This morning were the 2017 Tony Award Nominations. Having seen 2 of the musicals nominated for best new musical - Come from Away and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 , I wish them the best of luck. Since I haven't seen the other two - Dear Evan Hanson and Groundhog Day, I can't really weigh in on these. However, I have listened to 3 tracks of the cast recording of Dear Evan Hanson, and I can tell you I was bored by the end of those 3 tracks. I'm just tired of teen musicals. Yes, it brings teens into the theatre, and yes it touches people and people are "moved" by it, blah blah blah, I guess it's not a good musical unless you are emotionally moved by the content. It's a wonder shows like My Fair Lady, or Oklahoma ever succeeded in their time. Just entertain me with a good story, good music and good content and I'm happy. Oh, and Hello, Dolly!, Falsetto's, and Miss Saigon were nominated for best Musical Revival. Saigon wasn't fun for me, and I'm sorry to have missed Falsetto's (which was an important musical for me in 1993) - but I'm sorry, Dolly will win, as will Bette for best featured actress in a musical. It's definitely not a year for Lord Andrew, not even a mention for Sunset Boulevard or Cats - which was amazing. Never expecting any production to outshine the original at the Winter Garden Theatre, this came close. But it's Cats, and it's Andrew Lloyd Webber, so there you have it.
I recently saw The Bodyguard tour in San Jose. Now, it wasn't a perfect musical, I didn't cry or become emotionally involved, but it was a good show with the great Whitney Houston songbook. As far as a screen to stage adaptation goes, this was one of the better ones, considering it wasn't a bio-jukebox musical like Beautiful or Jersey Boys, but it was a long the same lines as Footloose menaing re-telling a story using a songbook of songs. It was a hit in London, which is no surprise because the brits love a good show. They love to be entertained, that's all - they don't need to feel the feels and connect emotionally, they just want a good show. That's my theory as to why Sondheim shows don't always prosper well in London, too much thinking and too much going on. I'm curious to know how Hamilton will do when it opens in London in October. After all, it's definitely an American story.
In other news, Leo turned 1 yesterday.
He's cute, isn't he? Well, what you don't know is that he peed on the bed in the morning yesterday. I guess I can take responsibility for not taking him out right after he got his "Good morning Tunny Rub" and then last night, he ticked me off when we wasn't going to do anything but pull poor Ben around the complex. Ben got so mad that he sat on the ground and refused to move. Today started out much better. Both dogs are off from camp today as the camp people are on vacation.
And THAT, as they say, is all I have to say about THAT.
