Lackluster Year for Tony's?

[StrStruckDreamr9]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:11pm

Does anyone else think that Broadway has had a bit of a lackluster season? I read the Tony nominations and didn't feel the excitement that I felt last year. Aside from, perhaps, Spamalot, there don't seem to be any breakout shows . Last year, for example, there was so much buzz over the different categories--who might win and who some thought deserved to win but probably wouldn't. I just don't get that feeling this year. Anyone else?
Updated On: 5/18/05 at 04:11 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:13pm

I think this year is anything but lackluster. The only shows I saw this year that were lackluster were La Cage and BKLYN. This year's four Tony nominees for Best Musical are honestly all deserving. I think this year was great. Filled with great shows, performances, etc.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:13pm

Actually, I think it has been an excellent year for shows. I can't remember seeing as many shows as I have this year and enjoying most of them.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:24pm

It feels this way because there is no "sure thing" winner, except for DOUBT.

However, it's exciting because no one knows who will win. It's up in the air - everything will be a surprise. We've had a great season. No big huge spectacle, such as Lion King or The Producers or Wicked - but many great shows.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:25pm

Any year that brings us something as good as Spelling Bee is more than okay in my book.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:27pm

This was the best season Broadway has had in a while. We had:

The Pillowman
Doubt
The Light in the Piazza
A Streetcar Named Desire
700 Sundays
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Pacific Overtures
Gem of the Ocean
Democracy
Brooklyn Boy
Sight Unseen
Reckless
After the Fall
12 Angry Men
Glengarry Glen Ross
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

I'm sure I've forgotten several, but that it just a small indication of the excellent material/performances that have hit Broadway in the past 12 months.
Updated On: 5/18/05 at 04:27 PM

[TheBoyfromChi]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:33pm

I couldn't be more excited for this year's Tony's. Although there are front runners, you really have no idea who is going to win and that makes it tons more exciting than in previous years, at least to me.
Lackluster doesn't come close to describing what this year's show will be.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:37pm

Far from it. I remember years when there weren't enough shows to fill up a category. Granted a lot of people deserving of nominations were left out, but that's a result of such strong competition in all categories. I for one can't wait to see how this all plays out.

[broadway betty]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:51pm

Lackluster? No way! I haven't even seen all the shows but am so impressed by most of what I've seen so far. Of the four musicals nominated, I think any one could take it. This year's Tonys are going to be great fun. I'm so very excited!

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 4:54pm

PACIFIC OVERTURES!!!

Posted: 5/18/05 at 5:07pm

In 1989, "Jerome Robbins Broadway," a review of numbers taken from director/choreographer Robbins Broadway hits,was named "Best Musical". It's only competition that year was another review ("Black & Blue") and a truly horrible show named "StarMites." The Tony Committee actually eliminated the "Best Score" and "Best Book" category completely- "StarMites" would have been the only show eleigible and therefor the defacto winner and the committee couldn't accept that.

Ten years ago, Sunset Boulevard was the ONLY Musical nominated for Best Scor,e and the Best Musical category consisted of it and "Smokey Joe's Cafe"- one of the first 'Jukebox Musicals."

If Little Women had been released either of those years, it could have racked up a half-dozen Tonys. This year, it'll probably be shut out. I guess it's a testimony to the short memories of this board that a year like this one could be seen as Lackluster.
Updated On: 5/18/05 at 05:07 PM

Posted: 5/18/05 at 5:15pm

I agree that it's a diverse, interesting and exciting race. Lots of categories up for grabs, and some possible upsets.

Popping the corn already for Sunday June 5!

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 5:16pm

Are you kidding me?

DRS and Light in the Piazza aren't breakout shows? 25th? Are you CRAZY?

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 5:20pm

I like this year cuz it's the first year I've seen the shows!

[eslgr8]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 7:51pm

I thought this thread had to be a joke. What planet are you living on? This season was so full of award-worthy shows/performances, etc., that many of us here have been bemoaning the fact that qualified people didn't get nominated. JoeKV is right. Do your homework and you'll see what lackluster really means.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 8:23pm

Actually, I thought this year was lackluster at first, so I can StrStruck's viewpoint. But then, I stepped back and looked at what came out this year. There really is quite heavy competition in every single category. And none of the nominees were nominated by default; all of them deserve to be on that nomination list. So, it's quite exciting. And this is the first time I saw more than one show nominated before the Tonys, so I'm excited to see how it all turns out. Ah, less then three weeks! Woo hoo!

~Steven

[liotte]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 9:49pm

I've seen all of the musicals, and I agree that it is lackluster. Nothing really does it for me this year.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 9:51pm

I think it's been a great season, which will make it a great year for the Tonys. I think the only thing that might make it a little bit "lackluster" is that a few of the categories are relatively predictable, but it's been a strong season for sure, IMO.

Posted: 5/18/05 at 10:00pm

'Lackluster' is defined as 'lacking in vitality' or 'dull'. I really fail to see how a season such as this qualifies on either of those two levels. New, smart work - in both musical and play form - that reaches a diverse demographic and provides so many examples of exemplory product that the award season has been completely unpredictable. What exactly is it that you would want?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 10:01pm

Very very far from a lackluster season! There is not a huge breakaway show because there turned out to be many memorable shows that are all the best in one category or another. So many new shows openened and there was excellent production on many of them.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 5/18/05 at 11:41pm

it's been a great season for both plays and musicals. also, i might say that we had 18 new productions of straight plays and 14 new production of musicals as well as several solo/special performances and several long running hits. that's a ridiculous statement.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 12:58am

If by "lackluster" you mean "lacking in Wicked", then yeah, this season has been downright dull.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 1:58am

Off topic i know: Isn't it cool that the last show at the Virgina was Little shop with Hunter and now Sutton closed a show at the Virginia? Sorry. Hunter Foster is my role model...seriously.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 2:03am

It's also interesting that Joe Mantello and Jack O'Brien have won two consecutive directing Tonys in the last two years and are both nominated again this year. And they've never competed against each other.

~Steven

[Plum]

Posted: 5/19/05 at 2:07am

It's a conspiracy. :)