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Producers
Powerful But Tonys Tedious
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In
an evening that saw Mel Brooks' smash musical version of The Producers
take home 12 Tonys (beating the record established by Hello, Dolly
in 1964), TV viewers were once again treated to a less than stellar
show.
The Tonys always fails to garner impressive ratings, probably in part
because, unlike the Oscars, it gives awards to shows and plays that
(by definition) very few people outside of New York have seen. It's
hard to root for the unknown, so it's starting at a considerable disadvantage.
Criticized in the past for tedious speeches by elderly producers,
this year the show concentrated most of its TV energies on showing
us scenes from the nominated plays and musicals. This is fine (though
scenes from some of the plays, seen out of context, had a tendency
to look like acting class), but nine of the awards given to The
Producers were delivered "earlier." Including two to
Mel Brooks! Note to American Theatre guys -- Mel Brooks is more entertaining
than any half-dozen of the other nominees. We know who he is. Show
him to us.
The nominated plays were introduced by their playwrights, who stood
stiffly and read off the teleprompter. Bad idea. They write. They
don't perform.
You can find out who won at other sites, but let's cut to the chase
here and look at the musicals:
- Best Revival of a Musical
This went to 42nd Street, which might be difficult to understand
if you hadn't seen something of the other nominees. Sondheim's
Follies (again) was represented by yet another ballsy older
woman belting out "I'm Still Here." Let's all agree
that we never have to hear that song again. Bells Are Ringing,
a musical originally built around the immortal Judy Holliday,
treated us to a completely nothing song. And for some inexplicable
reason, there is apparently a revival of Rocky Horror on
Broadway. Horror is right, it gave the impression of being a not
particularly good High School play.
- Best Musical
We all know that The Producers won in this category, but
never was the reason so obvious. If the numbers that the different
productions chose to showcase at this event are any indication,
the musical theatre was in dire need of an injection of Brooks.
There was the musical version of The Full Monty, to which
one can only say...why? There's A Class Act, which is apparently
about the co-writer of A Chorus Line and seems to be a
treacly sentimental wallow. And then there was Jane Eyre which
boasted the worst song of the evening (it sounded like the kind
of thing people invent in the shower).
The plays sounded much more interesting, but again it's hard to
take an interest when you haven't had the opportunity to see any
of them. Speeches were less gushy than the Acads, but the majority
of presenters were movie people which gives some indication of
what they think the TV audience wants to see. But once again,
the show created by the people whose business it is to create
Shows, was dull and tedious.
My suggestion -- next year let Gil Cates produce the show, at
least that way it will be a show.
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Today
in history... |
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1862 - It
was on this day that the Rev. Charles Dodgson told Alice Liddell
and her sisters the story of Alice, who followed a white rabbit
down a hole and entered a magical land. Alice Liddell insisted
that he write it all down.
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