Does SPELLING BEE have a chance to win Best Musical?- Page 2

[Matt_G]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:00pm

How could you leave DRACULA off that list?? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?????

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:01pm

I think the problem so many of us have is not that its time for something bigger, but that to a lot of us Spamalot was just bad. The Tony can go to something that should be a big show over a more deserving smaller show, but how much quality can be given up.
I can't speak for BobbyBubby but I also saw it as taking a very negative mean spirited view of Musical Theatre in general. I like spoofs and Forbidden Broadway but Spamalot seemed to have no flow and just lashed out at everything.
Also a cheerleading scene, all the actors sitting around in circle on stage, the "lead" spending most of the show on a stool on the side of the stage, and taking 10 minutes with nothing hapening while they work in the gimmick all taken together was very disrespectful. Or at least royally boring.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:01pm

don't forget dracula and the frogs... it could happen.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:03pm

Wow when was the last year we had so many original musicals and so few musical revivals. Things are looking up.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:06pm

I'd like to think so too, MB.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:08pm

and yet it's the opposite this year on the play side mb, with 13 revivals and 5 new works.. and let's not forget the countless special events we have this year.

what i'm hoping is that most of the voters are theatre people, like us, like critics... those are the people that don't enjoy spamalot as much. yes, it is a tourist's darling, WHICH IS FINE, but when it comes to theatre people voting on "better" theatre... i just don't think spamalot has what it takes... if it weren't for the names and money involved i wouldn't even say it gets a nomination.

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:15pm

Not to re-hash last year's debate, but the Tony pretty much lost it's meaning when Tony voters admitted to having only voted for Q because they were promised a tour.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:17pm

yes. which is why this year i hope that voters decide based on theatre, not money and promises...






(i'm kind of still bitter from last year)

[Matt_G]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:20pm

You and me both, apdarcey.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:21pm

You're bitter that the better show won last year?

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:23pm

it's funny because i definitely thought falsettos, ragtime, parade and urinetown all should have won. but last year, i honestly thought wicked should have won over avenue q. honestly. and so my opinions come straight from what i think of the actual theatre itself. i thought wicked was a better show and i think spelling bee is a better show. i just don't know.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:25pm

Pop, I'm bitter because the best new musical in the past 10 years didn't win. Q was fun but CAROLINE was brilliant.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:26pm

i hear you on that matt_g.
caroline was other-worldly, but i had basically assumed it wouldn't win.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:28pm

Caroline never stood a chance though, did it?

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:28pm

Haha!! Matt G, I actually have seen Shockheaded Peter.

"it's funny because i definitely thought falsettos, ragtime, parade and urinetown all should have won." A BIG AMEN TO THAT!!!!!!!

[TheGaIsSilent]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:30pm

popcultureboy, I love Avenue Q, but it wasn't the Best Musical last year. Not even close.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:31pm

i agree gal. it was good, but not the best. and you're right, caroline never stood a chance, but it is an amazing piece of theatre...


infinite, it's true ain't it.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:36pm

Caroline was ahead of its time I think, and when it's revived in 20 years or so, it will be recognised more willingly then. And please, award shows have never been about the best or most deserved shows actually winning, have they now?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 1:48pm

I don't think any of the choices last year were just plain bad. Q, Wicked and Caroline all had some great things going for them. I would like to see a show that has real quality win, but a spectacle is ok too.
Its just not close with Spamalot, it would be like a third grade production of caddyshack on videotape winning an oscar.

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 2:00pm

LOL Smartpenguin, seriously everyone in the library is staring at me.
I fear for the future of broadway if Spamalot wins, just as I celebrated for the future of broadway when Avenue Q won. (Granted I didn't see Caroline) It will be a travesty if Spamalot wins when there are multiple choices that are just plain better. And DRS could be a good touring draw if anyone ever realizes that it's playing!

[worrell4077]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 3:50pm

The whole situation is an example of the David vs. Goliath idea. Spelling Bee being represented by David and SPAM as Goliath, but this time Goliath will win. SPAM is a great show, I don't see why many of you have such strong negative feelings towards it.

SPAM will be the big winner of the night, it's going to take Best Musical, it deserves Best FEATURED actor because of Christian Borle, it deserves Best FEATURED actress because of Ramirez, and possibly maybe score and scenery.
________________________________________________________________
"Some things in life are bad, they can make you really mad. Other things just make you swear and curse. When you're chewing on life' gristle, don't grumble, give a whistle. And this will help things turn out for the best and... Always look on the bright side of life."
-Monty Python's SPAMalot

[WillParker]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 4:12pm

i'm in full agreement that Spelling Bee has one hell of an uphill climb if it's going to even have a prayer at winning Best Musical, but dont annoint Sara Ramirez as the newly crowned Tony winner just yet--wait until Spelling Bee opens--you've got some great great ladies giving some fierce performances.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 4:19pm

The Best Musical Tony is going to be another nailbiter this year. The almost yearly debate about artsy show vs. commercial hit is just resurfacing. Still, I think that Best Score is actually going to be the hardest to call. Adam Guettel is a critical darling ("the savior of musical theater" according to some, myself included) and Light in the Piazza is his most accessible show thus far. William Finn is dearly beloved by many, though his wins for both book and score in 1992 may be enough of a pat on the back. And there are a lot of people out there that still think David Yazbek was robbed by the Producers steamroller, again myself included. If I were a voted this year I'd wish to split my vote three ways.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 4:40pm

what we need is a new award that isn't so strongly married to the industry's desire to make money and compete with movies as a commercial venture. money is good, theatre needs more money. so that's why we could keep the tony's around to be run completely by the jukebox musicals, film adaptations, and stunt-casting idols.

then everyone who really is interested in theatre, and not just the idea of being seen "doing" theatre, can have a new award that includes Off-Broadway, maybe has categories like Best Non-Profit, Best New Playwright, Best Benefit, Best Concert Staging, Best Workshop, Best Fundraising Effort, Best Understudy/Standby/Swing, Best Orchestra, Best Youth Outreach, Best Equity Showcase, etc.

two different awards, with all the money from both being combined into a single General Theatre Pool, completely tax-exempt of course. It would be counted, photographed by Bruce Glikas in various sexy poses, then distributed among the productions by a 4-person council. half the funds would be at the discretion of Paula Vogel and Encores' Jack Viertel to allocate as they see best. The other half would be decided on via a process where John Simon and Michael Riedel would stand outside the Olive Garden and literally throw horse crap toward the TKTS board, to see where it sticks. ok maybe I'm going a bit far afield. but we do need a new award system.

Updated On: 4/18/05 at 04:40 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 4:46pm

Whatever wins best musical, nothing is going to sweep this year. I see the awards being fairly evenly distributed.