Why Spring Awakening should win the Pulitzer on Monday, but won't- Page 2

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:24pm

Listening to the Cast Recording, I just don't feel for any of the characters. Yeah, sure, the songs are catchy and the lyrics are "controversial" but all the songs sound the same and don't really do much for deepening characters.

[Ariella]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:25pm

To be honest, I don't believe SA is deserving of a Pulitzer. I commend the creators for trying to make an edgy musical that confronts a variety of issues, but in my opinion this was not carried out successfully enough to merit a Pulitzer. As siren explained, the show has noticeable flaws and the lyrics can be contrived and detrimental.

And the fact that Mimi didn't die at the end of Rent hardly makes it a farce as compared to the grim reality that the author of the article evidently feels SA possesses. When Rent opened, the issues it presented were more controversial and pressing than those of SA - SA has themes that can hardly be construed as new and radical because the play was written over 100 years ago.

I'm not bashing SA or saying it's totally undeserving of accolades; I just don't see it as Pulitzer-worthy.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:25pm

The play has the exact same content. It is frequently produced all over the world. It was relevent a hundred years ago, it is relevant today.

But the musical adaptation has nothing new content-wise. Perhaps style-wise, but that isn't really true either. The musical adapation is pretty much the same as the play scene-for-scene.

The only new thing is the score. And if you took the entire score out, you'd pretty much have the Wedekind play that has worked for 100 years without Alt-Rock music.

The positive thing about adding a contemporary score is that an audience acclimated to this style of music will give the Wedekind play a chance.

But does that justify it being called "innovative?"

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:25pm

"Now I may be wrong but I believe it actually says somewhere in the Pulitzer rule book that the Pulitzer can't be awarded to an adaptation of an existing play, which is why OKLAHOMA! was given only a "special citation" by the Pulitzer committee."

I've also heard that MB, but I've never been able to actually find such a passage or restriction in the rules themselves. It is a fact, however, that no play or musical has ever won that was based on a pre-existing play (only books). Yet another reason to wonder whether the committee will find SA eligible.

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 07:25 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:27pm

the issues are not particularly new, but knowledge is being assaulted by the powers that be in America and in the script.

Based on that statement, you're implying that anything remotely controversial in theatre deserves a Pulitzer.

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 07:27 PM

[Julian2]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:33pm

I agree that the score isn't perfect, and I'm not saying it deserves the Pulitzer, but I just felt like piping up and saying that the show was a deep and moving experience for me. I saw that it had flaws, but had it been any different, I wouldn't have had that experience. The whole of the production (flaws and all) came together to impact me deeply.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:36pm

Spring Awakening is based on Frank Wedekind's play of the same name. It is set in Germany and the musical is based off of the play. The storyline is the same in the play(except one debatable issue that was slightly changed for the musical).RentBoy, I don't think the CR does justice to the emotion in the show. I could understand why many don't feel for these character, most are very underdeveloped.

[jbdc]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:38pm

The author never compared it to Rent, except to say that instead of the characters coming back to life at the end as Mimi does, they stay dead. And the fact that they stay dead makes the other characters wiser.

I posted a link to an article. You (orangeskittles) tried to invalidate the article by making defensive statements about Rent and cynically reading into things. (I didn't imply...you inferred.)

Rent is an AIDS story distilled enough to play in the hinterlands and appeal to teens the world over. Those of us who know actual people who died of AIDS and addiction in the East Village at the end of the millenium think RENT is a fairy tale and profoundly overrated. I guess that was defensive. sorry. back to the point of the thread....

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 07:38 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:49pm

Nothing in this thread is anymore cynical than the original article complaining that Spring Awakening won't win a Pulitzer because it's too "edgy" and "controversial" for the Ivy League.

Since you've edited to address me, I didn't "defend" Rent, I disagreed with the original author's points and used Rent as an example of why his arguments didn't make sense.

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 07:49 PM

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:02pm

I've listened to the OBCR and I've seen the show. Though I enjoyed it, I do think it's a bit overrated and does not deserve a Pulitzer.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:20pm

Question, do they base the Pulitzer off the actually words on the page, or the production as a whole? Do the Pulitzer Committee read the play and listen to the music, or do they simply just see the production if it's still running? I know that's how Anna won, by just reading it, but I was just wondering. I'm sure, on the page, many musicals/play seem great, but in performance can fall flat, or vice versa.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:22pm

How many curse words were in Topdog/Underdog?

[jbdc]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:25pm

Good point, RentBoy. Without the staging, my opinion of the show would be far less enthusiastic. The staging is as crucial as any song or written scene in this production.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:32pm

In order to apply for the Pulitzer, the author (and/or his representative) needs to submit multiple copies (6?) of the script of the play, along with, if it's a musical, recordings of the score and they strongly recommend sending a videotape of a fully mounted production, if possible. While technically, the committee can and has relied solely on the script to evaluate a given play (as happened with ANNA IN THE TROPICS which won without anyone on the committee having seen it -- it had only had a small regional production in Florida at that point and had yet to hit the McCarter and Broadway), since critics typically make up much of the panel, most have seen a production of many of the plays in contention.

While the panel seeing a great production of a particular play can obviously greatly help its chances, the committee is SUPPOSED to only be evaluating the words on the page (and, I suppose the music on the recording in the case of a musical).

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 08:32 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:03pm

I don't think it has anything to do with the setting of the show, I just think no matter how you look at it--the words on the page, the sound of the recording, or the fully staged production, I don't think the show deserves the Pulitzer.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:13pm

I agree with the user who said CAROLINE OR CHANGE should have gotten the Pulitzer. It was closer to flawless than SPRING AWAKENING.

I *love* SPRING AWAKENING. More than CAROLINE OR CHANGE. But I do recognize the (tiny?) issues SA has. I really need to revisit the show.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:41pm

I really DOUBT that it will be considered seeing as how it is the original play with music added, except for a few minor changes.

And it can't hold a candle to THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA or CAROLINE? OR CHANGE.

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:43pm

I still contend, as I first proposed back in early December and was scolded for the suggestion, that SPRING AWAKENING will, indeed, win this year's Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Having seen almost everything so far this season, it's my opinion that it has the best chance for winning. We'll know soon.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:50pm

SA getting the Pulitzer?

Gods above, have we really gotten that desperate?

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 11:59pm

"Without the staging, my opinion of the show would be far less enthusiastic. The staging is as crucial as any song or written scene in this production. "

So, you're saying that without the staging, the musical wouldn't be as strong? Because if you are sayong that, I don't think it deserves to win. A musical (or play, for that matter) shoudl win on the strength of the text and music, not staging.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 12:00am

Having seen almost everything so far this season, it's my opinion that it has the best chance for winning.

You'd have to see each and every new drama piece published in the past year across the US to be able to make that claim. As someone else mentioned, Anna in the Tropics won long before a production was mounted in New York.

Updated On: 4/11/07 at 12:00 AM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 12:09am

Smartfull is delusional or Sater's Mother.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 3:34am

Was Caroline, or Change eligible for 2003 or 2004?

For 2003, I know a lot of people wouldn't hesitate to say that it should have won over Anna in the Tropics, but what about in 2004 where I Am My Own Wife won?

I know a lot of people felt that The Light in the Piazza should have gotten the Pulitzer last year rather than have them deem no work worthy of the award.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 7:48am

Why Light? It was a lovely little show, but I mean, really, was it Pulitzer material? The PP is supposed to recognize the very best a genre has to offer, and can you honestly say that Light -- or SA -- is truly *that* good?

Every so often we have this debate about *art* vs. *commerce" on the GWW. The Pulitzer is supposed to recognize *art*, and SA, like Light, just aint in that category. One could argue that it's decent enough craftwork that's entertaining, but to even think that it falls in the same category and will have the same longevity as the works of Gershwin is a fool's venture.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 4/11/07 at 12:05pm

That wasn't my opinion, SeanMartin. I was only repeating what people were saying on this subject last year. However, I did think that Caroline, or Change was Pulitzer-worthy.

Updated On: 4/11/07 at 12:05 PM