Biggest Tony upset of all time? - Page 3

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 12:40am

bdn223 said: "...It was very much a literally example of "You catch more flies with honey then you do with vinegar" even if its a very high end balsamic...."

"

No offense, but you are literally one of those people who don't know what "literally" means. (And, yes, I know you meant "literal" and the extra "ly" is just a typo.)

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 8:24am

Jarethan said: "Avenue Q beating Wicked for Best Musical. I can't imagine anyone expected that."

Certainly this goes down as a huge surprise, but I think what's forgotten is there actually was a lot of buzz building for Avenue Q in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. The Moonlight and La La Land Oscars kind of reminded me of it--La La Land was the behemoth that most people assumed would win and most likely predicted, but people also knew there was a ton of love for Moonlight among the industry voters and that it was in no way out of the realm of possibility that it could win. It was a very similar thing for Avenue Q. Most everyone watching from afar just assumed Wicked would dominate, but there was a ton of love for Q within the industry, leading most who followed the race closely to think "well, it could definitely happen".

[kdogg36]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 8:39am

GavestonPS said: "bdn223 said: "No offense, but you are literally one of those people who don't know what "literally" means."

Words can take on new meanings, including meanings that are quite incompatible with previous ones (for a prominent example, check out the eytmological history of the word sad). Usage determines meaning, and lots of people are using the word literal to mean something like "figurative." You don't have to like it, but you probably have to accept it (as many dictionaries have done). 

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 8:43am

the musical NINE over DREAMGIRLS in 1982 as Best Musical Tony...I saw both and while NINE left me saying "Huh?"...DREAMGIRLS had me floating on air when it finished...

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 11:56am

One not mentioned previously: Scarlett Johansson (a view from the bridge) beating Jan Maxwell (lend me a tenor)

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 12:25pm

Broadway61004 said: "Jarethan said: "Avenue Q beating Wicked for Best Musical. I can't imagine anyone expected that."

Certainly this goes down as a huge surprise, but I think what's forgotten is there actually was a lot of buzz building for Avenue Q in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. The Moonlight and La La Land Oscarskind of reminded me of it--La La Land was the behemoth that most people assumed would win and most likely predicted, but people also knew there was a ton of love for Moonlight among the industry voters and that it was in no way out of the realm of possibility that it could win. It was a very similar thing for Avenue Q. Most everyone watching from afar just assumed Wicked would dominate, but there was a ton of love for Q within the industry, leading most who followed the race closely to think "well, it could definitely happen"."

I do think you are right that there had be momentum picking up, but I still think everyone was shocked when it won, so we can agree to disagree, but I thought it was a huge upset.

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 12:38pm

Seems to me that it all depends on expectation and buzz on that season at that point in time. Part of it comes from the preceding award ceremonies (i.e. Drama Desk, OCC, Drama League) and if a show or actor dominated those awards, then the expectation is for that show/person to win the Tony Award. When that doesn't happen, then people tend to be shocked/suprised/upset.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 12:42pm

After Eight said: ""Anyone remember 2 Gents."

Yes.
"

I was being sort of snarky, because I have to admit that I went from having a huge grin for the first 15 minutes or so to being bored out of my mind foraged chunk of the rest of the show.  Also, it is not a show that ever seems to get revived (at least any place where I have actually lived over the last decades.  

While Follies has some real flaws -- I will be happy to never hear Too Many Mornings and In Buddie's Eyes again -- the original production remains the musical production hat 'wowed me' the most in 55+ years of attending the theatre.  But my love for it is not the reason I thought its loss was an upset, I think it was expected by all, particularly after already winning 8 Tony's.

I also think that people are getting upset confused with disappointed.  Kinky Boots was not an upset: everyone knew it was going to be one or the other.  That is not an upset.  Also, Nine winning over Dreamgirls was NOT an upset...everyone knew it was going  to be one or the other.  Also, the fact that both won about the same number of Tony's that night showed how close it was.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 1:18pm

The Nine-Dreamgirls one is an interesting one.  Because the entire season, Dreamgirls was completely unstoppable and no one was possibly going to beat it for the Tony--until literally the final night of the season, when Nine opened and suddenly became the frontrunner.  So on the one hand, no, it wasn't an upset because by the time Tony night came around, it had established itself as the likely winner.  But at the same point, if you had fallen asleep for a month between the beginning of May and Tony night, it would have been a gigantic surprise and astonishing upset.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 3:59pm

The Wicked/Avenue Q year could have entire documentaries written about it. In fact, gosh I wish someone would make an account of that season and that race cus I would watch the CRAP outta it! There is so much that goes into that year and that race that is both interesting and infuriating (to me) at the same time. And it can be debated until the end of time as to if the right show won or not. 

I think that we can all kind of agree that if not for the whole political campaign that Avenue Q ran, Wicked likely would have taken the prize that night as it was expected to. But Avenue Q fighting the system shook things up. But then from that one has to ask, is that the REAL reason that Avenue Q won? As in... they told people to "vote with their hearts" for the show that they wanted to but did the voters pick Avenue Q because they actually thought it was the best show of the season or did they vote for Avenue Q because it tried to fight the system and they wanted to reward it for THAT? Was the Avenue Q win over Wicked not actually about the work itself but more or less about rewarding the ones with the balls to make noise?

[Roscoe]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 4:05pm

I remember Colm Wilkinson flinching when he lost Best Actor for LES MISERABLES to Robert Lindsay for ME AND MY GIRL.  And Mickey Rooney's frozen smile when he lost Best Actor in a Musical for SUGAR BABIES to a visibly surprised Jim Dale for BARNUM.

EDIT -- a quick check of Youtube confirms that I remember wrong -- Colm Wilkinson wasn't shown after Lindsay won.

Updated On: 3/19/19 at 04:05 PM

[veraclaythorne2]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 4:46pm

There was a doc released, called ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway, covering that musical season. I don't know if it's readily available these days.

 

Scarlet Leigh said: "The Wicked/Avenue Q year could have entire documentaries written about it. In fact, gosh I wish someone would make an account of that season and that race cus I would watch the CRAP outta it! There is so much that goes into that year and that race that is both interesting and infuriating (to me) at the same time. 

 

 

[Kad]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 4:58pm

In retrospect, Kevin Spacey was pretty upsetting when he hosted the Tonys. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 5:25pm

Kad said: "In retrospect, Kevin Spacey was pretty upsetting when he hostedthe Tonys."

[Impossible2]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 5:29pm

Avenue Q was a millions times better than Wicked, facty x

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 5:43pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "I think that we can all kind of agree that if not for the whole political campaign that Avenue Q ran, Wicked likely would have taken the prize that night as it was expected to."

I don't think we agree, not even kind of.

[The Other One]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 5:54pm

I wasn't around for it, but Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringing winning the Tony over Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady must have been an upset to some.  Hell, it must have been upsetting to some, too.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 6:19pm

haterobics said: "Scarlet Leigh said: "I think that we can all kind of agree that if not for the whole political campaign that Avenue Q ran, Wicked likely would have taken the prize that night as it was expected to."

I don't think we agree, not even kind of."

If Avenue Q did nothing but the standard "hi voters come to see our show here is CD and a program have a nice day," Wicked being the standard and safe bet that everyone expected to win would have totally happened because it was what just kinda happened back then. The weird out there shows very rarely won against standard classics and Wicked proved to win everything else that season leading up to Tony night. OR... the more I think about it.... was the REAL loser that night... Caroline or Change? Did Avenue Q take all the attention away from Caroline? If not for Avenue Q making a loud bang out of the campaign, could people that didn't really feel Wicked have instead voted for Caroline but were more taken by Avenue Q's antics so votes went there?

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 6:21pm

"I wasn't around for it, but Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringingwinning the Tony over Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady must have been an upset to some.  Hell, it must have been upsetting to some, too."

You know, that's an interesting question-- we know what a superb singer Julie was as Eliza since we've all grown up with the OBC album. Peerless, right?

But honestly, can anyone here attest to her skill in 1956 to ACT the role of Eliza? I wonder all the more, knowing the famous story of Moss Hart locking her away for a weekend and giving her a crash course in acting the part to his satisfaction. 

By contrast, Judy Holliday was a well-acclaimed genius at dumb blonde roles by the time of her nomination for BELLS ARE RINGING. What wouldn't we give to have seen both those legendary performances in their primes?

Updated On: 3/19/19 at 06:21 PM

[Pippin]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 6:41pm

Bernadette losing to Marissa is my biggest personal upset.

Close second goes to jersey boys winning over drowsy chaperone.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 6:54pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "haterobics said: "Scarlet Leigh said: "I think that we can all kind of agree that if not for the whole political campaign that Avenue Q ran, Wicked likely would have taken the prize that night as it was expected to."

I don't think we agree, not even kind of."

If Avenue Q did nothing but the standard "hi voters come to see our show here is CD and a program have a nice day," Wicked being the standard and safe bet that everyone expected to win would have totally happened because it was what just kinda happened back then. The weird out there shows very rarely won against standard classics and Wicked proved to win everything else that season leading up to Tony night. OR... the more I think about it.... was the REAL loser that night... Caroline or Change? Did Avenue Q take all the attention away from Caroline? If not for Avenue Q making a loud bangout of the campaign, could people that didn't really feel Wicked have instead voted for Caroline but were more taken by Avenue Q's antics so votes went there?"

I shocked Caroline received a single nomination.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 7:49pm

Impossible2 said: "Avenue Q was a millions times better than Wicked, factyx"

Of  course that has nothing to do with the topic.  On the other hand, I HATED Avenue Q, so it all comes down to tastes sooner or later; you enjoyed Avenue Q; I enjoyed Wicked, flaws and all.

[JayElle]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 10:04pm

The Band's Visit over anything else that could've won. Even the post Tony newspaper and magazine reviews of the Tony Awards show wrote about how many voters cast protest political votes for it to show their disgust w/Disney, Univerrsal, theme park type shows.  

I don't have an opinion on those, but I didn't find Band's Visit all that great even with Tony Shalloub. Okay, castigate me, but that's how I felt that year.

[BroadwayNoob]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 10:57pm

I went to the Avenue Q reunion panel at BroadwayCon this year and the actors had even said how astounded they were that they won best musical. They had even said that Nathan Lane had read it funny because literally, no one was expecting it. I think they had even said that the screens announcing who had won best musical lit up Wicked for a split second before they were changed

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 3/19/19 at 11:01pm

I remember people being pretty surprised that Kelli O'Hara didn't win for either South Pacific or Light in th Piazza ...