If the Best Score category had been split?

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?

I agree with most, but I honestly think that Spring Awakening would've gotten both. Those lyrics are insane.

"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.

Fair enough. I'm not familiar with Grey Gardens at all actually.

I don't think Bridges would've lost lyrics to GGLAM. Those words are beautiful.

Maybe Into the Woods would have won Best Lyrics while Phantom of the Opera would have won Best Music.

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.

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.

"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