Tony for Best Score — Page 2

WOMAN IN WHITE will probably be nominated, but will it win when the show (especially the score) was so panned by critics?

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The score did not receive positive reviews, but nor did Wildhorn's THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, or even WICKED, and they both snagged nominations.

THE COLOR PURPLE's score didn't receive great reviews and while THE WOMAN IN WHITE's received generally negative reviews, I would vote for THE WOMAN IN WHITE over THE COLOR PURPLE - and I hated THE WOMAN IN WHITE.

Scores of DROWSY and THE WEDDING SINGER are just terrible - and will surely be panned.

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I feel like suddenly, in current musicals, the score is the least important aspect. Either the show relies on flashy spectacle or stupid self referential comedy. It will either be derivative of another score (in cases like Drowsy, Lestat, Wedding Singer, Woman in White), an after thought (Tarzan) or not even original music (Jersey Boys and other scores of its ilk). The only score from this season I think is worth buying is Wedding Singer, and I don't think I'd even listen to it much. I mean, with last year, even though we had Spamalot (where the music was completely unfunny and incidental), we still had Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which had a bonafide musical comedy score. Better yet we had Light in the Piazza, which was great music, and confusingly was chided by critics as being too lofty and complicated. What's with this complacency?

There's hope yet, I suppose. While the guys behind The Wedding Singer may not be producing Hairspray quality work, that's a tough comparison anyway. I think Hairspray is better than a lot of musicals. But they're certainly talented and I'm on board for whatever they do next, 'cus I liked The Wedding Singer.

And then there's the guys behind Grey Gardens, and Pete Mills, and lots of people I'm forgetting about... I suppose they just have to get a show to Broadway.

-is thinking people who are relatively new to the Broadway scene, rather than people like Guettel and LaChiusa who have been getting attention for at least a decade.

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I agree that it's between THE COLOR PURPLE and WOMAN IN WHITE, with it leaning more towards WOMAN IN WHITE

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The best musical nominees should and probably will be:

The Color Purple
Jersey Boys
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Woman in White

Of course, TWS could replace TWIW. If TARZAN gets a best musical nomination, something is seriously wrong.

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I think WiW has a great score, but like many critics said, it just sounds like stuff Webber has done before. The show was unique and different, but I think some of the songs in it are just incredibly boring, while some are really beautiful. However, I think Color Purple has a score that just fits the show so well and has some amazing singers. Plus, Color Purple has such a great message that it's almost hard to hate on it. My pick would be Wedding Singer because it has such a catchy score. There's at least one song in the show that people like. I really can't remember there being a song where I was like - "when will this number be over." I thought the whole thing was great, begining to end. It also was musically funny. As in "linda's letter" where they just start rocking out in the middle of it.

However, my question from the begining of the thread was "how do you compare the scores" Obviously WiW and Purple are vastly different than Chaperone and WS. How do you compare a comedic score to a beautifully dramatic score? Which one is easier to write, etc.

I'd have to go with The Color Purple's score. Though not a great score as the best of the year that I've heard (didnt hear Lestat, Tarzan or DC yet.)

The Wedding Singer was uninspired and somewhat insipid. The most clever song was the one that Adam Sandler did in the movie, so not part of the original score.

TWIW was bland and, except for All For Laura, very dirivitive of Weber's other scores. I heard nothing interesting on that stage, but for the trio of the three leads (musically very pretty and well sung.)

My opinion, of course.

Politically, I also think that Color Purple will win here as Jersey Boys seems like a lock for Best Musical.

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If Beguelin and Sklar had opened The Rhythm Club on Broadway instead of The Wedding Singer they'd be walking away with the award. As it is, I don't see a standout in the crop this year.

If Piazza or DRS had opened this season instead of last, they'd be cleaning house about now.

I disagree with the reviewers and many people on this board about THE COLOR PURPLE. I think that in spite of a really bad overture it has a really good score, and I've talked to many Tony voters who agree with me. Woman In White, despite some lovely melodies is more of the same for ALW. I like Drowsy Chaperone a lot but it's score is not anything remarkable, the others shows left me feeling nonplussed about the scores. THE COLOR PURPLE should win for best score, best actress, best featured actress (there are many to choose from) and possibly even best musical.

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I stand by The Color Purple's score. And I like it more and more as I listen to it.

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I agree, I wasn't really into Color Purple, but I picked up the cast recording just to give it a listen and I love it. I've been singing "I'm Here" all day long. I agree, I like how it has some R&B elements infused in the sound of the show. And LaChanze's scream gives me chills everytime I listen to it. That shrill scream just makes me want to give her the Tony right then and there. It has so much emotion and power behind it.

And yes, Munk, my question was serious. I hate when people say that. Please, don't talk down to me. Anyways, I was just saying how hard it is to compare scores. Its like at the Golden Globes how they seperate the movies into Dramas and comedies because the two genres are too hard to compare to. One would think a great dramatic score would be the obvious choice because its very emotional and whatnot. But I think a great comedic score (Full Monty) is hard to come by. A great comedic score leaves you humming the score and in a good mood without being too distracting. I think Finn's score for Spelling Bee is great. It has sublte wit to it.

I would be happy if Color Purple won. And I think it will. I would be so excited if Wedding Singer won, but I doubt it will. I hope it at least gets nominated.

Wouldn't you think that if a show won for best score, shouldn't it win for best musical? I mean that's what makes it a good musical, the music.