"Absent from competition are most of the season’s original musicals: The Bridges of Madison County, a lovely effort that received generally strong and sometimes rapturous reviews, as well as Rocky and If/Then. (Bullets Over Broadway, which was also excluded, has a score of existing Jazz Age ditties.) Flawed as these shows may be in some eyes, it is hard to argue that Beautiful and Aladdin are significantly better—and both are a good deal less risky and inventive."
It is disappointing to see a professional theater writer rant against the Tony committee without reading the rules that would have prompted the amount of nominees he desired. It's one thing for people on here to just add their blahblah without reading the Tony Nominating Committee rules, but a journalist doesn't get the same pass.
Feldman certainly seems to understand the updated rules. He's writing about the fact that the rule amendment doesn't seem to have made a noticable difference in categories where it could and should have.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
I find it funny that people get so upset about Tony noms. It isn't one person deciding all of these nominations, it is a committee that votes individually, so it's just the results of everybody's opinions.
Perhaps the writer should petition to have a new category added: Best Risky and Innovative Musical. I'd suggest that the riskest show of the season walked off with the most nominations.
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
-- Thomas Jefferson
These are award nominations. Not life and death decisions... or even political elections.
People, it will be okay. The world is not ending. Broadway lives on and shows will continue to be produced as long as there are ticket buying patrons and investors foolish enough to take a risk.
A rule that would allow for a fifth musical to be nominated, but then there IS no fifth musical nominated (even though there are several viable options) is a terrible rule and it should be amended. If nine or more musicals open in a season, there should be five slots. Fewer than 9, four. This idea of 'Get within three votes' is just strange. BRIDGES certainly deserves to be there alongside ALADDIN, BEAUTIFUL and AFTER MIDNIGHT. I get that not everyone loves it and that it's struggling, but it did receive some of the better reviews of the season. Even BULLETS (though I didn't particularly love it) would have been a perfectly respectable fifth nominee.
"No, it's not the end of world. But what's the purpose of a Broadway message board if you can't kvetch about the Tonys?"
That is the point of this entire message board and particular thread. Rant, bitch, complain, rage, and discuss the hell out of the Tonys. That is what this day is for!
"No, it's not the end of world. But what's the purpose of a Broadway message board if you can't kvetch about the Tonys?"
That is the point of this entire message board and particular thread. Rant, bitch, complain, rage, and discuss the hell out of the Tonys. That is what this day is for!