Amen to that. North Country fits pretty much every bill for Best Musical Tony winners these last number of years, despite the fact that it is a jukebox musical (or some would say a play with music). It is mainly serious in plot and nature, transporting, it effectively balances humor with heartbreak, and it is altogether stunning. North Country is a Fun Home/Once/The Band's Visit type that can easily break through and become a clear favorite. It's gotten the best reviews among the eligible musicals this season, and I think that will have more of an effect than the originality (and perhaps length) of Six and the glitz and glamour of Moulin Rouge!. Also, where North Country is intimate and heart-wrenching, similar competitor Jagged Little Pill is often uneven and shouty. That will cost JLP greatly.
Move over, Jersey Boys. Broadway has a second jukebox tuner with its pieces all in place to win Best Musical (if the Tonys were to occur), and its name is Girl from the North Country.
“I am furious, but I am sailing.”