Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
#1Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/13/25 at 3:24pm
The more I listen to 'Boop' I'm shocked that it wasn't nominated for a Tony! I wonder if this will be a show like 'Mack & Mabel' that will live on via its recording.
War Paint is another show I find shockingly absent.
What others?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 6/13/25 at 03:24 PM
#2Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/13/25 at 3:30pm
The Notebook
My father (AIDS)
My sister (AIDS)
My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS, AIDS, AIDS)
The gays and the straights
And the white and the spades
BCfitasafiddle
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/25/20
#3Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/13/25 at 3:34pm
Honeymoon in Vegas, Big Fish, Elf.
MadsonMelo
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/24/14
#4Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/13/25 at 3:40pm
I'm going with a Benjamin Walker double: BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON and AMERICAN PSYCHO, but especially the former.
KarenValentine'sheadband
Stand-by Joined: 1/26/24
#5Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/13/25 at 3:48pm
BCfitasafiddle said: "Honeymoon in Vegas, Big Fish, Elf."
^^^^ !00% agree.
Yes for Boop and I'll add Harmony.
chrishuyen
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/12/14
#6Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/13/25 at 4:45pm
I know it wasn't well received and never really should've been on Broadway, but I do think The Lightning Thief's score would've been worthy of a nomination (there have certainly been worse scores), especially in that weird covid year of Tonys
Wayman_Wong
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#7Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/13/25 at 5:12pm
Without repeating the same titles others already named:
* ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas''
* ''Catch Me If You Can''
* ''Chess''
* ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum''
* ''High Fidelity''
* ''Jekyll & Hyde''
* ''Mack & Mabel''
* ''The Scarlet Pimpernel''
* ''She Loves Me''
* ''13''
By the way, did anyone else catch yesterday's ''Final Jeopardy!'' clue, devoted to Broadway Cast Albums?
''In 2024, 21 years after it was first released, the original cast album for this show made the top 40 for the first time.''
This show WAS Tony-nominated for Best Score, but lost. However, earlier this year, the movie version was Oscar-nominated for Best Score, but also lost. 
#8Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 2:41am
This thread is filled with many good examples - I actually completely forgot many of these weren't nominated and would have assumed they were! It's like a painful bitter reminder hahah.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 6/14/25 at 02:41 AM
rburton66
Chorus Member Joined: 2/29/24
#9Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 4:46am
Grease is the word — I mean, it’s the only show not yet mentioned that I’d include.
colbol2005
Chorus Member Joined: 11/7/05
#10Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 6:52am
Agree with many above. Not seen it live yet, but Boop is a glaring oversight. It’s actually my favourite new score of the season. I imagine it’s going to stick around long after it closes on broadway.
#11Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 9:01am
Boop’s score is better than Death Becomes Her. I said what I said.
#12Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 9:21am
broadway86 said: "Boop’s score is better than Death Becomes Her. I said what I said."
I would go so far to say it's even better than Maybe Happy Ending's score too. I know that sounds crazy but "A Little Versatility", "In Colour", "Where I Wanna Be" "Why Look Around the Corner", "Something to Shout About" and "The Colour of Love" are all so fun, catchy, lively - something to shout about is rather emotive/moving. The score kind of pops like a classic Broadway Jerry Herman musical with some new pop sensibilities or something. It's so much more magical than other recent attempts to capture the golden age kind of sound/structure of Broadway, such as Some Like it Hot.
Maybe Happy Ending has this kind of bouncy light repetitive sound that works at times to be nostalgic, or create a certain atmosphere, or tell the story just fine etc. but it just doesn't have that kind of magical thrill to the songs and sounds that really gives me something to shout about. I don't think it's something I could listen to much outside the show, I've tried! The most enjoyment I had re-listening after seeing live was not the cast recording but an audio so I could hear all the dialogue and songs in context again (I'm sure someone would argue this is exactly what makes MHE the 'best score'.
Whereas Boop just makes me want to dance around the house and gives me a new life 'soundtrack'. And maybe Jasmine could be the next Bernadette Peters. We greatly need young interesting new talent not the production line of typical musical theatre performer cookie cutter types that keep coming through. Jasmine seems different. Something special here.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 6/14/25 at 09:21 AM
DaveyG
Broadway Star Joined: 8/11/05
#13Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 9:26am
broadway86 said: "Boop’s score is better than Death Becomes Her. I said what I said."
I'm so with you on this.
#14Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 9:35am
Even Jasmine's look screams "I'm a star"
You know, if Rachel's voice doesn't hold out in Evita (edit: after watching Rachel it has to be Rachel that comes to Broadway), maybe Jasmine might like to attempt the score in a Broadway transfer with Diego. 
Perhaps the same season that gave us Nicole in Sunset, Audra in Gypsy, Bernadette/Lea in Old Friends, idina in Redwood etc. has also born two genuine Broadway stars of the future, Jasmine and Diego!!!!
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 6/14/25 at 09:35 AM
#15Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/14/25 at 5:44pm
BOOP over RWHC
"Anything you do, let it it come from you--then it will be new."
Sunday in the Park with George
Rentaholic2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/14/04
#16Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/15/25 at 7:17am
If Boop were 20% more earwormy it would be Hairspray, but since it’s not, I found it to be instantly forgettable, much like Some Like It Hot. All the elements of a big band, jazzy score, and certainly not bad, but just sort of there. I found more in RWHC to latch on to and revisit.
I second most of what others have said, but would add Little Women.
Except for Big Fish - that score totally missed the assignment in my opinion. Should have been much more of a southern Americana pastiche with roots, gospel, bluegrass, etc. Use musical styles that often tell stories to tell a story about telling stories (that also happens to be a Southern gothic). Flavors of Assassins and Floyd Collins and Bright Star. At least one song should have had the word “ballad” in it. Can you tell I’ve given this a lot of thought? Haha
bwayobsessed
Broadway Star Joined: 5/28/13
#17Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/15/25 at 8:42am
Probably in the minority but …. Lempicka
verywellthensigh
Broadway Star Joined: 6/14/22
#18Scores that should have been nominated for a Tony, but weren't
Posted: 6/16/25 at 2:55pm
Mack & Mabel
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