1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows

[CapnHook]

1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#1

Posted: 5/8/08 at 9:13pm

Would this be a realistic option:

For every show that opens on Broadway, Tony voters get reserved tickets for every opening night performance.

This would depend upon how many voters there are, of course...

I would think it is common knowledge that Tony Voters do not see every show. Why is this not being inforced?

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[Wanna Be A Foster]

re: 1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#2

Posted: 5/8/08 at 9:19pm

There are approximately 750 Tony voters.

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

[lakezurich]

re: 1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#2

Posted: 5/8/08 at 9:20pm

I think it is ridiculous that they do not see all of the shows.

Rant, Wickud, Rant, Wickud, Rant! We're not gonna pay Rant! 'Cause everythink is Wickud!

"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"

lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical

[CapnHook]

re: 1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#3

Posted: 5/8/08 at 9:29pm

That's what I thought.

How about requiring everyone to see it within the first 10 performances as of opening?

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[Wanna Be A Foster]

re: 1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#4

Posted: 5/8/08 at 9:33pm

The problem is, a majority of the voters live out of town. So they all have to pay to travel here, I'm assuming on their own dollar, every time they need to see a show, so they tend to do them all in two or three trips per season.

I do agree that it's absurd that they can get away with voting without seeing all shows, and that it needs to be more strongly enforced.

It's not that complicated. The voters should have to show ID to pick up their tickets, and it needs to be recorded if they do not pick them up, and in such cases they cannot vote in any category those shows are nominated in.

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

[lakezurich]

re: 1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#5

Posted: 5/8/08 at 9:35pm

Or do not have any voters that live out of state.

Rant, Wickud, Rant, Wickud, Rant! We're not gonna pay Rant! 'Cause everythink is Wickud!

"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"

lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical

[CapnHook]

re: 1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#6

Posted: 5/8/08 at 9:54pm

Ugh. I don't see a way of fixing this problem. I guess that's why it's a problem. If Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Jason Robert Brown, George Stiles, Anothony Drewe, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Alan Menken, and Elton John are all Tony voters - I would want them to vote for Best Original Score. But I'm sure they don't all live in NY...

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[frontrowcentre2]

re: 1) How many Tony Voters Are There?, 2) Tony Voters Seeing ALL Shows#7

Posted: 5/9/08 at 4:56am

It IS on the honour system (voters have to sign off that they have seen all the nominees.) The producers make pairs of comp tickets available to the Tony voters. This is one reason off-Broadway shows are not included: If a 200 seat theatre has to offer 1500 free tickets in the weeks leading up to the Tonys, it would bankrupt them. Sadly some Tony voters can't be bothered and give the tickets away to friends or simply don't use them.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com