NEW YORK (AP) — Jay-Z’s electrifying reunion with Alicia Keys on what gave the look to be a reside duet of “Empire State of Mind” on the Tony Awards was once in truth pre-taped, a display professional who wasn’t licensed to talk publicly advised The Related Press.
The semblance of the rapper in backup of Keys’ musical “Hell’s Kitchen” resulted in a spice up of pleasure within the enviornment nevertheless it now seems it was once a work of Hollywood trickery, undercutting the Broadway communities’ full-throated embody of reside making a song and dancing.
A consultant from Jay-Z’s Roc Society and a manufacturer at White Cherry Leisure didn’t go back messages in search of rationalization on what took place Sunday night time. A senior publicist for the telecast additionally didn’t go back calls for touch upon Monday.
“Hell’s Kitchen,” which received two awards Sunday night time — for superstar Maleah Joi Moon and Kecia Lewis, who performs her coach — is loosely according to Keys’ years rising up in that Long island group and accommodates worn hits and fresh songs from the singer-songwriter. Keys is a manufacturer however doesn’t seem within the display. The display ends with a rousing version of “Empire State of Mind.”
Every highest fresh musical nominee on the Tony Awards will get a slot appearing and “Hell’s Kitchen” was once first, with the solid taking part in a medley of songs — together with her accident “Fallin’” — from the display.
After Keys seemed on the piano at the level of the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Middle and started making a song her and Jay-Z’s 2009 ruin. She quickly were given up and went ailing the stairs of the level and into the orchestra seat division and out the facet of the auditorium — “Had to do something crazy. It’s my hometown,” she defined to the folk — moments after it sounds as if becoming a member of the rapper on one of the most venue’s marble steps to wild applause. “Brooklyn, New York City in the Tonys tonight!” Jay-Z signed-off on the finish.
The target market and media was once within the auditorium and disagree pictures have surfaced of the 2 performers reside. A model of the 2 completing the tune was once beamed to the TV target market and a video display within the venue. Keys wore the similar outfit she was once dressed in onstage. Jay-Z was once by no means noticed coming into the packed auditorium.
Presen some portions of the Tony telecast are pre-taped — technical awards passed out sooner than the display, some promoting programs and regularly sections from the manage nominated performs — the sturdy feeling is that the musical performances are what audiences will see after they come to Broadway, with out a trickery.
Unused York Booklet first reported that the area have been pre-taped.
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Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
