Yes, that's it. Goodness! I have two friends who have already figured it out through songs and *~*research*~*, and I've had to tell both of them, "Interesting theory! Wait until you see it."
I do think I might feel different if I had actually seen the play, I just thought it was a very awkward choice for a Tony presentation. Yeah, I think there were, as you said, a lot of awkward things going on at the Tonys (the piece they used to showcase Billy Elliot?). I think they probably wanted to make up for the fact that Aaron Tveit was the only one of the main four principals who wasn't nominated, and he's attractive, etc. But poor Jennifer Damiano, who was nominated (!), didn't even get to perform. And it was one of those songs that works better in context (which is what I've head about "Angry Dance" from BE). There were other songs they could have chosen; there was a lot of talk online (umm...) about it. The show has 37 songs; I'm they could have found something! Oh, but. A lot of the songs after the big reveal are very spoilery, so I think they had to pick a piece that was both intriguing and spoiler-free (unless you're paying really close attention). So that limits all of Act II and a good deal of Act I, actually.
I like orchestras and trumpets and big dance numbers, I can't help it. Oh, I do, too! But, for better or worse (and I've come to think of it as better), Next to Normal, the slightly smaller scale, less dancy and trumpety musical, is the future. And I guess I think of it as better because it means the art is developing? IDK what I'm saying anymore. I wish someone would write a West Side Story-scale musical these days, but I don't think that's going to happen. But take something like In the Heights! Totally non-traditional and really original. Is it different? Yes. But was it refreshing and great because of how different it was? Yes (I thought so).
ALSO, THE TOURING COMPANIES WERE AWFUL. I was bored during Mamma Mia!'s performance especially. And no matter what you think of ABBA, their songs are a good time. And I was not having that when I saw that.
I worry I sound really defensive in this. I'm sorry, I don't mean to! I love big, flashy musicals and am coming more and more around to these "new" ones.
Re: P.S.
I do think I might feel different if I had actually seen the play, I just thought it was a very awkward choice for a Tony presentation.
Yeah, I think there were, as you said, a lot of awkward things going on at the Tonys (the piece they used to showcase Billy Elliot?). I think they probably wanted to make up for the fact that Aaron Tveit was the only one of the main four principals who wasn't nominated, and he's attractive, etc. But poor Jennifer Damiano, who was nominated (!), didn't even get to perform. And it was one of those songs that works better in context (which is what I've head about "Angry Dance" from BE). There were other songs they could have chosen; there was a lot of talk online (umm...) about it. The show has 37 songs; I'm they could have found something! Oh, but. A lot of the songs after the big reveal are very spoilery, so I think they had to pick a piece that was both intriguing and spoiler-free (unless you're paying really close attention). So that limits all of Act II and a good deal of Act I, actually.
I like orchestras and trumpets and big dance numbers, I can't help it.
Oh, I do, too! But, for better or worse (and I've come to think of it as better), Next to Normal, the slightly smaller scale, less dancy and trumpety musical, is the future. And I guess I think of it as better because it means the art is developing? IDK what I'm saying anymore. I wish someone would write a West Side Story-scale musical these days, but I don't think that's going to happen. But take something like In the Heights! Totally non-traditional and really original. Is it different? Yes. But was it refreshing and great because of how different it was? Yes (I thought so).
ALSO, THE TOURING COMPANIES WERE AWFUL. I was bored during Mamma Mia!'s performance especially. And no matter what you think of ABBA, their songs are a good time. And I was not having that when I saw that.
I worry I sound really defensive in this. I'm sorry, I don't mean to! I love big, flashy musicals and am coming more and more around to these "new" ones.