Which Best Musical Winners were one-act musicals?

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 9:50pm

A Chorus Line
Passion


Just curious, which other Best Musical Tony winners were one-act musicals?


Updated On: 6/30/09 at 09:50 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 10:03pm

Follies didn't win Best Musical, sadly. Two Gentlemen of Verona did.

Updated On: 7/1/09 at 10:03 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 10:04pm

Omg. I'm an idiot. I swear I knew that. Being such a big fan, I think I forgot it lost, lol. Updated On: 6/30/09 at 10:04 PM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 10:06pm

oh, and in answer to your question, Man of La Mancha is a one act musical. at least it was originally (and I saw a one act production regionally).

Updated On: 6/30/09 at 10:06 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 10:11pm

I just looked up Once on This Island to see if it was a winner. I'm surprised it didn't win. And it lost to The Will Rogers Follies? What???

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/30/09 at 10:48pm

Off topic, but that reminds me that I'm in the mood for a Once on this Island revival.

And, sorry, but I can't think of any. It's too late.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 9:08am

Chorus Line and Passion are the only two I can think of now. Spring Awakening had two acts, right?

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 9:11am

Spring Awakening definitely has 2 Acts. 'I Believe' closes act one, and 'The Guilty Ones' opens Act 2.

[bryanw3535]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 9:33am

A Chorus Line, Passion, and Two Gentleman of Verona are the only three Tony winners that are only one act.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 9:36am

Gosh, that's really wild. What about Best Musical Revival winners?

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 9:53am

1776 was a one-act.

[bryanw3535]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 10:21am

Was it? I just remember it was really long. hmm.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 10:41am

Man of La Mancha is one act, like I said earlier.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 10:47am

Although, since they have no intermission, these are technically "one-acts," are they ever really referred to that way? Doesn't "one-act" generally imply a shorter play?

I would never refer to A Chorus Line, Follies, et al as "one acts," just shows without an intermission.
Updated On: 7/1/09 at 10:47 AM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 10:51am

A Chorus Line, Passion, and Two Gentleman of Verona are the only three Tony winners that are only one act.

Two Gentlemen of Verona is two acts.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 1:04pm

"1776" can be performed with an intermission and an entr'acte. There is a "suggested" place to put one if desired (right after Mama, Look Sharp), and the additional music cues are supplied if you license the show. They also discourage you from doing so. The same is true for "A Chorus Line."

But the original, Tony-winning Broadway production of "1776" and its national tour, which I saw at the ripe old age of seven, was performed without an intermission.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 1:21pm

Yeah, Two Gentlemen is in two acts. Intermission is just after the reprise of Love's Revenge.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 4:32pm

Hmm, I just saw a production of 1776 (with some Equity actors) over the weekend that put the intermission after the "Saltpeter" reprise, a good twenty minutes of show time before "Mama, Look Sharp" and the act was already seeming overlong... over two hours with no intermission is really cruel, particularly with a show that can be as dull as this. My two favorite shows are THE WILD PARTY and FOLLIES, both of which are over two hours with no intermission (the preferable preview version of TWP is a good 155 mins with no intermission actually) so it may sound hypcritical but this show tends to drag and, either way, the show really is very, very dull and could use some (and I NEVER say this) judicious cutting to some of that book. Stone really liked hearing himself write (check out that SWEET CHARITY screenplay if you think Simon is long-winded), it seems.

PASSION, 1776 and TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. What a group! Throw in CONTACT and HALLELUJAH, BABY (sorry Arthur!) and you have quite a selection of BEST MUSICAL winners...

P

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/1/09 at 8:16pm

Personally, I hate it when they add intermissions to shows that didn't have them to begin with! It's all about selling cocktails, programs, and T-shirts.

That's why they put "suggested" breaks in the licensed versions. They are afraid that producers won't bother to license one-act shows. They stand to lose a LOT of money each night without the extra sales. I guess I understand it. But artistically, it sucks.

Ah, well ...


EDIT: Pgenre---that's a really weird place to put the intermission dramatically. Wow. I was in a production (as Rutledge) that had the intermission. It was right after "Mama Look Sharp," and when Act II started, we did a short scene right before "Cool, Considerate Men." Makes much more sense to have it there.

But these are drink-sellers, not artists. So far be it from me to question.

Updated On: 7/1/09 at 08:16 PM

[Pgenre]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 12:06am

best12- Yes, well, I went as a favor to a friend. He was very good and literally rang the bell magnificently at the end. It's a dinner theatre, of sorts, that does very obscure plays (THE WOMAN IN BLACK was their last show before 1776) and one "classic" musical a season (that seems to be endemic of the schedules of many avant-garde local theatres, three risky obscure plays and an overdone, generally dull or at least cliche musical (GUYS & DOLLS, HELLO DOLLY, 1776, MAME, LITTLE SHOP, ANYTHING GOES, etc. all need big Broadway budgets to be effective these days in reality)) and this was the classical musical. It's a very dull show, sadly.

As an aside, I once almost convinced the artistic director to do CHESS, as he revealed himself to be a fan of the show, but when faced with the Broadway script or nothing we both opted for nothing. Around the same time I was part of a production of CHESS that tried to do the London version but was thwarted when not only could they not get materials to do the Broadway version, they weren't granted any at all for some bizarre reason. I'm sure Tim Rice has lost a lot of royalties from aberrations like this on the licensing side because no one in their right mind would enjoy having anything to do with putting on or viewing the Broadway script of CHESS. Seriously, read it. The show ain't SITPWG, but the London version at least has some level of artistry, be it as it may. Anyway, Rice-rewritten concert version that was on PBS was what we were attempting on performing (which is essentially the same as the London version minus "Der Kleine Franz" and this or that). My friend says CHESS may be up for consideration again so we shall see.

P

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 12:09am

I just looked up Once on This Island to see if it was a winner. I'm surprised it didn't win. And it lost to The Will Rogers Follies? What???

Miss Saigon and Secret Garden were in the run too, and who even remembers Will Rogers Follies?

[winston89]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 12:58am

Besty, correct me if I'm wrong. But, didn't the roundabout production, the one that played at The Gershwin have an intermission after Mamma Look Sharp?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 2:00am

I was in a production of Once on This Island that had an intermission after "The Human Heart". The cast was informed that it was indeed for the sole purpose of concession sales.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 10:55am

I may be all wet on this, but I saw the original Nine in early previews and I believe it was done as an intermission-less show -- that was changed soon (certainly before opening). And even though it didn't win the Tony (grrr), Grand Hotel didn't have an intermission.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/2/09 at 11:42am

Well, if you ARE putting an intermission in OOTI, the obvious place is after "Ti Moune". Then Act 2 begins with "Mama Will Provide".