In Praise of Hugh Jackman

[jo]

Theatre boards are not always kind to Hugh Jackman or his actual accomplishments or even his personal traits.

On AllThatChat, someone initiated a thread called "In Praise of Hugh Jackman".

Here is the Opening Post --

www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat_new/d.php?id=2561746

A word in praise of Hugh Jackman

Last Edit: lordofspeech 02:01 pm EST 01/16/23
Posted by: lordofspeech 02:01 pm EST 01/16/23

Although I respect the MUSIC MAN connoiseurs who found Hugh Jackman’s personal high spirits imperfectly suited to the arc of Harold Hill, and although I admit I so enjoyed the show, especially the dance ensemble, Sutton Foster’s quirkily bitter take on the heroine, and Jackman/Hill’s indefatiguable way of flirting/seducing/charming everyone of the River City townspeople (shades of the vain “Curly” in his definitive Oklahoma performance), I think attention must be paid for what he took on as a leader of the Broadway community. Sutton Foster’s curtain-call tribute to him at the final show, for his kindness, is no small acknowledgement. It’s big. And I think he was determined that his good will would triumph, despite that he did not get the critical reception Midler did.

I have a friend who ushers at the WinterGarden. She posted a facebook photo of Jackman in the aisle with her, their arms around each other. A good guy. The genuine article. And, given his interpretation, I think the idea that his Hill would leap aboard the Wells Fargo wagon to personally deliver the packages was apt. Perhaps he was more Saint Nick than the business-minded Hill is meant to be, but his brazen love for people, and for River City in particular, was a warm tonic for these troubled times.

[jo]

Someone added another example of his praiseworthy leadership on Broadway --

re: A word in praise of Hugh Jackman

Last Edit: mikem 07:00 pm EST 01/16/23
Posted by: mikem 06:59 pm EST 01/16/23

In reply to: A word in praise of Hugh Jackman - lordofspeech 02:01 pm EST 01/16/23
I would also make special note of how tirelessly he works on behalf of Broadway Cares. I was lucky enough to be present at a post-show memorabilia auction for one of his prior shows, and he pulls out all the stops to get the bids as high as he can. It's almost like there's a third act to the show. The Music Man raised over 2 million dollars for Broadway Cares in the spring AND in the fall of 2022, the 2 highest single-show totals in Broadway history, so over $4 million total.

For the spring, The Music Man raised almost as much as the other 39 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and touring shows put together.

His shows over the years have raised over $9 million for Broadway Cares. That's close to 5% of the total amount raised in the spring/fall fundraising seasons since the first Easter Bonnet in 1987.

And that doesn't count the downstream effects of future donations by auction winners, or any donations that resulted from the viral video of Nicole Kidman's $100,000 auction bid for his hat. (Kidman of course gets 99% of the gratitude for that donation but Jackman created an environment where he made it clear how much he cared about BCEFA and paved the way for Kidman to point her generosity in that direction.)

I don't agree with all of his acting choices, but I am very glad that he's here.

[jo]

The previous post said "I don't agree with all of his acting choices, but I am very glad that he's here." -- this gave me a chance to say something about that statement.

Hugh Jackman acting choices

Posted by: jo 07:49 pm EST 01/16/23
In reply to: re: A word in praise of Hugh Jackman - mikem 06:59 pm EST 01/16/23

Hugh Jackman, the Actor - in the world of film.

Not surprisingly, it seems that the impression with many theatre fans re Hugh Jackman's acting ability is to relegate him to 2 kinds of roles - that of a famous comicbook character called Wolverine and a singing & dancing PT Barnum ( the Greatest Showman) plus what he has done on the New York stage (Broadway & the concert version of Carousel with Audra M).

His range is much more than that - soon, his new movie called THE SON (a follow-up but not a sequel to Florian Zeller's The Father) will be released and he may or may not be nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal. Not so long ago, during the pandemic, Bad Education was released during its height. He was also praised for his best screen work but since HBO bought its film rights, it was released on TV and did not have any theatrical release (he did get nominated for an acting EMMY & missed the chance for an Oscar nomination). It was dark comedy on a real-life much-loved school administrator who initiated the largest embezzlement in the US school system. He played a con man here ( just as he did in the Barnum movie)...just as he does in The Music Man. But note the varying ways that he interpreted the roles. In more powerful dramatic performances, watch his 10 year old movie called Prisoners ( which recently topped Netflix streaming, beating Black Adam) - you will not recognize the genial Harold Hill at all - he is at his most terrifying best. In his role as Wolverine, the end-movie to the saga (LOGAN) has earned praise as the best in comicbook history - not for the action but for the dramatic elements of the story and for his powerful acting ability. Of course, we know he got an Oscar nomination for LES MISERABLES - his SOLILOQUY is regarded as the best acting/singing moment in that year. Many thought how well he competed with the likes of acting powerhouses Daniel Day Lewis & Joaquin Phoenix.