Best Score: Bonnie and Clyde VS. Newsies

[Jordan Catalano]

Whoever wins, I think Alice Ripley should give their acceptance speech.

[gfaustswa]

wow...once again...how lame are people?

[bwayphreak234]

If they don't give the award to one of the plays then I think it should go to Bonnie and Clyde. Remember only the new songs from Newsies are technically nominated so the best songs in the show like "Santa Fe," "King of New York," and "Seize the Day" are not actually eligible. The new songs just aren't as good as the rest of them and the score for Bonnie and Clyde is consistently solid. I would vote for Bonnie and Clyde.

Agreed. The score for Newsies is mediocre in my opinion. Bonnie and Clyde all the way for me. Truly one of the best scores in the past few years.

[Vagabond Anarchist]

Bonnie & Clyde, I hope!! Totally agree with those who say they can listen to the entire cast recording over and over without wanting to skip a single song!

[bdn223]

Remember that the elligibilt really only matters to get nominated, the voters really arn't going to think about songs individually, they are only going to think about the songs as a whole.
Also on Newsies score relize that "once and for all" and "sieze the day" have been so heavily reworked they, well "once and for all" could be considered "new"ish as well as all of their reprises are technicially "new"
My favorite song from Newsies is actully the reprise of Watch What Happens,

On B&C's score realize most of the magic of that scores amazingness comes from its orchestrator since Frank Wildhorn cannot read/write music, all he can do is play piano, so honeslty b&c should win best orchestrations over score.

[broadway7117]

^Wildhorn seems to be reading music in this video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t1Ko4kMn7E

[bdn223]

Wildhorn never even looks at his music in the video...i am using Jason Roberts Browns drama desk rant as a reference, so i may be wrong, but i dont think he would sell out frank if it wasnt true

[rjm516]

I've been listening to B&C nonstop recently (just bought it on the word of people on this board!) and it is so worthy of the win. I just don't think they would actually give it to Wildhorn. But I guess the fact that it was nominated in the first place shows that maybe that's not true.

[cfm3]

bdn223 "i am using Jason Roberts Browns drama desk rant as a reference, so i may be wrong, but i dont think he would sell out frank if it wasnt true"

Well, you'd be wrong. JRB clearly states in that "blog" that his comments were anecdotal and based on hearsay. He could have made his points without using names, but oh well, that's another debate. True or untrue, it’s not a prerequisite that a good songwriter/composer be able to notate or read music. There are a number of past Broadway composers and Tony winners who have done it well and quite successfully.

With that said, after hearing all of the nominated scores, my vote is for Wildhorn/Black for B&C. It's a terrific, original score.

[TheatreKid3]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if a musical's score is deemed eligible, then isn't the ENTIRE score eligible? Doesn't really make sense for it not to be. I don't see them picking and choosing songs to look at. I thought I read that because NEWSIES' score was eligible, then all the material would be taken into account. And like another poster said, NEWSIES' classic have been reworked so much that they are practically new songs. I mean, if the reprises of the old songs were not present prior to the show, then they will be considered new (like the Santa Fe - Prologue and the many reprises that are not on the cast recording).

If Newsies' whole score is taken into account, it will win in a landslide. If not, it will be more interesting.

[bwayrose7]

I'm really torn here- I love the Newsies score, but if only the new stuff is eligible, B&C is probably more deserving, and it's an incredible score too. I'll be quite happy no matter which one wins!

[bdn223]

@theaterkid3
Although I am the one who you are quoting, but i just went through the rule and regulations, and the it only discusses the amount of new material needed to get a score NOMINATED not to win, so based on that the ENTIRE score of NEWSIES is elligible and should be considered when making a vote

[thespian geek]

My opinion is that I love Newsies, but agree with what someone else said - the songs from the movie are still better than the new stuff that was written. And I seriously haven't been able to get B&C out of my head for the last two weeks. It may not be Musical Theatre Gold or anything, but it is catchy (at least to me).

On that note, I think either of them deserve it. I'd love to see Wildhorn win, just because I am a fan of his, but feel like they'll give it to Menken because he's Alan Menken and doesn't have a Tony yet.

[HeyMrMusic]

People saying a play should win, are lame. What show has the best music? If you still think a play does, I have a number for a doctor you can call.

Last time I checked, the category was called "Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics Written for the Theatre)", not "Best Score of a Musical". Since the two plays nominated actually have original scores (music AND lyrics), I don't see how they are any less worthy of consideration and discussion. Neither of their scores are arbitrary; they are used for a specific purpose and aid in the storytelling of the show. They absolutely should be mentioned in this category and I'm thrilled the Tony committee didn't lazily nominate other mediocre scores for the sole fact that they come from musicals. The scores of these two plays are definitely superior and belong here. And I think one of them should win.

[SondheimFan5]

It will be either B&C or Newsies, though I think it will go to Newsies. Though B&C is the better of the 2, I feel that this may FINALLY be the year to honor Alan Menken.

[ClumsyDude15]

I think Newsies or Peter and the Starcatcher should win, but could you imagine the look on everyone's face if Bonnie and Clyde took it and Frank Wildhorn took to the stage? I'd literally give hundreds of dollars to see that moment played out in real time.

[songanddanceman2]

CurtainPullDowner - i can say about all Wildhorn scores (as everyone else does) that his songs are just pop songs that are interchangeable without any thought for character. However if you have seen Bonnie and Clyde you will know that this is NOT the case with this show. The songs are very specific, character driven songs.

I think this is one hell of a score by Wildhorn that was ignored/beat up on because it's fun to knock Wildhorn. Shame on the US critics that recently have been showing what a daft bunch they are.

[tazber]

I know we all love B&C, but let's take a step back here and look at this realistically:

B&C's nomination was a nice gesture but it never had a chance. Alan Menken is winning for Newsies and that is the only category I'm willing to positively predict.

The plays are padding and B&C was the best of the remaining eligible musicals.

And as much as I love B&C, I am totally happy that Menken is going to finally win a Tony.

[songanddanceman2]

It should not be about the fact that 'he is finally going to win' i thought it was about what was the best score nominated. Newsies is fine, but Bonnie and Clyde's is far stronger. I know that the awards don't work like that (you know, giving the awards to the actual things that deserve them), it's just frustrating.

[HeyMrMusic]

My take on Bonnie and Clyde: it's good in terms of Frank Wildhorn's material, but what makes it better than it actually is are John McDaniel's orchestrations.

I know a play winning this category is a longshot. I've had a conversation with a Tony voter who said he would rather give the award to a mediocre score (like, say, Memphis) than to a play. That's the reality. Newsies is taking this one easily. One of the easier categories to call, actually. In the same way, Once is definitely taking Orchestrations. If the score were written for the stage, we wouldn't be having this conversation; Once would have won handily.

[bwayrose7]

Just out of curiosity, where is the line that makes music "new"? Newsies seems to blur the line a bit. For example, "Santa Fe" is a song from the movie. But the lyrics are new, and bits of the melody (ie the last note is taken up an octave) are too. Is "new" only songs that have never been heard in any form before?

[Mr Roxy]

Wildhorn only writes the music. The lyrics are by others. He writes great melodies. Go after his lyric writers if you have an issue.

[bdn223]

@bwayrose7
"New"s meaning is determined by the Nomination Committee. After reading thrOugh the rules while watching a performance they guestimate the percentage of the music that is new on a form, and when they meet they discuss the amount and determine whether it is enough to declare the ENTIRE SCORE is new, which is what happened with Newsies, they decided there is enough new material to declarE the entire score as new.

[Mr Roxy]

The cd has been getting rave reviews from those who purchased it on Amazon.

[bwayphreak234]

Speaking of the best orchestrations nominees, I am really surprised Follies did not get a nod there.

[theatreguy]

Follies used Jonathan Tunick's original orchestrations from 1971. They were not eligible.