The Tony Awards

Did I miss something this year?  Apparently, Broadway had a pretty crumby season this year.  I mean, I may have been more excited about the plays than the musicals.  Let me give you a rundown of the Best Musical Candidates:

• Cry-Baby: A Broadwayization of another cult classic (from the same movie director of Hairspray).  Set in the fifties, it explores Communism, and other issues such as growing up and all that comes with it.  The music seems to be up the alley of Grease (one of my top least favorite musicals of all time, hate me if you wish)
• In the Heights (winner): Well folks it has happened.  Other than the composer making a complete fool out of himself with his crap acceptence speach.  We have ushered in the age of a Tony winning musical that is dominated by the spoken, not sung, song.  The “song”, I hesitate to even call it that, was a mix between rap, calypso and latino music.  I was thoroghly unimpressed.  It looks like an excuse to use rap as an artistic medium.  Story?  From the blub on the Tony website, doesn’t sound like there’s much of one.
• Passing Strange:  It seems also like the theme in stage shows is turning toward a rock concert experiance with the orchestra, which is really a rockband, on stage.  Passing Strange seems to me like it’s loud and obnoxious with a lot of meaningless lyrics.  It doesn’t look like there’s much of a set (a la Tony Award Winning ‘Spring Awakening’) and that it’s quite obtrusive to the musical theatre goer.  Not that I don’t like to see progress or things that will challenge an audience, I just think that they want at least something more to grasp than a bunch of people flailling on stage pretending to be rock stars.  That’s all I’m saying.
• Xanadu: Also another Broadwayization of a movie.  This one also of the same title.  I’m sure that this show would really be the only one I’d be willing to see.  I’m sure it has the music of which I’d most enjoy, although the plot sounds iffy.

So all in all I was quite disappointed by the showing of new shows.  It looked like Patti LuPone in Gypsy was amazing.  Sunday… George looked increadable.  Grease and South Pacific…. ehhh…  But all in all, I’m sure that these were the best this season, and if that’s true, that’s pretty sad.  They said that next season is going to be one of the best in Broadway history.  I hope they’re right, because if they’re not, Broadway is looking to alienate it’s old supporters and not gain any new generations that understand the significance and traitions that American Theatre has.

Alright, my rant is over.  Have a good night everyone.