How would YOU have voted in 1991? — Page 2

I have never seen WRF so I can't take that into consideration. I would have a hard time choosing between Once on this Island and Secret Garden. I think they are both good musicals. So I would have to give the award to both.

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Best musical: The Secret Garden!

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Miss Saigon

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Though it is a difficult choice, I would still choose Will Rogers Follies. The Broadway production was quite amazing. The concept was genius and spectacularly executed in staging, book, and score. The choreography and direction were genius. It has continued to have a life in regional and dinner theatres.

I do find Once on This Island to be a close runner-up, but it did have its weak spots in the score and choreography.

The Secret Garden definitely deserved Best Score that season.

Miss Saigon had gorgeous music, but dreadful lyrics. It was an exciting show to watch, but its over-the-top melodramatic book left me somewhat empty in the end.

Another tough year was 1993. Kiss of the Spider Woman and Tommy were neck-and-neck for awards while Blood Brothers went unnoticed. I think The Goodbye Girl was thrown in as a nod to the heavy-hitters involved (and the only other qualifying musicals being Anna Karenina, Ain't Broadway Grand and My Favorite Year).

I was really rooting for Tommy or Blood Brothers for Best Musical. I love the score to Kiss of the Spider Woman, but I thought the staging was a mess. With all the bars, projections and lasers, I had a difficult time seeing the actors. I never felt as emotionally connected to the show as with Tommy or Blood Brothers. In fact, Kiss of the Spider Woman seemed to isolate its audience rather than embrace them.

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Interesting opinion John -- I think SG had some of the most lush and wonderful staging that was enhanced by the score and book -- I still get chills at the end of act one when Mary finds the key and opens the door....

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It's a four-way tie!