TONY AWARD disgrace!!!

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 4:53pm

In light of all the recent Tony's speculation, I thought it would be interesting to ask...

When were you the most angry at the Tony Awards?

1) When Brian Stokes Mitchell lost to Alan Cumming
2) When Urinetown lost to Thoroughly Modern Millie
3) When Hunter Foster was not nominated for Urinetown

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:00pm

There's more:

1) Edie Falco being snubbed for "Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune".
2) Megan Mullally being snubbed for "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying".
3) Heather Headley beating Toni Collette, Audra McDonald, Marin Mazzie, and Rebecca Luker.

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:00pm

Melissa Winoker beating Bernadette for Gypsy

(as for the ones you have listed I agree with the Tony comittee on all three, but I am biased since I am not a Brian Stoke Mitchell fan)

[JimVukovich]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:02pm

How about the fact that there is NOT a category for MUSICAL DIRECTION.........Why can our work be judged, critiqued and written about in reviews but NOT be rewarded at The Tony's?

THAT'S A DISGRACE.

[TabooWickedFan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:02pm

Raul Esparza not winning for Taboo
Boy George for not winning for Taboo's score

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:03pm

Jim, that is SO true. I never thought of it.
You should try writing a letter.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:04pm

Raul was good in "Taboo", but Michael Cerveris deserved his Tony for "Assassins".

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:04pm

the whole no musical director award is insane. i complain every year.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:05pm

THE PRODUCERS winning best score over JANE EYRE. wtf?

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:06pm

OH! The Full Monty walking away completely empty- handed.

[little_sally]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:07pm

InfiniteTheaterFrenzy, I agree with each one you mentioned.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:07pm

I actually didn't understand that one....I mean isn't that already a category that Joe Mantello won this year???? I'm confused...

[JimVukovich]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:08pm

I'd love to know how to petition the Tony Committee effectively so that they would correct such a disrespectful oversight.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:08pm

I'm still not over Megan Mullally being snubbed for "H2$".

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:10pm

I hear that Estelle Getty was snubbed big time in not even being nominated in Torch Song Trilogy......but was only 2 in 1983 so I don't know.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:10pm

The Tonys HAD a category for "Best Conductor and Musical Director" up until 1964. Why it was dropped after that, I don't know. Perhaps it's a sort of backhanded compliment -- the level of musical direction from show to show to show is generally so outstanding, how does one single out a winner?

[AbzugFan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:14pm

Given that most of the Tony voters don't know how to distinguish between a mediocre score and a brilliantly composed score, I'm glad there is no award for musical direction. Most of the voters truly do not have the capability to judge good musical direction or bad. Frankly, I am not sure I'd really be able to tell either.

This is a problem with the best orchestrations award as well. Doesn't it usually go to the same show which won best score?

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:14pm

I also wish Bernadette had won for Sunday in the Park...

and a little piece of me wishes Liz Callaway had won for Baby too.

And that year, didn't James Lapine also lose for direction of Sunday?

Ugh. What a bad year for the Tony's. I love La Cage and all, but La Cage over Sunday in the Park for Best Musical... what IS that?

[JimVukovich]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:16pm

Margo, that was so sweet to say. I also agree that most musical directors are superb. However, it's just rude to not include Musical Director and/or Conductors in the nomination and award celebrations. Like I said, if our work can be critiqued, it should also be rewarded.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:17pm

What's the different between Best Direction of a Musical and Best Director of a Musical?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:18pm

My good friend Shepard Coleman won that 1964 Tony for HELLO, DOLLY! - I had the pleasure of being directed by him several times and performed at his memorial service - he was WONDERFUL.

On the topic, I don't agree that Brian Stokes Mitchell should have won over Alan Cumming - both performances were brilliant, but Cumming's was slightly more amazing, in my opinion.

-Definitely THE PRODUCERS beating JANE EYRE for best score
-Christine Ebersole beating Marla Schaffell
-Boy George not winning best score for TABOO
-Melissa Jaret Winokur beating Bernadette Peters
-LA CAGE AUX FOLLES score and musical beating the far more brilliant SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.
-Heather Headley beating all the other superior performers, as melissa errico fan mentioned.
-Parade not winning best musical
-Tonya Pinkins losing to Idina Menzel
-URINETOWN losing to THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
-When THE LION KING beat RAGTIME for best musical

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:18pm

it's best direction of a musical and best musical direction. two very different things.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:19pm

All principal actors, James Lapine, and Sondheim lost for "Sunday". It only won for either costumes or setting.

Here's another: Marin Mazzie losing for "Passion".

[AbzugFan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:19pm

No difference, ljay. I think the difference which is confusing is between "Director of a Musical" and "Musical Director." The former is the director of the entire show as we traditionally think of directors (casts the actors, runs rehearsals, stages the show, works with the designers on the concept etc). The latter is the person responsible for teaching the music to the cast and orchestra, and making decisions about tempo, style etc of the music.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 5:21pm

I myself thought that Randy Graff should have won for "A Class Act".