Did Tonys Play It Safe? : Gershwin Show Beats Out Musicals of Relevance

Until “Crazy for You” was named best musical, in the final award at the end of the Tony ceremony Sunday, no one would have guessed that the Tony voters were crazy for updated Gershwin.

The new musical set to old Gershwin tunes won none of the other major awards--score, book, director, leading actors--that usually forecast which show will take the top musical award. Its only other honors, prior to the big one, went to choreographer Susan Stroman and costume designer William Ivey Long.

Not since 1981, when “42nd Street,” another musical based on vintage tunes, won only the choreography prize and the best musical trophy, has the sum of a Broadway musical been judged so much better than its parts by Tony voters.

Los Angeles theatergoers will apparently get to judge for themselves next spring. “Crazy for You” co-producer Elizabeth Williams said on Monday that a national tour of her show will begin then, probably at the Shubert Theatre in Century City.

Even Williams said she went into the Tony event thinking “Jelly’s Last Jam” would take top honors. Then, after “Falsettos” won the awards for best musical book and score, she thought it would be a “Falsettos” evening.

Sitting in the hall during the ceremony “one had the distinct feeling that people had strong feelings about ‘Jelly’s Last Jam’ and ‘Falsettos’ and a somewhat detached enthusiasm for ‘Crazy for You,’ ” Center Theatre Group artistic director-producer Gordon Davidson later reported.

But in the end, said Davidson, Tony voters “made the easiest choice. The brave choice would have been ‘Falsettos’ or ‘Jelly.’ ”

Davidson is not an unbiased observer. “Jelly’s Last Jam” was given its premiere at Davidson’s Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles last year, and the Taper is a royalty participant in the show.

But it’s undeniable that “Crazy for You” is a safer choice. It’s a boy-meets-girl “let’s put on a show” tale, while “Jelly’s” examines the racial politics inherent in the story of Jelly Roll Morton and “Falsettos” looks at bisexual relationships in the age of AIDS.

“They decided (“Crazy for You”) is the tourist show,” speculated “Jelly’s” writer-director George C. Wolfe. “Good for them.”

Although “Jelly’s” garnered more nominations, 11, than any other show, it received only three awards: for star Gregory Hines, actress Tonya Pinkins and lighting designer Jules Fisher. Still, this was enough to tie for second place, along with “Crazy for You” and the non-musical “Dancing at Lughnasa.” The revival of “Guys and Dolls,” which was not eligible for the best musical award, won four awards, more than any other show.

Wolfe emphasized that any of his speculations about why “Crazy for You” won the big one were strictly theoretical: “I don’t know all the inner workings.” But he does believe there is “a collective thought process” involved in the decision.

He doesn’t expect the loss of the key prize to affect the future of his show, which has been doing very well, he said. “We don’t get the quote (“Best Musical”) in the ads or the little statue. But to make it deeper than that gives it a power it shouldn’t have.”

Nevertheless, he added, “I have very severe opinions about the arena my show is playing in”--Broadway. “We need to perpetually examine where we’re taking institutions . . . it’s time the tone and texture of Broadway starts to look a little more like America does.”

It’s not enough, he added, “to stick three people of color into a chorus line.”

“Falsettos” co-producer Barry Weissler acknowledged that “the general public is more prone to buy a ticket to ‘Crazy for You’ first,” because “it’s middle-of-the-road, a good old-fashioned entertainment done beautifully. ‘Jelly’s’ is a unique show that breaks boundaries. So is ‘Falsettos.’ The Tony voters wanted to give the award to a show that represents what Broadway was all about.”

“Maybe in a couple of years (a show like “Falsettos”) will win,” he added. “And maybe we’ll have a lady President, too.”

“Crazy for You” co-producer Williams denied that the Tony always goes to the safest or most commercial choice, pointing to the 1979 triumph of “Sweeney Todd.”

“You have to assume people vote their heart,” she said, “that they vote for the show they feel gave them the most, or that was the most complete show. We deliver a lot of entertainment value.”

“Clearly we’re not dealing with social issues of the day,” said Williams, “although some have talked about ‘Crazy for You’ being a reflection of the melting pot dream.” But, she added, the primary impetus for the show was the feeling that “this wonderful music had never been supported by a strong book.”

1992 Tony Award Winners

* Play: “Dancing at Lughnasa,” Brian Friel.

* Musical: “Crazy for You.”

* Revival: “Guys and Dolls.”

* Actor, Play: Judd Hirsch, “Conversations With My Father.”

* Actress, Play: Glenn Close, “Death and the Maiden.”

* Actor, Musical: Gregory Hines, “Jelly’s Last Jam.”

* Actress, Musical: Faith Prince, “Guys and Dolls.”

* Book, Musical: “Falsettos,” William Finn, James Lapine.

* Score, Musical: “Falsettos,” William Finn, music and lyrics.

* Director, Play: Patrick Mason, “Dancing at Lughnasa.”

* Director, Musical: Jerry Zaks, “Guys and Dolls.”

* Featured Actor, Play: Larry Fishburne, “Two Trains Running.”

* Featured Actress, Play: Brid Brennan, “Dancing at Lughnasa.”

* Featured Actor, Musical: Scott Waara, “The Most Happy Fella.”

* Featured Actress, Musical: Tonya Pinkins, “Jelly’s Last Jam.”

* Scenic Design: Tony Walton, “Guys and Dolls.”

* Costume Design: William Ivey Long, “Crazy for You.”

* Lighting Design: Jules Fisher, “Jelly’s Last Jam.”

* Choreography: Susan Stroman, “Crazy for You.”

* Special Tony: Goodman Theater of Chicago for continued excellence by a regional theater.

* Special Tony: “The Fantasticks,” Off-Broadway’s longest-running show.