After taking a short hiatus and some much needed rest and relaxation, Theatreguy is back to continue write about Broadway musicals of the past, present, and the future. One of the new additions I am making to my writing is a weekly series called The Best Musical Tony Debate. Each week, I will take a look at the musicals nominated for Best Musical in one Tony Season, discuss and debate the contenders, theorize why the winner won, and offer my personal opinions on whether or not the voters got it right. 

For our first season of discussion, I have chosen 1991. It was a contentious year, with four terrific musicals vying for the prize, each with their ardent supporters:  The Will Rogers Follies, Miss Saigon, The Secret Garden, and Once on This Island. All of these musicals have proven to have a healthy shelf-life, and each of them had plenty of great components that made them worthy of their nominations. Ultimately, the winner was The Will Rogers Follies. Did the voters get it right? Let’s take a look at each of the musicals individually before playing them against each other.