Band's Visit not worth 9 Tonys- Page 3

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 12:55pm

JayElle wrote: The NY Times article said voters were voting "against the commercialism" of the other musicals. It showed.  Show was okay, but not great.

I can't help but wonder what this board would've looked like, had it been around, in 1994 when PASSION won Best Musical over BEAUTY AND THE BEAST...

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:05pm

The Band's visit is a wonderful little set piece that very likely deserved best musical. It was just not designed to appeal to a mass audience. Tewfiq's confession to Dina at the end is very heavy, and I'm not sure that I was ready for it. But I intend to return to catch some of the subtleties that I missed the first time.

This show, however, won all the acting awards except for Best Featured. Katrina Lenk gave a very impressive performance. But if they had official "degree of difficulty" grades as they do for some Olympic sports, then Lauren Ambrose and Joshua Henry deserved better. On stage for between two and two and a half hours, changing costumes when not on stage, voices always ready to sing some of Broadway's best-loved songs.

The failure of My Fair Lady and Carousel to receive more than one major award is going to cost these two ticket sales over the summer. You can't ignore financial ramifications when there are never enough dollars to put everyone to work in a good show.

[Patty3]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:12pm

JayElle said: "Haterobics said, "'m sorry the Tony voters did not validate your opinions. They failed you."

No, the voters failed performers. You're missing the point. Read the NY Times story and today's reviews. They're saying it was a protest vote which meant they didn't vote on its merits, but b/c they didn't like the alternatives. That's not a compliment."

And are these the same critics who gave stunning reviews to The Bands Visit? The best reviewed show of the year. It may have been a weak season but TBV deseved every Tony. The same way they deserved every Off-Broadway award they won last season.

[iholland95]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:15pm

I disagree. I think TBV shouldn't have won as many Tony's as it did, ESPECIALLY not Best Musical. Frozen or Mean Girls should've won Best Musical. 

[Impossible2]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:17pm

iholland95 said: "I disagree. I think TBV shouldn't have won as many Tony's as it did, ESPECIALLY not Best Musical. Frozen or Mean Girls should've won Best Musical."

HAHAHAHA

You funny 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:22pm

The only thing redeeming about The Bands Visit was the disco song “Sunny” by Boney M.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yD8DcgpLp_w

It was the only part of the show where I wasn’t trying to figure out when the plot was going to start or when would I finally get one of the Middle East insider jokes. Did you know there are two towns in that area that sound the same? HILARIOUS. I guess.

That said, Bands Visit was still more deserving of the Tony over the other nominated shows.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 2:16pm

Whenever the smaller or "artsy" musical wins, there's whining that the voters were "making a statement".  Whenever the bigger commercial behemoth wins, there's whining that the smaller artsy shows didn't win.  For so many "fans" of musical theatre, there simply are no winners.  Ever.  If voters aren't voting for the "best musical" of the season from the nominees, then they should consider changing the award name to "Least Worst Musical" or break down the voting process to a cumulative point system of all of its components.  Or better yet...no voters at all!  Best Musical will be determined by the number of other Tonys it wins!  Right?  That would be totally fair and satisfy everyone every season.  Of course, The Band's Visit still would have won.  If only the reviews didn't so clearly back up the outcome of the awards, then maybe there would be some clarity on the conspiracy angle.  

Should the Band’s Visit of swept last night, probably not, but did it deserve its Best Musical win?

"have" not "of".  "should of" is not a thing.  Never has been.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 2:17pm

...the plot started immediately.

The plot was an Egyptian band was stranded in an Israeli town and interacted with the locals.

That's the plot.

The town mixup is the inciting event and I can't recall it being mentioned again after the exposition.

And what Middle Eastern insider jokes?

Updated On: 6/11/18 at 02:17 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 2:31pm

How does tearing apart the show make some of you feel better?   Do you get this upset every time you don't get your way?  

[binau]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:00pm

I am so happy for everyone involved in The Band’s Visit. One of my most favourite theatre going experiences I will forever cherish.

[funhamilton_rent]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:10pm

The lighting, sound, directing, leading actor, and book awards were not deserved in my opinion. OOTI definitely deserved lighting design because of the thunderstorm. That was one of the best efforts of lighting and sound I've ever seen on a Broadway stage.

OOTI also deserved the directing award. TBV director took a fine book and a great score and added absolutely no life to it when bringing it to the stage. OOTI director completely reimagined a Broadway musical and staged it in the most challenging Broadway theatre, giving the audience an immersive and memorable experience. 


Ethan Slater or Joshua Henry both were onstage for 2.5 hours bursting with energy and talent, you couldn't keep your eyes off either of them. Tony Shalhoub was great, but not amazing in a way less demanding role than his competitors. 

Mean Girls deserved the book win because... how could it not? The smart, sophisticated humor of Mean Girls was simply miles better than TBV's slow, "poetic" book with little to no character development or rising/falling actions. Tina also did a phenomenal job of maintaining the source material's iconic quotes and scenes without having it be exactly the same as the movie.

EDIT: I could care less about the other awards, TBV definitely deserved some such as Leading Actress and Score. However it is apparent that the Tony voters simply didn't want to give awards to the overly-commercialized shows (or other ones equally as much of an "underdog" as TBV but not as overhyped).

 

Updated On: 6/11/18 at 03:10 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:16pm

Children and trolls have really ruined this board in recent years.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:20pm

dramamama611 said: "How does tearing apart the show make some of you feel better? Do you get this upset every time you don't get your way?"

I was here for the Avenue Q winning over Wicked Tonys and let me tell ya, it was so much worse. This is pretty tame. However, I don't go on tumblr, twitter, instagram, etc. for Broadway so I have no idea what kind of meltdowns are happening over yonder.

Updated On: 6/11/18 at 03:20 PM

[schubox]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:28pm

Some nasty posts in here. Saw TBV twice and adored it both times. The second time from the front row was one of the better theater experiences I’ve had.

The second time I went with my gf, who was seeing it for the first time, and after Answer Me she showed me her arm and she has goosebumps.

I totally get why a lot of people don’t like the show, but I thought it was wonderful and nuanced and beautiful. I can understand not liking it, but I don’t understand people’s need to tear it apart because of how successfull it was last night. A lot of negativity in here

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:31pm

The very last lighting cue alone earned The Band's Visit its design Tony.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:33pm

Honestly, the people most surprised by TBV's wins seem to be the people who are not familiar with the industry. It was always going to be the bigger winner of the evening, the question was just by how much.

The big shocks last night were Once on This Island and Laurie Metcalf. Everything else was within expectations.

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:35pm

Completely boring and overrated.  It was actually one of my least fav musicals of the season and I saw all of them.  

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:36pm

I can acknowledge that I probably did not give the show enough of a chance when I saw it and these impassioned pro-Bands Visit posts are making me have second thoughts about how harshly I responded to the show. Believe me, as a Phantom Phanatic, I know what it feels like to have a show you love ripped apart with negativity by this board!  

I said it before but the element of Bands Visit that stuck with me was that disco song. Can anybody give me a non-snarky, non-obnoxious, non-condescending reaction/explanation/interpretation of that song being in the show?  I personally loved it, but it was also quite out of place with the rest of the show. I'm interested in the creative decision by the powers-that-be to include that song in the way that they did. Any insights?

Updated On: 6/11/18 at 03:36 PM

[schubox]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:36pm

Kad said: "Honestly, the people most surprised by TBV's wins seem to be the people who are not familiar with the industry. It was always going to be the bigger winner of the evening, the question was just by how much.

The big shocks last night were Once on This Island and Laurie Metcalf. Everything else was within expectations."

This is true. I’ve been telling everyone since around December to see it and saying it was 100% going to win the Tony as a way to sell it 

[schubox]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:38pm

Phantom4ever said: "I can acknowledge that I probably did not give the show enough of a chance when I saw it and these impassioned pro-Bands Visit posts are making me have second thoughts about how harshly I responded to the show. Believe me, as a Phantom Phanatic, I know what it feels like to have a show you love ripped apart with negativity by this board!

I said it before but the element of Bands Visit that stuck with me was that disco song. Can anybody give me a non-snarky, non-obnoxious, non-condescending reaction/explanation/interpretation of that song being in the show? I personally loved it, but it was also quite out of place with the rest of the show. I'm interested in the creative decision by the powers-that-be to includethat song in the way that they did. Any insights?"

The song that played during the skating rink scene?

[Kad]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:39pm

Phantom4ever said: "I can acknowledge that I probably did not give the show enough of a chance when I saw it and these impassioned pro-Bands Visit posts are making me have second thoughts about how harshly I responded to the show. Believe me, as a Phantom Phanatic, I know what it feels like to have a show you love ripped apart with negativity by this board!

I said it before but the element of Bands Visit that stuck with me was that disco song. Can anybody give me a non-snarky, non-obnoxious, non-condescending reaction/explanation/interpretation of that song being in the show? I personally loved it, but it was also quite out of place with the rest of the show. I'm interested in the creative decision by the powers-that-be to includethat song in the way that they did. Any insights?"

I don't quite remember the use. Was it during the roller rink scene?

[schubox]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:40pm

If you’re referring to the song played during the roller skate scene, it’s the same song used in the film

https://youtu.be/vigy2fLNOEg

[SFFrontRow]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:50pm

I thought it a beautiful, intelligent show. It was the darling of off-Broadway last season. The story was more substantial than the “plastics” of Mean Girls and the “Ice Sisters” of Frozen. Spongebob was fun and silly, but eventually a more juvenile experience. So, given the competition, I think it got what it deserved. But, what if one of the prior season’s second bananas were in the mix? Waitress, Come from Away, even Warpaint.

The season a musical “comes in” really determines how well it’s going to do. The Band’s Visit came in during the right season. But, the show has quality and an adult appeal. Probably won’t be a wide appeal, and may not equate to a very long run. But, given the competition this year, it’s the musical that stood out (after being the off-broadway darling of last season. Makes you wonder what Here Lies Love would have done with a Broadway staging.

Still, it’s a very good show and a very entertaining evening of theater.

 

 

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:59pm

Kad said: "The big shocks last night were Once on This Island and Laurie Metcalf. Everything else was within expectations."

I thought Ari'el Stachel and Itamar Moses were pretty big shocks too. ...At least on the same level as the other two you mentioned which were still within reasonable expectations given their reviews. (Not like, say, someone other than Glenda Jackson winning Best Actress which would be the definition of a SHOCK.)

The fact that they had Book of a Musical in the main telecast made it clear to me that they thought Tina Fey was winning. And Tony voters love Norbert, who had a much flashier role than Ari'el Stachel. That said, I was surprised when Stachel won, but I thought his beautiful acceptance speech was one of the best in recent memory, so I'm thrilled he took it. 

[Kad]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 4:04pm

I always thought Moses was going to win, as an established and well-liked but under recognized playwright working on a very book-centric show. I also thought that Fey's book for Mean Girls reduced her screenplay. The show also did not have the same sort of affection going for it within the industry.

I did think Butz was going to take the prize, but had Stachel as the alternate choice.

Updated On: 6/11/18 at 04:04 PM