June 11, 2007 -- "Spring Awakening" - the dynamic, critically acclaimed musical about teen-age sexuality - won seven Tony Awards last night, including Best Musical. The show, by rock composer Duncan Sheik and playwright Steven Sater, also won Tonys for its score, script, direction, choreography and lighting.
John Gallagher Jr., a newcomer to the Broadway stage, picked up the Best Supporting Actor Tony for his performance in the show as a tortured young soul who commits suicide.
We're not in "Hello, Dolly" territory anymore!
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David Hyde Pierce, the popular actor from the long-running sitcom "Frasier," pulled off last night's only upset, winning the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for his charming performance as a policeman who loves Broadway musicals in the mystery-musical, "Curtains."
Raul Esparza, the star of the revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Company," had been favored to win the award.
The Tonys last night proved one thing: Broadway, despite its emphasis on commercial, moneymaking machines like "Mary Poppins" and "Beauty and the Beast," still rewards a great and artistically important show when it sees one.
"Spring Awakening," which began Off-Broadway, was by no means a sure-fire commercial bet, and yet it was heralded last night by Broadway as a ground-breaking musical that's attracting hordes of teenagers to the theater. They stand outside every night, cheering the attractive young cast.
Duncan Sheik, who composed the music, also wrote the hugely popular rock song, "Barely Breathing," and has admitted that he was not a big fan of Broadway musicals. But last night, he said he'd fallen in love with musical theater, and was going to write more shows.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
I agree. I just don't think he likes it. A few months ago he was already starting crap that maybe Laura Bell Bundy could steal the award from Christine Ebersole. Which we all knew would never happen.
If Grey Gardens had won Best Musical (if only) I bet he would have changed his mind and called it brilliant. Remember Titantic? Didn't he really have it in for that show and then call it brilliant and moving in the Press Room afterwards? He's such a frontrunner. I can't stand reading his columns when he bashes Grey Gardens. At least on Theatre Talk, Susan Haskins shuts him up when he tries to belittle it.
Updated On: 6/11/07 at 12:11 PM
If he really didn't like Grey Gardens he would have rubbed it in their faces about how much they lost. Trust me. He's slime. But I don't think this is a bad column at all. He just basically reported who won and said how much he liked Spring.
RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~
He was such a jerk about Poppins too. Now, I did not liked Mary Poppins, but its choreography was alright and its set was great. He didn't need to belittle (though lovingly, I guess) that poor fellow from The LA Times for saying Poppins would win for its dances.