The new West Side Story: Billy Elliot vs. 9 to 5

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 3:55pm

I have noticed on this board there is a pretty even division of members who believe these two have the best shot at winning the Tony. I would like to really hear what everyones opinions are. Personally I will have only seen 9 to 5 before the Tony Awards, SO I will not be able to give an opinion but anyone out there seen both yet? Opinion please.

[esparza 333]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 4:02pm

Well people have been predicting since it was announced that Billy Elliot was going to win and I think it has more hype at the moment. If you look the possibilities it could easily win Director, Score, Book, Choreography, Actor, and maybe even Featured Actor. It has stunning reviews and excellent word of mouth. That being said 9 to 5 is a very different type of musical. It is hilarious musical with a toe tapping score and four powerhouse leads. This normally could win but I feel that tony voters will probably feel Billy Elliot to be a much more rich experience.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 4:05pm

Billy has it in the bag.

[coolkid11776]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 4:14pm

Hair should win best revival!!!

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 4:20pm

This isn't about HAIR.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 5:00pm

I have seen 'Billy Elliot' twice and both times I absolutely adored it. That being said, I have tickets to '9 to 5' and have been anxiously been awaiting it for over a year. I feel '9 to 5' has best score hands down being 'Billy' really lacks when it comes to score and '9 to 5' has a pretty good one. '9 to 5' also has an amazing set which is constructed of projections and moving scenery so I feel it has that too. As far as choreography, I think 'Billy Elliot' has that. It's soon to tell about best book being I haven't seen '9 to 5'.

Now, there's best new musical. When ever I think of this I think of how 'Avenue Q' beat 'Wicked' and how 'Spring Awakening' beat 'Mary Poppins' and 'Curtains'. While 'Billy Elliot' has all the hype and a touching story which some people can relate to, '9 to 5' has some big names attached both in the Hollywood and Broadway community as well as a catchy score and funny but at the same time serious story which many people can relate to.

Overall, I feel it is way to soon to tell being that very few people, if any have seen both, especially people on this board where so many people are making sure of themselves predictions when they can't give reasons behind them. But, I feel '9 to 5' may take it due to the reasons above.







On another note, I would love to read why 'Billy' has it in the bag, Mr. Roxy.

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 9:26pm

I think in recent times 9 to 5 may rank up there as one of the best musicals taken from a movie, following behind Hairspray.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 9:28pm

Don't be silly. Billy Elliot has Best Musical.

The contested races are: Book, Score, Actor, Featured Actress, and some techs.

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 9:31pm

9to5 V. Billy Elliot
Dolly V. Elton
Movie V. Movie

On Sunday night debate y'all!

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 9:37pm

Gay Icon vs. Gay Man

See it always falls back to the gays.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 9:45pm

I would love to hear reason behind people being so sure of 'Billy'! No one is giving any reason behind it.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 3/15/09 at 9:50pm

I think people think Billy has it in the bag since it's already a huge hit and it's a tourist attraction AND for theatergoers. It also has tons of depth.

9 to 5 kind of reminds me of Hairspray when it was new. It features a big star (Allison Janney) and Harvey for Hairspray. It just kind of reminds me of Hairspray in a way.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 3:52am

I wouldn't forget the dark horse: Next To Normal.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 7:31am

Next To Normal

Snort. Mark my words, N2N will not win Best Musical, no matter how many votes Billy Elliot and 9 to 5 split.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 7:49am

I don't understand why so many people vehemently oppose the idea of N2N winning Tonys. It's a good show that's improved greatly in the last year or so. It definitely has a shot at a bunch of awards and Ripley (go ahead, make fun of me) is astonishing. Janney is funny and entertaining. To me, there's simply no comparing the two.

Both are great, but as I said before, this year (Actress-wise) reminds me of Pinkins (Ripley) vs. Menzel (Janney). One gives an incredible tour de force, the other is very talented and is wildly entertaining in her role. To me, Pinkins should have won and Ripley should win. There's really no contest IMO.

9 TO 5 is the best musical-comedy based on a film since HAIRSPRAY. N2N is the best rock musical since RENT (I'd say it's better than SPRING AWAKENING). BILLY ELLIOT is fantastic and wonderfully inventive and original.

What started out as a boring year onstage should end very interestingly this Tony season.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 8:53am

If this year didn't have both 9 TO 5 and BILLY, I'd say you might be making some sense... but with the competition this year I'd say you sound like you're smoking crack.

I'm not sure people "vehemently oppose" the idea. They're just being realistic about it. It is fairly obvious that either 9/5 or BE will win this award.

You're naive and foolish to think otherwise..

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 9:00am

Nowhere in my post did I say NEXT TO NORMAL will win Best Musical. It's definitely the "third wheel" and has a LOT of work to do to win the award but I think it deserves a lot more credit than people are giving it. It's a better show than a lot of people treat it as.
Updated On: 3/16/09 at 09:00 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 9:04am

TheCharleston/TooDarnHot, why is it that someone can't start a thread on this board initiating an honest discussion about theatre without YOU coming in and turning it into a personal attack on the people engaging in the discussion?

If you don't have anything to contribute, just go away.

We told you to go away when you were TooDarnHot. We still want you to go away as TheCharleston. You contribute nothing of worth to this board.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 9:04am

Oh damn. Work it.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 9:44am

How is 'Billy Elliot' original? It's based on a movie just like '9 to 5'!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 9:46am

Original in its approach and execution. Not a literal original musical.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 9:53am

That's true. But in the end, I personally feel, and a lot of the times this isn't the case, but I feel a huge deciding factor should be the music for Best Musical along with Best Score, obviously. That being said, I think the music might do 'Billy' in and let '9 to 5' steal the TONY being 'Billy' lacks in the score and '9 to 5' has a pretty strong one. I also think '9 to 5' will take Best Book being most of Billy's emotions are expressed through dance, and not words. Although, I know nothing about 'Next To Normal' so I'll have to wait and see about that, although the story doesn't make me want to run and see it.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 10:07am

"Original in its approach and execution. Not a literal original musical."

How so? While I enjoy the show a great deal...there aren't too many differences between it and the movie. If there was no music it would be the movie.

[TBD2]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 10:33am

"Original in its approach and execution. Not a literal original musical."

"...there aren't too many differences between it and the movie. If there was no music it would be the movie."

Au contraire: if it weren't for the music, and the dancing, oh and the singing THEN it would be the movie. I'll admit that "Angry Dance", Jackie Elliot busting the picket line, and the scene with the acceptance letter are close to the movie, just about everything else has been re-engineered in musical form and there are complete sequences (The Christmas Show?, Dream Ballet? , Grandmas's Song? that are new for the musical for all intents and purposes. True, it still tells the same story but it definitely communicates the telling differently (IMHO).

I too was underwhelmed by the score when I first heard it, but after watching the show I think it's "bloody brilliant". No "hit" songs to be sure but it "just works".

Ed

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 3/16/09 at 11:27am

"N2N is the best rock musical since RENT"

rOcKS, I'm going to have to strongly dissagree with that opinion. Rent is a much better musical. First thing first, N2N paints a very crazy picture of a dissfunctional family and expects for audiences to relate to it. Rent is about finding your own voice while facing the realities around you, that's much easier to relate to. N2N's score has a few gems in there, but other than that... it's a bunch of lacking, unmemorable melodies. Rent's score is a broadway masterpiece with some lyrical flaws, but other than that... it's a diverse, emotional, and memorable rock score that cleverly combines rock with broadway. Rent is a masterpiece that reaches out to all different types of people, N2N is a good show that theatre-goers will enjoy.

Updated On: 3/16/09 at 11:27 AM