Shows that won more Tonys than the Best Musical

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 6:18pm

A Light in the Piazza's 6 Tony wins over Spamalot's 3 got me wondering which other original shows (I'm not counting revivals) won more Tonys than the show that beat it for Best Musical.

The only ones I could come up with were:

Follies won many more than Two Gentlemen of Verona
On the Twentieth Century won more than Ain't Misbehavin'
Woman of the Year won more than 42nd Street
Dreamgirls won 6 over Nine's 5.

I think Pippin tied Night Music with 6 each.

Anyone else?

(If this has been beaten to death, forgive me - I need to check in more than I do!)

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 6:40pm

If you want to include revivals, in 1997 CHICAGO won seven Tonys, more than TITANIC.

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 6:48pm

Well I wasn't counting revivals, but I think the revivals of Cabaret and Assassins were also the big winners in their respective years.

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 7:00pm

In 1974, RAISIN (The Best Musical winner) and SEESAW each won two awards. CANDIDE, however won four, including a special Tony award, because the Tony commitee felt that CANDIDE was a revival even though it had an entirely new book and a changed score. This decision led to the Best Revival Tony category, which was first awarded to THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE in 1981.

Interesting to note that the Best Score award went to GIGI, even though the score consisted of a previously heard movie score. This would NEVER happen today.

Updated On: 7/10/05 at 07:00 PM

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 7:22pm

Also intereting to note: In 1981 42nd STREET and SOPHISTICATED LADIES each won two Tony Awards (STREET for Musical and Choreography, LADIES for Featured Actor and Costumes). PIRATES OF PENZANCE won three (Actor, Revival, and Direction). The big winner was WOMAN OF THE YEAR with four (Actress, Featured Actress, Score and Book).

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 7:28pm

Thanks, CAF!

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 7:31pm

My pleasure! I ain't done yet!

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 8:01pm

i know it didn't win more..... but how can a show win book and music and not win musical?..... i don't know like maybe Ragtime and Lion King

[ikmbway]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 9:02pm

Wicked won more then Avenue Q. Well, I'm pretty positive it did.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 9:08pm

I'm positive Wicked didn't win more than Q. Q won musical, score and book...Wicked won I believe just scenery and Idina? Maybe one more...so they either tied or Q won more.

Edited...just checked...Wicked also won costumes, so the 2 tied.

Updated On: 7/10/05 at 09:08 PM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/10/05 at 9:13pm

WICKED won three awards, Best Actress - Idina Menzel , Best Scenic Design - Eugene Lee , and Best Costumes - Susan Hilferty.

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:04am

It often happens in a year that a revue musical or a musical with a pre-existing score wins the Best Musical Tony that another musical wins Best Book and/or Score. The score is not eligible because it has been previously heard, and the book isn't eligble because...well revues don't HAVE books!

Example: PARADE won Best Book and Score, but FOSSE (a plotless dance revue with pre-existing music) was considered a better show than the already-closed PARADE. Therefore FOSSE won Best Musical.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/11/05 at 12:28am

In addition to Piazza, we had the unusual phenomenon this year of the Best Play, Doubt, also winning more Tonys (4) than the Best Musical, Spamalot (3).