Yahoo! predicts the Tonys

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 11:27am

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080610/ap_en_ot/tony_predictions

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 11:39am

No surprises there, but I agree about A CATERED AFFAIR.

Love to see a XANADU upset.

[shh282]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 11:55am

if those DO win- I'll be content

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 11:55am

Oh my god! It looks so RIGHT! It's a good predictions!

Best Musical- IN THE HEIGHTS
Best Revival- SOUTH PACIFIC

Best Play- August : Osage County
Best Revival- Boeing-Boeing

Lead Actor- Paulo Szot for Musical, Mark Rylance for Play
Lead Actress- Patti LuPone for Musical, Deanna Dunagan for Play

**************
DEFINITELY! I wont be suprised if PASSING STRANGE wins the TONYS! I love the show! either way.. I could go...with PS or ITH.

Though no mentioned but I was hoping for Lead Actors in a Musical - its Laura Benanti & Daniel Breaker and Daniel Evans for Lead -my personal choice (Paulo is okay too! )

My predictions :

Orchestration- IN THE HEIGHTS
Scenic Design- Sunday in the Park with George
Sound Design- IN THE HEIGHTS
Costume Design- GYPSY
Choreography- Andy Blakenbuehler (ITH) or Rob Ashford (Cry-Baby)
***I truly believe that they will give it to ITH!

Best Score- Stew (Passing Strange)
Best Book- Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu)
*** I think this is the only one that Xanadu will get, sorry Cubby! I love Xanadu so much! its a fun show, but let's not forget that there are two more superior shows! than your Xanadu!

J*

Updated On: 6/10/08 at 11:55 AM

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:19pm

I'm not so sure that PS or ITH are superior to Xanadu. Both have serious book issues; the scores of each have resonance with a different audience. For some people, if they like that kind of music, they'll go with that one; if they don't, they'll look elsewhere. It's a matter of subjective taste, IMO. Assumptions are dangerous things when it comes to the Tonys. Otherwise, Raul Esparza, Ethel Merman, Wicked, Jason Robards, Streetcar, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Urinetown, etc., etc. would have another Tony on their mantelpiece (or wherever they put them).

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:30pm

I did not see any problems with the book for PASSING STRANGE & IN THE HEIGHTS. Xanadu though has a better book than the two shows, it has a clever dialogue~ that why I think it will win the Tonys for Best Book.

In THE HEIGHTS that deals with story of simple immigrants living in Washington Heights who dream of bettering their lives and struggling with the chances of time and assimilation and PASSING STRANGE, a journey of an African American Youth to self-discovery and his finding "real' identity thru music- I know its dangerous to make assumptions, but truly these two shows (I felt) are more superior..overall to Xanadu! and my gut instinct is telling me that Xanadu will not win the TONYS!
Its IN THE HEIGHTS!

J*

Updated On: 6/10/08 at 12:30 PM

[barcelona20]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 12:31pm

I don't really like ITH(sorry Jaystarr but the book is very weak, admitted by most critics, and caused several groans out of me), but it is far superior to Xanadu. Xanadu achieves its purpose, to be a joke, but it does nothing for the advancement of musical theatre. Don't we want our shows, specifically ones nominated for Tony Awards, to not only be entertaining but also somewhat meaningful?

Also, the book of Xanadu is extremely overrated. I think the biggest factor of success in Xandau is due to the extremely talented cast, who takes what is genuinely a mediocre script, and delivers some laughs.
Updated On: 6/10/08 at 12:31 PM

[jaystarr]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:06pm

I thought the book for IN THE HEIGHTS did EXACTLY what is supposed to do:

1. presents each character and its each self (internal) conflicts:

******SPOILERS*******

-examples: Usnavi who wants to go home to Domican Republic and to shy to ask Vanessa out, Abuela who doesn't know what she wanna do with her winning lottery ticket, Nina who felt like she failed her parents & others bec. she was not able to maintain her scholarship, Vanessa who wants to get out of the barrio and live downtown and wants Usnavi but hesitant to make the first move which transition very well to the score.

*****SPOILER ENDS*******

2. Everyone in the audience easily understood how these conflicts were resolved in ACT TWO. Perfectly sewn in with the songs...

3. It serves as a comic relief, so the audience wont get bored..it went perfectly. the show seem so polished and there were no boring parts.

- The character are SIMPLE PEOPLE with SIMPLE PROBLEMS. The book did a good job in presenting those issues.

OVER THE TOP? Have you guys seen a telenovela at Spanish Station? Its exactly how all the characters would act!

Topics such as Buying or Winning a Lottery Ticket, Hopes of leaving your present condition, Struggling to maintain your business thru changing times, Fear of failing your parents bec. you cant maintain your scholarship- these are simple problems that simple people face! It does not have to be the dialogue before... the big Rose Turn! For me! For me! and a marque of your name going down!

Can someone pls TELL ME what is the problem with the book? Pls enumerate... Dont just tell that there's a problem with the book without explaining it ! bec. I wanna know? I must have missed something? Pls do tell me?

J*







Updated On: 6/10/08 at 01:06 PM

[barcelona20]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:45pm

I think you just made my point in comparing ITH to a Spanish telenovela. This is the same criticism that was made by the NY Times, and is extremely accurate. Spanish telenovelas are over the top CHEESY and guilty pleasures for those who watch. Nobody in their right mind would say they have any redeeming value whatsoever.

You also state that everyone easily understood how the conflicts were resolved. Well fantastic, if you want to go to a show where your mind does not have to work just a little, then I guess you could say ITH sets out what it wants to do.

[iluvny04]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 5:54pm

Oh my god! It looks so RIGHT! It's a good predictions!

Best Musical- IN THE HEIGHTS
Best Revival- SOUTH PACIFIC

Best Play- August : Osage County
Best Revival- Boeing-Boeing

Lead Actor- Paulo Szot for Musical, Mark Rylance for Play
Lead Actress- Patti LuPone for Musical, Deanna Dunagan for Play

Sorry Jay I disagree with actress (musical), will and should should definitely go to O'Hara and I don't care what anyone says, Kelli deserves this award even more than Patti. I know Patti is extremely talented but whether she wins ornot will not change her career one bit,while Kelli on the other hand it could help and furthemore how can they be right if their predictions. Nothing is right til the winner's are announced. In all honesty evne though I'm pulling for Kelli,I don't care who wins since they are all Tony-worthy each in their own right,especially the three ladies fromthe revivals.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 6:59pm

Love the Rylance pick !!!!

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 7:05pm

<< Can someone pls TELL ME what is the problem with the book? Pls enumerate... Dont just tell that there's a problem with the book without explaining it ! bec. I wanna know? I must have missed something? Pls do tell me?
>>

Its the "IN" thing to do, Jay--- Trash the "ITH" book.

I DO think that "Xanadu" WILL win (and SHOULD win) for
Best Book, but the "ITH" book is not as bad as people make it out to be.

Even people that have not seen "ITH" on Broadway make negative comments about the book.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 7:09pm

A book can do what it's supposed to do structurally and still be flawed. The ITH book isn't as bad as some people insist it is -- in fact, it's really not bad at all. But it's also not great. It's decent and it does its job and that's fine. But it's nothing stellar. The score is what makes the show as enjoyable as it is.

Updated On: 6/10/08 at 07:09 PM

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 7:53pm

<< A book can do what it's supposed to do structurally and still be flawed. The ITH book isn't as bad as some people insist it is -- in fact, it's really not bad at all. But it's also not great. It's decent and it does its job and that's fine. But it's nothing stellar. The score is what makes the show as enjoyable as it is. >>

Emcee,

VERY well said !!! I would also add the choreography, the set/lighting, and the cast (amazing energy) to the list of things that make the show so enjoyable.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 8:55pm

I don't think the book for ITH is as bad as people make it out to be either, especially after listening to the cast recording which reminded me of what I saw back in February. I very much enjoy ITH, but I feel like its contenders are stronger. The book for Xanadu and Passing Strange are stronger than ITH. I'm rooting for either Xanadu or PS because they deserve it more.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 8:57pm

Testing, I agree. I was just talking in terms of what's written. I definitely agree.

[jsand25]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 9:39pm

PS should win best book. Updated On: 6/10/08 at 09:39 PM