Tony Awards... - A low-key season?

[Greg]

Two comments:

For me, the Hair number was the best part of the show. Does anyone know if the performers interact with the audience in the Broadway production the way the did with the number on the Tony Awards show?

Does anyone know, probably best answered by our NYC residents, what effect the recession has had on Broadway? I've read that while the worst of the financial crash has already hit NYC, the worst of the housing bubble burst is till to come for the city, as so much NYC real estate is still so ridiculously overpriced. For example, I was stunned by what I saw on a show called something like What's My Place Worth? on Home And Garden TV just a few months ago. How in any rational world, even in Manhattan's Upper East Side, a 2-bedroom-2-bath-1,000-square-foot apartment, that doesn't even look super luxurious, can sell for $1 million is beyond me.

[dws1982]

A few more thoughts about the show (or Broadway in general):

I guess "The Musical" as part of the title of a show seems distressing because it signals something completely derivative, a musicalization of something we're already very familiar with. Spring Awakening and The Light in the Piazza may have been adaptations of other works, but they weren't so familiar that their titles alone inspired dread. But things like Shrek The Musical, are just signs of blatant commercialism, producers and executives trying to milk a cow for as much cash as possible. In about five years, I'm sure we'll get Twilight The Musical.

I think I'm more distressed by the jukebox musical trend. I'll give a pass to Jersey Boys since it's apparently a musical bioplay, and supposedly a pretty good show. But this practice of taking songs from some band or era and throwing a story down around it has to stop. The shows almost always turn out terrible, and come on: There's a show that uses the music of Take That. Evidence that the trend has gone too far, if Rock of Ages and its hairband tribute was not enough. I blame Momma Mia! for starting this unholy ball rolloing.

God of Carnage was originally meant to be a limited run. It's been selling out, and was extended from September to November. I wonder if it could end up being one of those plays that can go on for a few years with well-known actors stepping into the roles for a few months at a time.

reasons to be pretty has posted its closing notice for the 14th. Exit the King and Joe Turner are closing then too. (They were limited runs.) Any guesses on the next to announce a closing notice? I'd guess Irena's Vow. I'd also guess that Avenue Q closes before the year's up, and possibly August: Osage County when Rashad's run ends, unless they come up with more stunt casting.

And I downloaded and listened to the Next to Normal recording off of iTunes. It's hard to believe that Jennifer Damiano got nominated and Aaron Tveit didn't. Maybe it was because he announced around the time it opened that he was going to leave for three months during the summer. But I guess he'll probably be nominated next year for Catch Me If You Can (the musical) if it hits Broadway.



Edited By dws1982 on 1244503803

[Big Magilla]

Magilla, like you, I'm sick of "The Musical" in titles. I fear one of my wife's shows, Grand Hotel-the Musical, got the trend going in earnest. The show was originally being called The Grand, but by the time they hit Boston, they'd settled on that generic title -- which many of us said at the time sounded awfully like Twilight Zone - The Movie. It's apparently conventional phrasing now.

Imagine if they'd called it "The Dead The Musical" instead of "James Joyce's The Dead" - it might have been a hit.

On the other hand would "Liliom The Musical" have been as successful as "Carousel"?

[Mister Tee]

I'll also point out that Billy Elliot marks the SEVENTH musical in the past twelve years (following The Lion King, Fosse, Contact, Millie, Spamalot, & Jersey Boys) to win Best Musical without winning the score prize. It's common enough at the Tonys that it's not like Picture/Director splits at the Oscars, but IMO, it seems completely bizarre. I know I'm far more likely to love a musical for its songs than for any other element, so it seems counter-intuitive to my way of thinking that those awards don't go hand in hand more often.

Bingo. To use another Oscar comparison, Best Musical has steadily moved away from the "Best Picture" definition and has moved much more toward the "Best Production" award that went to Wings.

I've sadly concluded this is an irreversible trend. I was around in years when the artier show was able to win -- A Little Night Music over Pippin; Sweeney Todd over the much more successful They're Playing Our Song; Nine over Dreamgirls. I wouldn't be sanguine about any of those winning in the Lion King/Thoroughly Modern Millie era. I've hoped in vain for upsets in recent years. As BJ says, the closest was Avenue Q over Wicked, but that wasn't truly satisfying, because Avenue Q wasn't all that sensational, and Wicked wasn't entirely mediocre.

A few other things I overlooked in my initial post that came back to me:

Magilla, like you, I'm sick of "The Musical" in titles. I fear one of my wife's shows, Grand Hotel-the Musical, got the trend going in earnest. The show was originally being called The Grand, but by the time they hit Boston, they'd settled on that generic title -- which many of us said at the time sounded awfully like Twilight Zone - The Movie. It's apparently conventional phrasing now.

dws, I'm with you on Jersey Boys -- not only did they repeat the same songs from a previous year...why did they pass on golden age Four Seasons songs? The group is most famous for its extraordinary string of hits between '62 and '67 -- comparable to anyone outside of the Beatles, songs that have plenty of resonance today (I think I've heard Walk Like a Man in at least half a dozen movies). Why did they feel the need to go with Frankie Vailli's solo hit, and that crappy song from the group's lamentable re-emergence in the disco era?

And, about Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat -- did someone actually think it a good idea to interrupt one of the theatre's most guaranteed show-stoppers just as it's reaching its crescendo, to throw in 60-90 seconds of pointless scat, deflating all the number's build?

[The Original BJ]

Some more scattered thoughts on the Musical/Score split, because, hey, we don't get to talk enough about theater here and most of us seem to like it:

Yes, Fosse wasn't eligible for its score, but that was just one aspect that made its top trophy win disappointing for me. I saw the show in its initial Broadway run, and it seemed to me like it barely even qualified as a musical. That it beat out Parade, one of the most overwhelmingly powerful evenings I've ever had in a theater, and with that divine score too, seemed an outrage.

I haven't seen Jersey Boys or Drowsy Chaperone to make a judgment call on that race. It seemed to me at the time that both were pretty solidly reviewed. Still, sight-unseen, Jersey Boys would have to be something pretty amazing for me to not ask the is-that-a-really-a-musical? question. (Or, conversely, Drowsy Chaperone would have to really grate.)

The 2000 race was weak, but quite interesting, given that Musical, Book, and Score were split between Contact, The Dead, and Aida, the latter of which wasn't even nominated for Best Musical. This divvying up of trophies made a bit more sense than usual (i.e. the lesser prizes weren't just consolation awards). The Dead had a literate book (obviously, given the pedigree) but didn't much wow in the musical or production departments. Aida, on the other hand, had a not-great-but-pretty-catchy score but a really flimsy script. Contact (which I didn't see) wasn't the kind of show that would be rewarded for writing, and couldn't win for music, but seemed like an inventive, exciting theatrical experience, and so the prize for Best Musical without the down-ballot awards didn't seem suspect at all.

I'm so glad I wasn't around to watch my beloved Into the Woods -- the first musical I ever saw -- lose to Phantom.

It's still pretty surprising that Avenue Q managed the Best Musical win a few years back. I much preferred Q to Wicked, but Q was WAY thinner than stuff like Ragtime, Parade, and even Urinetown, which hadn't managed to unseat BIG productions. And it's not like Wicked was even remotely in the league of musicals like Mary Poppins, Xanadu, or this year's Shrek -- big hits but ones for which Tony wins would have been ridiculous. Wicked seemed perfectly in line with musicals like Lion King, Millie, and Spamalot, which lost Book/Score but rallied for the top prize in the end.

[Eric]

I'll also point out that Billy Elliot marks the SEVENTH musical in the past twelve years (following The Lion King, Fosse, Contact, Millie, Spamalot, & Jersey Boys) to win Best Musical without winning the score prize. It's common enough at the Tonys that it's not like Picture/Director splits at the Oscars, but IMO, it seems completely bizarre. I know I'm far more likely to love a musical for its songs than for any other element, so it seems counter-intuitive to my way of thinking that those awards don't go hand in hand more often.

Bingo. To use another Oscar comparison, Best Musical has steadily moved away from the "Best Picture" definition and has moved much more toward the "Best Production" award that went to Wings.

[Mister Tee]

I'll also point out that Billy Elliot marks the SEVENTH musical in the past twelve years (following The Lion King, Fosse, Contact, Millie, Spamalot, & Jersey Boys) to win Best Musical without winning the score prize.

To be fair, many of those shows weren't eligible for score because their songs were lifted from other venues; it's largely a commentary on how common a practice it has become to transfer shows to the stage with a minimum of originality.

But your point still resonates, if you add in the Phantom of the Opera/Into the Woods split of '88 -- between that, Spamalot/Piazza and Elliot/Normal, you can almost see the score category becoming like the screenplay category at the Oscars: where they'll honor the freshest and (often) actual best of the year.

Yes, I too noted the elimination of yet-more "unimportant' awards to the pre-show. This has been done insidiously by CBS/Theatre Wing -- each year another award seems to drop off-camera, to have its space taken by more filler from dying musicals (or dead, in the case of Legally Blonde). The PBS compromise worked perfectly well -- those of us interested in the totality of the awards could tune in at 8, those who only cared about big musicals could join an hour later.

It's clear that the powers-that-be at the Tonys see the show as almost solely a promotion piece for big-ticket musicals. Directors and actors from plays will be the next to go.

[The Original BJ]

One thing no one has mentioned is the delegation this year of Choreography and, for chrissakes, Book of a Musical to the pre-show broadcast. It's one thing to struggle with how to present the plays, but highlighting past shows over significant awards like this is ridiculous.

Like most, I thought Next to Normal came off best. It's what I'd try to see if I were in NY. Actually thought West Side Story looked pretty great too, but as I can practically recite that one, I'm in no way itching to see it, Spanish lyrics or no. Hair seemed like a strong enough production, though my anathema to that show in general (admittedly an age thing) wouldn't make it a strong draw for me.

I was mixed on the Billy Elliot number. I agree with Sonic that it was a bold choice, which I liked, especially given the utter vanilla-ness of Billy Elliot's story (at least judging from the movie). But on the other hand, it wouldn't draw me to see the show, and I agree with Tee that it didn't really work out of context.

Shrek meanwhile -- UGH! I enjoyed the first movie well enough, but has a phenomenon ever grown so stale so quickly? It looked to me like a theme park show. (Which I guess is better than Rock of Ages, which looked like a freak show to me, though I guess that could also be an age thing too.)

I'll also point out that Billy Elliot marks the SEVENTH musical in the past twelve years (following The Lion King, Fosse, Contact, Millie, Spamalot, & Jersey Boys) to win Best Musical without winning the score prize. It's common enough at the Tonys that it's not like Picture/Director splits at the Oscars, but IMO, it seems completely bizarre. I know I'm far more likely to love a musical for its songs than for any other element, so it seems counter-intuitive to my way of thinking that those awards don't go hand in hand more often. (And some of those score-winning shows -- Ragtime, Parade, Urinetown, Light in the Piazza -- I prefer phenomenally to the Best Musical winners in those years.)

[flipp525]

I have it on some authority that Alice Ripley was hugely self-important even when she was a nobody, so her histrionics came as no particular surprise.

Alice Ripley's speech was a huge turn-off. "I have a BFA. That means FINE ART. Art if IMPORTANT." Okay, we get it. Was there really a need to shout that JFK quote? I found it especially annoying because living in Washington, I'm very familiar with that quote, where it's inscribed and what it's meaning is. I didn't need it SHOUTED IN MY FACE. Was that supposed to be revelatory? Too bad the sound didn't go out for that particular portion of the telecast.

Conversely, I thought she was phenomenal in the section of "Next to Normal" that was shown last night. And that song was really good. I'm wavering on what I'm going to see when I visit NYC in a couple weeks - Hair, Next to Normal or God of Carnage. Or all three?



Edited By flipp525 on 1244474181

[Mister Tee]

Most of what I though has been covered already, but...

Truly an evening of no surprises at the top. The only reason I did poorly on my ballot was all those below-the-line categories -- like I have much chance of scoping out the best sound or lighting design for shows I haven't seen. Biggest miss: I had Warchus for his other show.

I have it on some authority that Alice Ripley was hugely self-important even when she was a nobody, so her histrionics came as no particular surprise.

I'm with Magilla-not-Sonic -- I thought the Billy Elliot number may work well in the context of the show, but for me it was like watching an autistic child hurl himself around the stage while crowd scenes were staged behind.

I far preferred the Next to Normal excerpt -- by far the best music I heard on the show.

The less said about the Shrek number the better; my only reaction was, Christ, it must be agony to do that whole thing on your knees.

Like everyone, I'm tired to death of numbers from previous season shows. Anything to avoid concentrating on straight plays. And the Mamma Mia! number demonstrated conclusively the talent gap between a Broadway and touring production.

I hadn't seen Carrie Fisher in some time, and was shocked at how she's changed (Magilla had the right word; matronly). However, her comic touch was on target.

When Liza grabbed Elton during the final presentation, I said to my wife, could this be more gay? -- so I was startled when Neil Patrick Harris made essentially the same joke moments later. Boffo closing number. (And, for the record, this, overall, seemed one of the least gay Tonys in years. Uncommonly far more wives being thanked than partners)

[Hustler]

All those stars! Liza Minelli, Jane Fonda, Elton John, Jessica Lange, Stockard Channing! They're so... so... old.

Lange Looks old? C´mon! She´s 60. She´s great!



Edited By Hustler on 1244470043

[Big Magilla]

Frank Langella comes off as a huge asshole.

He was funny. If was really serious about being snubbed he wouldn't have shown up.

[Big Magilla]

And while I'm being grumpy, what's with the changing of the pronunciation of "Godot" from "Ga-doe" to "God-oh"?

According to director Anthony Lane from a NY Timesinterview: GOD-dough is what Samuel Beckett said. Also, the word has to echo Pozzo. That’s the right pronunciation. Go-DOUGH is an Americanism, which isn’t what the play intended.

Other thoughts:

Show I most want to see: Hair
Cast album I most want to own: Next to Normal

Number of seats that badly edited Billy Elliot sequence sold: negative thousands

Person who should be fired: the director of the Tonys for mixing up Harriet Walter and Janet McTeer

Best one liner: James Gandolfini's "for the record, Shrek and I are not related"

Best acceptance speech: the Billy's stunned silence with the eventual one/two/three sister one-upmanship

Worst speech: Alice Ripley for screeching that JFK quote

Aging well: Angela Lansbury
Aging badly: Carrie Fisher

Yes, I've heard that explanation from a smug Nathan Lane in a TV interview, but it's all nonsense since it's a made up word anyway. To quote the famous line from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance "when the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Does this mean that when On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is revived, whoever sings "Come Back to Me" will have to sing "if a date waits below, let him him wait for GOD-dough"? It loses its ring. Harrumph!

I agree with everything else you said, though, including Allice Ripley's absurd screeching. I can't wait until some winner next year quotes the poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty - "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Send them to me, I'm a Tony winner".



Edited By Big Magilla on 1244477211

[flipp525]

And while I'm being grumpy, what's with the changing of the pronunciation of "Godot" from "Ga-doe" to "God-oh"? It's even more ridiculous than the changing of the pronunciation of "110 in the Shade" from "a hundred and ten" to"one hundred ten"

No offense, but anyone in the theater world knows it's pronounced GOD-oh (which boils down the entire essence of the play, that they are "waiting for God"). That's one of the first things the head of the theater department in college ingrained in our heads freshman year. The former spelling is a mispronunciation that has unfortunately stuck.

Frank Langella comes off as a huge asshole.



Edited By flipp525 on 1244467640

[paperboy]

And while I'm being grumpy, what's with the changing of the pronunciation of "Godot" from "Ga-doe" to "God-oh"?

According to director Anthony Lane from a NY Timesinterview: GOD-dough is what Samuel Beckett said. Also, the word has to echo Pozzo. That’s the right pronunciation. Go-DOUGH is an Americanism, which isn’t what the play intended.

Other thoughts:

Show I most want to see: Hair
Cast album I most want to own: Next to Normal

Number of seats that badly edited Billy Elliot sequence sold: negative thousands

Person who should be fired: the director of the Tonys for mixing up Harriet Walter and Janet McTeer

Best one liner: James Gandolfini's "for the record, Shrek and I are not related"

Best acceptance speech: the Billy's stunned silence with the eventual one/two/three sister one-upmanship

Worst speech: Alice Ripley for screeching that JFK quote

Aging well: Angela Lansbury
Aging badly: Carrie Fisher