EXCLUSIVE: Santo Loquasto Comments on RAGTIME Tony-Nomination Controversy

Tonight, BWW interviewer Pat Cerasaro conducted an InDepth InterView with legendary Tony-winning set and costume designer Santo Loquasto which will be featured on BWW in the coming weeks, as well as his input on a feature article detailing the Grand Design of twelve-time Tony-nominated revival of FENCES which is currently playing.

The following is his courteous and diplomatic response to being nominated for a Tony for his work on this season's revival of RAGTIME only to subsequently have the nomination removed on the basis that the Tony committee now feels his work is ineligible due to having created the costumes for the original production of the show and any new work done for the revival being largely a recreation.

PC: Could you comment on the RAGTIME Tony-nomination controversy?

SL: The honest thing is, what if there was some other worthy candidate who missed out on the opportunity just because of the fact that there was this misunderstanding? I mean, there was no false representation, certainly not on my part, that this production was a new design. It was always using the old costumes for, like, more than eighty-percent of the show. So, the sad part is just that someone else would have been nominated, and they haven't been. And, now, they [the Tony nominating committee] are not doing that [nominating another candidate in his place].

PC: So, you feel the worst part of all is that they won't let someone else take your place for the chance at a Tony.

SL: Or give them the opportunity.

PC: I think it's really quite unfair what they've done.

SL: I was really amazed by the nomination because I had assumed I didn't qualify. In terms of: I had been nominated for the original production.

PC: What did winning a Tony [for 1977 THE CHERRY ORCHARD, GRAND HOTEL and CAFE CROWN] mean to you?

SL: Well, it's very, always, such an exciting thing. It's your home base. You know, where you work and...

PC: And happiest...

SL: Yeah, and where you want your work to be the best.

PC: And your work is absolutely the best of the best.

SL: Thank you. I appreciate that.