Tony for Best Score- Page 2

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:32pm

-is sort of glad Piazzaslight doesn't control the Tonys... just kidding!

I actually agree that it's between Woman in White and The Color Purple. I think Woman in White will win for some reason. I don't know that anything deserves it this year.

[musicman89]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:33pm

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

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:34pm

Adding on to what Michael Bennet said about closed shows winning, the most rewarding example in my mind is probably the win of Parade.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:40pm

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.

[musicman89]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:47pm

I'm not doubting that THE WOMAN IN WHITE will get a nomination, I'm doubting that it will win, as many other posters seem to have hope that it will. Sure, it's possible, but it's not probable.

THE COLOR PURPLE, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, and TARZAN will all probably be nominated for Best Musical, so it's most likely they will recieve Best Score nominations. THE WOMAN IN WHITE or THE WEDDING SINGER will get the last slot. It all depends on the critics' reactions to THE WEDDING SINGER, though. If it gets better reviews than THE WOMAN IN WHITE, you can expect it will take the final slot.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 10:59pm

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.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 11:09pm

"THE COLOR PURPLE, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, and TARZAN will all probably be nominated for Best Musical"

If Tarzan gets nominated for Best Musical, I may give up going to the theatre forever. It was a disgrace to both Disney and Broadway.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 11:17pm

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

[musicman89]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 11:23pm

TARZAN is not the greatest musical ever written, no. However, it will sell like crazy and be another hit for Disney. Tony voters love money.

There have been worse musicals nominated before. No matter how much you despise it and feel no hope for the future of musical theatre if it is nominated still does not change the fact that it probably will be nominated.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 11:40pm

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.

[jo]

Posted: 4/24/06 at 11:44pm

The musical score of THE WOMAN IN WHITE is a rich and romantic musical tapestry that is beautifully woven into the show's unique tale.

This may not count, but the show also had one of the best, if not the best, singing casts in this season.

I hope it wins the TONY for the best musical score - it deserves such recognition.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 12:17am

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.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 10:28am

Neither is easier to write, is that a serious question?

It's not like there's a book of rules that the voters consult to choose which score they like better. Some people like comedic scores over more serious scores - I prefer serious - but that's not everyone. After all, the decent AVENUE Q score won over the near brilliant CAROLINE, OR CHANGE score - so you never know.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 11:11am

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.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 12:10pm

I am really impressed with the score for The Color Purple. Especially since it is Brenda Russell and Allee Willis' first time out doing a show. Being a fan of Ms. Russells for years, I really like how she has subtly included her signature sound in the score.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 12:13pm

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.

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 1:04pm

I think if Color Purple wins best score, then the I will lose all respect for the Tony's. It is one the worst scores to a Broadway show I have ever heard and is completely amateur-ish and forced. I think Wedding singer and Woman in White deserve the award a lot more (haven't seen Drowsy yet).

[Danielm]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 2:17pm

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.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 2:55pm

THE COLOR PURPLE has some nice moments score-wise - and most of the score is a lot of fun. There are good stand out songs, but the score doesn't blend together in the fashion of a true theatre score - so while some songs (Push 'Da Button, Hello No!) are fun and exciting, it's just not a good SCORE.

The only semblance to any true "score" this year is Webber's near-horrible THE WOMAN IN WHITE - which, like PURPLE, has some beautiful moments - but Webber's score, in the end, just amounts to more.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 3:00pm

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

[Danielm]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 3:32pm

Munkstrap, I disagree that the score doesn't hold together. I think it builds quite well and the musical scenes are quite wonderful. The way the song about the pants (can't remember the name) tells the history and ages the characters is quite well done. The score seems a piece to me and didn't feel disjointed at all while I was watching it.

After reading the reviews I was not going to see the show until two friends of mine, an actor whose opinions I greatly value (and who is a Tony voter) and an opera singer who is not a great fan of Broadway shows reccommended it. I'm very glad they did.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 3:52pm

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.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 3:55pm

THE FULL MONTY's score was wonderful, and should have won the Tony for best score, as opposed to the banal score of THE PRODUCERS.

But THE FULL MONTY wasn't just comedy - it was everything - something that even DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS or SPELLING BEE can't achieve. A good score is a good score, just as a good film is a good film, no matter what the genre.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 4:00pm

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.

[jv92]

Posted: 4/25/06 at 4:02pm

My view on Best Score:
I don't care if The Woman in White is as brilliant as Evita (which it certainly isn't). I don't care if it's the best score this year (which again it certainly isn't, in my opinion). After several terrbily written outings (Phantom, Cats, Starlight Express) and one okay one (Sunset Boulevard) over the last 20+ years, Andrew Lloyd Webber doesn't deserve to win crap.
I haven't seen The Drowsy Chaperone and I haven't heard all of songs yet, but from the few clips I've heard, it sounds like a fun, catchy score. Tarzan will most likely get nominated. I've heard the original songs aren't that great, but is the score of Spamalot very good? It's all about the money as people have said. I think The Color Purple is of course a huge cotender and has a very good score. I'd like to see The Drowsy Chaperone win at this point. It sounds rather catchy from what I've heard. Also, look how the Tony voters have supported original shows with Avenue Q and Urinetown. It just might be a win for Drowsy.