What we learned from the Outer Critics Circle Nominations

If today's news from the Outer Critics Circle is indicative of what's to come when the Tony nominations are announced, we may be headed for a big controversy in the best musical category.

First, a little background. This is the first year since 2000 that the Tonys will not be presenting an award for "Special Theatrical Event", a category deemed necessary when Susan Stroman's dance show, Contact, won best musical ten years ago despite being a dance show with recorded music and no live vocalists. The award has been a valuable way to acknowledge shows that were neither plays nor musicals, such as Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays, Liza Minelli's concert at the Palace, and Will Ferrell's George W Bush one man show.

The Tony committee elected to abandon the award this year, which just so happens to be a season where the most buzzed about shows have been "special theatrical events". Two productions, in particular, were nominated for "Best Musical" by the Outer Critics Circle earlier today. The docu-musical Sondheim on Sondheim, and Twyla Tharp's Frank Sinatra tribute, Come Fly Away. The first show is a glorified cabaret, repackaging Sondheim's entire catalog with no original music to be found. The second is a dance piece that utilizes prerecorded vocals over a live orchestra. Are these shows in the spirit of what the "Best Musical" category embodies?? Probably not. Is either one going to be talked about in 20 years the way that last season's Billy Elliot and Next To Normal were?? Not a chance. Is one of these shows likely to win a Tony over Memphis or American Idiot?? Perhaps, and there sure will be some ticked off producers if that happens.

At the end of the day, this is a function of it being a bad year for musicals. The best offerings came courtesy of revivals like Finian's Rainbow and La Cage Aux Folles, while new shows like The Addams Family and American Idiot did not live up to the hype. The biggest loser in all of this is probably the producers of Memphis, a show that received solid reviews, but hasn't done huge box office business. It could stand to benefit the most from a Tony win, one that would have been easier if it weren't up against non-musicals in their category.

What do you think? Should the Tony Awards bring back the "Special Theaterical Event" category?