Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The Drama Desks!

#1

Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The Drama Desks!

Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:40pm

Linda Lavin's win for THE NEW CENTURY was the ONE win for an Off-Broadway show in the competitive categories at the Drama Desks tonight.

The 257th edition of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY won against two other Off-Broadway shows, so that one doesn't count.

ADDING MACHINE was ridiculously robbed in every category in which it was nominated.

Thanks, Drama Desks, for no longer nominating Off-Off-Broadway shows, and no longer giving awards to Off-Broadway shows.

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"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#2

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The Drama Desks!

Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:49pm

Just because they didn't do it tonight doesn't mean they've stopped chillax! They lost out to deserving competitors. If Broadway shows were snubbed you'd be having the same argument.

#3

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:51pm

I actually agree with Foster. They tend to award Broadway shows as kind of a precursor for the Tonys but I think that defeats the whole purpose of the DD's. They should equally award Off-Bway and Off-Off-Bway stuff. I don't know, it just seems odd that all of the award-worthy performances, shows, and technical aspects are from Broadway productions according to the DD winners list.

Updated On: 5/18/08 at 11:51 PM

#4

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:52pm

Yeah, ADDING MACHINE wuz robbed.

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"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum

#5

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:56pm

PASSING STRANGE winning for Best Score and Lyrics is the best indicator that the Drama Desks have bias to Broadway productions. NEXT TO NORMAL was outstanding and I hear even better things about ADDING MACHINE.

Is it that it's just too huge a canvas? Did the people who vote from amongst the nominees to choose a winner not see all the nominated shows?

Or do the Drama Desks just want the distinction of being a predictor of Tony Night to gain more "respect" and attention?

I have one big fat word about this:

WHATEVER!

The true "best" never wins in any awards show. We know it's all opinion anyway, but people don't VOTE based on their opinions. They vote based on backstage politics.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#6

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:59pm

THE SLUG BEARERS OF KAYROL ISLAND also received raves Off-Broadway, yet not one award win tonight.

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"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#7

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:02am

Passing Strange did start out as an Off-Bway show this same season. The Drama Desks have not sold out at all. I think there is a bias, due to the prestige. However, Passing Strange is by no means a mainstream show that received its awards based merely on the fact that it was on Broadway.

#8

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:07am

OK, saying they award mainstream shows over non-mainstream shows isn't the issue here.

DROWSY CHAPERONE won Best Musical over JERSEY BOYS the season they were eligible, and JERSEY BOYS was the obvious mainstream choice -- but they were both on Broadway.

I'm saying that they choose to recognize Broadway shows over Off-Broadway shows, while they pride themselves so much on combining both and judging them equally.

---

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#9

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:09am

Do you think the Broadway show SPRING AWAKENING would have really won Best Lyrics last year (which it did) over the Off-Broadway show IN THE HEIGHTS (which it was up against) if IN THE HEIGHTS had been a Broadway show at that point?

I mean, really, Best Lyrics?

---

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#10

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:26am

Doesn't In the Heights have lots of lyrics in Spanish? I mean, it's an American show on an American stage. I think they should only be rewarded for speaking good old-fashioned American English.

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"Why, I make more money than... than... than Calvin Coolidge! PUT TOGETHER!"
~Lina Lamont


My name wasn't, isn't, and will never be Scott.

#11

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:44am

I love the music from "Spring Awakening, and "In The Heights" DID win for Best Choreography over "SA" last year. "ITH" also won for Best Ensemble so I don't really see bias there.

I do agree though they shouldn't have changed the rules to eliminate Off-Off Broadway this year.

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< Patty Duke (the original Neely O'Hara) & me (March 8, 2010)

Updated On: 5/19/08 at 12:44 AM

#12

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:54am

"Doesn't In the Heights have lots of lyrics in Spanish? I mean, it's an American show on an American stage. I think they should only be rewarded for speaking good old-fashioned American English."

What the **** kind of ****y thing is that to say? Should "The Light in the Piazza" not have won Best Score for all the Italian lyrics?

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-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/

#13

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:16am

I just highly doubt that if PASSING STRANGE were still this tiny little show playing at the Public, that it would have won so many -- if ANY -- awards tonight.

---

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#14

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:19am

Gotta agree with Wanna Be.

The Linda Lavin win was, to me, like a band-aid. For lack of a better term I guess.

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Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

#15

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:16am

I should just never joke on this board, should I?

---

"Why, I make more money than... than... than Calvin Coolidge! PUT TOGETHER!"
~Lina Lamont


My name wasn't, isn't, and will never be Scott.

#16

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:17am

Foster, Spring Awakening didn't win Best Lyrics at the Drama Desks last year. Curtains did. It was the one award Curtains got.

EDIT: Curtains got two since Debra Monk was in the featured category.

Updated On: 5/19/08 at 02:17 AM

#17

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:19am

Oy...

ADDING MACHINE totally got robbed

#18

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:24am

bjh2114, you are WRONG.

CURTAINS won Best Book at the Drama Desks last year.

SPRING AWAKENING won Best Music and Best Lyrics.

---

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#19

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:44am

Yah you're right. I knew that too. For some reason I was thinking "book" while reading and writing "lyrics" regardless of what was being said. I distinctly remember Rupert Holmes getting the award too. Oy my brain has stopped functioning.

#20

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:47am

WBAF-
LAST TIME I CHECKED FORBIDDEN BROADWAY PLAYS OFF BROADWAY.
Find something else please.
My biggest upset was the lack of the following:
Jackie Hoffman not being nominated with Testa. They both are marvelous.
IS HE DEAD being snubbed.
And my biggest pet peeve: Colman from PASSING STRANGE being over looked.
WHAT'S INSIDE IS JUST A LIE.

PS The awards were a blast this year.

Updated On: 5/19/08 at 02:47 AM

#21

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:52am

Corine:

1) WBAF already stated he wasn't counting FORBIDDEN BROADWAY because it wasn't against a Broadway show.

2) The awards were a BLAST??? WHAT were you smoking because apparently I need some!

---

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#22

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:54am

Blast my ass.
The awards completely stunk. And I am still mad we have no explanation why there were no performances this year.

#23

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:55am

The awards were a blast for me. I interviewed all the winners backstage.

#24

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:56am

Interviewing them backstage? Well that's a horse of another color! You missed out, Corine. The "tens of people watching online" were at another party.

---

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#25

re: Congratulations To The ONE Off-Broadway Show That Was Recognized By The

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:58am

LJAY,
We are in a bad ecomomic climate. Why were there no musical numbers? MONEY. If you want to put some into next years show please email me.

To quote one of my favorite shows and movies:
And a Roundabout show:
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND.(CABARET)