Biggest Tony Shockers In History — Page 4

I love Spring Awakening, but it did NOT really deserve Best Book.

I actually think it did deserve Choreography though...

I agree that In The Heights has a crappy book. It's sweet, but it's just so very cliche. It's the kind of show that I think will probably really suffer once the OBC leaves and the energy starts to fade.

I remember watching the episode of "Theatre Talk" when the critics were predicting last year's Tonys. I remember them discussing how there was absolutely no contest regarding Spring Awakening's choreography, that it deserved the award without question or doubt. In fact, they said something to the effect that it would be downright wrong if it didn't win. I guess the critics really loved the choreography.

~Steven

but In The Hieghts didn't win best book

No one said it did. But it *did* win Best Musical, and a book is part of what makes a musical. :P

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I have nothing against avenue q, but wicked was so massivley popular you would think it would win by an overwhelming majority

The Tony Awards are not and should never become an award for the most popular show. This year's IN THE HEIGHTS, last year's SPRING AWAKENING were not exactly setting their repsective box offices on fire before the awards. If it were a popularity contest do you think PASSION would have won over BEAUTY AND THE BEAST? Would 1776 have won over HAIR? Would SWEENEY TODD have beaten THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG? (SONG ran almost 3 times as long as SWEENEY and was more profitable.)

Commercial success is never a guarantee of quality.

The Will Rogers Follies winning over anything else that season.

The original production of WRF was visually dazzling and sparkling entertainment. The book and score are both second rate and SECRET GARDEN - despite a plodding first act (which they did trim later) - deserved the award for Best Book. There wasa huge backlash against MISS SAIGON (and resentment among the Broadway community that too many of these British Pop Operas were starting to dominate the scene) but the score for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND was never given credit for its innovation, and it should have taken that award. Again, if this had been a popularity contst SAIGON would have swept all.

Here's one that may or may not have surprised peole in 1956: the nominees for Best Actress in a musical included Julie Andrews in MY FAIR LADY, Ethel Merman in HAPPY HUNTING and Judy Holiday in BELLS ARE RINGING. Holiday won.

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"The Tony Awards are not and should never become an award for the most popular show. This year's IN THE HEIGHTS, last year's SPRING AWAKENING were not exactly setting their repsective box offices on fire before the awards. If it were a popularity contest do you think PASSION would have won over BEAUTY AND THE BEAST? Would 1776 have won over HAIR? Would SWEENEY TODD have beaten THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG? (SONG ran almost 3 times as long as SWEENEY and was more profitable.)

Commercial success is never a guarantee of quality."


frontrowcentre2

Again, what you're saying is not correct. I have been saying, IN RECENT YEARS, the more popular show got the award. And second of all, your last comment, 'Commercial success is never a guarentee of quality', well that is true but that isn't what we are all saying. We are saying the tony awards comittee igonres quality and picks the most popular show,

For Example:
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Spamalot
The Lion King
Jersey Boys

just to name a few

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The Tony Awards are not and should never become an award for the most popular show

C'mon, you know a lot better than to post something like that. One thing is that they shouldn't and another that they aren't. Sure there are exceptions, but the one with the most potential is always the favorite. Rarely the best show wins.

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you should see some of the other stuff frontrowcentre2 has said

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I'll say it again...SPRING AWAKENING for choreography.
"And jump up and down, up and down, angst, angst, angst, touch yourself, and touch yourself and 5, 6, 7, 8, headbang."

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I used to watch the Tony Awards until 1998. Then it just stopped. This year, I happened to flip the channels and decided to watch it. I was out of town and missed Passing Strange but I wasn't at all impressed with In The Heights... maybe because my expectations boomed with it within the award.
I thought Xanadu was a lot more entertaining, overall!

I also love how they don't give the bookwriters/playwrights the light of day with a speech but let Patti talk for 10 minutes! Without a script, there is no show!

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Lotte, I'm always surprised and a little annoyed when speeches are very abruptly cut off. (I was watching the Emmys this year and they went to commercial in the middle of someone's speech - how annoying)

Patti's speech was obviously longer than most people's, but it honestly wasn't obnoxiously long (less than 3 minutes) and was pretty entertaining, imo.

I thought it was a bit of a shock when The Pajama Game won over Sweeney Todd, but probably not the "biggest" shock.

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Updated On: 10/11/08 at 10:28 PM

I thought Lin was going to win best leading actor this year.