Rant about the Tony nominations here- Page 6
Rant about the Tony nominations here
#125Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:22pm
I hate that design categories are affected by whether or not the critics liked specific shows in general. The musical costume, lighting, and sound design categories are basically shows that got critical praise, regardless of being deserving in those specific categories.
I completely agree. Addams and Sondheim on Sondheim should have been nominated for set design.
#126Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:26pmbest12bars, the sets for Addams were definitely more deserving than the costumes. Other than being massive, the way the set functions in The Addams Family is extraordinary. They manage to create many different images using the same basic pieces and a great use of the curtain. For me, scenic design isn't all about look. It's also about function. And the two best sets in terms of function for me this season were The Addams Family and Sondheim on Sondheim (with Finian's and Ragtime not far behind).
#127Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:26pmActually, I just realized one snub that makes me sad: Alicia Silverstone. Tough category, though.
#128Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:27pm
Looking at these again, I'm surprised that they chose to nominate Rob Ashford but didn't nominate Sergio Trujillo for his work on Memphis...as much as I hated Memphis I thought the choreography and the dancers were great. Also sad that Warren Carlyle was overlooked for his work on Finian's Rainbow and that Tom Kitt wasn't nominated for orchestrations.
Alexander Hanson was one of the most deserving male performers of the season and it really puzzles me that Chad Kimball was nominated and he was not.
Pianist3912
Leading Actor Joined: 7/12/07
#129Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:28pm
best12bars, all I'm gonna say is that the set for Addams was very expansive yet flexible, and in my opinion, well done. There was great curtain work to present different "scenes" and the set kept on changing in new, interesting ways throughout the show. And I didn't even care for the show itself really, but I loved the set.
I mean, Fela and La Cage were chosen over Addams Family: two shows I think are much less deserving of the award. I'm honestly not sure if I liked American Idiot's scenic design or not, though.
mamaleh
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/04
#130Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:28pmWould have liked to see Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig nominated. They elevated A STEADY RAIN to can't-miss status.
#131Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:35pm
Warren Carlyle and Alexander Hanson were sadly overlooked. Was Chad Kimball really that much better? Should Rob Ashford's decision to scrap iconic choreography for far lesser work be condoned?
~Steven
Brick
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/21/06
#132Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:37pmI agree on Alexander Hanson. Best performance in that show.
#133Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:38pm
bjh2114 and Pianist3912---thanks for the explanations.
I totally get your reasoning, and that's why I say it's harder to judge stage sets from photographs. They almost never do them justice, because of size, lighting (which rarely has the same impact as it does in a theatre), and (as you have said) functionality---how it all moves together and creates various spaces.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
sundaymorning6am
Broadway Star Joined: 5/23/06
#134Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:40pm
@Best12Bars: It's obviously you haven't SEEN The Addams Family onstage. The set is AMAZING. In a still shot it looks completely ordinary, yes I agree, but watching how that set takes itself apart and puts itself back together is completely unreal.
Snubs: American Idiot orchestrations, director, and Tony Vincent; as well as Addams Family set design and Nathan Lane.
Yays: Jan Maxwell and her TWO nominations.
Wayman_Wong
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#135Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:40pm
Acl2006, whoa, whoever said 'Memphis' is the front-runner?
Until today, I think the conventional wisdom was that 'American Idiot' was the front-runner for the Tonys. That, of course, was predicated on it receiving a ton of nominations. Since 'Idiot' involved a number of elements from 'Spring Awakening,' which the Tonys showered with 11 nominations (like Mayer, Gallagher, the designers), it was reasonable believe that the Tonys would show a lotta love to 'AI,' too. Clearly, they didn't.
Is 'Memphis' in a good position? Yeah. It leads in Outer Critics nominations (7), and doesn't compete with 'Fela!' at the Drama Desks. But front-runner? Much too early to say, and again, 'Fela!' is the Tony front-runner with 11 nods.
#136Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:42pmI honestly don't remember the last time I saw such a torrential downpour of stupidity on the boards. Even Wicked/Avenue Q Tony day was comprised of more immaturity than outright idiocy.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#137Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:53pm
In regards to what, Mister Matt?
~Steven
#138Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 12:59pmTHE FACT THAT MICHAEL MAYER WASN'T NOMINATED FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN IDIOT IS A CRIME (like Baz Luhrman not being nominated for Moulin Rouge)!
#139Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:04pmHe already was nominated for directing American Idiot in 2007.
#140Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:07pm
bjh, he won for directing American Idiot in 2007. 
~Steven
#141Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:08pm
Interesting to see all the love for the Sondheim on Sondheim set. I found it really ugly (those benches!) and unwieldy. I do think Addams deserved a scenic design nod over La Cage (even if the latter is one of my favorite shows of the season). But for me, best scenic design has always been Fela.
I think it's going to be very interesting to see how voters respond versus how nominators chose. I'd be thrilled if Fela grabbed a ton of awards, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it lose in almost all of its categories.
#142Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:13pm
Sauja, I went into Sondheim on Sondheim knowing nothing about its design. I walked away praising the set. I thought it was designed and utilized so well. Its functions and the ways it was used were creative and inventive. And for that reason, James Lapine should have been recognized as well.
~Steven
#143Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:16pmNot surprised, but still disappointed that Walken was the only nomination for Spokane. It was the only show I have seen this season and I know it was not McDonagh's best but I wished another cast member, whether it was Sam or Anthony, got another nod or even a Best Play nomination.
#144Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:22pmDisappointed that Stanley Tucci didn't get a director nod.
#145Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:26pm
Me too, Blockhead. I thought it was impeccably directed.
~Steven
#146Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:34pmSorry that's ridiculous, saying a director won for another show doesn't work. How he staged what little storytelling there is within the songs was ingenious. The stagecraft was spectacular. You can argue the show itself, but what he did with it was certainly Deserved over the rest!
Marinacat
Chorus Member Joined: 1/31/08
#147Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:35pmI too, would like Mister Matt to elaborate.
#148Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:48pmI didn't say he won for another show. I am saying he won for THIS show. My point is that he relied on EXACTLY the same tricks that he did in Spring Awakening. None of it was new or inventive. And the nominating committee obviously noticed that.
stagewright
Chorus Member Joined: 3/2/10
#149Rant about the Tony nominations here
Posted: 5/4/10 at 1:50pmMDQ comes out of left field... not one of the best 4 of the year, in my book.
