The Great "Best Musical" Race of 2019 — Page 4

"Hadestown is already campaigning heavily. Methinks they are afraid."

Afraid of what?

They have a song about building a wall.

How could they not win the Tony Award?

So I think the thing about this race is that Hadestown layers the concept of what we do for art, love, passion, with topical issues such as climate change, corporate greed/inequality, industrialism, creating a really compelling concept. That being said, a significant number of people have raised the question or supported the notion that the show needs to be slimmed significantly (cut to 1 90 minute act, switch the leading couple)- which is a pretty big critique of the supposed frontrunner for best musical. That being said, Tootsie has the nominations and the book to be considered the best produced musical of the season. However, that does not mean it will win the Tony for best musical. We also saw what could be called a foreshadowing (or continuity) of bucking the commercial adaptation from last year. Both Network and TKAM were not nominated for best play ( though one could attribute TKAM to backlash) On top of that, you have the gender issues with tootsie (both in those employed and content matter). My money is [figuratively] on Hadestown. The other shows (hold the prom - which I think will get CFA treatment, but slightly less) are not the traditional "best musical." A 'best musical' is innovative, advances a concept, tells a meaningful story.

bdn223 said: "ChildofEarth said: "Hadestown is already campaigning heavily. Methinks they are afraid."

I wouldn't say afraid so much as over confident. They are trying to set the race as a repeat of last year'sThe Band's Visitsweep, by establishingHadestownas the only show that "can win". By "Can Win" I mean thatHadestownis the only show that is "true art" deserving of the award Best Musical, with the rest of its fellow nominees being commercial tourist theme park musicals, asFrozen,Mean Girls,andSpongebobwere all easily classified as last year. That differentiation and the classic argument that only a drama can be considered awards worthy and comedy is for the commoners. This why Drama and Musical/Comedy are separated at the Globe and Emmys, as history shows with the Oscars, comedy is rarely if ever awarded over drama. In the 75times Best Play has been awarded only 10 times has it been awarded to a comedy, less than 5 of which could be considered straight comedies and not comedic dramas. In the past 25 years when Best revival of a play has been awarded only 3 comedies have won. In the 16 years Best revival was a joint Play and musical category only 1 comedic play won. This is compared to the Best Musical where about 26 of the 69 musicals awarded were comedies.

The difference this year is that only 2 of the 5 nominees for Best New Musical are seen as cash grabs (Beetlejuice and Ain't to Proud).The later of the two is actually a solid musical that could be considered a dark horse, allaJersey Boyswinning Best Musical despiteDrowsyChaperone walking away with more Tonys that night. Of the other the 2 nominees are solid comedies that have the respect of the community and are being championed by members of the community and not just corporations like last year.Tootsieis stage adaption of a film that actually truly adapted the piece for the stage instead of staging the movie. It works, and has a hilarious book, that many have said is one of the best books of a musical Broadway has seen in years if not decades. Its the rare musical that people find fault in the score and not the book, which is the go to criticism for any musical.The Promis a solid musical that the community has embraced, despite audiences being lukewarm to it at best. It honestly has the best "story" for awards season as "the little show that could" in the same vein asA Gentleman's Guide to Love and MurderandAvenue Q.

Hadestown's strategy of trying to establish itself as the only musical "worthy of winning" walks a very fine line, as it can turn to backlash allaMatildaandWicked, when a different show (TootsieorThe Prom)can successfully argue "Vote with your Heart, not your head"."



I do see Hadestown fans doing this but how do you think the Hadestown producers are doing so? I think the only arrogance was when the whole nominated cast posted to support Reeve who wasn’t nominated, which just seems kind of unnecessary to me. I feel like Tootsie is definitely a cash grab, probably more so then Ain’t Too Proud.

ChildofEarth said: "Hadestown is already campaigning heavily. Methinks they are afraid."


And if they didn't campaign heavily people would complain they are looking arrogant as the clear front runner. I think what any show does when it is given good reviews and lots of nominations is that it campaigns heavily. The strategy is to pour gasoline on the fire, and they are smart to do it.

NYCblurb said: "After Eight said: ""Hadestown is already campaigning heavily. Methinks they are afraid."

Afraid of what?

They have a song about building a wall.

How could they not win the Tony Award?"

HADESTOWN on THE TODAY SHOW looked awful. Cheap and arrogant, and too artsy for its own niche self. I thought the selection that scene to do on the TV show was a big miss for them.

https://www.today.com/video/see-the-hadestown-cast-perform-livin-it-up-on-top-on-today-1515460675932

What do you think?"

Oh, hush. What are you going on about? Show looked fine. You want to see arrogant and cheap, go see that ugly cash grab attempt Tootsie. Hadestown isn't "artsy." What does "artsy" even mean?

I have school tomorrow, but hopefully I can manage to stay up! Fingers crossed!!!