IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

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IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:30am

After seeing AMERICAN IDIOT tonight I can now (finally) weigh in on what shows I would vote for IF I were a Tony voter (which I am not.)

Ranked in order:

1. FELA! - Ok it's not MY type of music but the second act was a real sucker punch to the gut. It's a unique Broadway show that likely will not have any kind of life post-Broadway, but what an amazing theatrical experience!

2. MEMPHIS - saw this last fall. Liked it. Didn't love it but it held my attention, and it is the only new show this season with an original book and score nominated.

3. AMERICAN IDIOT - has flashes of brilliance (and a fantastic star performance by John Gallagher Jr) but I found the show muddled in its story telling and far too relentless. Give us room to breathe!

4. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET - The cast deliver the goods but what is this doing on Broadway? It belongs in a dinner theater. But the audience around me went nuts for it especially the curtain call. It's no JERSEY BOYS!

I will see NIGHT MUSIC and LA CAGE later this week and will decide my rankings for the 4 nominated revivals then.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:49am

I agree with your ranking completely.

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:59am

I think the Tonys should pull a Pulitzer and name a winner that wasn't even nominated.

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 2:52am

I can see where you are coming from with your views on the shows. Yet, why do you think FELA! is your favorite when it seems you didn't enjoy act 2 at all?

1-Memphis: I think Memphis is the best of the worst. I would've never thought I'd be rooting for Memphis to win, but it is high energy, and has a great NEW score and it's a NEW musical all around and that should be rewarded in this times of jukebox/rehash/recycled musicals. Plus it has great acting and some nice dancing, and excellent singers.

2-Million Dollar Quartet: Again, I'd never would have thought this would be my 2nd favorite. But although it doesn't belong to Broadway, at least it's quite entertaining and has some good performances by the cast.

3-American Idiot: I truly didn't like anything about it. Nothing seemed original about it(including the score)and I was bored all along, yet, since at least the torture was shorter than FELA! I will say this is my 3rd favorite.

4-FELA!: Was one of the most boring experiences I've had lately. The opening number was cute, but it got old really quick and there are no set changes, nothing really going on. BORING!

"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 3:28am

Muscle, I think he said he enjoyed it because of the impact it has in Act 2.

Now, calling anything in Fela! "cute" or complaining that there are no changes in the set... huh?

Fela! is by far the best nominee. By a mile, in my opinion. I don't buy into the argument that because something is written from scratch, it should win. Many, many masterpieces in the theatre are not original. All of the great theatre composers and writers made some of their biggest contributions to the theatre by adapting a book, movie, true event, etc. The use of a musician's pre-existing work to tell the life of said influential musician is hardly a crime. Entertainment is entertainment and quality is quality.

My ranking would be: Fela!, American Idiot, Million Dollar Quartet, Memphis (and if I were nominating, Everyday Rapture and Sondheim on Sondheim would be on the list)

~Steven

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:14am

Oh ok, thanks for the explanation Steven.

I am kinda shocked that anyone liked Fela! What can I say? I found it simply terrible and boring. But oh well...

"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:22am

I've talked to plenty of people who hated FELA! with every fiber of their being and none of them used the word boring. I think that's the last word most people would use when describing it. But different strokes for different folks I guess.

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:55am

As opposed to MEMPHIS, where most people just shrug?

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:59am

My voting order would be: Fela!, American Idiot, Memphis and Million Dollar Quartet.

It's funny frontrowcentre that in another thread a while back you stated that you had no interest in seeing Fela! and it turned out to be your favorite. The same thing happened to me! "Amazing theatrical experience" is an apt description to both Fela! and American Idiot.

#10

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 12:21pm

I would abstain. Courteously. None of them merit any award at all (IMO). I've seen much worse than a few of them, but that's not my criteria for "Best."

#11

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 12:35pm

Fela should win the Tony. It is exhilarating, transporting theater. Despite my negative company (muscle, actually), I found the performance to be an escape from the dregs of Manhattan and to the world of the Shrine. What Bill T. Jones has created - with one helluva team and company - is astonishing. While it technically is a jukebox musical, Jones has taken that term and thrown it away to create an extraordinary theatrical event.

Memphis, while fun, isn't actually anything special. Chad delivers a nice performance and makes his one-dimensional character a little more interesting. But for the most part, it's fluff with a moral.

Have yet to see American Idiot - and probably never will. I can't stand Green Day and as much as I'd like to have seen all 4, I am not sure I can handle that noise.

MDQ is another jukebox fest. 'nuff said.

"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

#12

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 12:35pm

Apologies for the double post. If you ask me - Everyday Rapture should be nominated and take the win. But without it, my vote is for Fela!

"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

Updated On: 6/8/10 at 12:35 PM

#13

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:20pm

"It's a unique Broadway show that likely will not have any kind of life post-Broadway, but what an amazing theatrical experience!"

It has international appeal , which is more important . And with proper casting ( Beyonce playing girlfriend ) the US tour would be a huge sucess. ; )

Updated On: 6/8/10 at 01:20 PM

#14

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:39pm

The terrible thing about this year's nominees for Best musical is that last year's nominees would have killed them. I could seriously see Shrek or Rock of Ages winning this category this year. Actually, I believe that Shrek and Rock of Ages would be frontrunners in almost every category. These two shows didn't even stand a chance last year, and this year would have been the frontrunners... Is it just me or is something wrong with this picture? Memphis will win... Fela should win... but neither deserve it.

#15

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/9/10 at 1:05am

It happens because of that mad (sometimes stupid) rush to get shows open by Tony deadline and some aren't 100% set. (I do belive that hurt the original SUNDAY IN THE PARK in 1984.)

Now you want to talk about a show that should not even be mentioned along with the words Tony Awards, I saw ADDAMS FAMILY tonight. Great cast but one holy mess of a show. A.Lippa was clearly the wrong composer for this piece, and why is there so much pointless filler in Act Two? (Because no one thought through the book!)

Ahh well - tomorrow I get to see the new production of LA CAGE. (Saw the original in 1984 from the very last row of the balcony at the Palace Theatre.)

#16

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:08am

As of tonight I have now seen the 4 Musical revival nominees.

My vote would go in teh following ranking...

1. FINIAN'S RAINBOW - easily the most sparkling revival of the 2009/10 season. Beautifully sung and played and crisply directed.A shame it failed to fined sufficient audience.

2. RAGTIME - a few quibbles aside I found this to be incredibly well sung and acted. Chistiane Noll was a particular standout for me.

3. LA CAGE AUX FOLLES - a highly enjoyable revival of a now classic musical comedy. I suspect it will win because choices 1 and 2 are long closed, but as much as I enjoyed it I left feeling I had seen a really good regional production and not one of top-level Broadway caliber. Even in farce you don't need to HIT EVERY LINE SO HARD. And the band sounded skimpy.

4. A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - How did this dreadfully directed revival score a nomination. Just saw it tonight and while the book and score emerge unscathed I marvel at how Trevor Nunn took the first act that can be problematic (it is slow to get going but the pace generally picks up as it unfolds) and make it flow so nicely, only to let things wind down in the usually sprightly second act. Tempos were sooo slow and the pacing of the last series of scenes which demand to be tight and fast were played like a dirge. Costumes were terrible, no character delineation there. The set was ugly and not too functional. Lansbury was incandescent and Zeta Jones was ... all right. Romona Mallory was just horrible and irritating. Get that girl a good acting coach (or a better vocation.) Stephen Buntrock was on as Frederick and he was fine. I have seen far better productions of this show in regionals (Kennedy Center, Shaw Festival) and even community theatres. Quite a disappointing production.

Anyhow those are my choices... go ahead and pick them apart.

#17

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:57am

Thanks for sharing, I have always valued your opinion.

My rankings would be thus:

BEST MUSICAL
1. FELA!
2. AMERICAN IDIOT
3. MEMPHIS
4. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
1. RAGTIME
2. FINIAN'S RAINBOW
3. A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
4. LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#18

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 8:41am

Mine would go like this:

BEST MUSICAL
1. Million Dollar Quartet (it's not that good, but it's the least offensive in my eyes)
2. American Idiot
3. Memphis
4. Fela!

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
1. Finian's Rainbow
2. A Little Night Music
3. Ragtime
4. La Cage Aux Folles

#19

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:43am

BEST MUSICAL
1. American Idiot
2. Fela!
3. Memphis
4. Million Dollar Quartet

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
1. Ragtime
2. La Cage Aux Folles
3. A Little Night Music
4. Finian's Rainbow

#20

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 11:52am

BEST MUSICAL
No award this year

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
1. La Cage Aux Folles
2. Ragtime
3. A Little Night Music
4. Finian's Rainbow

#21

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:10pm

BEST MUSICAL
1. Memphis
2. Million Dollar Quartet
3. American Idiot
4. Fela!

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
1. Finian's Rainbow
2. A Little Night Music
3. La Cage
4. Ragtime

"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-

#22

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:13pm

BEST MUSICAL
1. Fela!
2. American Idiot
3. Memphis
4. Million Dollar Quartet

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
1. La Cage Aux Folles
2. Ragtime
3. A Little Night Music
4. Finian's Rainbow

#23

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 12:17pm

Best Musical--abstain

Best Musical Revival
1. Ragtime
2. La Cage
3. Finian's
4. Night Music

_____________________________

Best Play
1. Time Stands Still
2. In the Next Room
3. Red
4. Next Fall

Best Play Revival
1. A View From the Bridge
2. Fences
3. Lend Me a Tenor
4. The Royal Family

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#24

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 1:54pm

Best Play
1. Next Fall
2. Time Stands Still
3. In the Next Room
4. Red

Best Play Revival
1. Lend Me a Tenor
2. Fences
3. The Royal Family
4. A View From the Bridge

#25

IF I were voting for the Tony Award for Best Musical....

Posted: 6/11/10 at 2:34pm

Best Play
1. Red
2. Next Fall
3. In the Next Room
4. Time Stands Still

Best Play Revival
1. A View from the Bridge
2. Fences
3. The Royal Family
4. Lend Me A Tenor

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

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