Worst musical to win best musical?

[Jay94]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:31pm

Discuss...

[steven22]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:34pm

Billy Elliot

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:39pm

Fosse, Contact (it's sad to me that it was actually the best that season) and the Lion King.

[Nettik]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:40pm

Spring Awakening.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:42pm

Memphis

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:42pm

Billy Elliot? I could not disagree more. Things far worse than that have won. While Lion King is not the worst show, I think Ragtime deserved the Tony way more.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:44pm

Contact, and I hate Spelling Bee.
I appreciate both Billy Elliot and Memphis, a lot. I'm a fan of both.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:46pm

Billy Elliot is far from the worst musical to win Best Musical. Same for Spring Awakening and Contact. Steel Pier Fan, did you even SEE Contact? And I don't mean "Oh I saw a youtube video" or "No, but I don't like the idea of it." I mean, did you SEE the show? The season it came out? As well as the other musicals nominated that year? Contact was brilliant and by far the best new work that year.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:46pm

Oh and Spamalot. Light in the Piazza was a far better show all around.

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:50pm

wickedfan - yes I did. I mention that it was the best musical that year. Just because you found it brilliant doesn't mean everyone did. I think that was the worst year in musicals.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:51pm

Worse than 1995? Really?

[rjm516]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:52pm

^ Agree that Light in the Piazza was much better than Spamalot, but I enjoyed Spamalot so I wouldn't put it at the same level as Memphis.

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:52pm

Sunset Boulevard was nice. In my opinion 2000 was the worst year. It didn't have a single musical I would call good.

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:59pm

Contact has moments of brilliance--and I like the show overall a lot. But then you get into the whole "Is it a musical" thing... I mean I loved Fosse, and would love to see Jerome Robbins' Broadway as well, but it seems unfair (yes I know this topic has been beaten to death) to put them up against a book show.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:04pm

SPAMALOT.

As for CONTACT, there were two other stunning and brilliant musicals nominated that year; THE WILD PARTY and JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, with the latter being one of the most memorable theatrical experiences I've ever had. A dance piece with canned music winning over either of those shows was unforgivable in my opinion since there were actual MUSICALS that were stunning audiences each and every night they played.

[ggersten]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:15pm

It should not matter whether in your view the winner was the best musical of that year. It needs to be judged against the other winners.
I've never seen or heard Hallelujah Baby, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Edwin Drood or Redhead. Of the others, I really don't like Big River, so that's my pick. I found it tedious, boring and not very inventive in music/lyrics. I can't recall a single tune as I type this. It was one of the most boring nights I've had at the theatre.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:20pm

Nine.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:20pm

Thems fightin' words.

[rougeduck]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:32pm

Contact...There's a serious problem when a not-musical wins best musical.

[JP2]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:34pm

Mem.. phis.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:36pm

-Memphis.
-Still bitter about Billy Elliot's win over Next to Normal, but i recognize it as a valid show.

[zamedy]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:46pm

HAIRSPRAY (2003).

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD got robbed.

[jakebraith2]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:49pm

No one has said Millie yet? Really?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:52pm

I don't mind Thoroughly Modern Millie. It's not the best show, but I think it's decent.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:54pm

I forgot about MILLIE. I was pissed that year. lol