There are always years you wonder if that musical or this musical would have won the Tony award if they were up against different shows. Therefore, lets have some fun before we find out another Best Musical tonight.
Pick your Best 'Best Musical" Tony from the winners of the award since 1994: (We could obvious go back further, bur then the list gets ridiculously long!!)
1994: Passion – Book by James Lapine, music/lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. 1995: Sunset Boulevard – Book by Christopher Hampton and Don Black, lyrics by Don Black, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. 1996: Rent – Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. 1997: Titanic – Book by Peter Stone, music/lyrics by Maury Yeston. 1998: The Lion King – Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi; lyrics by Tim Rice; music by Elton John; additional music/lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer. 1999: Fosse – Conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr., Chet Walker and Ann Reinking, music/lyrics by various composers. 2000: Contact – Conceived by Susan Stroman and John Weidman, book by John Weidman, music/lyrics by various composers. 2001: The Producers – Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, music/lyrics by Mel Brooks. 2002: Thoroughly Modern Millie – Book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, new lyrics by Dick Scanlan, new music by Jeanine Tesori. 2003: Hairspray – Book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. 2004: Avenue Q – Book by Jeff Whitty, music/lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. 2005: Monty Python's Spamalot – Book by Eric Idle, music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, lyrics by Eric Idle. 2006: Jersey Boys – Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe. 2007: Spring Awakening – Book by Steven Sater, music by Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Steven Sater. 2008: In the Heights – Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. 2009: Billy Elliot the Musical – Book and lyrics by Lee Hall, music by Elton John. 2010: Memphis – Book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro, music and lyrics by David Bryan. 2011: The Book of Mormon – Story, music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. 2012: Once – Book by Enda Walsh, music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. 2013: Kinky Boots – Book by Harvey Fierstein, music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper.
Looking at this list makes me realize how often my favorite musical of the season does NOT win the Tony (Caroline, Or Change in 2004, Piazza in 2005, Grey Gardens in 2007, Matilda in 2013, etc.). This list doesn't really have a standout to me, but if I had to pick, I suppose I'd go with Hairspray.
The only thing I genuinely enjoy as more than east listening is Passion - and yes, it should have competition from Caroline, or Change, Light in the Piazza, and Grey Gardens.
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir
I'm doing a top five in random order: Passion Sunset Boulevard Hairspray Spring Awakening In the Heights
However, if we had Matilda, Light In The Piazza, Wicked, Caroline Or Change, Beauty and the Beast, Grey Gardens, Spelling Bee, Ragtime, and Urinetown, it would have been much different.
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
Billy Elliot is the ONLY show on this list I think deserves a place among the greatest shows ever (and I'm basing that more on the West End production than the glitzier Broadway staging).
I might put Rent, The Lion King and Hairspray on a runner's up list of respectable Tony winners.
Ragtime, Next to Normal and The Scottsboro Boys are among the truly great shows in the last 2 decades I wish had won the Tony. (I'll probably add The Bridges of Madison County down the road when time has given me perspective on that show.)
Proves my point that the last 2 decades have not been kind in the creation of great new shows.
I would rather watch a production of Passion, Sunset Blvd. or Billy Elliot but I chose Hairspray as the "winner" since as a whole, the show had all things going for it (casting, direction, sets, lighting, costumes, book, music, choreography, etc.)
I agree that "Hairspray" is definitely the best of the boulevard musical comedies to come along in the last 20 years (putting to shame such disposable lesser efforts as The Producers, Spamalot, The Book of Mormon and Kinky Boots as far as I'm concerned). But my heart belongs to the dramas-- hence my list of favorites above.