Drowsy Chaperone's Best Musical Odds? — Page 3

Oh heck, allofmylife, no feelings hurt. I wasn't saying you shouldn't dislike Reefer Madness -- everyone's entitled to their opinion. I was just having a little fun with your typo!

Speaking of typos, it's Dan, not Don.

The Color Purple will NOT win best musical.
That is all.

don, I was just jesting. I wasn't slighted and hope you weren't either.

---

I love to see people make out on this board.

"I hope Tarzan doesn't get a nom.
Those poor actors. In every Disney show, but especially this one, the show is shaped so that nobody in the audience even pays attention to them! And most of them- especially Jenn Gambatese- are great!
Tarzan is not a show, it is a PRODUCT.
Tony committee, please don't reward this."

Wow, so you think none of the designers who brought this production to life should receive any credit for their work? Nice.

PS - Damn Yankees was based on Wallop's novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant".

---

Joe - I know what you mean. Just because a show has an original book, does not make it better than those adapted from previous material. In My Life proved that rather well.

---

And, also, I think you guys need to go back and re-read the Color Purple reviews. They were pretty positive. Definitely not raves but the show wasn't panned either.

Okay, robbiej, since I my schaudenfreude situation amused you once I'll go one step further. I didn't just insult the creator of a Broadway show, I was once part of something far more embarrassing. I was in "The Soap Factory" a card shop on Melrose Blvd. in LA with a girl I was dating and somehow we got to talking about a big television star. She said "I love him, he's so talented, but why doesn't he just come out and admit he's gay? We all know he is." At that moment, I realized the person standing beside her was, in fact that very same star (this has a Broadway connection because he has been onstage in a huge hit in New York). The star said, "Well... that's news to me" and went back to looking at the greeting cards. We slinked out of the store feeling as low as we deserved to feel.....

---

Taking your logic to its extreme, shows which are derivative from secondary sources are not as creative as shows completely original: thus, "Carousel" derived form Molnar's "Liliom"--all things being equal, would be creatively inferior to Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George"; "My Fair Lady" inferior to "Urinetown", and "South Pacific" is inferior to "Avenue Q."

The fact that critics have distanced "Jersey Boys" from musicals considered "Jukebox musicals" and almost universally given it ovationary reviews (John Simon included who knew nothingof the group or particularly cared for its music)should suggest this show deserves plaudits for originality equal to "Drowsy Chaperone" which I think is an excellent show by the way."

As an aside, while the book and music are original, Woddy Allen employed a similar device in "The Purple Rose of Cairo" where the cast of a fictitious depression-era adventure film broke through the "fourth wall" to interact with the audience.

Well, I highly doubt that THE WEDDING SINGER will be among the nominees for best musical.

And let's examine the new, eligible scores this season:

THE COLOR PURPLE - An overall enjoyable score with some great production numbers, but it is too scattered and unfocused - just like the entire production.

IN MY LIFE - nothing needs to be said.

THE WOMAN IN WHITE - Bland, bland, bland, but could garner one nomination here if the committe decides it's better than IN MY LIFE (which it is), LESTAT, TARZAN, etc.

THE WEDDING SINGER - Very enjoyable pop songs - not great lyrics. This will almost definitely get a nomination.

THE DROWSEY CHAPERONE - I know nothing about this show, so I cannot comment.

TARZAN - The original songs are great - and from what I've heard from various people, the new material is just okay.

LESTAT - I've only heard a few songs - terrible - but I'll reserve judgement until I see the show.

So, we have some nomination locks:

THE COLOR PURPLE
THE WEDDING SINGER

What's left for the next three slots? It won't be IN MY LIFE. I doubt it will be LESTAT, unless they swoon for Taupin, but Elton already has a tony and will probably score another next year with BILLY ELLIOT, so they'll pass on this one.

It will probably wind up being:

THE COLOR PURPLE
THE WEDDING SINGER
TARZAN
THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
THE WOMAN IN WHITE

(there are 5 nominees in this category, right)

IF there are four, THE WOMAN IN WHITE will be eliminated.

And who will win? Well, this could potentially turn into the worst score to ever win a Tony conversation again.

TARZAN has the edge, because of Phil Collins.

Question for you folks:

There are a bunch of new songs for the production (which not everyone has heard yet), but many will agree that his songs from the film were wonderful and charming. When voting, could it be that the committee will look at the score as a whole, looking at wonderful songs like "Two Worlds," "You'll Be in My Heart", etc. as fantastic, thereby going for a Collins win? Or will they vote for Collins because he's Phil Collins?

Let us not forget that TOMMY won best score, and most of that was NOT original.

Oh well, enough rambling. What do you think?

---

You said TARZAN's score is not as good as the film songs - which I have heard - but which are also included in the show.

My question was, do you think they'll be able to separate the two, and award the work solely for his older material? I'm afraid they'll say "Wow, You'll Be in My Heart' is so pretty, I'm voting for Phil Collins!"

---

Saw them both, right now my edge goes to Jersey Boys. This show is also great though!

My predix for Best Musical:

-The Drowsy Chaperone
-Jersey Boys (slightly better)