BEST MUSICAL 2020

Should be Six, probably will be Moulin Rouge.

Sight unseen? SIX.

We cannot count out MOULIN ROUGE. Especially considering that it will probably win Director, all 4 design awards, possibly Supporting Actor or Orchestrations...if voters are checking it off in 6 or 7 other categories, that could be the consensus choice for Best Musical. And on top of that it has a rave from the NYT, it's a hit at the box office, and it will play like gangbusters on the road.

JPeterman said: "This is a really weak group .... no wonder Sing Street was so determined to get in this year. I’m going to go with Flying Over Sunset due to its talented team andbecause nothing else on this list deserves to win."

My sentiments exactly. For a million reasons I want Flying Over Sunset to be great, not least of which being that I'm uninspired by pretty much every other Tony contender this season.

And I'm glad to see other people calling out Six for not REALLY being a musical. Because it sort of isn't!!

I'm going to pencil in Flying Over Sunset just based on the creative team and three leads. My five nominees:



1. Flying Over Sunset

2. Jagged Little Pill

3. Girl From The North Country

4. Moulin Rouge

5. Six

bdn223 said: "2020 might be the first season since 2011-2012 that the high brow Off Broadway Transfer will crowned best musical over the traditionally commercial musical/adaptation.

I know Kinky BootsandA Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murderwon in 2013 and 2014 respectively, but neither year had an Off Broadway transfer in the race. 2014 did have After Midnight, but it is a revue and also was completely reworked to the point of having a different title when it was presented at Encores asCotton Club Parade.

Jagged Little Pilland Moulin Rouge opened to mixed to positive reviews, the later of which's production was nearly universally praised. This could lead to a Lion King vs Ragtimescenario, where voters will reward the best production, instead of the bestmusical on paper.Sing Street opened to truly mixed reviews, andThe Girl from the North Countryopened to overall positive reviews. The issue The Girl from the North Countrywill face is twofold. First is its a true downer, with little joy, which is can be a tough sell with voters if there is a feel good show that is just as well received. Second and more importantly is nearly every review points out that the show is a play with music and not a musical. It will clearly be placed in the musical category, based on the previous productions, but voters might not want to reward a play with music as best musical."

Are Fun Home, The Band’s Visit and Hadestown not high-brow off-Broadway transfers? Since Fun Home, the Tony-winning Best Musicals have all been transfers from off-Broadway.

Updated On: 1/13/20 at 12:50 PM

It's too early to say without seeing how Girl From the North Country and Six are received and without knowing anything about Flying Over Sunset aside from who is on the creative team. True, knowing nothing I don't think Diana or Mrs. Doubtfire will really be in contention for best musical. But I've been wrong before about shows like that (Come From Away, Memphis, etc.).

I'll be interested to see which musical gets championed as the "popular" vote. It could be Moulin Rouge! or Six in my opinion.

Girl from the North Country and Sing Street have that Once energy.

Jagged Little Pill feels like the show teens will decide was snubbed. But you never know... it could have a shot if everyone else doesn't stick the landing.

And if it's good, Flying Over Sunset feels like the more traditional artistic choice.

I didn't see Girl from the North Country, but I am kind of surprised that this "IT'S NOT A MUSICAL" argument. is clinging to it. Its London cast album has just as much music as any other musical cast album- it certainly doesn't seem like recent plays with music like One Man, Two Guv'nors or Peter and the Starcatcher that had a handful of songs but were largely without music. Since when are we so narrowly defining what constitutes "musical theatre"?

Kad said: "I didn't see Girl from the North Country, but I am kind of surprised that this "IT'S NOT A MUSICAL" argument. is clinging to it. Its London cast album has just as much music as any other musical cast album- it certainly doesn't seem like recent plays with music likeOne Man, Two Guv'nors or Peter and the Starcatcher that had a handful of songsbut were largely without music. Since when are we so narrowly defining what constitutes "musical theatre"?

"

I think the reason is that many reviews went out of their way to point out that McPherson’s “book” or as critics called it “drama” would make a great play without the inclusion of the Dylan songbook. I haven’t seem the show myself, but so I can’t argue one way or the other. I only called it out as it was a through line within several of the reviews, which when I looked back at the preview thread it seemed to be something people didn’t like repeating over and over of you go in expecting a musical you will be disappointed. It also doesn’t help that McPherson himself in press before it started at the public called it a “play with music” when asked about his creative vision for the piece.
There is little doubt in my mind that producers will petition and be approved to compete in the best musical categories. My only question is how will the voting body respond especially since it isn’t the clear by several lengths front runner, with stiff competition. Once’s only competition was Newsies. This allowed the argument to be made that Once needs the Best Musical win to be commercially viable both on Broadway and for touring, as opposed to Newsies which was already thought to be a Broadway hit and was an easy sell on the road with the Disney branding. The Band’s Visit didn’t face this dilemma as its win was a reaction to the rest of its competition being considered purely capitalistic commercial cash grabs. Thus unless The Girl from the North Country opens to reviews head and shoulders above the rest of its competition,aka Hamilton and Book of Mormon level reviews, the argument will/shall likely be made.

Updated On: 1/13/20 at 01:42 PM