Why CRY-BABY may be the next SPAMALOT (or Why ITH may be the next PIAZZA)

The Power of the Tony lies in the Power of the Tour.

I will not be surprised if/when IN THE HEIGHTS takes all the creative awards (ie: book, score, performances), much like THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.... only to find CRY-BABY take the title (much like SPAMALOT).

The potential to tour (ie: the ability to rake in the dough by criss-crossing the nation to feed the non-discriminating Middle-American theatre-goer) is the determining factor and the reason why so many nominations went to unlikely contenders.

Same story with PAJAMA GAME versus SWEENEY TODD.

Lest we forget, the bottom-line is the dollar. Listen to Debra Monk (in the words of Kander & Ebb): "It's a business."

EDIT: This is mere theory. Goodness sake, not my personal belief as who will be winner. Merely playing the "let's just suppose" card and of course, welcome to thoughtful litigation.

Updated On: 5/14/08 at 11:50 PM

Spamalot was also a huge hit before the nominations were announced.

The potential to tour (ie: the ability to rake in the dough by criss-crossing the nation to feed the non-discriminating Middle-American theatre-goer) is the determining factor and the reason why so many nominations went to unlikely contenders.

Same story with PAJAMA GAME versus SWEENEY TODD.

And who ended up actually going on tour? Ah, irony.

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Eug, I totally follow your mindset and theories, and agree with them, but I think for ALL of those reasons, ITH will win. In my opinion, it deserves the "Best" title, but aside from that, it IS a bright, new, fresh musical, with contemporary music, that can entertain the whole family. That means that it'll tour well. With enough coverage, it'll sell well on tour. And Cry- Baby is actually a more offensive, less well reviewed, Wedding- Singer- esque nominee. I think the committee needed a show in that fourth slot and they knew whatever it was would have NOOOOO chance of winning. So they picked Cry Baby over Catered Affair because out of context, its number would entertain more on the Tony's... among other reasons. Wide- spread appreciation is more likely for Cry Baby. But it has no chance of winning. Even Xanadu is a more recognizable movie title, and In The Heights IS more tour- friendly, not to mention better.

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PJGAME won with the idea it would tour

Oh, yes, absolutely; and it seems more tour-able than something like the Doyle Sweeney. Personally, I'm glad for the irony. Shows up convention a little bit.

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Stew is probably the opposite of 'nobody' when it comes to Passing Strange. Just because you didn't like it, doesn't mean everyone didn't as well. I highly doubt any other "big black guy," can fill his shoes.

A NOBODY? His show just won the New York Drama Critic's Circle Award for BEST MUSICAL!

Stew does have an understudy so it's not like he doesn't feel others can't play the role. He probably has more emotionally invested in it but that's only speculation.

But In the Heights is a very local interest show and makes me wonder how it would ever tour middle America. I mean, tourists I sat near one time thought it was Brooklyn Heights. And someone else thought it was in Bronx Heights. Not that I'm positive it wouldn't work it just seems like a difficult show to tour.

I think the tour vote is such a minute percent of the voters that In the Heights will prevail.

But, it won't win best book. The book is the weakest element of the show. (Xanadu will snag its award here. The book is really quite clever.)

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Updated On: 5/14/08 at 02:08 PM

In the case Stew is unable to perform, his role will be played by Madge Allsop.

I meant up until now. So far it hasn't happened, it isn't currently happening, and thus my point still stands.

Presumably people voted for The Pajama Game because they thought it was the more likely of the two to go on tour, right? So people voted for it on the basis that it was the most tourable, and yet what those same people didn't vote for was the one that ended up on tour -- sooner, and until The Pajama Game tour actually happens, at all. (They promised a commercial open-run transfer too, didn't they?) I don't know what's unclear about that.

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Updated On: 5/14/08 at 02:18 PM

If Cry-Baby wins, I will lose all faith in Broadway.

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You are completely missing my point.

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^ Um, yes. :P

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