More bad timing for David Yazbek?

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:34am

This is utterly hypothesis at this point, but this thought occurred to me today:

With SPAMALOT apparently getting raves from everyone who has seen it so far in Chicago, it appears that it might be the PRODUCERS or HAIRSPRAY of the season. The buzz about it (and yes, I know that it is early) seems to indicate this.

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS got good (but not over-the-top terrific) praise in San Diego.

But when THE PRODUCERS stole all of THE FULL MONTY's glory that season, it was really unfortunate for Mr. Yazbek. Is he possibly up for the same situation this year? Updated On: 12/24/04 at 12:34 AM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 12:49am

I feel bad.

<---the full monty score is awesome, as is DRS (well, of what i have heard)...

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:10am

Yeah, I would feel the same way. I much preferred THE FULL MONTY to THE PRODUCERS, and felt that Yazbek was totally shafted because of circumstances beyond his control.

If this scenario does prove to be true, the "Broadway wags" nickname for DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS is likely to become REALLY ROTTEN TIMING.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 1:11am

i dunno

i hope both are great - but i dunno - spamalot doesn't have the original Monty Pythons - we'll see

[maybethistime]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 2:28am

i always feel torn when this happens... like when a young rising star wins the tony over a fantastic broadway legend who's been nominated 17 times over 50 years and never won (i dont know if thats ever happened...)

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 2:50am

I agree, maybethistime.

But the Tony Award voters are notoriously shifty about this sort of thing.

Last year was the perfect example: AVENUE Q won best book over WICKED. I love AVENUE Q. It's smart, it's funny, I think it was a good choice for Best Musical. But Best Book??? It barely has one. The book for WICKED is one of the best adaptations of a literary source ever. I know that many people had problems with the WICKED score, and I can understand them. But the book for WICKED deserved that award.

Tony voters are notoriously single-minded, and they tend to go with the flow, rather than judge each show on its own individual merits. Hence my fear for Yazbek. Good example there, as well. Even though I liked THE FULL MONTY more than THE PRODUCERS, I can understand why THE PRODUCERS was voted Best Musical. I don't understand how in any version of reality the SCORE of THE PRODUCERS can be considered superior to the score of THE FULL MONTY. And yet the Tony voters voted differently -- they weren't able to separate and compartmentalize different aspects of a single show and judge them on their own merits.

I think they're all still stinging from the stupid press that was floated after INTO THE WOODS won best score and best book, while PHANTOM took best musical. Everyone said (stupidly, in my opinion) that well, if you have the best score, and the best book, why isn't it voted the best musical? That's a dumb argument. A Best Musical award should take into considering everything, not just its book and score, but its direction, its choreography, its costumes, its sets, and its cast. If you're going to give out individual awards, then judge a show on its individual components.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 3:09am

i was kind of the opposite about Wicked/AQ - but let's not rehatch an old debate...

[Jon]

Posted: 12/24/04 at 7:25am

Yazbek didn't help himself when he was seen intentionally picking his nose when they read his name as a nominee during the Tonys. It was as if he was saying "screw you - I know Mel Brooks is gonna win this thing!"

By the way, SPAMALOT does feature two of the original Pythons - Eric Idle (who wrote the book and co-wrote the score)is heard doing the very funny pre-show aanouncement ("please leave your cell phones and pagers ON - let them ring willy-nilly - but remember, there are temperamental actors on stage - with swords and armor..."). There is also another pre-recorded contribution by another famous Python - but I won't give it away...