# Tony Awards 2012 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770 "2012-06-11T00:18:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/21 "2012-06-11T17:14:57Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I saw the film “Once” and thought is was just “OK”, despite the hype - so I doubt I would pay to see the musical. If you didn’t care for the movie then I would agree that seeing the musical would likely be a waste of money. I felt the movie handled the story/romance better. The musical benefits from the live performance aspect, which I found enchanting. Live music with no pit! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/22 "2012-06-11T17:36:45Z")
I keep only extremely loose touch with what’s happening on Broadway (the Tonys and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade are about my only exposure). This is probably a very stale topic, but are there any original musicals any more? It seems like there are either musicals with original book but old songs (Nice Work if You Can Get It) or original songs but stories taken from non-musical movies (Newsies, Ghost, Once). Or stage adaptations of musical movies (Mary Poppins). Book of Mormon being the exception, of course. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/23 "2012-06-11T18:02:41Z")
Oh. And I’m kicking myself for canceling my subscription to the A.R.T. in Cambridge MA a few years ago. We joined as members because we can walk to the theatre from our house. The shows were… really out there. Some were okay but most were difficult to deal with. So we cancelled. Turns out that was the last year of the old artistic director. Fast forward a few years and the new artistic director is being lauded for the current _Porgy and Bess_ on Broadway, which was showing at the A.R.T. either last year or the year before! On top of that, _Once_ also did a pre-NY stint at the A.R.T. Gah! Both Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical had the A.R.T. involved. I’m guessing their subscriptions are going to be selling really well this week. As for “original” original musicals, that’s a hard thing to measure. It would depend on what you consider original. Does West Side Story count or does Romeo and Juliet make that non-original? Heck, even Romeo and Juliet is based on Pyramus and Thisbe. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/24 "2012-06-11T21:56:05Z")
“Spring Awakening” (2006) had original music by Duncan Sheik with the book and lyrics by Steven Sater, but it’s based on a 1892 German play with the same title by Frank Wedekind. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/25 "2012-06-11T22:06:04Z")
An amendment to my complaint: musicals have always used other sources for inspiration (and I count West Side Story as original, since it has no connection to Romeo & Juliet other than plot outline). What’s changed, is: those other sources are more often than not, movies; and the time from movie-to-musical seems to be getting shorter. “Once” (the movie) was released in 2006. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/26 "2012-06-11T23:29:41Z")
Given the fact that movies these days are nothing but sequels, prequels, and franchises, it’s not surprising that B’way would also cannibalize sources with built-in audiences. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/27 "2012-06-12T03:21:13Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Given the fact that movies these days are **nothing but** sequels, prequels, and franchises, I take it you haven’t seen **Moonrise Kingdom** , **Bernie** or **The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel** , original and interesting movies playing in theaters near you right now. Not to mention (looking to see what’s playing in your area) **Hysteria** , **The Kid With A Bike** , **Pirates** , **Monsieur Lazhar** , **Elles** , **Queen of the Sun** , **The Intouchables** , **Bel Ami** , **For Greater Glory** , **Peace, Love & Misunderstanding** , **Headhunters** , **The Samaritan** , **Crooked Arrow** , **Shanghai** , **Chimpanzee** , **Where Do We Go Now?** , **The Dictator** and **Ultrasonic**. No, of course you haven’t. It’s always easier to complain about a few movies with the big ad budgets as being all there is to see than to actually go out and support the very movies you claim aren’t out there, which are always plentiful if you actually look. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/28 "2012-06-12T04:18:46Z")
Does anybody else think that the revival of EVITA looks really dull? Which is surprising considering it’s pedigree- Ricky’s known for his ability to shake it and the scene shown was Rolling On Out- one of the faster paced numbers- and yet, eh. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/29 "2012-06-12T04:27:38Z")
Well, my girlfriend has worked with a Tony winner: Paloma Young designed the costumes for the show she did late last year/earlier this year, and she won the award for Peter and the Starcatcher yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/30 "2012-06-12T04:28:48Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I take it you haven’t seen **Moonrise Kingdom** , **Bernie** or **The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel** , original and interesting movies playing in theaters near you right now. Not to mention (looking to see what’s playing in your area) **Hysteria** , **The Kid With A Bike** , **Pirates** , **Monsieur Lazhar** , **Elles** , **Queen of the Sun** , **The Intouchables** , **Bel Ami** , **For Greater Glory** , **Peace, Love & Misunderstanding** , **Headhunters** , **The Samaritan** , **Crooked Arrow** , **Shanghai** , **Chimpanzee** , **Where Do We Go Now?** , **The Dictator** and **Ultrasonic**. > > No, of course you haven’t. It’s always easier to complain about a few movies with the big ad budgets as being all there is to see than to actually go out and support the very movies you claim aren’t out there, which are always plentiful if you actually look. We get it already. You see hundreds of movies a year. Must you constantly go on and on about that with lists of movie titles in threads that aren’t even about movies now? This is about the Tony Awards, not an “\*\*Equipoise \*\*doing her standard block paragraph of movie titles very few people have heard of so she can laud her movie knowledge above everyone else” thread. I love movies too, but _damn_, give it a rest for once will you? I just finished watching the awards on my DVR (I wasn’t able to actually watch them live last night as I was working for the official after party gala. :D) Loved Neil Patrick Harris! Especially his Best Score medley! Hugh Jackman being presented his award by his wife was so cute! Unlike the past few years I hadn’t seen many of the nominated shows, but I really want to see \*\*Newsies \*\*& **Once**. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/31 "2012-06-12T04:41:28Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > We get it already. You see hundreds of movies a year. Must you constantly go on and on about that with lists of movie titles in threads that aren’t even about movies now? This is about the Tony Awards, not an “\*\*Equipoise \*\*doing her standard block paragraph of movie titles very few people have heard of so she can laud her movie knowledge above everyone else” thread. I love movies too, but _damn_, give it a rest for once will you? +1, Dear GOD Equipoise! Stop rubbing our noses in your superiority, it’s getting OLD! ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/32 "2012-06-12T09:15:01Z")
The problem I have with Once, is that it sounds like 1990’s hipster music. Not real Broadway at ALL. The song they played sounds exactly like Iris (Goo Goo Dolls) They also did the cast playing the instruments thing in Sweeny Todd. > [@](#): > > From what I’ve heard (no cite), that’s pretty much how the show is – not as good as you’d expect from an all-Gershwin musical. Twix, I am not a Gershwin fan, but I loved it. Thought it was very very funny. I was in TEARS over " Will You Remember Me?" But the thing is Gershwin doesn’t lend itself to amazing show stopping numbers… ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/33 "2012-06-12T12:05:43Z")
I wasn’t the one who brought up movies in a thread about plays. Why not get on her case? I just don’t see why I should stay quiet when someone says something so silly and so easily disprovable about them. I don’t say ignorant things about plays in movie threads. twickster is a lost cause, we’ve had this conversation before, but no, I won’t shut up when there are good, original movies playing and someone says they don’t exist. States it as a FACT even. This is the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/34 "2012-06-12T13:23:09Z")
I think we can agree that there are many wonderful, original movies out there. Expect to see them on Broadway next year. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/35 "2012-06-12T14:30:35Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Does anybody else think that the revival of EVITA looks really dull? Which is surprising considering it’s pedigree- Ricky’s known for his ability to shake it and the scene shown was Rolling On Out- one of the faster paced numbers- and yet, eh. Yes. Super dull. We had briefly considered getting tickets back in April, but decided against it. Glad we skipped it. The song they did on the Tonys felt dull. And the little teeny bit that Evita actually sings made us think she wasn’t very good. Obviously people will go to see Ricky Martin, but he was a bit off too. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/36 "2012-06-12T14:46:29Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > Yes. Super dull. We had briefly considered getting tickets back in April, but decided against it. Glad we skipped it. The song they did on the Tonys felt dull. And the little teeny bit that Evita actually sings made us think she wasn’t very good. Obviously people will go to see Ricky Martin, but he was a bit off too. Yeah, it was pretty obvious they were spotlighting Ricky Martin…Elena Roger didn’t do a whole lot more than walk around stiffly or just stand there during that whole number. She’s making her Broadway debut in this production of Evita, which doesn’t necessarily mean anything…her appearance in Evita was only Patti Lupone’s third role in a Broadway musical, and her first star turn, and she’s the DEFINITIVE Eva Peron. But Roger looked really stiff, and her vocals were less than newsmaking. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/37 "2012-06-12T14:49:00Z")
Everybody please take the hijack about movies and plays adapted from movies to another thread - in the Pit or elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/38 "2012-06-12T17:40:34Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Evita was only Patti Lupone’s third role in a Broadway musical, and her first star turn, and she’s the DEFINITIVE Eva Peron. But Roger looked really stiff, and her vocals were less than newsmaking. [/QUOTE] Patti Lupone with a lawn mower in the opening was a great image. (I swear one day I’m going to start a restaurant for rural gay guys and call it Patti Lu’s Pone.) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/39 "2012-06-12T20:07:31Z")
[Here](http://broadwayworld.com/article/STAGE-TUBE-Neil-Patrick-Harriss-Tony-Awards-Recap-Song--Lyrics-Credits-More-20120611) is a video and the lyrics to If I Had Time, NPH’s recap song. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770/40 "2012-06-12T20:31:52Z")
Who was that woman sitting with David Alan Grier in the audience? She looked familiar but I couldn’t figure out if she was someone well-known. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tony-awards-2012/624770.md?page=3)