Not Good Enough To Win The Tony, But Good Enough To Win The Revival.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 8/4/13 at 3:16pm

There has been numerous musicals that have failed to win the Tony, but managed to win the revival, these are:

Porgy and Bess - 1977 & 2012
Pirates of the Penzance - 1981
On Your Toes - 1983
Sweet Charity - 1986
Anything Goes - 1988 & 2011
Gypsy -1990
Carousel- 1994
Showboat - 1995
Chicago - 1997
Annie Get Your Gun - 1999
Into The Woods - 2002
Assassins - 2004
Hair - 2009
Pippin - 2013

There are various reasons why the above musicals didn't win the Tony originally, like the Tonys weren't in existence at the time being a primary example, or of course the obvious that the ones beaten by a better musical that year, by an even outstanding musical. I like to think the musicals that did miss out originally, were good enough to win the best musical in there own right, had the competition not been that strong that year and could possible of won in different years.

Some musicals are excellent a good example
here would be the brilliant La Cage Aux Folle, that has had its fair share of success with the Tonys winning three Tonys, 1x Best Musical and 2x Best Revival (and deservedly so), but a lot of theatre aficionados would argue that West Side Story and Oklahoma are better musicals than La Cage Aux Folles, but haven't won a competitive Tony either originally or revival.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/4/13 at 3:23pm

The original production of ASSASSINS was Off-Broadway, therefore ineligible for the Best Musical Tony.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 8/4/13 at 3:43pm

Some show have just lucked out by being in weak years (the 2005 La Cage aux Folles, for example), and some have just had poor revivals (the 2009 West Side Story and 2002 Oklahoma, though both had several good elements).
Updated On: 8/4/13 at 03:43 PM

[all that jazz]

Posted: 8/4/13 at 3:49pm

Both Gypsy and WSS should have won best musical, IMO.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 1:06pm

I agree with all the jazz, In My Opinion, Gypsy and WSS are the two best musicals ever written. I mean why hasn't Fiorello! been revived a half dozen times?

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 1:06pm

I agree with all the jazz, In My Opinion, Gypsy and WSS are the two best musicals ever written. I mean why hasn't Fiorello! been revived a half dozen times?

[Patash]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 1:15pm

"Pirates of (the?) Penzance didn't win the Tony for its original production? Really?

Pirates of Penzance had its original New York production in 1879. Are you sure it didn't win the Tony that year? What a surprise considering the Tony awards didn't start until 1947!

[Sauja]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 2:07pm

Might I recommend reading a whole post before you pen a snarky reply, Patash?

"There are various reasons why the above musicals didn't win the Tony originally, like the Tonys weren't in existence at the time being a primary example"

[dblue236]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 2:18pm

I think often, it has a good bit to do with timing and luck. Like someone else already said, sometimes a show just gets lucky in the midst of an otherwise weak season... or the opposite, a stellar show gets lost in a sea of other stellar shows.

[Patash]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 3:39pm

Maybe my post seemed snarky, but I DID read the full original post. My point is what is the point of TITLING a thread "Not good enough to win the Tony. . ." and then discuss plays that weren't around to possibly win them?

Would you also post "Plays which should have won the Tony for best play but didn't" and then mention Hamlet, with the disclaimer "even though it wasn't eligible to win"? Again what's the point of titling a thread one thing if that's NOT what it's actually about?

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 5:05pm

Because the Pirates revival still won.

And Hamlet didn't premiere in NYC anyway, so it's a moot point.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 8/5/13 at 5:43pm

Candide lost Best Musical (to My Fair Lady) in 1957, but received a special award for the revival in 1974 (which was prior to the Best Revival category being established).

[Patash]

Posted: 8/6/13 at 11:38am

"Because the Pirates revival still won."

Oh, I see, and like the title of the post "Not good enough to win the Tony, but good enough to win the Revival" therefore somehow makes some sense with that example?

OK, I concede. You can't argue with logic like that!

[Hest882]

Posted: 8/6/13 at 2:21pm

I actually think what really happened is that time showed that those musicals were better than Tony voters were able to recognize at the time. Thus when they were revived they automatically came with the sheen of a classic.