Worst Tony Opening.......- Page 2

[Patash]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 4:19pm

"Open the show with a rundown (just the marquee would be fine) of every single show that opened on Broadway this year-or hell, every show running. Or do it as a countdown of the longest-running shows- start with the flops that only lasted 5 performances this year and end up with Chicago and Phantom and the like."

Please, please tell me you were joking about this. Flashing of titles on theatre marquees? Do you want everyone to fall asleep before it even starts? Your idea of showing bits of every show would accomplish nothing, other than convince all those non-theatre goers at home that it is all a bore.

No thanks. Have Patti with a lawn mower every year as far as I'm concerned. How could anyone stop watching during that entire crazy number? Beats getting up to raid the refrigerator while an endless medley of bits of shows drags on and on.

Posted: 6/12/12 at 4:48pm

To each his own. I was just throwing out a way to visualize the bounty Broadway has to offer. If you want to start the TV broadcast with Patti, that's fine too but at least let America know what she's doing there. Add a super title saying "Patti LuPone star of Life Goes On and inexplicably popular Broadway Diva."

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 4:56pm

It baffles me that anyone actually thought the 2009 opening was good. I mean, some of the individual performances were okay, but the whole thing was a jumbled mish-mash of unrelated songs that someone decided to throw together. Medleys just do not work on the Tonys.

I liked the opening this year and last year. Not only were they clever and entertaining, but they both served as opening numbers very well. And besides, what could really top the sight of Patti LuPone with a lawn mower?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 4:56pm

Every year is the worst Tony broadcast ever with the worst opening number ever and the worst host ever. You get used to it after a while.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 5:10pm

If life were more like theater, then it wouldn't suck like the lyrics of this opening number...suck, suck, suck!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 5:27pm

It...
suckasuckasuckasuckasuckasuckasuckasuckasuckasuckasuckasuckaSUCK?

[Bwaydide92]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 6:17pm

People outside of the theatre community don't know who Patti LuPone is. Had I shown my non-theatre friends that performance they wouldn't understand why people were cheering. The Tonys is not just about showcasing the greats of theatre. It's about getting people that don't come to the theatre to come. Showing something that will entice people to buy tickets. I have shown people the 2009 opening and they thought it was great. They were entertained and were intrigued by a lot of the numbers. They don't have to be related to be thrown in the same medley for an opening number. They Tonys aren't telling a story. They're a form of entertainment.

[peachesr82]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 6:35pm

I don't envy anyone who hosts these things, it's not an easy gig. Hugh Jackman was fantastic and NPH has done a really good job, not just this year.
The opening number, I thought worked really well. It can't be easy to actually come up with something new everytime. Really, how many non-theatregoers actually watch the Tonys? You've got to assume that the majority of the audience will know who Patti Lupone is. I think last years had the edge though. As effective as NPH is I think maybe next year it might be worth chaning it up and getting someone else just to make sure it doen't become too repetetive.
It could be so much worse, I mean did you see any of the Oliviers this year?

[aussieskates]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 8:05pm

For the past few years, friends of mine and I watch the live telecast from Melbourne, Australia on cable. NPH is fun, amiable, and gets us in the mood for a great time.

Ironically enough, as it is on at ten in the morning, that isn't an issue because every year it falls on the Queen's Birthday.

Anyway, out of curiosity, I YouTubed Rosie to see what she was like in the opening number.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN-nxIym8iM

I know she's a major supporter of Broadway and the arts, but I have to say after watching, I threw up in my mouth a little.

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 8:43pm

NPH is charming and has good stage presence. He is very well known by TV audiences, so he's a good choice for host. That being said, he's predictable and he cannot sing. I think they should keep him with jokes (good ones)and not songs. As with any show, when the writing isn't good, the best host in the world cannot pull it off. Ask Billy Crystal after this year's Oscars.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 9:05pm

aussieskates,


This one may be worse!

[aussieskates]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 9:32pm

I could make some inappropriate jokes about Rosie's Cats costume, but In the words of Tovah Feldshuh. "Oy Vey."

[zamedy]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 10:09pm

Let's face it guys. We should be grateful the Tonys are still even broadcast on one of the major networks. This year's show drew 6 million viewers, down from the 6.9 million that watched last year.. and that was without any major competition from sports or original programming. The Tonys could easily go the route of the Daytime Emmys and be relegated to a poor time slot on a cable network.

The best opening ever was indeed in 2009. It was what every opening should be -- showcasing the shows, making the SHOWS the star, not the host. But that year's Tonys also had so much in its favor -- recognizable, big name musicals (WEST SIDE STORY, SHREK) with A-list talent attached to them (LIZA, Dolly w/ 9 TO 5, Elton with BILLY ELIOT).

As for NPH... As long as he has a hit show on CBS, and as long as the Tonys ARE on CBS, he will be the host.