So, I thought we'd start a new holiday tradition here on BWW: The Broadway Naughty and Nice List! Copy and paste the list above you and add someone (or some show or organization) that you think deserves a lump of coal, a stocking stuffer, or both (and why, of course)! I'll start:
Naughty: David Paterson - For proposing a 4% tax that threatens to derail Broadway even more. Disney Theatricals - For plopping an neon eyesore of a production into the Lunt-Fontanne with "The Little Mermaid".
Nice: The Tony voters - For finally giving Mrs. LuPone a second well-deserved award. Lin-Manuel Miranda - For crafting an endearing, wonderful, ORIGINAL musical that speaks to everyone, regardless of your race or financial class.
Naughty: David Paterson - For proposing a 4% tax that threatens to derail Broadway even more. Disney Theatricals - For plopping an neon eyesore of a production into the Lunt-Fontanne with "The Little Mermaid". The people who cast Spring Awakening-for casting people (particularly Alexandra Socha) that seem so young that the sex scene scars you for life
Nice: The Tony voters - For finally giving Mrs. LuPone a second well-deserved award. Lin-Manuel Miranda - For crafting an endearing, wonderful, ORIGINAL musical that speaks to everyone, regardless of your race or financial class. Patti LuPone-for giving 100 percent in every performance she gives in Gypsy and making my year infinitely better
"The good news is I have an excellent Tony speech. The bad news is I've had it for forty-five years."-Elaine Stritch
Naughty: James Snyder and Elizabeth Stanley - for delivering beyond milquetoast "lead" performances in CRY-BABY...or at least whoever cast them.
Nice: Ghostlight Records & Sh-K-Boom - for recording a beautiful 2-Disc set of the OBCR of IN THE HEIGHTS...perfectly produced, sung, and executed. They should rightfully have a Grammy waiting for them soon enough.
Naughty: David Paterson - For proposing a 4% tax that threatens to derail Broadway even more. Disney Theatricals - For plopping an neon eyesore of a production into the Lunt-Fontanne with "The Little Mermaid". James Snyder and Elizabeth Stanley - for delivering beyond milquetoast "lead" performances in CRY-BABY...or at least whoever cast them. The people who cast Spring Awakening-for casting people (particularly Alexandra Socha) that seem so young that the sex scene scars you for life
Nice: The Tony voters - For finally giving Mrs. LuPone a second well-deserved award. Lin-Manuel Miranda - For crafting an endearing, wonderful, ORIGINAL musical that speaks to everyone, regardless of your race or financial class. Ghostlight Records & Sh-K-Boom - for recording a beautiful 2-Disc set of the OBCR of IN THE HEIGHTS...perfectly produced, sung, and executed. They should rightfully have a Grammy waiting for them soon enough. Patti LuPone-for giving 100 percent in every performance she gives in Gypsy and making my year infinitely better
Naughty: David Paterson - For proposing a 4% tax that threatens to derail Broadway even more. Disney Theatricals - For plopping an neon eyesore of a production into the Lunt-Fontanne with "The Little Mermaid". James Snyder and Elizabeth Stanley - for delivering beyond milquetoast "lead" performances in CRY-BABY...or at least whoever cast them. The people who cast Spring Awakening-for casting people (particularly Alexandra Socha) that seem so young that the sex scene scars you for life Mel Brooks - for...well, you know.
Nice: The Tony voters - For finally giving Mrs. LuPone a second well-deserved award. Lin-Manuel Miranda - For crafting an endearing, wonderful, ORIGINAL musical that speaks to everyone, regardless of your race or financial class. Ghostlight Records & Sh-K-Boom - for recording a beautiful 2-Disc set of the OBCR of IN THE HEIGHTS...perfectly produced, sung, and executed. They should rightfully have a Grammy waiting for them soon enough. Patti LuPone-for giving 100 percent in every performance she gives in Gypsy and making my year infinitely better Tracy Letts - for leading the way with an extraordinary season for straight plays on Broadway.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
Naughty: Nearly every NY Critic for destroying several shows, most notably A Tale of Two Cities (And the so-called Shills on here for turning people off to it! Haha)
Nice: Jill Santoriello, Natalie Toro, Craig Bennett, Nick Wyman & James Barbour and the producers, who did whatever it took to take a show and make it a dream-come-true.
Cast of A Tale of Two Cities, who despite getting ravished by the critics gave an excellent performance night after night.
MTV for providing us with stupid, mindless casting entertainment & drama, and for also giving us Bailey Hanks!
Naughty: The Producers of Young Frankenstein, sorry, Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein The Musical, for sinking this genuinely enjoyable musical comedy with your egos.
Jeremy Piven for letting sushi take the wrap for his inner demons.
The Tony committee for nominating the scores for Cry Baby and The Little Mermaid over those for A Catered Affair and Young Frankenstein.
Francesa Zembello for obvious reasons.
Rosie O'Donnell for not delivering the variety show she is more than capable of.
Nice:
Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay Abaire for creating a lush, bright, and grossly underrated score for Shrek. Abaire's book, of course, is another can of worms.
Meryl Streep for giving stunning performances in back to back Broadway to film adaptations (Mamma Mia!, Doubt).
Sh-k-boom/Ghostlight for finally sharing LaChuisa's Little Fish, via a wonderful recording starring the magnificent Alice Ripley, with the world.
The touring production of Spring Awakening for providing the most moving (and surprising) theatrical experience I had in 2008.
Nice: The producers of August Osage County, for taking a risk on transfering a production of an utterly amazing original play, with no big named actors
Bartlett Shear, for crafting a glorious and fresh production of what was thought to a dated musical.
Tonys... For seeing that James Barbour Deserves some consideration...
Tale of Two Cities... In the 90's this would have been a HUGE HIT!... And i still think it is... Maybe everyone will see the genius of this show... and bring it back!
Young Frankenstein... Christopher Fitzgerald.. Need I say more?
Shrek... Brian James... Amazing... Sets... Amazing... The Music... Amazing... Come on critics... Can you really hate such a good show?
Anyone who decided that spending money on necessities in the current economic climate rather than on theatre tickets, causing many shows to close, was a swell idea.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Phantom 2...sigh...
Whoever designed the Little Mermaid costumes/sets.
Nice -
Not really related, but as a Brit, can I just thank the (certain) people of America for getting Obama into the White House. Kudos.
Naughty: -The economy for shutting 7 musicals on Broadway next month. -Francesa Zambello for ruining what could have been the best Disney musical. -Andrew Lloyd Webber, for already being second-rate and now he is just a bog cash cow with ugly eyebrows and reality-shows shooting out of his ass, as well as a sequel. Sequels don't do good. Neither did Bombay Dreams. Or woman in White, for that matter. Crawl into a hole and die. Or eat a banana...that is green! -Young Frankenstein, for...well...opening
Nice: -Lin Manuel-Miranda, for giving us an original show that was good. -Alan Menken, for giving Little Mermaid a great score. -White Christmas, for finally coming to Broadway! -Young Frankenstein, for...well...closing!
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
Naughty: * Whoever had the idea for those bloody headphones in the LA production of The Who's Tommy this summer. * Roundabout for Pal Joey * MTV as already stated ~ for the whole Legally Blonde thing as well as Bailey Hanks.
Nice: * Arena Stage for giving Next to Normal a chance to evolve into what it is now. * Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey for being willing and courageous enough to make the changes necessary to make their work soar. * Rockers on Broadway for assembling the original cast of The Who's Tommy for the 15th Anniversary Reunion Concert * Roudabout for importing intact Sunday In The Park With George
Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!