REASONS' Tony voter letter...

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/patriotic-appeal-to-tony-voters/

Thoughts? I personally am keeping my fingers tightly crossed in hoping it wins Best Play. I found it to be leagues better than GOD OF CARNAGE which I thought was more of a showcase for four strong performances than anything else.

What do you all make of this letter?

God of Carnage will win.

I hope God of Carnage takes it. I found it to be the better overall play just on a basic human nature level. I personally found reasons to be pretty whiny and preachy at the same time ~ but ironically not in the monologues which they cut. The ONLY thing that I could see that makes it "truly American" is the playwright. The themes of both plays are certainly universal ~ go to any kids' game of any sport and you'll see parents just like those in God of Carnage, so personally I find that to be a cheap shot.

Let me just add that had God of Carnage been derived from another source (not talking translation), I would have no problem if reasons to be pretty (or any other show for that matter) played the "original work" card. But I have issues using the "American" card ~ particularly in this case where it reads like they're counting on the anti-French sentiment that brought us such crap as "freedom fries" or "freedom toast" still being alive and well.

---

Updated On: 5/27/09 at 07:53 AM

There is no xenophobic tone to that letter. Xenophobia wouldn't even come to mind if Patrick Healy hadn't mentioned the nationalities of the two playwrights. That's his doing, not the producers of Reasons to Be Pretty.

The letter uses the words "distinctly American" and "American Voice" and doesn't mention any other play or playwright. People can find fault if they are looking for it.

Updated On: 5/27/09 at 10:29 AM

Fair enough, let me amend my comment then to cite the article itself and not the producer's letter.

I find the letter a bit pathetic. Should everyone connected to every show write letters saying why they should win?
And the assumption, true or not, that the race is between these two plays belittles the other two plays in the competition.
And the idea that REASONS... should be taken more seriously because it's by an American is absurd. Like saying ROCK OF AGES should get Best Musical over BILLY ELLIOT because BILLY is British.