| Is "Fun Home" the "Vote with Your Heart" candidate this year? | |
| Posted by: | MarjorieMae 12:39 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| We all know how that campaign worked for Avenue Q. It certainly would be the show with the admiration edge. All that said, I still have my eye on Something Rotten. I think this show will knock em dead on the Tony Award's Show, especially if they chose to do the number, "A Musical." I think their ad campaign should be "Ben Brantley and Michael Riedel both hate us. Do you really want to be associated with them?"LOL | |
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| If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | ShowGoer 02:01 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | Is "Fun Home" the "Vote with Your Heart" candidate this year? - MarjorieMae 12:39 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| ...although I'm not sure why it would need to be, since it's doing great at the box office and the name value of the property will sell the show on tour. It's funny, from both camps of the people I know who are mixed on the 2 clear frontrunners I hear the same thing, "It's an easy show to admire but a hard show to love." All that being said, I think (from my own unscientific polling) while people love the dancing and music and artistry of American in Paris, more people are connecting emotionally with Fun Home. That, combined with the fact that it needs the Tony more to run longer in NY, never mind establish itself as a player across the country, the fact that it's perceived to be more original than American in Paris, and the fact that aside from Hamilton it's the best-reviewed musical of the last decade, should push it over the top for the big win. | |
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| The small musical almost never wins... | |
| Posted by: | mikem 08:55 am EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - ShowGoer 02:01 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| I think An American in Paris is leading at this time, not Fun Home. The "small" musical almost never wins, Avenue Q and Once being exceptions. But those shows were crowd-pleasers in a way that Fun Home is not. Fun Home fits more in the mold of also-rans like Passing Strange and Grey Gardens. And Fun Home is REALLY small. It's one of the few Tony-nominated musicals with no real ensemble, and there are very few scenes with more than 4 people on stage at the same time. That being said, I really hope it wins, but I don't think it will. | |
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| All your strikes against FUN HOME were also true of last year's winner... | |
| Posted by: | ShowGoer 05:28 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | The small musical almost never wins... - mikem 08:55 am EDT 05/09/15 |
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| Literally everything you just said above was true of "Gentleman's Guide" as well - a show with not nearly the rave reviews that Fun Home has (jeez, just take a look at the ahmahzing 2 page ad in this weekend's Arts and Leisure section), or the growth at the box office that Fun Home has shown just in the last two weeks. I think (as your exceptions prove the rule - Avenue Q, Once, and Gentleman's Guide) we're entering a new age where voters vote for their personal favorite, regardless of size, crowd-pleasing, box office marketability, tour potential, etc. And then, as Avenue Q, Once and Gentleman's Guide have proven, after you HAVE those awards, you DO make money, you CAN tour, etc. American in Paris will get choreography, as well as I believe an acting and design award or two. The ones I fear may walk away empty handed this year are Something Rotten and The Visit - a shame since in any other year those would both be respectable winners for the big prize. But my hunch still goes with Fun Home eking out a win for the lion's share of the major awards. | |
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| re: All your strikes against FUN HOME were also true of last year's winner... | |
| Posted by: | ryhog 12:10 am EDT 05/10/15 |
| In reply to: | All your strikes against FUN HOME were also true of last year's winner... - ShowGoer 05:28 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I agree with your batting down of the size argument with GG, but I see no evidence of a "new age." And although (as I have said) FH is my "should win" choice, I think we can't sweep its serious marketability issues under the rug. And GG does not have that impedimenta to shlep around, far from it. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 08:18 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - ShowGoer 02:01 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| Re your second paragraph: Which two shows are you identifying as the "two clear frontrunners"? Because it's not clear to me that there are two frontrunners. It seems to me that The Visit, whatever its artistic merits, is an extreme long shot to win, while any of the other three could win. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | ShowGoer 02:08 am EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - AlanScott 08:18 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| Something Rotten is a good old-fashioned crowdpleaser, no question - this season's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Drowsy Chaperone, Aladdin, Full Monty, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, etc. etc. I have yet to read one cogent article or even Intermet posting, let alone a persuasive one, that makes the case that it is a serious contender for Best Musical in this busy and extremely good season, just because it's feel-good, makes people laugh, and has good production numbers. The artistry of the other two shows you don't mention is undeniable, and the race is between An American in Paris and Fun Home. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 08:18 am EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - ShowGoer 02:08 am EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I didn't like Something Rotten! at all, but I think it has a fair shot at winning the best musical Tony. I think the reasons you cite as why it won't win sound more like the reasons why you don't think it should win. I'm not saying that I think it will win — I have no idea which show will win — and I'm certainly not saying that I think it should win. Just that I think it might win. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | ryhog 03:14 am EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - ShowGoer 02:08 am EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I am surprised you describe this as a extremely good season. My general sense is that most people consider it an off year. From purely a Tony perspective, I think all of the choices have their fans (very enthusiastic ones) but they also all have shortcomings that keep them from being especially strong contenders. Hence the "anyone's guess" nature of a lot of the handicapping. The Visit is not selling tickets and is limping to the awards; it will have limited appeal hampering it even were it to win (which I think it will not because I think any sentiment for it can be satisfied by giving Chita an award, which I think may well happen.) Something Rotten has a lot of fans, but I agree with your comments about it and wonder if something that is that silly is going to feel like the show to bestow the award on. I think the odds are a bit better than you do. American in Paris which also has a lot of fans but the appeal is not well rounded-it is mostly related to the dancing as is its "artistry.". I think it is a derivative work, with exceptional execution, and that is compelling only to a subset. And Fun Home (my choice) is divisive and lacks broad appeal. It may have enough of a constituency to win, but it is not a foregone conclusion by any means. So does the crowd appeal/touring potential of Rotten or Paris prevail? or is it the artistry of Fun Home going to bring in enough votes? Or will it be the sentimental favorite that takes home the prize? As I said, I think it is anyone's guess, but whatever wins, I think it will end up being another Gent's Guide or Memphis, not another Book of Mormon. I think the future life of two of these shows will be hurt by the unique qualities of the Broadway stars (Visit and Paris), and two will have trouble finding an audience (Visit and Fun Home). I think Fun Home ends up in regional theatres, and I think Paris drifts away once the dancing becomes more earthbound. That leaves us with Rotten, and I think you are underestimating it. I still give the edge to Fun Home, but I think the general consensus on the season is that it was miss-able rather than extremely good. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | lordofspeech 02:23 am EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - ShowGoer 02:08 am EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I think it's politically incorrect to note that FUN HOME is hamstrung by its brilliant style and its integrity in adhering to the cartoon-ness of its source material. The eldest girl's 11:00 number is about non-communication in a car, the father's big number is about inability to fully embrace his emotional life, and the mother's arid lament. The goods are delivered, but they're about unexpressed lives, under-expressed emotions. Affecting as that may be for some, I miss the kind of mastery other composers have been able to bring to unstruck sounds. This Nearly Was Mine, Every Day A Little Death, How to Handle A Woman are, to me, examples of songs that give the audience fullness even in their expression of things-that-are-missing. I didn't hear or feel that in FUN HOME. Though the direction was masterful, the material, for me, like the essential material in PASSION, just never let me in to the beating of those thumped-down hearts. The exceptions (the song about "Joan" and about the "Ring of Keys") were great, but they weren't numbers for either the father or the most grown-up of the three girls. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | RonAnnArbor 03:53 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - ShowGoer 02:01 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| OOH, I think not --- if anything American in Paris is the underdog IN THIS CHATROOM....its far and away the front runner as far as Best Musical in the rest of the world.... You have as many people leaving Fun Home hating it as loving it. It doesn't have that Avenue Q vibe at all -- Avenue Q had a great big upbeat heart that left you feeling great. Fun Home makes you want to go home and throw things at people. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 08:15 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - RonAnnArbor 03:53 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| What about Fun Home would make someone want to go home and throw things at people? | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | lordofspeech 12:57 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - AlanScott 08:15 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| I think the poster was being hyperbolic, but the parents are both ick-y, even though, in an historical context, they're forgivable. Maria doesn't cave to the Nazis, Nellie breaks through her prejudice, Dot & George and Bobby & Joanne move on, Guenevere & Arthur make peace, Eliza stands up for herself, etc. The parents in FUN HOME stay stuck and the grown-up artist records the stuckness. Might want to throw a shoe just to wake them to trying a different way. Not bad, though. We kinda want to throw things at Troilus & Cressida and Hedda, too. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 06:17 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - lordofspeech 12:57 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| LOL. Yes, I agree that the poster was being hyperbolic, but I could add a lot of other leading characters in renowned musicals and plays who basically remain stuck or, even if they move forward a bit, still behave in exceedingly frustrating and stupid ways most of a time. Is there anyone in The Seagull at whom you might not want to throw a shoe? And Long Day's Journey Into Night? Does Hamlet ever get "unstuck"? The most you can says is that he accepts death may come at any moment and he's ready for it. Not exactly uplifting. Anyway, although she is still trying to understand her father, Alison has moved on by making art out of her parents' lives. | |
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| re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... | |
| Posted by: | km430 04:17 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | re: If anything, American in Paris is the underdog... - RonAnnArbor 03:53 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| I loved Fun Home and no, I certainly didn't want to throw things at people when I got home. I'm rooting for it to win, though, it may be like Falsettos losing best musical to Crazy For You and Piazza losing best musical to Spamelot. I'm hopeful maybe times have changed a little. | |
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| I don't think so | |
| Posted by: | MockingbirdGirl 01:35 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | Is "Fun Home" the "Vote with Your Heart" candidate this year? - MarjorieMae 12:39 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| I don't think it has that underdog vibe. | |
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| re: I don't think so | |
| Posted by: | Harper 07:36 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | I don't think so - MockingbirdGirl 01:35 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| All valid points of view. I'm not on here often enough to get a sense of who some of you are, but it's exciting to read posts from so many people that have so much passion for the theatre. My theater-going friends and I represent a younger crowd than a lot of audience members. That may not really make any difference, but here's my take. Fun Home is pretty damn near flawless: writing, performing, design. The couple of times I went it was a full and enthusiastic house. It's an important work. Not because it deals with sexual identity, but because it's a very well told story: an entertaining adult play about people learning and taking a journey. An A in P is trite. The dancing is dynamite and the production looks great. You won't hear better music in a Broadway theater. But the script is old fashioned and not in a good way, particularly with the repressed gay character. And there's absolutely no chemistry between any of the characters. Something Rotten is a series of TV outrageous sketches with lots of inside theater jokes performed really well. But the script implodes, the music is painfully repetitious, and the sets and costumes look regional theater. It's great to have an insider theatre-folk 'must see' show, but friends not in the theater are done with it by the end of the first act. The biggest plus is an unbelievably great ad campaign. All that said, there's so much theater to recommend to people this season and that's a very good thing. | |
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| 'the dancing is dynamite" | |
| Posted by: | jero 08:55 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | re: I don't think so - Harper 07:36 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| I thought it was as dull a re-tread as could be except for a few flashes of sensuality from Leanne Cope. I kept wishing for Matthew Bourne. all those angular goal post arms seemed a waste of time. | |
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| re: 'the dancing is dynamite" | |
| Posted by: | bicoastal 10:50 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
| In reply to: | 'the dancing is dynamite" - jero 08:55 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| I am soooo with you on that, jero. I have not seen "Something Rotten" so can't remark on it, but if "American in Paris" wins I will be very disappointed. Even for all its flaws, "The Visit" was a better experience for me. But I am rooting for "Fun Home" which brought the audience to an immediate standing ovation and has stayed with my friends and I long past the curtain call. | |
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| re: 'the dancing is dynamite" | |
| Posted by: | Harper 01:06 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: 'the dancing is dynamite" - bicoastal 10:50 pm EDT 05/08/15 |
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| Perhaps you can enlighten me: was the choreography in American in Paris meant to be retro to the ballet style of the post-war period? | |
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| re: 'the dancing is dynamite" | |
| Posted by: | jimvar1 01:13 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: 'the dancing is dynamite" - Harper 01:06 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| was the choreography in American in Paris meant to be retro to the ballet style of the post-war period? ******************************** Am no expert on dance...but I thought Wheedon employed both stripes of dance: modern/theatrical for the expository sequences; retro indeed for the "presentational" numbers; and just classic dance for the Jerry-Lise pas de deux. I think Best Musical is between AMERICAN IN PARIS and THE VISIT. | |
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| re: 'the dancing is dynamite" | |
| Posted by: | Harper 08:21 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: 'the dancing is dynamite" - jimvar1 01:13 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I don't think you'll find too many people expecting The Visit to win the big award, jimvar. American in Paris sure seems to have a groundswell of support, though. | |
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