Finally saw the 4th of the Best Musicals...

[Trish2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:05am

Well , I finally saw the last of the 4 Best Musical nominees tonight: Spring Awakening.

Naturally, i was expecting the second coming due the chats, reviews, etc. The theater was filled to the brim, including standing room. The show certainly takes a while to get moving, and I personally found the score monotonous . There were a few songs that had something going, but the jarring "buttons" just made no sense to me. Interesting that the sustained applause for "Totally Fked" had half of the audience looking around to try to understand what was going on. I honestly wouldn't recommend it to friends nor would I purchase the CD. Naturally, it was a polished and slick piece, but I kept thinking this seems like a fantastic college production done at CCM, NYU or Carnegie Mellon. The cast was hardworking and not without talent, but again, of the top draw University crowd. Those kids must be pinching themselves to even be in the TONY race ! Well good for them.

So now we have Curtains, which I found enjoyable, mostly because of the talents of Hyde Pierce and Monk, some fun characters, quirky story and a couple of good songs.

Grey Gardens with fantastic performances by Ebersole and Wilson as well. Again with a couple of good songs. At least I found the subject matter and book well done and intriguing.

And finally, the un-magical Poppins. The show that should have danced (much better than it does), and should have been fantastical. Instead they chose the darker route. A choice yes, but I feel the wrong one.

I can honestly say that this could be anyone's year. Nothing, with the exception of Ebersole's performance and the intensity of Journey's End, blew me away this year. I just hope Shaiman's got a nice surprise for us again soon.

(And no, I didn't see 110 yet )

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:08am

I agree with you about SPRING AWAKENING.

Disagree about POPPINS. I didn't think it was dark enough. They took this sugary sweet approach to the story line, rushed past important moments that SHOULD be dark (Feed the Birds) and ended the show with a dime-a-dozen inspirational song about dreams.

But overall, I would rather see POPPINS win best musical over SPRING AWAKENING.



Actually, at this point, I would rather see BROOKLYN win best musical over SPRING AWAKENING.

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:14am

The performers in Spring Awakening definitely outclass the material they have to work with. The director, Michael Mayer, must have had a ball with that masturbation scene

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:17am

I don't agree.

Other than Gallagher and Groff, the rest of the teen acting is amateur at best. I actually found moments painfull.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:21am

or two "balls".

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:23am

You are so odd.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:24am

"I personally found the score monotonous"

I totally agree. It just seems more levels or something. The entire score sounds like the same song just dragged out.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:27am

To me, Grey Gardens is the clear winner...although I did enjoy Spring Awakening more than it seems you all did. Gallagher deserves his Tony nomination, as does the score, in my opinion.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:31am

But it sucks that SA is going to win.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:36am

Although it wasn't my favorite, I can think of worse Best Musical winners. It really is nice to have a different, innovative show on Broadway. Actually just about all my friends who aren't into theatre who have listened to the CD really enjoy it. I think it's a good thing for Broadway.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:37am

I actually really enjoy Sheik's music. I have many more problems with the lyrics. I don't like most of them.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:39am

I enjoy the music, too. The lyrics are not good.

But as far as a score goes - it doesn't deserve to win the Tony.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:41am

What do you think does, Grey Gardens? I thought the score was the best part of SA.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:42am

Well the problem I have with Shiek's music is the same as with his score as with his own music. It's all the same. It all sounds rather slow and soft and boring. I'm not saying that all the characters need to belt out their lungs, but I don't know, the score just needs something.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:43am

His music DOES all sound the same.

And yes, GREY GARDENS is my pick.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:44am

I think the show does have its high energy numbers. Totally F*ckd and The Bitch of Living are definitley high energy.


And the lyrics are why I don't want it to win Best Score.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:47am

Which lyrics do you guys not like? Now, I'm not a big fan of some of them either (My Junk, especially), but I don't think they are so bad as to prevent it from winning Best Score. I really loved Grey Gardens' music, but for me the music in Spring Awakening WAS the show, and I thought it was fresh and innovative for a musical. And to tell you the truth, I skip a handful of tracks on the Grey Gardens CD, but I can pretty much listen to SA straight through.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:47am

I love Sheik's music for the show. I hope it wins for Best Score this year....but then again....I was a HUGE Duncan Sheik fan years before this even hit Broadway...sooo...

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:47am

WonderfuWizard11, are you refering to " BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH...."

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:48am

The Blah's are the least of the score's problems.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:48am

That was my issue. "Blah blah, blah..." What...did he use all his creative juices on the oh-so-original title of the song?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:49am

I honestly don't understand the problem with the "blah's." Entirely appropriate and effective.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:50am

Actually, I think the "blah blah blahs" really work.

It's lyrics like:

The thing that sucks-okay?-for me
A thousand bucks, I'm like scott free
And I mean, please...That's all I need
Get real Jose. By now you know the score.

that make me cringe.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:53am

Yes! Awful!

The score is much easier to enjoy when you just can't understand what they're saying - which is a lot of the time.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:53am

I actually think lyrics like that capture the messed-up world of a REALLY insecure teenager on the verge of suicide. I mean sure they are weird, but I think they are in character of this horribly depressed, angry, repressed kid. Just my opinion, but I think the lyrics work in the context of the show (sometimes they are kind of weird when listening to the CD though.)