Finally saw the 4th of the Best Musicals...- Page 3

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:29am

What I said was rude. Deleting.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:30am

Interesting. Maybe it was my expectations that did me in...I was expecting Mary Poppins to be a cool, darker version of the movie, and I was expecting Legally Blonde to totally suck. I was pleasantly surprised (and entertained) by Legally Blonde, and bored by the middle-of-the-road approach that Mary Poppins took (though I admit the technical aspects were stunning).

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:31am

Becoz always finds the need to attack me because I am a standout who expresses my opinion that I'm one of the few who doesn't like Spring Awakening
Updated On: 5/17/07 at 01:31 AM

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:33am

She admitted she made a rude comment. No need to rub it in. And I don't know if you've been reading this thread, but you are not the only one who doesn't like Spring Awakening.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:33am

"Exactly my point, becoz always finds the need to attack me because I am a standout who expresses my opinion that I'm one of the few who doesn't like Spring Awakening"

I can definitely understand why people would not like Spring Awakening. It is just that you have mentioned it or made hints about it so many times, where I feel it is unnecessary to do so.

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:36am

Yes I know it can get annoying(sorry), but I only hint at it so much because I'm always hearing so much praise for the show and I get fed up with it sometimes to the point of saying my opinion...Sorry if what I said before came off as rubbing in, that was not my intention
Updated On: 5/17/07 at 01:36 AM

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:42am

I understand where your coming from. Its been bothering me more lately just because there's so much hate going on with the Spring Awakening fan base right now. The show has so much going for it but in a few months, people look down on the fan base because of a few crazies. Sorry, I had to get that out.
Updated On: 5/17/07 at 01:42 AM

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:45am

Yes that's completely understanding..

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:45am

Maybe I'm just oblivious or something, but as of late, there hasn't really been lots of Spring Awakening-gasms on here. Much of what is said has been against the show. And it's all right to not like the show, but back up what you say intelligently. Opinions are definitely allowed, but at least be respectful about others' as well.

To be honest, we've seen worse things happen than if Spring Awakening were to win the Tony this year. Spamalot instead of The Light in the Piazza (or, really, any of the other nominees)? I personally think that was a worse scenario.

~Steven

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:46am

I think people are referring to the Broadway.com Awards and now the awards here as well.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:49am

Fair enough. Those are pretty ridiculous indeed.

~Steven

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 7:08am

I would be very happy if someone could explain to me why the term "innovative" is used so often to describe Spring Awakening. Or is it just the word of the day as "ground-breaking" was with Rent? Neither term accurately describes either show.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 7:50am

Peter Filicha did a great column the other day, defending his complaints about Spring Awakening.

http://www.theatermania.com/peterfilichia

I can't say I disagree with him....or you, Munk, Trish...

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 8:23am

Why is everyone assuming that Spring Awakening is a sure thing to win the Best Musical trophy? If the Tony nominating committee was in charge of handing out the awards it would certainly win, as these guys obviously adore this show. I'm not sure all those voters out there feel the same way. If I was voting based on what show had the most commercial potential I'd vote for Mary Poppins. If I was voting on the show that had the most traditional Broadway craftsmanship I'd vote for Grey Gardens.

I've also heard that it argued that Spring Awakening has so many producers that it will win just based on those votes alone.

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 8:28am

Wow, really interesting how quickly the SPRING AWAKENING backlash has thrived. I don't think it's the second coming but I do think it's the most viscerally exciting show to come to Broadway in a few years and I think that's what so many people are responding to about it (though I do genuinely love both SA and GG).

However, once one detaches oneself from the "live theatre" element and takes a step back to actually look at the content of the shows, I think GREY GARDENS is superior.

Basically, I love the music for both, but GARDENS' subtleties and undercurrent of heartbreak resonante stronger the more and more I think about them, while SPRING was wonderfully exciting to watch in the theatre but gets weaker in my mind as time goes on.

Has anyone else had a similar reaction (or have any idea what I'm talking about)?

[jordangirl]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 9:38am

Yankee... Thanks for posting that. I think those may well be a lot of my issues with the show. I went. I felt I should go. But when I left, I was glad I'd only paid the student price for it. Had I paid more, I would have been upset.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 10:27am

I'm not a fan of SA at all, but I found Filicia's comments to be incredibly old-fogy. Has this man ever heard a pop song in his life? (No, RENT doesn't count!) The problem with SA is that it is by and large emotionally unengaging, with songs that seemed tacked on and not integral to the story...which is kind of the point with musical theater, no? I thought I'd give it another go with the OBC, and yes its as I remembered: About five or so really lovely songs surrounded by ballad after ballad after ballad. That it wasn't strict musical-theater must-rhyme, must-have-correct-stresses didn't bother me that much...that's not necessarily pop. Not at all. The anachronisms in the lyrics I just found clumsy but not irritating. He seemed to have wanted a period piece...does he really think RENT sounds like the mid-90's East Village sound?
I don't know, both SA and GG are both incredibly flawed shows but I'd give GG the edge to win. Lets hope something SOLID hits the boards next year.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:16pm

Still haven't seen Spring Awakening, but it just seems like one big emo teen-angst hip fest. And the clips of music I've heard did NOT make me any more interested. And everytime I hear something about a masturbation scene and all this other stuff, it just turns me off even more, because it seems like the show is just trying SO hard to be a more in-your-face, crude version of Rent. I'm in NY right now and I am going to see a couple more shows...should I pay to see Spring Awakening? Or is it going to be pretty much what I've just described?

On the other hand, I saw Grey Gardens yesterday and thought it was extraordinary. I also really enjoyed Mary Poppins and wouldn't mind either one of them winning (though my vote goes to Grey Gardens). And I can't get "Around the World" out of my head - simply beautiful.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:25pm

couldn't disagree more about spring awakening.
it is easily the most innovative and moving thing on broadway in ages. it's hard to believe you found no redeeming qualities. especially the music which is gorgeous and the young actors with barrels of talent to boot. i can't stay enough good things about this show and if it doesn't win, there will be blood.

but i can appreciate to each his own..

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:30pm

I would see SA only if you could get a student ticket, which you need to go to the box office early for. I couldn't get a student ticket so I paid full price for rear mezzanine. The first act was ok, but throughout the second act, I sat there thinking about how I could have spent the money on another show. During the second act, the main plot became more melodramatic and predictable, the subplots messier, and the music more monotonous. Predictability isn't a problem for me if the performances were really good, but Gallagher and Wright were the only ones who could get my eyes off of my watch.

Updated On: 5/17/07 at 12:30 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:33pm

I agree with his points out SA. I'm actually suprised that the Tony committee loves SA, seeing as how they're def. not the "focus audience" for that show.

[scooter38432]

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

I know that there have been lots of comparisons between RENT and SA.

Personally, SA had much more of an impact on me. I thought the story line was far more interesting, and on the whole, the cast was more appealing (and I've seen both shows' original casts). I also like the score for SA much more.

I'd be more apt to put on the CD of SA, than I ever would be for RENT. (Because I'd be spared listening to Idina Menzel among other things.)


I know... I know...

Lots of people will disagree with me.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 12:38pm

I saw Mary Poppins in London (and though it was good, but kinda "just there") and Spring Awakening and Grey Gardens in March.

My vote goes to SA for Best Musical. Grey Gardens can have best book, and I think SA for score, too.

I certainly was more intrigued with SA but Grey Gardens is obviously a bit more well written.

[popular_elphie]

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

I think people throw around the word "innovative" too much.

I like SA, sometimes even love it (the music is absolutely wonderful, though not so much the lyrics, and John Gallagher Jr. gave my favorite Broadway performance in a long time), but innovative? We got basically the same thing in BROOKLYN. You know what was innovative? SWEENEY TODD. The actors were the orchestra too! The instruments added a whole other dimension to the characters.

But SA innovative? Not really. People keep associating the word innovative with good, and that's not necessarily true.

[stageagent13]

Posted: 5/17/07 at 1:02pm

why is there so much negativity about spring awakening? i feel like you guys are not wanting to like it because you want to be different.