If the Best Score category had been split?
If the Best Score category had been split?
#1If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 8:25pm
I was thinking about how in 1971, they split Music and Lyrics into 2 categories at the Tonys, and Sondheim won both for Company. I started to speculate about whether the 2 awards might have gone to separate shows in years past, had the category been split. Obviously we can never know for sure, but in my personal opinion, I think these could have happened:
1984: La Cage (Music), Sunday in the Park (Lyrics)
1994: Beauty and the Beast (Music), Passion (Lyrics)
2004: Wicked (Music), Avenue Q (Lyrics)
2005: Piazza (Music), Spelling Bee or Spamalot (Lyrics)
2007: Spring Awakening (Music), Grey Gardens (Lyrics)
2013: Matilda (Lyrics), Kinky Boots (Music)
2014: Gentleman's Guide (Lyrics), Bridges (Music)
What do you guys think?
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#2If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 8:44pm
I don't know if Matilda would have been able to take an award for lyrics, as the biggest complaint for the show was (and still seems to be) the muddy sound design that makes it hard to understand the lyrics. I personally think that was a factor in the show not winning Best Score over Kinky Boots.
#2If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 8:46pm
I agree with most, but I honestly think that Spring Awakening would've gotten both. Those lyrics are insane.
#3If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 8:47pm
I personally disagree about Matilda, but you could be right about the Tony Voters. I find the lyrics in Kinky Boots so boring and uninspired (the best are in "Not My Father's Son"), though, and Matilda's lyrics are very creative.
I think the lyrics in Spring Awakening are pretty dumb, and do very little to further the plot and characters.
Updated On: 6/6/15 at 08:47 PM#4If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 8:58pm
"I think the lyrics in Spring Awakening are pretty dumb, and do very little to further the plot and characters. "
SA's lyrics are definitely a point of controversy. It won best score, so there was at least an aggregate assumption that they're pretty good. I think if you're familiar with the concept of the show, where these German teenagers pull a mike from their coat/costume and begin singing about 21st century stuff and ideals. I became familiar with the show with that in mind, and it's one of my favorite scores.
#5If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 9:09pm
I saw the show before I was familiar with the score. I've seen the show in different incarnations since then, and listened to the cast album a lot. It's only in the last couple years that I've realized I don't like the lyrics. I understand why it won best score, but I think Grey Gardens has better lyrics.
#6If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 9:11pm
Fair enough. I'm not familiar with Grey Gardens at all actually.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#7If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/6/15 at 11:02pm
JBroadway, I actually think all of your suggestions would have been likely.
Updated On: 6/6/15 at 11:02 PM
UnwoundFantasies
Leading Actor Joined: 10/13/11
#8If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 12:13am
I don't think Bridges would've lost lyrics to GGLAM. Those words are beautiful.
#9If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 1:02am
I also love Bridge's lyrics, but the clever, quick patter style of most of Gentleman's Guide's lyrics probably would win out in this hypothetical category.
I too think Matilda would win Best Lyrics. I'd like to think the Tony voters are sophisticated enough to not confuse poor sound design with poor lyric writing. (For what it's worth, I had no problem with the sound design and I saw the second preview).
How would these categories go down this year? I suppose I should wait a few hours till the actual awards, but speculation is fun. I think Last Ship would actually have a chance at winning Best Music, with Fun Home likely taking Lyrics.
ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/14
#10If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 4:41am
Maybe Into the Woods would have won Best Lyrics while Phantom of the Opera would have won Best Music.
Fantod
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/3/14
#11If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 4:55am
Richard Rodgers - No Strings (Music)
Frank Loesser - How to Succeed (Lyrics)
#12If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 8:43am
Of course it's all hypothetical, but frankly I think of most best scores as one entity-- the great music is supported by great lyrics and vice-versa. There's no excising the brilliance of Loesser's music for "I Believe in You" in HOW TO SUCCEED from its words, is there? Same with BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY: "Another Life" is gorgeous because of how perfectly the words and music match. Same with "Another Winter in a Summer Town". One's favorite score is generally one's favorite score-- it's all one package.
The only exception that comes to mind for me is SPRING AWAKENING. Having just seen the Deaf West production 3 weeks ago, I'm reminded again how much I hate the lyrics with which that gorgeous music is saddled.
Was it only that one year when Music and Lyrics were separate categories? And didn't they both go to COMPANY anyway? I rest my case.
Fantod
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/3/14
#13If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 9:01am
It frankly surprises me that No Strings won over How to Succeed. They are both wonderful scores, but How to Succeed has more zip and more sparkle.
#14If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 10:52am
That wasn't the only year Loesser was surprisingly passed over for Best Score. Call Me Madam won that category the same year that Guys and Dolls won Best Musical.
Actriz2
Stand-by Joined: 3/5/15
#15If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 11:34am
There was no score category at all that year, but I think The Sound of Music would have won music and Gypsy lyrics.
ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/14
#16If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 1:11pm
"Was it only that one year when Music and Lyrics were separate categories? And didn't they both go to COMPANY anyway? I rest my case."
I don't think that's strong enough evidence to rest a case on. I mean I think your points are great, but look at all the times the winners were split at the Drama Desk awards. They're the same winner oftentimes but best lyrics and best music have also often gone to two separate shows.
Updated On: 6/7/15 at 01:11 PM#17If the Best Score category had been split?
Posted: 6/7/15 at 4:38pm
^Thanks for pointing out the thing about the Drama Desks. I hadn't thought to look through and compare the music/lyrics winners until now. It looks like it's very common for two the music and lyrics categories to go to separate shows. In fact, it happens for often than not, from what I can tell. Some of the examples I came up with in my original post actually did occur at the Drama Desks.
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