How would YOU have voted in 1991?
How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Joined: 12/31/69
#0How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 9:41pm
Best Musical
Choices (Alphabetical Order)
Miss Saigon
Once on This Island
The Secret Garden
Will Rogers Follies
What a year, huh? 1991 may be the only year where I'd have voted for any other musical BUT the one that won. I remember reading at the time how voters were looking to choose anything BUT a British musical and that's one of the reasons why Will Rogers Follies won but IF that were true and they were so anti-British by that point I think Secret Garden or Once on This Island would have been better choices. In hindsight WRF was the only one of the bunch to not have a lasting life once it closed on Broadway. I know it isn't an indicator of how good or bad a show is but it's interesting.
My vote would have gone to Once on This Island with TSG a close second and Miss Saigon in third. I just feel Once on this Island was the most complete musical of the bunch even if I loved The Secret Garden almost as much.
Updated On: 9/1/04 at 09:41 PM
#2re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 9:46pmI love all of them except Will Roger's Follies, so I'm not sure. I think Once On This Island.
AnothaPartofMe
Broadway Star Joined: 5/22/04
#3re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 9:47pm
Well, I think it's becoming a trend that the more "original" musicals have been winning the Tony's. WRF was a blend of that cowboy lore, mixed with the newer age of Broadway that had been emerging ever since then. Just like winners like RENT and Avenue Q more recently, they were both up against the big budget musicals that were phenomenal, but their media wasn't anything new (ie. frontrunners Victor/Victoria and BIG in '96 or Wicked and Boy from Oz this past year). Actually, I think WRF did run for quite awhile on Broadway. I think it's even on the list of long-runs on Playbill, if I'm not mistaken.
And if she'll say, "My darling, I'm yours!" I'll throw away my striped tie and my best pressed tweed, all I really need is the girl...
Broadway Star Joined: 12/31/69
#4re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 9:49pmWell like I said WRF didn't have a long life lasting life once it closed on Broadway. Yes, it did well on Broadway at the time but then its life pretty much ended. You never hear about the show being performed places like you do the other 3. Updated On: 9/1/04 at 09:49 PM
#5re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 9:50pmmiss saigon
"gimme a bottle of bourbon and half a chicken and i'll conquer the world!"
#6re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:13pmMiss Saigon. I adore that musical - powerful, bold, and moving. I feel that Boublil & Schonberg were severely cheated that year, especially for their wonderful score (who won best score that year?). I think it was a very daring show to do, and brought an Asian presence to Broadway not seen in ages.
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
#7re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:14pm
once on this island is a fun show 
::bust a move::
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#8re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:19pm
Cy Coleman won best score for WRF. 
IMO the other 3 were far more deserving.
#9re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:57pm
Really?? Shucks. I thought Boublil & Schonberg's score for Miss Saigon was and still is one of the best Broadway scores ever. They delve into everything from American rock, rhythm and blues, Vietnamnese folk and musical theatre styles, and the melodies are clear, memorable and heartbreaking. I'd say their score is just as good as Les Miz (well, almost as good - Les Miz is pure musical perfection - but Miss Saigon is more daring). They really, really should have won.
The show, too. Still one of the best experiences I've ever had on Broadway.
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#10re: How would YOU have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:07pmI agree with you. I think the lyrics weren't up to the same standard as the fantastic score, the score got lost. I know some people who weren't even musical fans and saw the show and came out of the theatre complaining about the lousy lyrics. Schonberg's score deserved better lyrics.
#12re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:15pmwrf all the way.
r.i.p. marco, my guardian angel.
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
...global warming can manifest itself as heat, cool, precipitation, storms, drought, wind, or any other phenomenon, much like a shapeshifter. -- jim geraghty
pray to st. jude
i'm a sonic reducer
he was the gimmicky sort
fenchurch=mejusthavingfun=magwildwood=mmousefan=bkcollector=bradmajors=somethingtotalkabout: the fenchurch mpd collective
#14re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:37pmMiss Saigon
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
Link Larkin Wanabe
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/1/04
#15re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:42pm
Secret Garden.
It is a hauntingly beautiful score, had an amazing, dark take on the story, had brilliant sets, amazing performances and showed me what an intelligent AND emotional musical should be. It is one of the first cast recordings I ever discovered and can say it is actually one of the reasons I am in the theatre industry.
Akiva
#16re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:14amOnce On This Island.....i think this, revived in a few years, could be amazing....
bronxboundexpress
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/15/04
#17re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:16amMiss Saigon. Remember, elections were being rigged even before 2000.
#18re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:20am
well, i imagine it had alot to do with what was then perceived as the best show to tour...a major factor with many Tony voters....Will Rogers probably looked like a more appealing show, and so they voted to boost it's commercial appeal, plus it had some broadway legends attached to it...had they known Miss Saigon would have been such a success, they might have voted differently....there was also a minor brouhaha involving keeping Pryce in the cast, though he wasn't asian.
#19re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:29am
Yeah, Miss Saigon's arrival to Broadway caused a lot of controversy, which no doubt affected some of the Tony votes. Actor's Equity didn't want Cameron Mackintosh to bring Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce to Broadway (they originated the roles in London). The casting of Pryce was also criticized because he was not Asian - even though the Engineer character is a mix of Asian and Caucasian.
Cameron Mackintosh then threatened to pull the plug and not bring the show to Broadway (and accounts have said he was completely serious), so Equity finally gave in.
Ironically, both Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce would go on to win the Tonys for Best Actress and Actor, respectively.
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
#20re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:36amOnce on This Island for sure.
"... Still a little bit of your taste in my mouth.
Still a little bit of you laced with my doubt. Still a little hard to say what's going on..." Damien Rice
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#22re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:35amOnce on This Island
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#23re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:54am
I would declare a tie for Once on this Island and Secret Garden --- I adore both shows
and based on our "votes" it is clear why WRF won....
"Sir K, the Viscount of Uppity-shire...." -- kissmycookie
Updated On: 9/2/04 at 01:54 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#24re: how would you have voted in 1991?
Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:59amI vote with KMF - they both reached for uniqueness, and reached it in their own ways. Garden is breathtakingly beautiful, and Island is as mythic as its subject matter demanded.
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