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Bernadette Peters is widely recognized as one of the foremost interpreters of the works of esteemed composer Stephen Sondheim. Having originated key roles in productions such as Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods, and featured in revivals of Gypsy, A Little Night Music, and Follies, Peters is now returning to Broadway three years after Sondheim’s passing. Her latest performance in the revue Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends pays homage to her long-time collaborator. Should she receive a nomination from the Tony Awards, Peters could make history in the Best Featured Actress in a Musical category.
Peters first caught the attention of the Tony Awards in 1972 with a nomination for Featured Actress for her role in On the Town, marking her sixth Broadway production. She later garnered six additional nominations for her performances in Mack & Mabel, Sunday in the Park with George, Song and Dance, The Goodbye Girl, Annie Get Your Gun, and Gypsy, winning for Song and Dance and Annie Get Your Gun. Notably, all prior nominations were in the Best Actress category. A potential nomination for Old Friends in the Featured Actress category this year would set a new record for the longest time between nominations in this category, spanning 53 years.
This would surpass the current record held by Barbara Cook, who received nominations in the Featured Actress category in 1958 and 2010, marking a 52-year gap. Cook’s first nomination was for her performance in The Music Man, which she won, while her second came for the Sondheim revue Sondheim on Sondheim.
Other notable performers with significant gaps between nominations include Chita Rivera, at 42 years (from Bye Bye Birdie in 1961 to Nine in 2003), Bebe Neuwirth at 38 years (from Sweet Charity in 1986 to Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in 2024), Patti LuPone at 35 years (from The Robber Bridegroom in 1976 to Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown in 2011), Mary Beth Peil at 32 years (from The King and I in 1985 to Anastasia in 2017), and Judy Kuhn at 28 years (from Les Misérables in 1987 to Fun Home in 2015). However, none have surpassed Cook’s record or Peters’ potential record-breaking span.
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Before Peters can claim this record, she must first secure eligibility for the Featured Actress category as determined by the Tony administration committee. Both Peters and Lea Salonga are prominently billed in the opening night Playbill for Old Friends, suggesting they are the production’s two leads. The committee often takes billing into account but also evaluates petitions and determines where performers fit best, particularly in revues. For instance, despite above-the-title billing for Sondheim on Sondheim, Barbara Cook and her co-stars were ultimately placed in the featured categories, yet Cook still received a nomination.
Currently, Peters holds the third position in Gold Derby’s predictions for Featured Actress in a Musical. A majority of editors and experts anticipate her nomination.
The positive reception of Old Friends bolsters her chances. Maureen Lee Lenker from Entertainment Weekly awarded the show an A, stating, “Peters reminds audiences that Sondheim’s gift was not merely the unforgettable music, but the veritable feast he offered actors within the narrative arcs of his songs.” Similarly, Adam Feldman from Time Out New York described her performance as bringing invaluable insights, noting, “She knows things now, many valuable things, and she brings them to Sondheim’s work like the best of friends: the ones who can tell you the truth.”
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If Peters succeeds in receiving a nomination, it would symbolize a profound culmination of her extensive collaboration with Sondheim. For aficionados of musical theater, witnessing her perform classic songs from decades past—such as “Children Will Listen” and “Sunday”—is nothing short of a transformative experience. Her rendition of “Send in the Clowns,” performed during the 2010 revival of A Little Night Music, and her version of “Losing My Mind” from Follies have garnered emotional responses from audiences, stirring both nostalgia and heartbreak.
Yet, Peters does not merely revisit her earlier roles; she brings a fresh perspective. In Old Friends, she comically portrays Little Red Riding Hood and delivers a new interpretation of Miss Mazeppa from Gypsy, showcasing a different side of her talent. The performance evolves into a lively sing-off among the ensemble, illustrating her ability to blend humor with poignancy. Peters’ heartbreaking tribute to Sondheim with “Not A Day Goes By,” complemented by a montage of photos of the late composer, encapsulates the essence of their enduring friendship.
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