How was Aida NOT nominated for Best Musical?

[TazTarney]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 7:49pm

It makes no sense. Looking at the shows that were nominated..it seemed like a pretty weak year. Was Broadway still on the old "we hate Disney" bandwagon? It just seems odd that it won best score and best actress and didn't even get nominated for Best musical. The book isn't even bad!

Updated On: 9/25/14 at 07:49 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 7:52pm

It's not exactly considered a great piece of theater.

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 7:54pm

Well Bridges of Madison County won best score and orchestrations but wasn't nominated for best musical. It's all up to the Tony committee anyways.

[TazTarney]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 8:04pm

No I wouldn't call it a great theatre, but it looked on par with the shows that got nominated.. but I didn't see them so what the hell do I know.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 8:18pm

They only nominated 3 musicals that season and certainly they could have included Aida. Not my favorite show but still...

[TazTarney]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 8:21pm

Pretty sure they nominated four: Contact, James Joyce's The Dead,
Swing! and The Wild Party

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 8:22pm

Uh, they definitely nominated 4 musicals: CONTACT, JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, SWING!, and THE WILD PARTY. Not only should AIDA not have been nominated for best musical, but I cannot think of a single reason as to why AIDA's score was better than the flawless score to THE WILD PARTY

Updated On: 9/25/14 at 08:22 PM

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 8:34pm

Taz, you're absolutely right. My bad. I may have substituted Aidia for Swing.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 9:19pm

I disliked Aida. For someone who tends to go to shows over and over, once was more than enough for me.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 9:30pm

Swing was fun. The bungee cord dance was one of the most jubilant things I think I've seen in a theatre.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 9:35pm

I feel like I've read over the years that many felt its lack of a nomination was a bit of a conscious decision. That there was fear that if it was nominated, it would absolutely win (due to road voters etc.), so the nominating committee put a stop to that early in the game. It did up winning all of it's nominations though, so maybe there was some truth to the fear, but I doubt it was an actual conspiracy of any kind. I enjoy the show a lot, but I mean, the book is not great.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 9:44pm

The only nomination it didn't win was Costume Design.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 9:46pm

Ahh, thanks. I should've said "most".

[Musical Master]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 9:53pm

Maybe it's beacause the book is really messy with no consistant tone.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 10:30pm

I feel like I've read over the years that many felt its lack of a nomination was a bit of a conscious decision. That there was fear that if it was nominated, it would absolutely win (due to road voters etc.), so the nominating committee put a stop to that early in the game. It did up winning all of it's nominations though, so maybe there was some truth to the fear, but I doubt it was an actual conspiracy of any kind. I enjoy the show a lot, but I mean, the book is not great.

If any of that is true then wouldn't their not nominating it for fear that it might win be a conspiracy? How can you say that and then doubt it?

[sally1112]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 10:56pm

Wow- I really like Aida.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 11:15pm

I actually saw a really fantastic production of Aida when i was small. The score is definitely great, and the numbers in the show are wonderful. I remember crying when Aida and Radames die together in the end. I can't say much about the book, but i definitely think this show deserved a best musical nomination.

Updated On: 9/25/14 at 11:15 PM

[Polka Dot2]

Posted: 9/25/14 at 11:27pm

I loved this show. The first non-children's show I ever saw and was the show that influenced me the most in becoming an actor. Holds a special place in my heart, no matter anyone else's opinions :)

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 12:07am

CATS- I'm saying I feel like that's what I've heard that others believe, but that I don't necessarily agree.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 12:16am

"I feel like I've read over the years that many felt its lack of a nomination was a bit of a conscious decision."

When is it an unconscious decision? I don't seem to understand.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 1:09am

Ok, we're quibbling over semantics here a bit. Forget I even said anything. Just something I thought I had seen in previous threads here.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 9:20am

"Maybe it's beacause the book is really messy with no consistant tone."

Considering Contact had no book and won Best Musical that year, this is an unlikely excuse.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 9:36am

Broadway doesn't go for opera.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:11am

I found the show to be something of a mess. It had some nice and interesting moments in its staging and score. Sherie was truly the one shining beacon in the entire production for me and Heather's singing was gret (though her acting was a mess). But the book, score and design all seemed at odds with each other as if the creative team never actually met with each other until opening night.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 9/26/14 at 10:32am

There was also still a lot of backlash at the time from the critics against Disney from Lion King beating Ragtime two years earlier. And there was a lot of controversy surrounding the production, especially out of town (actors being injured, (rightfully) refusing to do the nude scene that ended up being cut, etc.).