11 Tony Award categories relegated to pre-show- Page 2

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 4:47pm

Just cut out the ridiculous "my first time performing in the theatre..." or "my first broadway show was..." bits, that always end "and here I am today", a pause, followed by forced applause, that should cut a half-hour out of the show.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 5:04pm

This really bothered me last year, and I can't believe they're doing it again. There are definitely stupid filler things that can be cut from the telecast to make room for at least some of those categories. It's ridiculous that Best Revival of a Play and Best Book of a Musical are presented pre-show.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 6:19pm

I know there's been a lot of hoo-haa about this both sides of the fence, but, speaking only for myself, I'd rather see the Tonys return to PBS, allowing the full three hours -- uninterrupted -- with everyone getting a chance to have their say and have their day in the sun. Invariably, the Tonys are pitted against some oh-so-important sports event and the ratings are awful. So, just bite the bullet and let it provide an entertaining awards ceremony. The people in the hinterlands that like the theatre will make a point of watching it on their PBS program -- for that matter, these people usually have enough money to have at least two television sets.

[PlayhouseBeauty]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 6:25pm

I am pretty sure the first award given was Best Book. Stew won and I remember him being surprised to be the first one up.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 7:13pm

Are you sure? I thought I remembered seeing that (Stew accepting) in the preshow online. I definitely remember Boeing Boeing winning Best Revival of a Play in the preshow (I was really mad about that).

[Hest882]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 7:22pm

Invariably, the Tonys are pitted against some oh-so-important sports event and the ratings are awful.

My feelings exactly. By relegating these categories to pre-show it belittles their importance. I don't understand this desire to make awards shows ratings monsters; look what they did to the Oscars. You have a huge emphasis on the same A-list stars you see splashed all over the tabloids and much less emphasis on the core purpose of the awards--to recognize the nominees and winners of their chosen field. The Tonys are never going to garner huge ratings; as staged shows in NY they just will never attract the same level of interest as the Oscars (whose ratings continue to wane as well). So why not shelve the idea of some glitzy, pumped-up, star-studded affair and turn the focus back to what matters: the shows and the people who make the shows happen?
Updated On: 6/1/09 at 07:22 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 7:29pm

Best Book was definitely in the pre-show last year.

[James2]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 8:14pm

While I do not support the decision about Best Revival of a Play (Special Theatrical Event would be a better pre-show decision), I can see why they would do that because three of the nominees will be closed by the end of July.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 8:46pm

I'd rather just see them cut the acceptance speeches which are dreadful bores to a TV audience. Then you would just have a photo op of EVERYONE getting their awards as they go up. The thank yous get onerous.

And you could have quick announcements and then spend most of the time on scenes from the show.

It's nice to see what people look like when they accept (hopefully in person) to see who they are but I don't like to hear them blather.

[sondheimgeek]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 8:55pm

"Why can't they do the design elements off-air (which would be ten categories in and of itself) and then leave the rest to be announced on the telecast?

They shouldn't do the design elements off-air, they should do them during the live telecast. Though it doesn't draw in a crowd, including all of the elements is what the Tony awards should be about. If the politics of the Tony Awards were set aside, a very meaningful awards ceremony could be had. I'd bet that designers might possibly work just as hard as an actor or two once in a while.

Updated On: 5/31/09 at 08:55 PM

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 9:07pm

You may see Alice Ripley onstage vibrato-ing like she's on a rollercoaster or Will Swenson overacting his way through "Hair", but unfortunately you never see William Ivey Long rushing onstage to hand Marc Kudisch his suspenders.

[PlayhouseBeauty]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 9:25pm

I am so sorry, I meant to add that Best Book was in the pre show. Sorry about that.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 9:37pm

Hest882: Well said.

I would rather the Tonys be on PBS as well. They're never going to get the ratings CBS wants.

[willrogers2008]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 10:25pm

Can a lot of people (like me) abroad see the pre-show at the TONY web page ? I would like to know.Thanks.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 11:33pm

>I would rather the Tonys be on PBS as well. They're never going to get the ratings CBS wants.<

As much as I'm bothered by these categories not being presented in the national broadcast, moving the broadcast to PBS is not the answer either. Theatre is incredibly marginalized by national media, with little to no coverage, except for the biggest musicals or a Hollywood celebrity trying their luck on the stage. The Tony broadcast is one of the few opportunities the theatre industry has to market itself to a national audience, and again, I understand the need for entertainment over the categories that hold less interest to general viewers.

Although never a ratings champ, the Tonys stay on CBS for a variety of reasons: CBS president Les Moonves loves the theatre; the Tony Awards is watched by people who go to the theatre and have a higher median income, which attracts higher end advertisers; and the Tonys are usually a pretty solid awards show, and the broadcast tends to win Emmy Awards.

As much as PBS might produce the Tony Awards broadcast of our dreams, if you love the theatre, you should prefer for it to remain on national network TV where millions more will see it.

[MusicalComedyMan]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 11:37pm

The Tony Awards should be on Bravo!!! And they need to find better producers!!

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 11:46pm

They'd certainly be a lot more fun that way MCM. Throw it in the Hudson or Hammerstein and have Kathy Griffin host.

[scott68]

Posted: 5/31/09 at 11:57pm

Much as I love the Tonys, why on earth would you think that their highest goal is to be a "meaningful awards show"? They're enjoyable and fun and celebrate theater, yes, but like every other entertainment awards show, they're an industry-created marketing device. Though it might be fun to say, "They should broadcast X award for the REAL fans!", the number of people who decide not to watch the Tonys because an award is in the preshow is absolutely negligible compared to the number of people who might be channel surfing, happen across a performance they enjoy, and buy tickets to a Broadway or touring show.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 12:36am

Well if the winners would keep their speeches to 30 seconds (or LESS) they could maybe fin in the awards. Winning a Tony is great honour but who really cares about so & so's Mom and Dad or their devotion to some god. A simple Thank you is sufficient. In fact for the broadcast I would prefer they cut to a scene of the winner on stage. The overlong speeches are the biggest bore of any awards program

[LadyDramaturg2]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 12:56pm

Oh for Heaven's SAKE!

Choreography? That's not so important in Broadway Theater, is it? Most of the plays don't even have any dancing in them!

They should just have a lunch a week earlier and FedEx the stupid trophies -- and Book Writers, too. What's so important about STORY?

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 6/1/09 at 1:10pm

REALLY? You guys, we should all be thankful that they're still even broadcasting the TONY Awards on national television. Suck it up and watch the pre-show on your laptops. Stop complaining, it could be a lot effing worse.