Ben B's Look at 2006

[ahimsa]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 4:48pm

A Look at the 2006 Broadway Musical Season
By BEN BRANTLEY
A LIVING ghost walks on Broadway. Colorless and thin to the point of transparency, it is far scarier than the make-believe ghouls — the vampires and phantoms in opera cloaks — who sometimes occupy the stages around Times Square. Though its guises are many, it always exudes the same damp aura of unconvincing jollity, like that of a superannuated party girl who lost her confidence with her youth and has taken to wearing her daughter's trendy clothes. Such is the face of the American musical in the year 2006.
Updated On: 5/19/06 at 04:48 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/19/06 at 5:44pm

Well said, and I agree.

"The problem is that the show-within-the-show isn't nearly as entertaining as what the Man has to say about it."

That's exactly what I said, and people jumped down my throat.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 1:52am

What shows have won the Tony for Best Musical that didn't get great reviews? Besides like Sunset, that's one of the only ones I can think of.


I'm not really crazy about any of the musical nominees. Well, I love Purple and Wedding Singer, but neither will win. I just don't find Drowsy all that great and Jersey Boys doesn't really interest me because it seems more of play with music since the songs don't really help the plot.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 2:03am

A bunch come to mind:

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
TITANIC
SUNSET BOULEVARD
KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
CATS
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
APPLAUSE
HALLELUAH, BABY!


I'm sure there are many more.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 8:08am

Phantom of the Opera and Evita also had a pretty mixed reception from critics, but went on to win Best Musical.
Company got a stinko notice from Clive Barnes in the NY Times, but went on to win Best Musical. The same is true with Bye Bye Birdie, which received a negative review from Brooks Atkinson (one of his last). I don't think critics liked Redhead much, apart from its star Gwen Verdon, and the Fosse staging.

I did think reviews for Two Gentlemen of Verona were fairly good. I was surprised to see it on Munk's list.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 8:40am

Well, whoever wins Best Musical, doesn't have to win the contest for the full 21st century. It'll merely win for this year, and then it is considered the best show of 2005/2006. Basta!

[BKLYN_FAN]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 10:44am

This story wasn't written by a thatre enthusiastic, it was written by an old bitter man. Since the season is over and he can't cast his venom at anyone in particular, he atacks everyone.

Maybe a job as a used car salesman is in the offeing for him. I cant stand this negativity any longer. I'm going to call the TIMES and cancel my subscription and tell them its due to BB. I'll just read articles on-line for free when I want too.

Posted: 5/20/06 at 10:55am

A season with Ring of Fire, Lestat, Woman in White, and The Wedding Singer can't be all bad

[jaybrrd]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 11:03am

Oh, how I hope that comment was wholly facetious.

[jv92]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 11:17am

Munk,
I thought La Cage recieved mostly possitive response, with the exception of Frank Rich who gave it a negative review? Am I wrong?

As to Brantley's look at current musicals,
He's absolutely right. It was a very poor season for new musicals even with some interesting entries such as The Drowsy Chaperone and Jersey Boy.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 11:47am

Did not see Ring of Fire but agree (really) with other 3 choices

There are those out there who hated The producers while 98% loved it. If something does not appeal to you, great. Do not put down what other people like even though you may hate it

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 4:17pm

LA CAGE got very mixed reviews. None flat out negative (that I can recall, I haven't read all of them), but most I have read were raves for Hearn, mixed on the show.

You canceled your NYTIMES subscription because you don't like it when Ben Brantley tells the truth? Okay. Go listen to BKLYN.

[karen24]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 4:38pm

Actually, Ben Brantley was born in 1954. I wouldn't exactly call a 52 or 53-year-old man "old".

[BROADWAYFAN3]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 4:46pm

maybe he just needs a mood elevator like zoloft

[Steve2]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 4:58pm

In general, does everyone agree with Ben B's basic premise that it is a poor season for musicals?

Thanks

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 5:06pm

Yeah, I agree the quality of musicals this season is down. There aren't any stand-out hits. It seemed like last year, all four of the best musical noms all got great reviews. Where as this year, most of them got mix-positive, or just sort of mixed reviews all together.
Updated On: 5/21/06 at 05:06 PM

[BROADWAYFAN3]

Posted: 5/20/06 at 5:09pm

The Season
Drowsy Chaperone - original, fun
Wedding Singer - laughs and toe tapping good time
Chita - a history lesson from an icon
plus
Sweeny Todd
Color Purple
Barefoot
Jersey Boys

good solid entertainment

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 3:32am

Don't, not doesn't. You go to college?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 5:18am

Actually, all four of last year's Tony nominees received mixed reviews, with Spamalot getting several downright negative reviews, Piazza getting quite a lukewarm response to its book and score (some critics called it "unmelodic"), and DRS getting criticized for its book and design (Brantley was particularly dismissive of it). Spelling Bee got mostly positive notices, but Barnes of the Post and Kissell of the Daily News (among others) both notably HATED it calling it infantile and too cute and precious for its own good (Barnes gave it One Star).

Drowsy actually got a much better slate of reviews than all four and Jersey Boys's reviews were roughly on a par with them, if not slightly better. Color Purple's were Mixed, Wedding Singer a little less than that, and the rest were mostly negative. So overall, the reviews for last year's four nominees were better than this year's, but not by as much as everyone seems to remember. And in some ways, the season seems worse because we've had so many critically lambasted flops (or soon-to-be-flops) in rapid succession -- Lennon, In My Life, Lestat, Ring of Fire, Hot Feet, Tarzan ........ People have already forgotten last season's fiascos such as Brooklyn, Good Vibrations, Dracula etc.....

And much has been made over the fact that all four of last years Tony nominees are still running, though clearly at least three of the four nominees this year -- Drowsy, Jersey Boys and Color Purple -- will almost certainly still be running a year from now (and if Piazza were running in a regular commercial house rather than in a not-for-profit venue, it would have closed long ago given its generally weak box office numbers).

Last season was probably a better one overall than this year, but not by as much as some people are claiming.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 5:23am

I agree with Broadwayfan3, i think the only dissappointment were the shows with the most nominations. We also had a thrilling ALW musical imported from London.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 8:36am

???
The box office is very good, and is getting better every week.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 9:31am

Personally, I think this has been the worst year for new musicals on Broadway in recent memory. If I was a Tony voter, I would have to abstain from choosing from the four nominated shows, because I could not bring myself to wholeheartedly vote for any show in the mediocre lot.

It's too bad off-Broadway shows are not eligible. Sure GREY GARDENS, SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE and BERNARDA ALBA weren't perfect, but they were a helluva lot more interesting than the dreck currently lighting up the midtown marquees.

[jv92]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 10:18am

Not THE worst, but certainly not a good season for new musicals.
I used to hate Brantley, I mean after he failed to agknowledge Piazza and DRS as last years the bests of the season, however this year I agree with him much more and after reading his previous reviews from other years, I agree with him even more.
Updated On: 5/21/06 at 10:18 AM

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 10:23am

I 100% agree with MEF. Though Brantley isn't always my favorite critic, he did hit the nail on the head with this article. It has been a disappointing season for new musicals all-around.

Hopefully next season will be an improvement, though I am skeptical. At least we have some fabulous revivals to look forward to, as well as some decent West End transfers.

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 5/21/06 at 11:02am

I also read that article yesterday and couldn't agree more, and Brantley and I don't usually find common ground about anything! Reading his article helped me realize that I honestly don't care about the Tony race this year, and it's the first time since I started watching the awards almost ten years ago that I feel this way. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed everything I saw this season, there's just nothing I feel particularly strongly about. Eh.