MEMPHIS & LA CAGE Top Outer Critics Circle Winners

[Rob]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 8:15am

Click Here to Read MEMPHIS & LA CAGE Top Outer Critics Circle Winners

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 8:30am

I must be really missing something with Memphis

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 8:55am

I am sad that Viola Davis beat Laura Linney, but I'm not surprised. The only one I am kinda surprised by is Levi Kreis, but I guess he has the advantage of being the the best of the 3 actors in shows that are open. I am still shocked that Bobby didn't win this one considering that the Outer Critics voters see off-Broadway stuff too and definitely saw him in Yank.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 9:37am

Wow - Jones and Glover TIED in Best Actress/ Musical?!
I didn't see that coming.
Maybe Brantley is on to something.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 9:46am

For the most part, these are just dreadful.

[singtopher]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 9:53am

Now, I didn't see BBAJ, or Scottsboro boys, but I just cannot imagine Memphis having a better score.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 10:09am

Well my Tony ballot will be screwed if the Tony's go the exact opposite of these winners!!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 10:48am

In case people were wondering who exactly these Outer Critics are...here is the list.

Before we take them too seriously, let's all remember, this is the organization of which Corine is a member.

Also of note, 5 of their voting members are apparently deceased, so there might be something to this "outer space" argument.

The Outer Critics Updated On: 5/17/10 at 10:48 AM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 11:08am

That's...strange, to say the least.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 11:12am

Yadda yadda yadda!

Katie Finneran = 1-1
Angela Lansbury = 0-1

Next stop Drama Desk!

[tazber]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 11:28am

Dear god, that list is ridiculous.

These awards are just....useless.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 11:32am

Their nominations can sometimes be a little off-kilter, but the OCC actually has a pretty decent track record matching up with the eventual Tony winners - even a bit moreso than the Drama Desk.

Their award archives are linked below:
http://www.outercritics.org/AwardArchives.aspx

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 11:56am

Wow, I can't believe Montego Glover tied with Catherine Z. Jones, I just hope this doesn't translate into a Tony win for Glover though after this and Brantley's prediction I'm pretty worried.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 12:00pm

^ I agree, it's kind of making me nervous. I didn't really care for CZJ in Night Music (I didn't hate her but I didn't love her either) but I would much rather she win than Montego.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 12:01pm

But Sherie wasn't nominated for this award, so I think that does come into account.
Updated On: 5/17/10 at 12:01 PM

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 12:35pm

Wow, this is a sad season if Memphis sweeps.

But let's remember, Wicked swept all the awards prior to the TONYs and then Avenue Q won... there's still hope!

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 1:18pm

My biggest problem with Memphis OCC and possible Tony win is not that it's a terrible show, per se, but just a mediocre one. Much though I personally despised Fela!, at least it had something unique to say and, for better or for worse, lingered in the mind afterwards. Memphis cannot make the same claim, IMO.

[Brick]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 1:18pm

I also fear Montego Glover's win after Brantley's prediction may give her some heat. And it's looking like MEMPHIS has it in the bag.

Can this season just be over yet?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 2:16pm

My concern is that Glover gets caught up in the MEMPHIS victory (it has Musical and Score in the bag, IMO, and possibly book) and that she wins based on being the big-voiced lead of the crowned "Best Musical" (an absurd title for this show) of the season. Tonys sometimes like awarding newcomers in Best Musical winners (John Lloyd Young and Sutton Foster are the first to come to mind) so this Glover thing is making me quite nervous. I thought she had no chance given her lack of acting skills, for her to win over performers like Sherie Rene Scott and Catherine Z. Jones (my pick for the win) would be a Tony travesty.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 2:20pm

MEMPHIS will win the Tony for Best Musical. Which is just a joke. But, as I've said before, I can handle that. Barely, but still.

What I really can't handle is Glover and/or Kimball winning awards for their performances. Kimball was embarrassingly bad and Glover has a pretty voice but can't act her way out of a paper bag. (Let's not forget the award is for Best ACTRESS in a Musical. Not Best Singer.) Granted, next to Kimball, Glover looked like she was giving the best performance of all time, but I've seriously seen better acting in high school productions. I'm usually not harsh when it comes to performances. But these two, particularly Kimball's, rank with some of the worst I've ever seen onstage.

I've been considering giving MEMPHIS a second chance, and seeing it again. One thing I am almost positive I won't change my opinion on, however, are the two lead performances. In any other year, they wouldn't even be nominated.

Out of the nominees, FELA! deserves the Tony for Best Musical. Hands down. This is an uncompromisingly original piece of work that, love it or hate it, is something completely new and exciting. MEMPHIS is the same old chestnut that has won the Tony about a thousand times before.

So. Boring.
Updated On: 5/17/10 at 02:20 PM

[Brick]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 2:26pm

Completely agree.

It's so strange to watch these awards go to people who likely would not have even been nominated in other seasons.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 2:27pm

Funny that you say they wouldn't even be nominated in any other year, and yet Glover just won a pre-cursor award. I'm not saying that the OCC Awards necessarily mean anything substantial, but re-read the reviews both she and Kimball got. Across the board, they were fantastic.

The disillusion with which people continue to try and dilute MEMPHIS's success in spite of their personal opinion is just staggering.

Anyone is more than entitled to have disliked the show, but you can't deny the overwhelming consensus that is being proven to exist outside this board time and time again.

Updated On: 5/17/10 at 02:27 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 2:28pm

MEMPHIS has this going for it: it's the only truly original musical of the season. Original score, original book, loosely based on someone's life.

I didn't like it, but if I were a voter for all these awards, that's why MEMPHIS would get my vote (at least up against the other slate of nominees).

Shocking that it won best score here, though. That's really the only one that I'm disappointed with. All of the other awards seem just about right on the money.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 2:34pm

No one is trying to dilute MEMPHIS' success. It won the awards, it got good reviews, and I've said multiple times that I'm happy for it. It's always nice to see an original musical do well. I would never wish ill things on a show anyway. I recognize these things. But I don't agree with them.

My personal opinion is that the show doesn't deserve the awards. It's that simple.

And I don't get how saying that she won the award proves anything. I understand she won the award. My point is that if this was last season, or a season with a wider catalogue of strong performances and productions (especially more original musicals, as yankeefan pointed out), Glover probably would not have even been nominated.
Updated On: 5/17/10 at 02:34 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/17/10 at 2:40pm

As I said, you are completely entitled to your personal opinion. In fact, I find a lot of your points of contention with the show to be of absolute merit.

But to say that people aren't trying to dilute the success of the show is ridiculous. I've seen every excuse from here to Kingdom Come on this board to rebuke the show's consistent box office figures, strong reviews, and now award after award.

I stand by my point that the strength of Glover and Kimball's performances would have put them in contention during any season. They were both incredibly well received, and I would argue that the competition they're facing this year (and faced to even get nominated) is pretty substantial. Neither of them had a cake walk in getting into the race, and both of them have proven why they deserve to be there.

Many people on the board may not have enjoyed the show or the two leads, but whether they choose to acknowledge it or not, that's the minority opinion, and it's becoming more and more evident as the season winds to a close.

Updated On: 5/17/10 at 02:40 PM