2022-2023 Tony Award Eligibility Rulings Thread- Page 3

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 5:24pm

"The 2 winners per category obviously isn't going to fly."

A lot of regional theater awards, the Jeffs in Chicago and the Helen Hayes in DC to name a few, already do this and it flies like a bird. 

I'm not sure I love it but it flies just fine. 

[JanMaxwellsBag]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 5:24pm

emilyfaye48 said: "I think the Brit Awards nominations this year are all the evidence we need for not combining the male and female categories. I'd be fine with them adding another category that is open to both sexes. Erasing distinctions by sex is just misogynistic and hurts women."

I don’t have the emotional bandwidth to unpack all of this, but maybe just start by reading the Wikipedia article on non-binary gender. We are having this conversation specifically because there are more and more actors who identity outside the gender binary, which a category for “both sexes” does not include. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 5:25pm

everythingtaboo said: "Nicticorax said: "The Broadway.com article states that Ghee will be considered for the “best actor” category, and that the producers consulted them about which category they’d prefer.

I still think it’s only a matter of time before a nonbinary performer refuses to be shunted in to one of the gendered categories."

Well there you go:

& Juliet's Justin David Sullivan Declines Tony Award Eligibility, Critiques Gendered Performance Categories"

And the tony awards come up with a bullsh*t response.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 5:25pm

emilyfaye48 said: "I think the Brit Awards nominations this year are all the evidence we need for not combining the male and female categories. I'd be fine with them adding another category that is open to both sexes. Erasing distinctions by sex is just misogynistic and hurts women."

Whether you intend it or not, this is an ignorant, "TERF" belief system, and it simply illustrates why the gender binary should be removed from awards bodies as long as there is gender parity (or close to it) amongst the voters.

To paraphrase Chris Rock when he hosted the 2016 Oscars, "should there be an award for Best Black Actor? Why do we have to separate men and women?"

It will be especially crucial for the Tonys to address this matter prior to Broadway getting a show where a major character is nonbinary, and I know there are several of such titles in development.

Updated On: 2/1/23 at 05:25 PM

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 6:37pm

It’s hysterical that the committee stated that they could not change the rules once the season began, yet announced a rule change at the same time.

[cliffordbradshaw2]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 7:06pm

The following is in the Playbill Spring Preview article about Susan Stroman and "New York, New York."

Don’t worry; the four songs Kander and Ebb wrote for the film—“But the World Goes ‘Round,” “There Goes the Ball Game,” “Happy Endings,” and the iconic title theme—haven’t gone anywhere. But jettisoned is the rest of the film’s soundtrack, a collection of standards by other songwriters. Kander has teamed up with Tony-winning Hamilton and In the Heights writer and star Lin-Manuel Miranda to pen 13 completely new songs for the stage score.

Is this true or is this misinformation?  If  true, this show would more or less qualify as Miranda's first new Broadway musical (lyrics only, of course) since "Hamilton" and would make it much less of a Kander and Ebb show.  But Miranda has already stated that this is very much a Kander and Ebb show, so one has to wonder if Miranda has actually done lyrics for 13 new songs.

Updated On: 2/1/23 at 07:06 PM

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 7:08pm

Audra McDonald - Ohio States Murder

So, more than half of the season over and Audra is the only lead in a play that we have?

We will have Wanamaker, Chastain, Linney, Comer coming.

And questions over Warren and Hetch? Does ''Thanksgiving Play'' has a female lead?

I believe that with with 8 contenders we have 4 nominees, right?

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 7:20pm

So, those are the contenders as of now, right?

 

LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY

Amir Arison - The Kite Runner

Wendell Pierce - Death of a Salesman

John David Washington - The Piano Lesson

Corey Hawkins - Topdog/Underdog

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II - Topdog/Underdog

Gabriel Byrne - Walking with Ghosts

Mike Birbiglia - The Old Man and the Pool

Jefferson Mays - A Christmas Carol

Paul Bettany - The Collaboration

Jeremy Pope - The Collaboration

 

LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Audra McDonald - Ohio States Murder

 

LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Brian D'arcy James - Into the Woods

Casey Likes - Almost Famous

Will Swenson - A Beautiful Noise 

Christian Borle - Some Like It Hot

J. Harrison Ghee - Some Like It Hot

 

LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Sara Bareilles - Into the Woods

Patina Miller - Into the Woods

Crystal Lucas-Perry - 1776

Victoria Clark - Kimberly Akimbo

Lorna Courtney - & Juliet

Luna - KPOP

Adrianna Hicks - Some Like It Hot

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 7:34pm

The issue around gendered categories is such a sensitive one in today’s climate of constant outrage that I think whatever  decision the Tony Awards committee made would make some people angry. I’m not sure what the best categorisations should be, but it does seem like just continuing with the status quo without seemingly considering alternatives has opened up the Tony Awards for a lot of inevitable outrage and criticism which I can already see is going to overshadow the awards!  

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 7:39pm

IdinaBellFoster said: "It’s hysterical that the committee stated that they could not change the rules once the season began, yet announced a rule change at the same time."

Angering, to say the least.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 7:46pm

The sad truth is that award shows are becoming more and more irrelevant, way before this ongoing gender reckoning. Fewer and fewer people tune in every year (and this isn't only the Tonys), to the point where I don't even think awards mean much anymore. 

I don't know if scrapping the Tonys altogether would do more harm or good. 

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 8:01pm

emilyfaye48 said: "I think the Brit Awards nominations this year are all the evidence we need for not combining the male and female categories. I'd be fine with them adding another category that is open to both sexes. Erasing distinctions by sex is just misogynistic and hurts women."

TERF

[BJR]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 8:27pm

One day, gendered categories will be done. The question is timeline. (It's worth noting Drama League only gives out one award and it doesn't seem biased to any gender in recent history.)

One reason many awards don't make the change is losing awards the audiences cares most about. In the Tonys, you'd have 4 acting winners as opposed to 8.

I've always wondered what would happen if they chose two winners from a non-gendered nominee list. It's likely they would be different genders.

 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 8:52pm

BJR said: "I've always wondered what would happen if they chose two winners from a non-gendered nominee list. It's likely they would be different genders."
 

Yes, 2 Best Performances in Lead Role, etc. I feel like times you might still get 1 male and 1 woman and there will be an outrage. I think the way toward a "happy medium" is giving out the same number of awards, but making them genderless. I still think there is a place for award shows.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 8:55pm

BJR said: "One reason many awards don't make the change is losing awards the audiences cares most about. In the Tonys, you'd have 4 acting winners as opposed to 8.

I've always wondered what would happen if they chose two winners from a non-gendered nominee list. It's likely they would be different genders.

"


Yes, not wanting to reduce the total number of winners is the main reason that prevents awards bodies from doing this. 

I think the gender split really depends on the year. Sometimes it would prevent a weak winner from happening. In 2001, Lane & Broderick no doubt win. In 2017, Platt & Midler still win, but in Featured they probably would have given it to two women (Nixon & Houdyshell?). Last year, LuPone & Simard might have both won Featured instead of Matt Doyle & Patti. In 2008 and 2006, the wins probably would go to two women (LuPone & O’Hara, LaChanze & LuPone). It would also allow for a better slate of nominees; you wouldn’t have to fill out a category with 5 men just because there was nobody better — it could be 7 women, 3 men.

[Nicticorax]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 9:10pm

I’m interested to see, since it’s certainly very possible Ghee will win, if they would use their acceptance speech to address the issue. Refusing to be eligible at all certainly makes a big statement, but I think that winning using that as a platform to highlight the issue might be the kick in the pants the committee needs to actually tackle the issue. 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 9:26pm

I would much prefer them to add new categories for nonbinary performers rather than merge Actor/Actress so there are less categories overall. The smaller award shows in some mediums that have already done that feel like they're just not honoring enough people. I know that may mean some years have light competition in a category, but that happens from time to time in some Tonys categories anyway depending on the season.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 9:28pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "The sad truth is that award shows are becoming more and more irrelevant, way before this ongoing gender reckoning. Fewer and fewer people tune in every year (and this isn't only the Tonys), to the point where I don't even think awards mean much anymore.

I don't know if scrapping the Tonys altogether would do more harm or good."

Whether it's good or bad, the major award shows (Emmys, Oscars, Grammys, Tonys) still mean a lot even if the TV ratings for them are not what they used to be...

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 9:47pm

Mr. Wormwood said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "The sad truth is that award shows are becoming more and more irrelevant, way before this ongoing gender reckoning. Fewer and fewer people tune in every year (and this isn't only the Tonys), to the point where I don't even think awards mean much anymore.

I don't know if scrapping the Tonys altogether would do more harm or good."

Whether it's good or bad, the major award shows (Emmys, Oscars, Grammys, Tonys) still mean a lot even if the TV ratings for them are not what they used to be..."

The purpose of the Tonys is to honor excellence in live Broadway theatre. I don't think that purpose necessarily has to be upheld in the future by continuing to hand out competitive awards.

The Tonys, for one, need to be reworked. Perhaps the answer is a more collective celebration of sorts, mainly built on live performances. I feel like those generate more buzz these days than most of the awards do. Show off the best musical moments and play highlights from a given season, and forget about pitting artists against each other altogether. 

Broadway is a community, after all, and we should lift each other up and support each other. 

Updated On: 2/1/23 at 09:47 PM

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 2/1/23 at 9:57pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Mr. Wormwood said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "The sad truth is that award shows are becoming more and more irrelevant, way before this ongoing gender reckoning. Fewer and fewer people tune in every year (and this isn't only the Tonys), to the point where I don't even think awards mean much anymore.

I don't know if scrapping the Tonys altogether would do more harm or good."

Whether it's good or bad, the major award shows (Emmys, Oscars, Grammys, Tonys) still mean a lot even if the TV ratings for them are not what they used to be..."

The purpose of the Tonys is to honor excellence in live Broadway theatre. I don't think that purpose necessarily has to be upheld in the future by continuing to hand out competitive awards.

The Tonys, for one, need to be reworked. Perhaps the answer is a more collective celebration of sorts, mainly built on live performances. I feel like those generate more buzz these days than most of the awards do. Show off the best musical moments and play highlights from a given season, and forget about pitting artists against each other altogether.

Broadway is a community, after all, and we should lift each other up and support each other."

.......no

[Chase Miller]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:08am

Maybe I'm not understanding something. What is wrong with having gender specific nominations like it is now? If we get rid of gender and just start mixing, then there's the possibility of all the winners mostly being male or just female, which doesn't seem fair and would surely be called misogynistic. 

Updated On: 2/2/23 at 12:08 AM

[Nicticorax]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:22am

I feel like people have explained it pretty well in previous posts, so I'd maybe read over the past few pages if you're just jumping in to this convo.

In a nutshell: nonbinary actors are neither male nor female. Forcing them to pick a category is inherently invalidating their gender.

Now, everyone has brought up the problems with a single, genderless category as well, and there's no perfect solution (although certainly some interesting ideas if you read the discussion). But, that's why the conversation is happening.

Updated On: 2/2/23 at 12:22 AM

[Chase Miller]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:24am

Updated On: 2/2/23 at 12:24 AM

[Nicticorax]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:35am

That's fine, you're welcome to your opinion. It just sounded like, since you said "What is wrong with having gender specific nominations like it is now?" that you didn't even understand why the conversation is happening. It's fine to disagree with changing it, but I think it's important to at least be aware of and acknowledge the group of people who are hurt by the way the awards are structured.

[Chase Miller]

Posted: 2/2/23 at 12:45am

Yes I see where the confusion was. I’ll edit my post