The least watched Tony Awards, ever!

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:35am

From the NY Times:

It might have been a record season for ticket sales on Broadway, but the Tony Awards broadcast Sunday night on CBS was the lowest-rated ever, according to figures from the A. C. Nielsen Company.

The Tony Awards had a rating of 9.5 and a 17 share. The previous low was 11.3 in 1977. Last year, the Tonys had a rating of 11.9 and a 23 share.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:36am

It deserves the honor.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:36am

Next year it will be on TV Land.

[pab]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:36am

Count me in as one who did not watch.

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:38am

So much for Fantasia performing a song from a show that was eligible last year, and last year's winners Jersey Boys performing again this year too, bringing in all these huge ratings.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:40am

Just move it to LOGO, where it belongs. Us gays OWN the Tonys. Rosie hosting it might boost ratings also.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:40am

"Next year it will be on TV Land"

...except their awards shows are FAR more entertaining. I actually look forward to those.

I think I prefer the American Dental Association's annual dinner now.

The Tonys are at last on a par with the Hall of the Presidents in Disneyworld. A lifeless parade of mechanical speeches and robotic moments in the spotlight. "Live" theatre, indeed.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:41am

It may have been the worst produced show ever.

What were the Jersey Boys doing up there? Why make those awards so awkward?

What the flip was Tommy Tune doing?!?!?!?!

Why did Fantasia sing? That show was last year and they havent okayed that stupid "replacement tony" yet, right? Did Oprah produce the Tonys this year.

I do think this will go the way of the Miss America Pageant...to basic cable.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:42am

Julie White begs to differ with you, Twelvy!

doodle, Fantasia sang for "ratings"! Nicely done!

[shameless]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:43am

I blame The Sopranos!




And, the fact that most of the world doesn't give a rat's a$$.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:47am

(I actually thought Fantasia was the highlight!)

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:48am

She may have been, but she obviously didn't do what they were hoping.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:51am

Here's my opinion of the show from the main board (earlier this morning)...



I thought this show/ceremony was one of the dullest ever. There were too many droning, uninspired, laundry-list speeches, "business-only" presenters, and not enough entertainment for TV audiences. Next time, hold it for yourselves and don't invite America to watch your party then. Otherwise, try to acknowledge you're doing the show on TELEVISION for entertainment value, and plan accordingly. The numbers they did do were too scaled down (with one or two exceptions) and far too brief.

I miss the days when we got the ENTIRE "It's All Over/And I'm Tellin' You..." from Dreamgirls. Now I have to listen to 17 producers thank everyone in the room instead, and (what felt like) 30 seconds each of the nominated shows. Dull, dull, dull.

I loved Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens, but her Tony performance came off as lackluster and forgettable. It was a bad choice of a number to begin with. I know she was sick, but it definitely hurt her performance.

I'll probably get stoned for saying this, but Raul Esparza sounded TERRIBLE on Being Alive. What's with all that "bleating" like a goat? And off pitch, and swallowed tone in the back of this throat too. He's a singer? It might be the worst rendition I've heard of that song yet. I DON'T get all the fuss about him after seeing this, and would pass on seeing him do the entire show if that's as good as it gets.

Mary Poppins looked as slapped-together and light-weight as it does in the theatre... and Spring Awakening was a censored mess of a medley, with the kids jumping around not really saying or doing anything. "Totally..." nothing, for me.

The Jersey Boys (for that musical intro) really tanked. Pitch and choreography problems throughout their little moment. And bad lighting. They all looked like they were 50 years old at a Nebraska county fair reunion concert.

On the positive side, "Curtains" and Audra's number from "110" came off really well. So did Fantasia's tamed-down, dressed-up performance from Color Purple. They were the entertainment highlights for me, regardless of how good the shows are comparatively in the theatre. For their "little moment to shine" they at least DID, where others failed.

As for the awards themselves, no big surprises at all. Like others have said here, I think Grey Gardens should have won a few more trophies, but I wasn't stunned that it didn't.

Let's hope next year puts a little more magic and entertainment back into the Tonys and the Broadway season as a whole.

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:52am

I blame The Sopranos!

I've watched a grand total of *one* episode of The Sopranos, ever.

And I don't follow basketball either- playoff, shmayoff.

I was a sitting duck prime Tony audience viewer, and I still thought it was boring as all hell- performances by The Color Purple, and Jersey Boys?? Thanks, but I can actually remember as far back as last year.

Phantom of the Opera sketch?? (Although- I did love the "I don't know about you, but I don't usually do understudy work" line.)

Hell- I blame the Tonys for CBS shoving "Viva Laughlin" promos at me too.

There were totally some highlights, but not three hours of my life worth.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:55am

I've spoken to three people who have not seen GREY GARDENS, and they were not only confused, but completely unimpressed with that number. The song - great in the show - only works in that context. There were many other songs they could have used that would have brought in future audience - that wasn't it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:57am

I agree, Rath.

I loved the show on Broadway, but "that ain't it, kid, that ain't it, kid..."

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:59am

Shameless, "Most of the world" can't see the Tony Awards. If you don't have CBS at home through Digital or Cable or whatever, you can't watch it abroad, or online. It doesn't really matter whether we care or not, because we're not able to see it so it's not us that's denting the ratings.

[shameless]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:01am

Guys, I was kidding.

[shiksa_goddess]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:01am

Those that missed it were lucky.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:03am

b12b....I agree with everything you said...ESPECIALLY about the "greatest hits" commercials they do now with the numbers. That's why 110 seemed so natural and made friggin' sense.

I actually didnt think Ebersole did a good job, either by being sick or swallowed up by the venue. Love her, but it didnt work last night. Last year at the Drama Desks, she was astounding, imo...and, of course in the show every night.

[Michelleruth2]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:12am

I fell asleep during it.......

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:16am

What the producers of these shows forget is that the Tony numbers serve for many as introductions to the shows. They're showing a nationwide (albeit small) audience a glimpse of their show.

You can't have Ebersole come on in a funny costume and prattle on for two minutes about wearing a sweater on her head. No matter how brilliant it may be, it doesn't connect with anyone out of context, beyond being "mildly cute." Nobody pays $112 to see "mildly cute." Revolutionary Costume of the Day does NOTHING to establish character, or mood or plot out of context. IN context, it does all of these things. If the producers had approached it from the viewers perspective... people who had never seen or heard about the show, they should have chosen "Around the World" complete with its angry opening verse (which tells us a lot about Little Edie's situation), or "Another Winter in a Summer Town" which actually works if you know NOTHING about why this woman is standing there in funny clothes singing it. The lyrics strike a universal chord with people.

It's the same issue with everyone's speeches. WHY do they think we want to hear these people run through a list of instantly forgettable names, or tell inside jokes about how much money "the world" thinks they lost producing a show? The world doesn't know who they are. Just be grateful, smile, and GET OFF the stage. They can't see outside of their own perspective, which is why they make bad, boring speeches and bad choices for the awards show numbers, too.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:20am

Michelleruth, you're not the only one!! I woke up in the middle of Christine's speech.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:21am

Actually, I think they had the right idea with their Regis and Kelly performance - Two Peas in a Pod.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:26am

I also don't get why they allowed "Color Purple" and "Jersey Boys" to perform and did not allow nominated shows from this season to do the same. CBS wanted "Legally Blonde", which had 7 nominations. The Tonys said no but then they put those others on. Of course, "JB" and "CP" have launched National Tours so they were allowed on the show when they had no business being there. Glad the ratings were in the tank. It was a dull show.