In the end, no such special materialized.
In any case, the controversy generated enough buzz to benefit both sides financially: ticket sales increased for both the Tony and Victor/Victoria Awards.
Julie eventually left the show due to her vocal problems, and for her final curtain call, she received a surprise visit from her The Sound Of Music co-star Christopher Plummer.
Donna Murphy ultimately won best lead actress in a musical for a revival of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic The King And I.
However, the drama surrounding Julie’s career on Victor/Victoria did not end there, as she had to leave the show in 1997 due to her increasing vocal problems.
Eventually, Julie was informed that she had developed a lesion on her vocal cords and would have to undergo surgery to remove it.
The lesion was surgically removed, but Julie emerged from anesthesia to find that her singing voice was also gone.
He sued the surgeon for negligence and won a $20 million settlement, but in the nearly three decades since then he has never returned to Broadway.