Grade the Tony performances

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 11:59am

Opening: B

SHE LOVES ME: C

THE COLOR PURPLE: A-

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: C+

SCHOOL OF ROCK: B+

BRIGHT STAR: B

SPRING AWAKENING: B-

SHUFFLE ALONG: B+

ON YOUR FEET!: B-

HAMILTON: B

WAITRESS: C-

HAMILTON FINALE: C+

 

What did you guys think?

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:08pm

I always find myself wondering if the musical numbers really do much to increase ticket sales, because they never seem terribly effective out of context and truncated as they do on the awards.  I would think most unfamiliar television audiences would simply watch them in confusion.

I agree that the COLOR PURPLE came across best. It was rousing and tuneful.  I think SPRING AWAKENING should have added "Totally F*CKed" as it did on the original Tony Broadcast -- "The Bitch of Living" went on too long and the concept became less interesting. It also wasted half the cast.

HAMILTON sold the energy of the piece well but I think likely would have been kind of baffling to someone who wasn't already familiar with the score. 

I thought Jessie Mueller was extraordinary; I thought they needed to announce Sara; it seemed like she was part of the show as a narrator or something.

I was most disappointed in BRIGHT STAR because I don't think that performance will sell many tickets. They should have gone with a different selection from the show because that song on its own was not interesting.

I thought FIDDLER, SHE LOVES ME, ON YOUR FEET and SHUFFLE did a more or less effective job of showing what they are "selling." 

Updated On: 6/13/16 at 12:08 PM

[hork]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:18pm

QueenAlice said:
I thought Jessie Mueller was extraordinary; I thought they needed to announce Sara; it seemed like she was part of the show as a narrator or something.

I was most disappointed in BRIGHT STAR because I don't think that performance will sell many tickets. They should have gone with a different selection from the show because that song on its own was not interesting.

I had the opposite reaction. I thought Jessie Mueller's performance was weird and twitchy and overblown, while the Bright Star performance was the only one that made me want to see the show.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:27pm

hork said: "QueenAlice said:
I thought Jessie Mueller was extraordinary; I thought they needed to announce Sara; it seemed like she was part of the show as a narrator or something.

I was most disappointed in BRIGHT STAR because I don't think that performance will sell many tickets. They should have gone with a different selection from the show because that song on its own was not interesting.

I had the opposite reaction. I thought Jessie Mueller's performance was weird and twitchy and overblown, while the Bright Star performance was the only one that made me want to see the show."

I'm halfway between you two. I really love Jessie Mueller and think she's so talented, but I just can't find myself liking her cover of She Used to Be Mine. It's probably because I think Sara Bareilles' performance of it is perfectly nuanced and flawless, so Mueller's comes across as too melodramatic and shouty to me. Oh well - I'm thrilled that she's clearly moving so many people. I LOVED Bright Star as a show so much, and Carmen is fabulous, but I don't think this was the most energetic song they could've done to sell tickets - I'm surprised they didn't go with some sort of medley.

Color Purple was hands down my A+ for the night. Cynthia Erivo might have had my favorite Tony Awards vocal EVER. I thought School of Rock did a great job of selling their show as well - everyone at my party who hadn't seen it had a really strong reaction to the talented kids.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:30pm

Bright Star and Waitress did very little to peak my interest in either show. Sara Barellies was great, but knowing that she is not a part of the show herself, it does not make me want to see it. 

I loved On Your Feet and School of Rock. Both performances were electric and exciting. 

Fiddler, She Loves Me, and Shuffle along were just okay to me. 

 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:31pm

I guess my take on the WAITRESS number is that I thought it effectively illustrated the difference between a songwriter creating the song and then how the song appears in a more heightened version for the actual musical. 

I thoroughly enjoyed BRIGHT STAR and have been rooting for its success. But in truth, "If You Knew My Story" isn't a great song. It's all set up and its endlessly repetitive. But perhaps some people watching will be interested to know what the hell her story is and buy a ticket. Carmen looked and sounded great though.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:38pm

hork said: "while the Bright Star performance was the only one that made me want to see the show.

 

"

Glad to hear this. It's hard for me to judge the performance because I love the show so much so obviously I loved the number. But I don't know whether or not I would want to see it based on that. I'm worried for it but rooting for it!! 

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:41pm

I would go:

 

Opening: A-: Thoroughly charming, and Corden may not have the vocals for the songs, but his energy, enthusiasm, and a lot of silly and delightful quick changes put it over.

SHE LOVES ME: C: What a missed opportunity. They should have settled on just doing one full number because the medley was a mess. And poor Zach who I loved it the show had a really off night.

THE COLOR PURPLE: B+: The medley section was a mess, but once they let Erivo plant her feet and belt, it (and she) soared. 

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: C: Average. Again, they seemed to pick the wrong section so it felt a bit jerky and erratic.

SCHOOL OF ROCK: D: Talented kids, mediocre Brightman, miserable song. Hated the show, hated the performance.

BRIGHT STAR: B+: Not the song I would have chosen, but it showed Cusack off beautifully and sounded lovely. 

SPRING AWAKENING: C-: Loved the show, didn't love the performance which felt out of sync, and again: no one on this telecast seemed to put a medley together well.

SHUFFLE ALONG: B: That number soars in the theater, but it's also much longer. Would've gone with the train number which, while it doesn't show off the whole cast, is a damned delight and the right length.

ON YOUR FEET!: C-: Love the songs. Love Gloria. Total mess. 

HAMILTON: B: One more time, it seems like the wrong chunk of a show was chosen. Was it great? Sure. Does it stand on its own free of the show? Not really.

WAITRESS: B-: Love the show. Thought Bareilles sliding on to give Mueller time to change and then pick up in the middle of the same song was...odd.

HAMILTON FINALE: C-: Yes, we all knew it was going to win, but...it led the opening, got all the speeches (deservedly), and had an unusually long performance. We didn't need them back on stage as a finale. There was too much other talent this year.

Note: my highest scores did not AT ALL go to my favorite shows. They do, however, show a real bias I have against medleys. Which I didn't quite realize until I started grading!

[starcatchers]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:50pm

She Used to Be Mine was just...odd. It didn't work out of context. I would've done Mueller's big number from the first act, "What Baking Can Do." 

 

I I loved the Bright Star performance, but I've already seen the show. Not sure how it came across to people who haven't. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:53pm

I thought Fiddler and Bright Star really picked the wrong songs. If they were counting on a boost from that, I'm not sure they'll get it.

[hi127]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:56pm

I was most anticipating seeing Spring Awakening. While it was a great performance, I think the camera angles made it less powerful than it should have been. I also wonder how much choice in numbers to perform considering the content of the show. 

If anyone was not so impressed with the number,  I urge you to watch their performance of "Touch Me" on Seth Meyers, which was incredible. I feel like that number would have showcased the show better, but might have been too graphic for the Tonys. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 12:58pm

Opening: B: love Corden but he can't really sing. Fun number and sweet message, though

SHE LOVES ME: B+: what's everyone freaking out about? I thought they all did a great job, with the exception of the lighting midhap. 

THE COLOR PURPLE: B+: weird choice to have them sing the opening and divide up the solos like that. But they did a great job and Cynthia slew us all. 

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: A-: Breathtaking choreography. The choreography was my favorite aspect of this revival, so I think they made absolutely the right decision in showcasing it. 

SCHOOL OF ROCK: B+: Lots of fun and impressive performances by the kids! Brightman sounded a bit vocally tired but otherwise good. 

BRIGHT STAR: C: didn't tell us anything about the show - just like the number in the actual show itself

SPRING AWAKENING: A: I thought they did a kick-ass job

SHUFFLE ALONG: B: Kind of forgettable, but a good choice for the show

ON YOUR FEET!: C+: fun dancing and medley, but very forgettable

HAMILTON: A: love this number, and I think it's a good showcase for how the show treats historical events. 

WAITRESS: C+: The "plus" is for Sara Bareilles who thankfully saved us from listening to Jessie Mueller sing the whole song by herself #sorrynotsorry #notafan

HAMILTON FINALE: B+: kind of tacky that they did it in the first place, but it was fun and I'm glad the women had a chance to perform. 

 

Updated On: 6/13/16 at 12:58 PM

[mc1227]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 1:01pm

SHE LOVES ME: C-  This performance pretty much summed up what I thought of this show when I saw it.  Couldn't understand the warm reception it received or the # of Tony nominations. 

THE COLOR PURPLE: A-Just wonderful energy and while I was not planning on seeing it, this performance, along with the Prince tribute they did a while back, will draw me in.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: C+  I loved the first act of this show but thought the numbers they chose were wrong for the occasion.  They also should have reduced the number of performers.  The stage was too small for all these dancers dressed in black to be spinning around.  It was just so colorless and "Sunrise, Sunset" is too mellow for the Tony Awards.

SCHOOL OF ROCK: B+  Not a show I plan on seeing but thought the number was good and it may draw some audience with their performance. 

BRIGHT STAR: B-  Loved the show but I don't think the number will bring them in.  Its a tough show to sell in comparison to the others but Carmen Cusack alone is worth seeing. 

SPRING AWAKENING: C+  I guess I'm just not a big fan of this show

SHUFFLE ALONG: B  Liked the number but it is reminiscent of After Midnight a few years ago (which I loved, but there's nothing new here)

ON YOUR FEET!: B-  Liked the show very much but this number didn't do much to enhance it.

HAMILTON: B+  Liked the energy but with this show, the entire experience cannot be captured with one song. (the same could be said for a few shows)

WAITRESS: B+  I would have chosen "Bad Idea" over "Opening Up" and then finish with the show stopper tune by Jessie.  That song, sung out of story context, could only be pulled off by someone of Jessie's talent.  You could feel the pain as she sung...goosebumps for me..

HAMILTON FINALE: C  Again, to repeat, this is so much more powerful when seeing the entire show. 

[valerie3058]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 1:02pm

Seeing Bright Star 3 times now (and it's a wonderful little show), I 100% agree with everyone saying they had the wrong song choice. I think they mainly chose it for it being very "Carmen-Centric." I think "Whoa, Mama" or "Sun is Gonna Shine Again" would've been better choices or having Carmen do a stand alone number like "Way Back in the Day" or "At Long Last" (which all 3 times made me tear up). I love this show and I hope it keeps going for just a bit longer. 

[Nettik]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 1:22pm

OPENING: A

SHE LOVES ME: C+

THE COLOR PURPLE: A

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: B+

SCHOOL OF ROCK: C

BRIGHT STAR: C

SPRING AWAKENING: C+

SHUFFLE ALONG: B

ON YOUR FEET!: C

HAMILTON: B+

WAITRESS: C

HAMILTON FINALE: C+

[mpkie]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 1:28pm

QueenAlice said: "But in truth, "If You Knew My Story" isn't a great song. It's all set up and its endlessly repetitive. But perhaps some people watching will be interested to know what the hell her story is and buy a ticket. Carmen looked and sounded great though."

I agree! It starts out so gorgeously and really highlights Carmen Cusack's beautiful voice and delivery, but then it's like *snooze*...It starts out great and loses energy quickly. Actually all/most of Bright Star's songs are like this. I think this is one show that would have really benefited from doing a medley because all the songs drag on after the first 30 sec and are so repetitive. For example, I found the titular song really catchy when I'm hearing about 15 seconds of it or less but god I hated that song when I heard it in the show.

For me, "Whoa Mama" is the best song and performance in the whole show. It features two of their [very attractive] leads and is upbeat/fun and gives off the wholesome romcom vibe that a lot of people are into. But they already did that on the Today Show and my guess is that's why they decided not to do it again.

Updated On: 6/13/16 at 01:28 PM

[Petralicious]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 1:43pm

i thought the opening was fine at first, until they just named a different show every line.

I really liked the SoR, those kids were amazes!!! Hamilton and Waitress shined too.

 

Bright Star, She Loves Me, OYF, ehhhh

[Petrichor]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 1:45pm

I'm probably one of the very few people who don't overly love She Used To Be Mine. I don't think it's the best song and it's not a personal favorite, still a great and powerful song and Jessie Mueller was wonderful, I just would have liked to see a better song to show off the rest of the great cast.

 

Similarly with Bright Star, although in this case I actually like If You Knew My Story and was happy with it, I can acknowledge a "bigger" song was probably needed to help draw in more of an audience. I agree that both Carmen Cusack and Paul Alexander Nolan are very attractive leads, so Woah Mama would have worked. 

 

Sunrise, Sunset shows only a snippet of Fiddler's excellent choreography, To Life is such an exciting and talented number, that would have been my first choice and what I was hoping to see from them.

 

Oddly enough, I liked She Loves Me. Mind you I have not seen the show or heard the songs prior to the Tonys, but my initial thought upon viewing the performance last night was that it looked like the kind of show I would enjoy. If I didn't have plans up until its closing date I would have tried to get tickets to see it.

 

I thought all the performances last night were great, it was just a matter of song choice really.

[PianoMann]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 2:10pm

starcatchers said: "She Used to Be Mine was just...odd. It didn't work out of context. I would've done Mueller's big number from the first act, "What Baking Can Do." "

I agree, "She Used to Be Mine" really didn't work out of context for me. I've heard the cast recording a few times, but don't know specifically at what points in the story these songs occur, so I thought Jessie came across tremendously stilted and off-kilter. I think they should have stripped away most of that blocking for the televised performance so the viewing audience (who more likely than not do not have the context of the song either) could have appreciated the song itself Jessie's beautiful singing.

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 2:16pm

As a kid I watched the Tonys for the performances and to get a peek at shows I knew I would most likely not get to see but was excited to just see a snippet. Now that I have more of a chance to see them and know these performances are also hopefully going to boost sales, out of last night's performances the one that made me want to go get a ticket for was "On Your Feet". Loved the energy and danced to that music when it came out.

Of the nominated shows I didn't see them all. Have seen "Shufflin..", Bright Star and Color Purple. Saw the original off-Broadway production of Spring Awakening and the tour. Had no real desire to see it again. So outside of the ones I have seen, Fiddler, She Loves Me and Waitress were the other 3 l now want to see. I saw the Harvey production of Fiddler and loved it. This production looks wonderful. Jesse Mueller is what sold me on Waitress she sang The Hell out of that song. I was choked up. It was right up there with Erivo's last night.

I thought Spring Awakening's performance was the weakest.  As far as the finale, they missed a chance, with the message they were sending, to include all of the casts in the closing song. With all of the positive comments about love, divirsity and community it still came down to just Hamilton at the end. The best thing about the finale was Renee's dress! (That dress was fabulous!) JMO

Updated On: 6/14/16 at 02:16 PM

[ozjust4]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 2:32pm

Opening: A

SHE LOVES ME: B+

THE COLOR PURPLE: A

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: B-

SCHOOL OF ROCK: A

BRIGHT STAR: B

SPRING AWAKENING: C-

SHUFFLE ALONG: A-

ON YOUR FEET!: B-

HAMILTON: A

WAITRESS: A

HAMILTON FINALE: A

[mpkie]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 2:33pm

uncageg said: "I thought Spring Awakening's performance was the weakest.  As far as the finale, they missed a chance, with the message they were sending, to include all of the casts in the closing song. "

I hated the first time I saw the revival (from front orch) and then really enjoyed it the second time I saw it (from rear mezz)... I didn't realize how important the lighting (so subtle) was to this show. The first time I was confused at who to look at, who was talking, the signing was distracting as heck, and it just felt like a mess. Being removed in the rear mezz, it was much easier to focus on the deaf and hearing actors rather than the voice actors. Viewing the signing became natural.

For this performance, having close-up angles and shots did not do this show any favors. Maybe they should have ended with Purple Summer so that everyone would be performing. So much hullabaloo about getting the whole cast back and yet so few featured.

That said... my friend, who had no idea SA would be performing, was super psyched to see them! She loved the performance, and she is an avid fan of the OBC and production.

[illiniparkie]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 2:49pm

I have not seen any of the productions (except for highlights on this website and on the TV shows), so I suppose I can comment on them without bias.

 

Opening:  A-.  They did a very nice job and James Corden is a charming and talented guy.  I couldn't catch all the lyrics (a problem for many of the numbers) but it was funny and a nice intro into the awards show.

 

School of Rock: A-.  Lots of young talent on the stage for this number and I think it will give a good boost to the show (though I read it is doing well).  This number will be a good sell to adults looking to bring their kids to a show on Broadway or on the road.

 

Shuffle Along:  B.  I couldn't really tell what this number was about (was it the opening?).  Good dancing but it didn't excite me to see the show.

 

Fiddler on the Roof:  A-.  This was really a showcase for the dancing, which was terrific.  Who hasn't seen or been in this show in some capacity?  The songs are so familiar, why not emphasize the original choreography?

 

She Loves Me:  B+.  One of the goals of a show is to highlight their Tony nominees on the awards show.  And if the show does not have a single number where they are all showcased, then why not do a medley?  I thought Gavin and Laura came across best in the snippets.

 

Spring Awakening:  B-.  I don't know if it was a problem of camerawork or what, but I had no idea where to look in the group number.  Who was singing and who was signing?  When the focus was on just the two girls looking at each other through the mirror at the top, it was very effective but the main number was, frankly, a mess.

 

On Your Feet:  B.  It was fun and high energy and gave me a feeling of being at a Miami Sound Machine concert.  I am sure those who wanted to see Gloria were happy but it gave me no idea of what the show would be about other than a concert.

 

The Color Purple:  B+.  It didn't bowl me over (I was watching a lot of moving chairs, frankly).  Cynthia has a dynamite voice but, frankly (and just my opinion), oversold the number.

 

Bright Star:  B.  The show looks charming and I liked hearing a different style of music in a Broadway musical but I had a lot of trouble understanding the lyrics.  I hope it does well, and even if it doesn't have a long Broadway run, I am certain it will do well regionally and in high school and community productions for many years.

 

Hamilton:  B+.  The focus seemed to be on the ensemble and dancing in the "Yorktown" number.  The lyrics are so dense and come so fast that it was hard to catch everything.  But I thought it showcased the production well.  Since they were in the opening number introducing James Corden, the men got a chance to strut their stuff there, as did the women in the closing number.  If the show hadn't provided extended chances to allow the entire Hamilton cast to do their thing, I would have been more disappointed in the "Yorktown" number alone.

 

Waitress:  B.  I enjoyed the opening number and Sara's solo at the piano.  Unfortunately, to me, Jessie did not come across well in her big solo.  Honestly, she looked like she was in pain and about to have the baby right there on stage.

 

The Show:  A-.  Entertaining with a number of good bits (including the Law and Order sequence).  Good job James and company. 

[TexanAddams18]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 3:32pm

Opening: D

School of Rock: C+

Shuffle Along: B

Fiddler: B

She Loves Me: B-

Spring Awakening: A

On Your Feet: C

The Color Purple: A

Bright Star: C

Hamilton: A-

Waitress: A

 

[pupscotch]

Posted: 6/13/16 at 3:36pm

Opening: A-, I thought it was wonderful and made a musical theater nerd very happy. However, my family were not as big a fans because they didn't know all the shows referenced.

School of Rock: B, There was an audible thump in the number, and I wonder if it was a sound problem, because Alex Boniello did a similar thing later and nothing happened. However, the song itself was good, but didn't make me want to see the show.

Shuffle Along: B+, I thought the performance was good, and really highlighted Savion's wonderful choreography (which he should have won a Tony for!!!), as well as the leading players. However, the number didn't give you a good idea of what the show was about.

Fiddler on the Roof: B-, The number was good, but if they wanted to highlight the choreography they should have done L'Chaim.

She Loves Me: B+, I loved all the numbers they showcased, they just didn't blend well together. 

Spring Awakening: B+, The number sounded great, but the camerawork was sloppy. Focus on the signers, not the singers!

On Your Feet: C+, I thought it was fine and Ana is really talented, but Gloria Estefan sang most of the number! I believe she detracted from the performance, and overall it did not make me want to see the show.

Bright Star: B+, I thought it sounded great, just a little bland.

The Color Purple: A, Cynthia Erivo KILLED that number, and Danielle, Heather, and the whole cast were fantastic as well. That number exuded energy and made me want to see the show again!

Hamilton: B, The number was good, but it didn't translate well to the Tony stage and I just don't think it was the best choice, as none of the THREE Tony winners were prominently featured.

Waitress: A, Jessie Mueller was FANTASTIC. One of the previous posters said she looked like she was about to have a baby right on the stage: Jenna does go into labor right after singing the song, I believe, so it's sort of the point.

Hamilton, Again: B, Totally unnecessary, and a little bit obnoxious to the other shows.