The Snub That Took Me Back to 1985

 

After The Scottboro Boys did not take home a Tony even though the show was nominated for 12 awards, I felt like I was back in 1985 when the amazing film The Color Purple, also about the trials of African-Americans in this country, was snubbed at the Academy Awards. 

Hey, I get that this is the year of The Book of Mormon; even I have been drooling to see this hot production at the Eugene O’Neil Theatre. However,  I did see Norbert Leo Butz in Catch Me if You Can and while his energetic number in the first act was fun to watch, I would be quite ready for a healthy debate about which actor gave the better performance. I did not see John Larroquette's performance; however, here is what the NY Times and USA Today had to say:

John Larroquette's Biggley is less of an instant hit, showing even more of a tendency to rush through lines than Radcliffe does, though with less obvious character-based incentive. But Larroquette grows funnier and more lovable as the show progresses, and manages an endearing chemistry with the considerably younger (and shorter) leading man.

Most of the supporting cast is passable and generic. As J. B. Biggley, the head of World Wide Wicket, John Larroquette (best known for television’s “Night Court”) provides some funny throwaway line readings, though he also frequently throws away clear diction. 

While I was excited that I made it through the Tony telecast, this is a clear example of where favoritism and marketing moreso than art appear to drive Tony votes in award season. 


Tony categories that The Scottsboro Boys was nominated in:

Tony Category	2011 Tony Nominees and Winner
1.   Best Musical	The Book of Mormon Catch Me If You Can The Scottsboro Boys Sister Act
2.   Best Book of a Musical	Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Alex Timbers The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone The Scottsboro Boys David Thompson Sister Act Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane
3.   Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the	The Book of Mormon Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker,  Robert Lopez and Matt Stone The Scottsboro Boys Music & Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb Sister Act Music: Alan Menken; Lyrics: Glenn Slater Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
4.   Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical	Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can\ Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
5.   Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical	Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys Adam Godley, Anything Goes John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys Rory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon
6.   Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical	Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys Adam Godley, Anything Goes John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys Rory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon
7.   Best Direction of a Musical	Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
8. Best Choreography	Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
9.  Best Orchestrations	Doug Besterman, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, The Book of Mormon Marc Shaiman & Larry Blank, Catch Me If You Can
10. Best Scenic Design of a Musical	Beowulf Boritt, The Scottsboro Boys Derek McLane, Anything Goes Scott Pask, The Book of Mormon Donyale Werle, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
11. Best Lighting Design of a Musical	Ken Billington, The Scottsboro Boys Howell Binkley, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Peter Kaczorowski, Anything Goes Brian MacDevitt, The Book of Mormon
12. Best Sound Design of a Musical	Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys Steve Canyon Kennedy, Catch Me If You Can Brian Ronan, Anything Goes Brian Ronan, The Book of Mormon