Best Score 2007- The Sentimental Favorite or The Brilliant New Work?

I'm hoping this won't get as heated as our very early Best Actress predictions, but one Tony category that seems very exiting this year is best score. We have the sentimental favorite- Kander and Ebb's Curtains (which will most likely open), the brilliant new, exiting piece- Grey Gardens, the pop opera- The Pirate Queen, the cult comedy turned musical- High Fiedelity and Disney- Mary Poppins.
This is not about who is going to win. It's too early to say. But what two scores do you think will be neck and neck?

At this point, after hearing all if not some of most of the competition, I'd say Grey Gardens will be neck and neck with Curtains. Of course, Curtains doesn't come close to Chicago or Cabaret, although it is quite good. However, with Fred Ebb's unfortunate passing and Kander and Ebb being sentimental favorites, it has a chance and will of course get nominated. As for what will compete for the prize. Well, Mary Poppins has a great score with some lovely new songs by Stiles and Drewe. I've been a fan of this score since I first saw it in London. However, I honestly think Disney will **** the whole thing up. Grey Gardens is brilliant. Brilliant and efective pastiche, extremely interesting "modern" numbers. Utter brilliance.
I think Best Score will be between Curtains and Grey Gardens. Sentiment vs. Brilliance. Who will win? Let's wait a few months.
Any other opinions or thoughts?

I'm a sucker for Tom Kitt and Amanda Green, but they won't win.

I wouldn't call GREY GARDENS' score brilliant...

And to be honest, it's the only score I have heard. To be fair, the score on Broadway will be slightly different - so who knows.

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Yeah, we have to take Spring Awakening into the mix...and Curtains is not yet set. They want it to open this season but it could always get shunted until next season.
And, in the pop category, there's Legally Blonde.

Doesn't at least half the score have to be new in order to be eligible? I'd imagine they'll qualify.

It's better, too, isn't it? I mean, I realize that is relative.
At the very least, it looks like there will be a small measure of quality from which to choose the Best Score nominees this Spring.

That list looks pretty complete to me.
I'd have to go do some research about the Who's Tommy (sidenote: The Who have a new concept album out like Tommy this Fall called Endless Wire) but it's possible it won before they created the "original" score eligibility.

I'd imagine if Curtains does open, your picks are the locks unless the Pirate Queen is a flop followed by High Fidelity or Legally Blonde garnering better reviews than queen.

I just did a quick comparison of the Tommy Cds. There's about 10 tracks or so that appear new compared to the original Who album. I don't know how that compares to the score as it is onstage but I would think that it is indeed a bigger percentage of old music.

TARZAN only had 9 original songs, I believe, is that correct?

If I am counting correctly, MARY POPPINS has 10 new songs, possibly eleven. If they cut "Temper, Temper" it will be even less. Who knows.

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>it depends if CURTAINS is going to open, though- i personally dont think it will because it was eying the Al Hirschfeld, and WEDDING SINGER is starting to pick up business (hope it lasts, though), so unless if they find another theatre...I'd say it'd open sometime next season<

And people said the same thing regarding Drowsy Chaperone last season when it was looking for a house. And lo and behold! Along came January...

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Poppins' score also has some revised lyrics and music by Stiles and Drewe. Supercalifragelisticexpialidocious (sp? I'm only human) has almost entirely new lyrics and a new ending.

The producers of Curtains are not meek little guys. They're brave and bold ones. They've produced Steel Pier, which totally bombed and went on to produce the hit revival of Kiss Me, Kate. I don't think we'll be waiting till next season. I hope not.

Having heard the score of Legally Blonde, I should think it has the biggest chance of winning. It's a very smart score.

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Directed to Enchanted Hunter-
I happen to strongly disagree with your post. There is another great score coming.
Mary Poppins is quite intelligent and musically interesting. The new lyrics are brimming with wit and the music is fairly tuneful and musically interesting. And that's just the new stuff. But again, Disney will most likely take whatever merrit the new material had away and cheapen the great Sherman Brothers materials. (Hell, they already ruined the beautiful Feed the Birds in London!)

Updated On: 9/19/06 at 08:30 PM