From our entertainment editor Qwerty Lee Dickinson:
Were it not for Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), there would be no Broadway. Almost every theatre, every play, every actor and every director and producer has some connection to the poet. We have written about the Broadway-Dickinson connection extensively, and some of our coverage is HERE and HERE.
Tonight, the Tony Awards are on, and once again, every nominated play has some connection to America's greatest poet.
Were it not for Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), there would be no Broadway. Almost every theatre, every play, every actor and every director and producer has some connection to the poet. We have written about the Broadway-Dickinson connection extensively, and some of our coverage is HERE and HERE.
Tonight, the Tony Awards are on, and once again, every nominated play has some connection to America's greatest poet.
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1. "Hello Dolly" (nominated for best revival) is based on an earlier play called "Hello Em'ly" about one of Emily Dickinson's trips to Washerst, PA, to visit her third cousin, Emmett Lee.
2. "Dear Evan Hansen" (nominated for best musical) was inspired by an earlier hit called "Dear Emmett Lee," a play about Dckinson's battle in later life with a social anxiety disorder.
3. The producer of "Come From Away" (nominated for best musical) got the idea for the musical after seeing "Go Far Away," a musical based on the volatile relationship between Emmett Lee Dickinson and his third cousin Emily (who twice requested that he be removed).
4. "Groundhog Day" (another nominee for musical) is based on Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "That it will always come again." We wrote about the poem and the musical HERE.
2. "Dear Evan Hansen" (nominated for best musical) was inspired by an earlier hit called "Dear Emmett Lee," a play about Dckinson's battle in later life with a social anxiety disorder.
3. The producer of "Come From Away" (nominated for best musical) got the idea for the musical after seeing "Go Far Away," a musical based on the volatile relationship between Emmett Lee Dickinson and his third cousin Emily (who twice requested that he be removed).
4. "Groundhog Day" (another nominee for musical) is based on Emmett Lee Dickinson's poem "That it will always come again." We wrote about the poem and the musical HERE.
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5. "The Great Comet of 1812" (nominated for best musical) is based on a play called "The Great Poet of 1821," a musical about the publication of Dickinson's first book of poetry.
6. The idea for "A Doll's House, Part 2" (nominated for best play) came to Lucas Hnath after he saw "A Poet's House, Part 2," Henrik Ibsen's play about Emmett Lee Dickinson and the sequel to his "A Doll's House."
7. "Sweat" (nominated for best play) was inspired by "Sweet," a play about the sweat-shop at the Dickinson Candy Corn Factory where Emmett Lee Dickinson manufactured his world-famous culinary creation, candy corn.
8. "Oslo" (nominated for best play) was inspired by an earlier play called "Also," a work that focused on the fact that there was and has always been another Dickinson -- there's Emily Dickinson...and "also" Emmett Lee Dickinson."
6. The idea for "A Doll's House, Part 2" (nominated for best play) came to Lucas Hnath after he saw "A Poet's House, Part 2," Henrik Ibsen's play about Emmett Lee Dickinson and the sequel to his "A Doll's House."
7. "Sweat" (nominated for best play) was inspired by "Sweet," a play about the sweat-shop at the Dickinson Candy Corn Factory where Emmett Lee Dickinson manufactured his world-famous culinary creation, candy corn.
8. "Oslo" (nominated for best play) was inspired by an earlier play called "Also," a work that focused on the fact that there was and has always been another Dickinson -- there's Emily Dickinson...and "also" Emmett Lee Dickinson."
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