As I recall, it was AINT MISBEHAVIN, which was a huge hit with audiences, and with most crix. RUNAWAYS was a nice show that filled out the category. DANCIN' wasn't really considered a 'musical' - AINT MISBEHAVIN was a revue, as was DANCIN, but MISBEGAVIN felt like a Broadway musical - DANCIN' was a Fosse ego trip to many of us. ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY has a fond place in our hearts - the cast was extraordinary. But the show had mixed reviews. And ran a year. DANCIN and AINT MISBEHAVIN both ran 4 years. The Tonys thart year spread the wealth between ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY and MISBEHAVIN, with DANCIN' getting Tonys for lighting and choreography. Most of the awards that year were very popular - John Cullum, Kevin Kline, Nell Carter, Comden and Green, Cy Coleman etc.
Surprises? We all thought Madeline Kahn should win for 20th, but knew that the star-f&*ckers would vote for Liza Minelli in THE ACT, and they did. It was a bit of a surprise that Richard Maltby Jr won best director of a musical for MISBEHAVIN - we all thought that Hal Prince probably deserved that - but he also had 16 Tonys at that point. |
