New Tony Award Category?

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 3:24pm

I was curious, what about a new TONY Award Category for "Best Incidental Music(or Lyrics) in Play". Why or why not?

I figured I would ask for opinions here because I know there are people who actually work in the industry and would know the ins and outs of this much better than I.

I've looked at credits on IBDB and most if not all new plays have a composer of music listed. Why not award them for their ARTISTIC contribution to a play?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 4:17pm

I have always felt that the best incidental music in theatre (or even film) is not really noticed. It sets a mood at most.

Incidental music is just that, incidental. It really becomes an element in the larger piece. It isn't like songs in a musical which are set apart.

That said, the scores for productions of Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night have been Tony nominated in seasons past.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 4:28pm

Unfortunately, because incidental music (which is often more than merely incidental) doesn't draw your full attention like a regular musical number, it gets largely overlooked. Only in the cases of weak seasons or absolutely amazing underscoring does anyone even notice. Case in point, Twelfth Night was nominated in 1999 along with Parade (winner, and a great score in my opinion), Footloose (several bland new songs to join superior songs from the movie), and The Civil War (I won't get started). If you look at the 1998-99 season, is there anything else that was even eligible? Had there been, it probably would have taken the nomination, Tesori's strong work notwithstanding.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 7:23pm

Bump.

[roseaddams]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 7:54pm

I think it'd be hard to justify having two awards for Best Original Score (Play/Musical).

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 7:59pm

Actually, a few years ago, they ruled that straight plays with enough underscoring/scene-change/incidental music could be nominated for Best Score.

I still maintain that they should add a Best Ensemble category.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 8:03pm

But honestly, do the Plays with enough underscore ever really have a chance? Unless the year is REALLY weak.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 8:18pm

I remember last season CORAM BOY was declared eligible for the Best Score category. I wonder what place it came at the end.

[Not Barker, Todd.]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 8:28pm

I think Coast of Utopia was as well.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 8:38pm

Updated On: 5/8/09 at 08:38 PM

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 9:53pm

No... Sound Design and the music for mood of the production coming through the speakers that were placed around the theatre because of said "sound design" are two totally different things.

[jbdc]

Posted: 2/1/08 at 9:00am

Jeanine Tesori was nominated in 1999 for her Best Original Score for her music for Twelfth Night at Licoln Center.