Rant about the Tony nominations here- Page 6

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:22pm

I hate that design categories are affected by whether or not the critics liked specific shows in general. The musical costume, lighting, and sound design categories are basically shows that got critical praise, regardless of being deserving in those specific categories.

I completely agree. Addams and Sondheim on Sondheim should have been nominated for set design.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:26pm

best12bars, the sets for Addams were definitely more deserving than the costumes. Other than being massive, the way the set functions in The Addams Family is extraordinary. They manage to create many different images using the same basic pieces and a great use of the curtain. For me, scenic design isn't all about look. It's also about function. And the two best sets in terms of function for me this season were The Addams Family and Sondheim on Sondheim (with Finian's and Ragtime not far behind).

[Calvin]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:26pm

Actually, I just realized one snub that makes me sad: Alicia Silverstone. Tough category, though.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:27pm

Looking at these again, I'm surprised that they chose to nominate Rob Ashford but didn't nominate Sergio Trujillo for his work on Memphis...as much as I hated Memphis I thought the choreography and the dancers were great. Also sad that Warren Carlyle was overlooked for his work on Finian's Rainbow and that Tom Kitt wasn't nominated for orchestrations.

Alexander Hanson was one of the most deserving male performers of the season and it really puzzles me that Chad Kimball was nominated and he was not.

[Pianist3912]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:28pm

best12bars, all I'm gonna say is that the set for Addams was very expansive yet flexible, and in my opinion, well done. There was great curtain work to present different "scenes" and the set kept on changing in new, interesting ways throughout the show. And I didn't even care for the show itself really, but I loved the set.

I mean, Fela and La Cage were chosen over Addams Family: two shows I think are much less deserving of the award. I'm honestly not sure if I liked American Idiot's scenic design or not, though.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:28pm

Would have liked to see Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig nominated. They elevated A STEADY RAIN to can't-miss status.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:35pm

Warren Carlyle and Alexander Hanson were sadly overlooked. Was Chad Kimball really that much better? Should Rob Ashford's decision to scrap iconic choreography for far lesser work be condoned?

~Steven

[Brick]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:37pm

I agree on Alexander Hanson. Best performance in that show.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:38pm

bjh2114 and Pianist3912---thanks for the explanations.

I totally get your reasoning, and that's why I say it's harder to judge stage sets from photographs. They almost never do them justice, because of size, lighting (which rarely has the same impact as it does in a theatre), and (as you have said) functionality---how it all moves together and creates various spaces.

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:40pm

@Best12Bars: It's obviously you haven't SEEN The Addams Family onstage. The set is AMAZING. In a still shot it looks completely ordinary, yes I agree, but watching how that set takes itself apart and puts itself back together is completely unreal.

Snubs: American Idiot orchestrations, director, and Tony Vincent; as well as Addams Family set design and Nathan Lane.

Yays: Jan Maxwell and her TWO nominations.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:40pm

Acl2006, whoa, whoever said 'Memphis' is the front-runner?

Until today, I think the conventional wisdom was that 'American Idiot' was the front-runner for the Tonys. That, of course, was predicated on it receiving a ton of nominations. Since 'Idiot' involved a number of elements from 'Spring Awakening,' which the Tonys showered with 11 nominations (like Mayer, Gallagher, the designers), it was reasonable believe that the Tonys would show a lotta love to 'AI,' too. Clearly, they didn't.

Is 'Memphis' in a good position? Yeah. It leads in Outer Critics nominations (7), and doesn't compete with 'Fela!' at the Drama Desks. But front-runner? Much too early to say, and again, 'Fela!' is the Tony front-runner with 11 nods.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:42pm

I honestly don't remember the last time I saw such a torrential downpour of stupidity on the boards. Even Wicked/Avenue Q Tony day was comprised of more immaturity than outright idiocy.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:53pm

In regards to what, Mister Matt?

~Steven

[RSrichie]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:59pm

THE FACT THAT MICHAEL MAYER WASN'T NOMINATED FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN IDIOT IS A CRIME (like Baz Luhrman not being nominated for Moulin Rouge)!

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:04pm

He already was nominated for directing American Idiot in 2007.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:07pm

bjh, he won for directing American Idiot in 2007.

~Steven

[Sauja]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:08pm

Interesting to see all the love for the Sondheim on Sondheim set. I found it really ugly (those benches!) and unwieldy. I do think Addams deserved a scenic design nod over La Cage (even if the latter is one of my favorite shows of the season). But for me, best scenic design has always been Fela.

I think it's going to be very interesting to see how voters respond versus how nominators chose. I'd be thrilled if Fela grabbed a ton of awards, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it lose in almost all of its categories.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:13pm

Sauja, I went into Sondheim on Sondheim knowing nothing about its design. I walked away praising the set. I thought it was designed and utilized so well. Its functions and the ways it was used were creative and inventive. And for that reason, James Lapine should have been recognized as well.

~Steven

[strummergirl]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:16pm

Not surprised, but still disappointed that Walken was the only nomination for Spokane. It was the only show I have seen this season and I know it was not McDonagh's best but I wished another cast member, whether it was Sam or Anthony, got another nod or even a Best Play nomination.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:22pm

Disappointed that Stanley Tucci didn't get a director nod.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:26pm

Me too, Blockhead. I thought it was impeccably directed.

~Steven

[RSrichie]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:34pm

Sorry that's ridiculous, saying a director won for another show doesn't work. How he staged what little storytelling there is within the songs was ingenious. The stagecraft was spectacular. You can argue the show itself, but what he did with it was certainly Deserved over the rest!

[Marinacat]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:35pm

I too, would like Mister Matt to elaborate.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:48pm

I didn't say he won for another show. I am saying he won for THIS show. My point is that he relied on EXACTLY the same tricks that he did in Spring Awakening. None of it was new or inventive. And the nominating committee obviously noticed that.

[stagewright]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:50pm

MDQ comes out of left field... not one of the best 4 of the year, in my book.