Worst Tony Opening....... — Page 2

"Open the show with a rundown (just the marquee would be fine) of every single show that opened on Broadway this year-or hell, every show running. Or do it as a countdown of the longest-running shows- start with the flops that only lasted 5 performances this year and end up with Chicago and Phantom and the like."

Please, please tell me you were joking about this. Flashing of titles on theatre marquees? Do you want everyone to fall asleep before it even starts? Your idea of showing bits of every show would accomplish nothing, other than convince all those non-theatre goers at home that it is all a bore.

No thanks. Have Patti with a lawn mower every year as far as I'm concerned. How could anyone stop watching during that entire crazy number? Beats getting up to raid the refrigerator while an endless medley of bits of shows drags on and on.

It baffles me that anyone actually thought the 2009 opening was good. I mean, some of the individual performances were okay, but the whole thing was a jumbled mish-mash of unrelated songs that someone decided to throw together. Medleys just do not work on the Tonys.

I liked the opening this year and last year. Not only were they clever and entertaining, but they both served as opening numbers very well. And besides, what could really top the sight of Patti LuPone with a lawn mower?

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If life were more like theater, then it wouldn't suck like the lyrics of this opening number...suck, suck, suck!

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People outside of the theatre community don't know who Patti LuPone is. Had I shown my non-theatre friends that performance they wouldn't understand why people were cheering. The Tonys is not just about showcasing the greats of theatre. It's about getting people that don't come to the theatre to come. Showing something that will entice people to buy tickets. I have shown people the 2009 opening and they thought it was great. They were entertained and were intrigued by a lot of the numbers. They don't have to be related to be thrown in the same medley for an opening number. They Tonys aren't telling a story. They're a form of entertainment.

For the past few years, friends of mine and I watch the live telecast from Melbourne, Australia on cable. NPH is fun, amiable, and gets us in the mood for a great time.

Ironically enough, as it is on at ten in the morning, that isn't an issue because every year it falls on the Queen's Birthday.

Anyway, out of curiosity, I YouTubed Rosie to see what she was like in the opening number.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN-nxIym8iM

I know she's a major supporter of Broadway and the arts, but I have to say after watching, I threw up in my mouth a little.

aussieskates,


This one may be worse!

Let's face it guys. We should be grateful the Tonys are still even broadcast on one of the major networks. This year's show drew 6 million viewers, down from the 6.9 million that watched last year.. and that was without any major competition from sports or original programming. The Tonys could easily go the route of the Daytime Emmys and be relegated to a poor time slot on a cable network.

The best opening ever was indeed in 2009. It was what every opening should be -- showcasing the shows, making the SHOWS the star, not the host. But that year's Tonys also had so much in its favor -- recognizable, big name musicals (WEST SIDE STORY, SHREK) with A-list talent attached to them (LIZA, Dolly w/ 9 TO 5, Elton with BILLY ELIOT).

As for NPH... As long as he has a hit show on CBS, and as long as the Tonys ARE on CBS, he will be the host.