Actors' Equity Launches Campaign For Tony Awards Categories To Recognize Broadway Ensembles — Page 2

BroadwayConcierge said: "ren598 said: "I still like the idea of having oneaward for best replacement (play or musical, lead or featured, male or female). How awesome would it be to have Bernadette Peters (Hello Dolly), Taylor Trensch (Dear Evan Hansen), Brandon Victor Dixon (Hamilton), Sara Bareilles (Waitress) competing against each other."

To me, the notionof a Best Replacement Tony undermines the new creative development that an actor takes on when they originate a role in a new production (including those in a new revival).Working with creatives and the text by itself is a bigger beast than coming into an already-running production, IMO. I thinkpeople underestimate how much work goes into crafting arole in a new production."

By that logic, several performers appearing in Revivals which didn't reinvent the wheel aren't/shouldn't be eligible for Best Acting Performance categories at all. I don't see what Gavil Creel did in Hello, Dolly! which hadn't already been done by performers who preceded his Cornelius Hackel.

Screen Actors Guild is a union. So is Actors' Equity. They want to make as many of their members happy by getting them as much recognition as possible. So SAG gives out Ensemble prizes (although they don't give out Supporting acting prizes, or Ensemble in a TV Movie/Miniseries). When ''Orange Is the New Black'' wins for Ensemble of a Comedy, SAG Awards went to all 37 cast members, regardless of the size of their roles.

Somehow, I cannot see the American Theatre Wing wanting to give out, say, 37 more Tony Awards per show. (And musicals have often giant casts.) How long before practically everyone claims a ''Tony nominee'' credit in their bio? Awards are usually for individual performances, not group participation.

For the record, Actors' Equity already gives out an Outstanding Broadway Chorus award. They could add an Outstanding Ensemble if they wish. They also give out a Diversity on Broadway prize to the shows they believe best exemplify inclusion.

Updated On: 4/11/18 at 06:56 PM

Perhaps Equity, like SAG should have their own awards then they can do what the hell they like. Do the Oscars have an award for best ensemble? They do not. This is ludicrous but it's Equity at their laughable best. They have major problems within their union - try fixing those instead of making this idiotic campaign.

InnerMonologue said: "I agree, I would love these ensembles to be better honored for their hard work, but can you imagine how many more actors being billed as "Tony Award nominee/winner..."? There's gotta be a better way! :/"

Couldn't it go to the musical and not each individual? So a musical could win the award, like it would best musical, but it would be specifically for ensemble recognition? Each member wouldn't get Tony billing, but the musical as a whole would receive the award. That's kind of what I envisioned, not that each human received a Tony.

Equity is not aiming for the show to get more attention; they want their individual union members to get their own prizes. When they say Ensemble, they want it ''inclusive of all principal, featured, chorus and swing roles.'' That's how the Ensemble awards, say, for SAG and the Drama Desk go: They go to the various performers who've been designated as the eligible performers.

Updated On: 4/12/18 at 02:12 AM

Or, we could just continue to commend and congratulate hard-working ensemble members like we always have. This is their job. As this thread indicates, saying you were in the ensemble of a show like Hamilton or Come From Away already carries great prestige.

I don't know why we think every iota of hard work needs to be full-out recognized with an award or prize these days.

To follow up on what BroadwayConcierge just posted, why is it that the profession of performing is SO obsessed with awards and self-congratulation? Surely, doctors, nurses, police officers, firefighters, teachers, etc., do hard work and pour their hearts into their jobs everyday, and no one gives them awards. No doubt Equity, which has a membership that has a high unemployment rate, must have more pressing concerns than whether a handful of performers who are fortunate enough to be on Broadway, get a Tony.

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2: I agree. Before more Ensemble awards get launched, how about the inequities of the ones that exist?

Updated On: 4/12/18 at 11:10 AM

I think there might be some logical sentiments behind introducing such an award to the Tonys yet it's impractical to implement. SAGs, as many point out quite well above, bestowing such an award can't translate to Broadway.

Updated On: 4/12/18 at 04:05 PM

The SAG ensemble award goes to the principle actors of the TV show/movie not the background extras. The idea is to recognise projects where there is more than one star and that the chemistry and Interplay of the group is what carries it.

If the same standard was applied to Broadway then a Hamilton win would have gone to Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom jr, Phillpa Shoo ect.