Funtivity Friday - Tony Awards Performances by the Decades: The 1980s

In honor of the Tony Awards, this coming Sunday we present our second look back at musical performances from Tony Award shows of the past. This year, we are taking a look at Tony Awards performances from the 1980s. We picked one clip from each year of the decade except for in a few cases we chose two. Below, you will find a list of the shows and songs for each performance  we chose as well as  some information about the performance, the performers and/or the particular show as well as link to the performance. In our next installment prior to the next Tony Awards, we will take a look at Tony Award performances of the 1990s.

1980 - Barnum: Come Follow the Band and There is a Sucker Born Every Minute Jim Dale starred in this show and Glenn Close played his wife. She has since become better known for her many award nominated movie and TV appeatances. She does not appear in this clip, however. hwww.youtube.com/watch?v=uh1wzJeiYNE

Also 1980 - Evita: A New Argentina - This show marked Mandy Patinkin's Tony winning debut and won Patty Lupone her first Tony. Both appear in this clip.www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QtZxxbStjs

1981 - 42nd Street: The Lullaby of Broadway - Jerry Orbach arguably better know for the TV show Law and Order and movies like Dirty Dancing was also a song and dance man. This is just one of number of musicals he appeared in. www.youtube.com/watch?v=75nxUgNabH8

1982 - Dreamgirls: And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going - Jennifer Holliday sang this song in the original production and on the Tonys. Amber Riley sang it on Glee and subsequently actually played the part in London and won an Olivier Award, England's version of the Tony for it.www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC_u_q-iND0

1983 - Cats: Jellicle Cats and Memory  - Cats is the 4th longest running show in both Broadway and West End history.

1984 - The Tap Dance Kid: Fabulous Feet -  Future Fresh Prince of Bel Air co-star and Dancing With the Stars winner, Alphonso Ribeiro, got his start in his show and appears in this clip. www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBZCt4mbKJM

1985 - Big River: Medley - A later version of this show was the first to feature both deaf and hearing actor's in the same musical. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTTG8beemxQ

1986 - Song and Dance: Unexpected Song - One of Andrew Lloyd Webber's lesser known musicals, the first half was all dances, the second half was all songs. Bernadette Peters started in the song half and appears in this clip. www.youtube.com/watch?v=McFOkCDR6tM

1987 - Les Miserables: At the End of the Day and One More Day - While the original production of this show was one of the longest running shows on Broadway, it is the longest running show on the West End. It opened in 1985 and will close in July 2019 while its current theatre undergoes renovations. During that time, a concert version will be presented in another theatre until the renovations are completed and the show reopens later in 2019. www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-lB0PL9TJs

1988 - The Phantom of the Opera: The Phantom of the Opera and Music of the Night - Still running after more than 30 years, Phantom of the Opera is the longest running show in Broadway history. Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, who was Andrew Lloyd Webber's wife at the time, were the original stars. Both appear in this clip. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZDcSrODALQ

Also 1988  - Into the Woods - Into the Woods and Children Will Listen - Although Bernadette Peters appeared as the witch, she left the show after only about five months due to a prior committment. Phylicia Rashad later took on the role and appears in the clip. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBiJ5tgeH84

1989 Jerome Robbins Broadway: Compilation of Musical Numbers - This was not a very good year for musicals, just three were nominated for the Tony. This one which won the Tony was a series of musical numbers from Jerome Robbins choreographed shows. The clip includes segments of some of the different dance numbers from different shows that appeared in this show. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE8Kd74KbqE

For more about the Tonys, visit www.tonyawards.com.

Enjoy!

Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop and watch this year's Tony on Sunday night  on CBS!