Rant about the Tony nominations here- Page 8

[DirectorGP]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 4:46pm

That is truly a crime. The Choreography in Memphis is thrilling!

[phantom39]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 4:57pm

Memphis should have won Best Choreography.
I'm hoping it wins Best Musical, as I couldn't stand sitting through FELA.

[DirectorGP]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 4:58pm

Addams Family and Memphis have amazing sets and lighting and should have been nominated. As should their shared choreographer. Thrilled about Kevin Chamberlin.... What happened why no Jackie Hoffman.... So funny. The Addams snub is not valid. Its a fine new musical.... Happy for Memphis.... Love that show!

[blaxx]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 5:15pm

Is Memphis really ahead of Fela! ?

Fela! got more nominations and all those raves.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

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

At this point, I'm thinking FELA!'s gonna win Best Musical.

[singer73192]

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

I really feel as though this will be the year of FELA!

I know that for some reason most on this board aren't fans, but I personally loved it along with the critics. It is certainly the most original production this season!

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 5:32pm

It will really be tragic if MEMPHIS beats FELA! I can respect Fela's originality and passion.
But Memphis is the same tired story, has a bland score, a predictable book, and mediocre performances. Yes, those are my opinions, I realize all of those aspects of the show were recognized with nominations.

[DRSLOL776]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 5:36pm

I am big big fan of Memphis. I just don’t understand why they were overlooked for best choreography?!

[ljay889]

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

I am sorry. But MEMPHIS fans really have some nerve to complain about being "overlooked."

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 5:39pm

Being a fan of Memphis I have to agree with ljay. They got 8 nominations, I'll settle for losing choreography.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 5:47pm

Just because you get 8 nominations doesn't mean you have to 'settle' for losing out on the ones you wish you had. Many reviews praised Sergio Trujillo's work, and his dances in 'Memphis' have earned him nominations from the Outer Critics Circle, the Drama Desk and the Astaire Awards. And he's the only choreographer who currently has 4 shows on Broadway. This is his 6th show, and he's yet to get a Tony nomination, so yeah, he's been 'overlooked.'

By the way, there aren't any Tonys for Good Sportsmanship, but I'd nominate Trujillo. David Bryan reports that the first congratulatory phone call he got this morning, came from Trujillo.


Updated On: 5/4/10 at 05:47 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 5:58pm

In a stronger season, Memphis would be nothing but a blip on the radar. The fact that they got a nomination for BEST BOOK, for one of the most cliche-ridden predictable, amateurish, pieces of nonsense ever written tells you all you need to know about this season's new musicals.

The best stage work this season was given by performers in plays, especially revivals of plays.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:00pm

It will really be tragic if MEMPHIS beats FELA! I can respect Fela's originality and passion.

Amen.

[DRSLOL776]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:02pm

Don’t get me wrong. I am THRILLED that Memphis received 8 noms. In my opinion, it would have been wonderful if Sergio was also recognized for the chorography. The show surrounds itself with a lot of dancing. So I am surprised that he was not nominated. Even a few people here have ranted that they were surprised. Even the HATERS are surprised! Nevertheless, I hope Memphis goes home with a lot of awards that evening.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:06pm

Ljay889, the qualities of the score, book or performances of any show are subjective, so I totally understand how different folks can see the same show, and come away with different opinions. But I don't get the 'same tired story' criticism. If you can name another Broadway musical that deals with a white deejay who champions 'race music' in the '50s and also deals with an interracial love story that isn't played for laughs, and has a similar bittersweet ending, just tell us the title.
Updated On: 5/4/10 at 06:06 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:07pm

I second the omission of memohis's choreography. It was great & one of the best things about the show. I thought he would be a shoe in

Surprised Come Fly Away did not get a major nomination.

Updated On: 5/4/10 at 06:07 PM

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:11pm

Umm... Roxy, it did.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:13pm

But I don't get the 'same tired story' criticism.

Every single plot turn is entirely predictable...

-Guy goes in to a department store and claims his "race music" will sell better than the easy listening songs the honky-tonk racist is selling. What do you know? The guy sells more records and gets a job.

-The black woman gets beat up by the racist white people at the end of act 1.

-The racist mother has a big epiphany in act 2 and suddenly is singing gospel.

-The "silent" guy (what was his name? Crocodile?) is able to speak up at JUST the right moment.

-The two lovers get a little too caught up in "fame and fortune" and neglect what's really important!

-The forces of society are just too strong for the lovers to pull through, but....they get to sing together one last time so the audience goes home happy! And they sing a poor man's version of You Can't Stop the Beat, no less.
Updated On: 5/4/10 at 06:13 PM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:16pm

Adamgreer, if you're gonna play the games of hypotheticals, if Megan Mullally didn't pull out of 'Lips Together, Teeth Apart,' Sherie Rene Scott wouldn't even be doing 'Everyday Rapture' at American Airlines and Tony-eligible this season. As she herself says, before the 'Lips' cancellation, nobody wanted her show on Broadway. Timing, fortune and misfortune play a part in any Broadway season. Meantime, got any more wrong predictions to make about 'Everyday Rapture'?

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:21pm

Waymon why are you being such a little prick? Seriously dude, let us have our opinions. There was no need to drag Everyday Rapture into this.
Updated On: 5/4/10 at 06:21 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:25pm

"Wayomon_Wong" can you please find the specific post I made where I said Everyday Rapture would be nominated over Memphis?

I'll give you a hint...it doesn't exist. Because I never said that.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:31pm

Ljay889, wait. Adamgreer has been thrashing 'Memphis' since it opened, and I've kept quiet about it for months. Last week is the first time I ribbed him about it. And I'm the prick? I didn't drag 'Everyday Rapture' into this; he did, by predicting that Montego Glover wouldn't get a Best Actress nod, once Sherie Rene Scott became eligible. If he didn't make that prediction, I wouldn't have said anything.
Updated On: 5/4/10 at 06:31 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:38pm

Re Come Fly Away

I was referring to a Best Musical nod

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:39pm

Adamgreer, if I misremembered you saying that 'Everyday Rapture' would squeeze 'Memphis' out of Best Musical, it must've been someone else. I am sorry. But you have been trash-talking 'Memphis' a lot and pretty relentlessly.
Updated On: 5/4/10 at 06:39 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/4/10 at 6:44pm

The trash-talking I'll give you, but I never said Memphis wouldn't be nominated for Best Musical. I was hoping Everyday Rapture or Sondheim on Sondheim would push Million Dollar Quartet/Come Fly Away out of contention.