Rosie says the 'Best Musical' Tony will go to...- Page 2

[jv92]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:36pm

Well, it's not a musical, so it shouldn't even be considered a musical.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:38pm

"Spring Awakening as lousy music and terrible lyrics that ignore the craft and traditon of the past."

If that premise was applied throughout the history of musical theatre we would never have had "Showboat", "Oklahoma", "Cabaret", "Company", "Rent" or any other show that attempted to stretch the boundaries of musical theatre writing. I think "Spring Awakening" is daring, innovative, full of humour, emotion and has a quite stunning score. If that does not make it the best musical of 2007 I don't know what does.

"And, for the record, I hate the lyrics of Spring Awakening. It's a shame they aren't up to par with Sheik's music. "

I can't agree with that comment. Steven Sater's lyrics are astonishing - beautifully poetic, cutting edge and perfectly apposite to both the nuances of Sheik's music the dramatic needs of the show.

Updated On: 6/5/07 at 06:38 PM

[jv92]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:41pm

The lyrics are awful! If Oscar Hammerstein took a look at a page of Sater's lyrics, the slanted rhymes alone would make him slightly queasy. I'm surprised if they didn't make Sondheim queasy yeat.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:41pm

"PS: When is Rosie ever wrong?"

She said that Kristin Cuntweth would get a nod for The Apple Tree.

[juice23]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:44pm

I was just going to say... why does she HAVE to hype up Grey Gardens just bc it isn't selling as well? That makes no sense. She, just as any other person, can support and reccommend any show they feel like supporting. Anyone who thinks differently is being silly... about as silly as saying that because a talk show host didn't hold up a PLAYBILL they are doing a crappy job.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:45pm

I hate about 80% of the lyrics in Spring Awakening with maybe the exception of "Bitch of Living", "Totally F*cked" (I think the "blah blah"s are a nice touch), and "The Dark I Know Well", despite it coming in at a random time. The music is great and I think that Mayer's direction is genius. I just don't really like the way the story is carried out in the material. I think it's a great production of a fairly good show. I wouldn't be upset if it won, but I think that Grey Gardens is really the best new musical this year.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:46pm

I DID NOT SAY SHE HAD TO.
I thought it'd be a nice gesture to mention it at some point. It isn't doing well at the box office and Ebersole is a friend of her's. It'd be a nice thing. No she DOES NOT HAVE TO.
Note to everyone- READ!
Updated On: 6/5/07 at 06:46 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:47pm

Too bad you're not a Tony voter.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:47pm

What on earth are "slanted" rhymes? I greatly admire clever rhyming paterns, etc. But poetry andlyrics can be beautiful and perfectly fitting for musical theatre without having to be "Sondheimlike". Don't get me wrong I adore Sondheim's lyrics but I also greatly admire Sater's poetic genius. It is simply a different style of writing. And songwriting and musical theatre writing does not have to fit into a narrowly defined form. It should always attempt to stretch itself in all kinds of exciting ways. And Spring Awakening's music and lyrics excited me more than any score I've heard for years.

Updated On: 6/5/07 at 06:47 PM

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:48pm

Also- Rosie does love Grey Gardens and has given it exposure, and she has also marketed Christine Ebersole up the wazoo. True, she has been promoting Spring Awakening like she invested money in it or something, but it's not as if she's promoting Mamma Mia over both of them.

[fflagg]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:50pm

Rosie's a white trash fool.

Come on Kelli or whatever your name is: dump her! Take her to court for child custody and let's see Rosie totally breakdown.

La da da dah da.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:50pm

Rosie never supported her friend in Grey Gardens, not at all, she just got her to be a guest co-host, to perform on The View, she got the little girl to sing on the show as well, mentioned it about 100 times, recommended it on her blog, etc.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:50pm

If I had a copy of the album with me, I would put up some slant rhyme lyrics. I could be using the wrong term, however, what I mean is-
Rhyming MEAN with SEEM or
FLIGHT with GRIPE
Sater does that sort of thing a lot.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:51pm

I think the question "When is Rosie ever wrong?" was sarcastic.

I agree. Spring Awakening SHOULD win the Tony. Grey Gardens is actually quite a dull musical even with the terrific talent. I would see Spring Awakening (with different stars) numerous times. Where as I would not even see Grey Gardens again WITH the OBC. Spring Awakening is ground breaking. They were talking about it EVERYWHERE in NYC when I was there in January, and since the ticket sales are going up, I am assuming the buzz is the same or greater at this point.

As for musical tradition. I see lots of influences - I see touches of Les Mis and Rent in the show. I also think it is unique. Trust me - musical theatre needs unique and new flavors. I am so tired of shows that seem to be repeat the same themes, idea, and musical style.

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:52pm

My problem with the Spring Awakening score was that IMO, none of the music felt necessary. Sater's lyrics didn't further the plot, they conveyed emotion. That's all fine and dandy for one or two songs per show, but after that point, nonsensical songs that hint at the character's emotional depth begin to feel excessive and burden the plot movement.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:53pm

You people are ridiculous. You really are. I said that she should maybe throw a comment or two about Grey Gardens around this time. It isn't doing better at the box office, even with the Tony nods. Of course she's talked about it. I didn't say she hasn't.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:56pm

"Spring Awakening is ground breaking."

Rock music has been on Broadway since 1960's. Bad lyrics have been on Broadway since the theatre began. Dozens of shows have used the "abstract" feel and quite of a few have used it to enormous success. There have been numerous plays on Broadway or at least well known ones that include sexual abuse (How I Learned to Drive-won the Pulitzer), teenage angst (Runaways, The Me Nobody Knows, etc.), suicide (The Children's Hour and many others), as well as gay characters (many shows that played years before Rent). I wouldn't say there's anything "groundbreaking" about Spring Awakening. Unique, yes. Groundbreaking? That's a bit of a stretch.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:56pm

"Sater's lyrics didn't further the plot, they conveyed emotion."

Sorry to sound crass but, no duh. It has been stated MANY times that the songs are inner monolouges of the character. They are not there to movie the plot along.
Updated On: 6/5/07 at 06:56 PM

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 6:58pm

Becoz- but a score can only use this gimmick for so long. Eventually it becomes tiresome. Many audience members laughed when Lea brought out that microphone for "The Guilty Ones".

[Bobby Maler]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 7:01pm

"I'm surprised if they didn't make Sondheim queasy yeat."

According to a blog post on Spring Awakening's Myspace page a month back, Stephen Sondheim was the first person to jump up and give a standing ovation when he saw it at the Atlantic.

I'd rather take slant rhymes (what is used in most of today's pop music) than boring and predicatable moon june spoon rhymes like those in Curtains, MP, and Legally Blonde any day!

[jv92]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 7:04pm

Well, Mr. Sondheim and I disagree about this show. I suppose it's no surprise. He loved Rent too.
Off topic, but what was Sondheim's opinion on Grey Gardens? Anyone know?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 7:09pm

Too much message board drama. Not enough intelligent discussion. Back to what matters:

In all honesty, I don't expect Mayer to win for directing. Greif and Doyle provide great competition. I think perhaps Greif will win to account for GREY GARDENS not winning Best Musical.

As for the lyrics, I don't understand where these "they're horrible" comments are coming from. Due explain why you don't think they are "good." Personally, they don't stand out as awful, and they don't stand out as terrific - which, in my opinion, mean Slater has done his job perfectly.

(And yes, the Rosie being right all the time comment was sarcasm...even though I truly do agree with most of her opinions.)

[glimpseofstocking]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 7:10pm

I don't think SA really is that innovative. Nudity and foul language have been on the stage for ages, as has the coming of age story, including sex. As for the music, it's not that innovative. (Some tunes are catchy, I'll admit that. But, it's not, IMO, as groundbreaking as Rent was when it came out. I found it flat in spots and lacking in character development. As an audience member I had a hard time feeling much for the characters because they weren't developed.)

Bwaygal1, you summed up all of my feelings about Spring Awakening. SA is a unique show, but it is in no way a "first" or this huge revolutionary show that so many people make it out to be.

Updated On: 6/5/07 at 07:10 PM

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 7:12pm

"Sorry to sound crass but, no duh. I has bee stated MANY times that the songs are inner monolouges of the character. They are not there to movie the plot along."

Hmm...so that means that they reverted back to musicals pre-OKLAHOMA when they had songs that didn't move the plot along. That's really progressive there!

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 7:14pm

They also bring out microphones...let's see they did that in the 70's for GREASE and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR...