Michael Riedel's Views on the Tony Awards- Page 2

[Okayfine]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:29am

"Why do people expect too much from musicals anyway?" There are 2 schools of thought here, which overlap somewhat. There is the idea that theatre is simply putting on shows & hoping to turn a profit. Then there is the idea that theatre can be so much more than that, it can be transcendent (sp?) & intelligent and can have something to say about life & love & the world at large.

I have not yet seen ITH, but I understand that it is enteraining but not all all innovative. I believe that is the point Riedel is making.

As for Stew being a jerk, I don't know about him personally, but I thought the funny glasses thing was just out of place, like wearing jeans to a black tie event.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:32am

I knew it didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell with a lot of the reviews wondering if it was a "rock concert" or a musical.

I don't know what reviews you read, but every one that I read praised the show from top to bottom, so I don't know what you're talking about.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:32am

Could it just have been that the Tony Voters preferred In The Heights? (I know, Bizarre thought).

And how can he say that Passing Strange is groundbreaking? especially with this statement

"The really groundbreaking rock musical of the year - "Passing Strange," about a young musician's coming of age - proved too edgy for Tony voters."

Hes just described Spring Awakening

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:35am

This is a hopelessly old-fashioned show that, for all its hyperactive staging, makes the groundbreaking observation that "there's no place like home."

There's nothing wrong with a classic theme if it is well-presented. Classic themes are timeless, which is why they are so successful. Just because a show is edgy or different doesn't mean it is necessarily better. It just means it is edgy or different.

[lowercaseletter]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:54am

I don't know what reviews you read, but every one that I read praised the show from top to bottom, so I don't know what you're talking about.

Isherwood's in the Times took the whole "what is this exactly?" stance. It was a positive review, but I felt that when critics were asking is this a musical or a concert it's indicative of how people can dismiss the show as "not a musical". in the last week or so I read a lot of "avant-garde" being thrown at it as well. I primarily work in downtown theater, so PS wasn't avant-garde to me at all, but I can see how it may have been such to traditional Broadway audiences and Tony voters.

just my take on it.

[cantstandbrody]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:55am

I have an ongoing E mail dialoque with Mr Riedel this is the email he sent me back in Jan. Best Play: August
Best Musical: In the Heights
Best Revival of a Play: The Homecoming
Best Revival of a Musical: Sunday in the Park With George
Best Theater Columnist: Michael Riedel

How's that?! His ego is bigger than Mel Brooks !!!

[camthom]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 11:58am

Trying to figure out how a "hopelessly old-fashioned show" has so many posters saying things like "I don't want to see a hiphop musical" or "I don't like rap in a show."

Methinks Reidel is just upset because he felt the need to print wrongly so many times that the tides were turning and that PS was going to win...and well, he was wrong on both counts.

By calling the ITH win an "upset," he's trying to do a little revisionist history. As we all know, most of the pundits (with very few exceptions) picked ITH as the frontrunner and winner.

What upsets me most is his clear bitterness and need to bring down the show that deserved this award...it's as if he said to the PS producers who were buying him dinner "Well, even if it wins, I'll make sure to let people know they didn't deserve it! MWAHAHAHAHAH!!!" It's sour grapes and very childish to print something like that when every other respectable media outlet is praising the winners and celebrating Broadway.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:02pm

Well said, camthom.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:09pm

Riedel is just pissy because his predictions were incorrect.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:12pm

PASSING STRANGE passes for avant-garde only among people who have only ever seen OKLAHOMA.

It is as fatale as an after-dinner mint.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:24pm

I've always felt that Riedel wants to be a theatre critic but doesn't want to have to write a 1,500 word essay on every show he sees. So he settles for being a gossip columnist.

I agree with him that this was one of the livliest and most entertaining Tony telecasts in years.

All the extra numbers came at a price when major awards (beyound just the 8 design awarsd) were given bwteen 7 & 8 before the telecast. We did not see PASSING STRANGE win Best Book. We did not see the Choreograpger award. And we did not see the award for Best Revival of a Play.

But... maybe they are on to something. Give the awards in the afternoon, then do the program with generous samples of each show and announce the winners throughout, ending -of course - with the awards for Best Play and Best Musical.

The winners can give their endless thank-yous on the Tony webcam.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:27pm

In the Heights winning was an upset????? I would have picked Passing Strange (or Xanadu or Cry Baby) as the upset win.

All of the arguments he used explaining why Passing Strange didn't win (too edgy, won't tour well, etc.) were bandied about last year, before Spring Awakening swept the awards. Clearly, the Tony voters have no problem awarding something "edgy." Passing Strange is no more or less edgy than Spring Awakening was and is.

He just sounds like he is looking for reasons as to why his favorite musical didn't win.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:30pm

"ITH" winning was not an upset at all.

Riedel is just being an idiot.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:33pm

The only true upset would have been Cry Baby winning Best Musical. The other three were perfectly viable contenders.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:34pm

<< The only true upset would have been Cry Baby winning Best Musical. The other three were perfectly viable contenders. >>

Totally agree ! (although if "ITH" did not win, I would certainly have been pulling for "Xanadu" !!)

[kidmanboy]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 12:37pm

I'm going to again echo what a previous poster asked and has yet to be answered: What exactly did Stew do that showed contempt for musical theater?

During this whole season, he has made it appearant that he is an outsider to this community, but I don't believe he ever said he dislike it. And if he did, what would he have written a theater piece.

It would seem to be that he believes in the power of this art form enough to try and expand it to a different audience that normally despises it.

I seem to remember an intereview with Lin-Maunel Miranda where, when asked why there weren't more "edgy" storylines in In the heights, he responded, "afterall, it's just a musical." I think that shows a LOT more disrespect to the art form than wearing funny glases.

[withoutlovewithoutU]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:02pm

Ugg, Riedel...
I loved In the Heights, and have yet to see Passing Strange (but it's on my "too see" list).
I think that ITH deserved to win... it's a really strong show. I think the groundbreaking part of it is a more truthful representation of Latino culture. I know Riedel wants them welding guns and knives, but that isn't a fair representation.
Basically Riedel is full of it.

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:18pm

Sorry, kiddies. Riedel hit a home run with this one.
Right ouuta the park.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:22pm

I'm sorry but I'm one of those old-fashioned theatre queens that likes "conventional" musicals. I loved ITH.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:24pm

As for Stew being a jerk, I don't know about him personally, but I thought the funny glasses thing was just out of place, like wearing jeans to a black tie event.

Well this is a new twist.

Last year, there were a ton of letters that basically all said, "Dear Spring Awakening: I Hate Your Show."

And now the show that DIDN'T win is being bashed. Congratulations for moving on, everyone!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:40pm

For many at BWW, the Tonys exist solely as a reason to bitch. For that matter, Broadway exists solely as a reason for them to bitch.

[joe5]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:47pm

How true, I just don't get it. They bashed the show for months leading up to the Tonys. And today the bashing continues from the same old posters, after the fact. And now they want the show run out of town, by Sunday.
Updated On: 6/16/08 at 01:47 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:49pm

They bashed the show for months leading up to the Tonys. And today the bashing continues from the same old posters, after the fact. And now they want the show run out of town, by Sunday.

The same could be said of Xanadu.

[joe5]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:50pm

I've seen alot more with PS than Xanadu.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 6/16/08 at 1:55pm

I guess I'm going to be slaughtered for saying this, so I wont be posting on this board any more. I don't think that either ITH or PS are particularly good, innovative, ground-breaking, and all the other heaps of praise that each receives from their adherents, resulting in a new onslaught on the other. They're just not that good, IMO -- nothing to go ballistic about, just not all that good. Xanadu was the best in a season not particularly distinguished for new musicals. When the next buster musical comes along, I think it's goodbye to both, if not before.

Updated On: 6/16/08 at 01:55 PM