Best Original Score -- not televised?

[Wick3]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:53am

Did anyone else find it odd that they didn't televise live the Tony Award for Best Original Score yet they did for Best Book of a Musical? This is the award that showcases the songwriter/composer of which the likes of geniuses like Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Jerry Herman, etc. have won in the past.

I've been a David Yazbek fan ever since watching the Full Monty back in 2001. This is his 4th time being nominated and finally won!!! It would have been great to see his full speech rather than a snippet!

In the past, did they always do this and not televise live the award for Best Original Score?

 

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 2:32am

It seems to be that CBS was fairly certain that Tina would win so that’s why they televised book. In the past, both awards are not televised unless big names are associated (Lin in 2016 and I believe Pasek and Paul were broadcast last year). There was a lot of people annoyed when Jeanine Tesori and neither of Lisa Kron’s wins were shown in 2015.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:36am

It probably took 10 minutes to read all the songwriters for Spongebob.

Usually if there's a famous name up for the award, and more importantly favored to win, they'll televise it.  It was part of the main ceremony for many, many years, though.  

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:42am

I hate they can't find a way to televise all of it.

I seem to remember that for a few years, PBS aired the first hour before it moved over to CBS (or whomever).

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:50am

Honestly, as charming as I found Josh and Sara, I could do without opening and closing numbers from the host(s) and all the little side bits and songs that hosts tend to do. I’d rather spend that time giving out more awards or having proper tributes to the honorees.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:57am

Every year CBS tries things to get people who normally don’t watch the Tonys to watch, and it never works. I’m sure CBS will eventually end their contract, and perhaps then PBS or a cable network (or even streaming outlet) will be able to give the show the broadcast it deserves.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 5:10am

So silly that this isn't televised anymore but Bruce monologued the entirety of WAR AND PEACE.

[yesraccoons]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 7:37am

Mr. Nowack said: "So silly that this isn't televised anymore but Bruce monologued the entirety of WAR AND PEACE."

Lol I couldn’t agree more. He sung for like 2 seconds it was so strange and unneeded. 

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 7:52am

Dramamama: I was thinking the same thing. I loved when they would air those awards on PBS for an hour before the main broadcast. I remember as a kid, they would show many more clips on the shows on that PBS hour because most of the awards were design awards so the clips showed more of the design. I would video tape those segments and watch them over and over again :)

It would be great if CBS did a similar segment and streamed it online. At the same time, that adds another hour for the folks who are in the audience whereas now they’re given in commercial breaks which makes for a more seamless live show.

[Wick3]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 8:13am

Mr. Nowack said: "So silly that this isn't televised anymore but Bruce monologued the entirety of WAR AND PEACE."

lol indeed! His show is also already sold out and doesn't need additional marketing. 

Ah I didn't watch the 2015 telecast unfortunately but I agree it should have been televised too back then! Without these composers taking the time to write these songs that we all listen to and love, there would be no musicals or cast recordings to listen to. Such a shame to CBS. 

[(Insert Clever Name)]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 9:08am

yesraccoons said: "Mr. Nowack said: "So silly that this isn't televised anymore but Bruce monologued the entirety of WAR AND PEACE."

Lol I couldn’t agree more. He sung for like 2 seconds it was so strange and unneeded."

I dont know if you could hear this on television, but every time there was an applause for Bruce, it was followed by a booo from the mezzanines.

[BroadwayGuy12]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 9:23am

That wasn't booing, it was people shouting "BRUUUUUUUUCE," which is typical at his concerts.

And while I also wish that best score (and the other design awards, etc.) were televised, airing the first hour elsewhere wouldn't really help raise visibility. Last night, only three design awards were awarded between 7 and 8. The remainder of that hour was dedicated to Special Tony Awards, and the remaining design awards were presented during commercial breaks.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 9:25am

Bruce's performance was sweet, but when you so rudely shut down the speech for Best Revival of a Musical and you don't show Best Score to make room for that performance, it pissed me off a bit.

Very happy to Yazbeck finally win.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 9:38am

I was similarly annoyed that the two Producers of Harry Potter got to talk, but when the actual AUTHOR of the damn thing came to the mic, the orchestra played. (Can you tell I'm a writer?)

As for the Score-Book debacle, this should be "A Cautionary Tale" (pun intended) to CBS that they should not consider awards "a done deal" when a major star is in the running...

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 9:38am

This whole Bruce and boo thing is hilarious. I have a feeling in a few years, people will "remember" Bruce being booed. His fans and people in general need to come up with a different chant that sounds less confusing on television or even in person. It's like how some on social media didn't know who Bartlett Sher was and thought he was showing displeasure and disrespect for musicals and My Fair Lady when he stuck his tongue out after the performance.

[green waver]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 12:28pm

It's just unfortunate that the major networks don't indulge the Tonys as they do the Oscars, where every award is televised, even though the show runs until midnight or so. I personally would rather see the presentation of Best Score than the Oscar for Sound Effects Editing.

[Andy51]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 1:52pm

Yes, I found it utterly preposterous and unjust that Yazbek -- whose compositions constituted the most important and original contribution to the Best Musical -- was denied this.  

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 2:00pm

green waver said: "It's just unfortunate that the major networks don't indulge the Tonys as they do the Oscars, where every award is televised, even though the show runs until midnight or so. I personally would rather see the presentation of Best Score than the Oscar for Sound Effects Editing."

The hard facts are that even this year, at an all-time low, the Oscars still pulled in about 26 million viewers, as compared to the 6.3 million that apparently watched last night's Tonys. When the Tonys start pulling in Oscar numbers they'll get more markets that are willing to let them go past the 3 hour mark.

[Myron]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 2:06pm

Yes, PBS would air the awards beforehand from 7 to 8pm. It seems the Red Carpet fashions and gossip takes precedence.

[BJR]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 3:46pm

LesWickedly said: "It seems to be that CBS was fairly certain that Tina would win so that’s why they televised book. In the past, both awards are not televised unless big names are associated (Lin in 2016 and I believe Pasek and Paul were broadcast last year). There was a lot of people annoyed when Jeanine Tesori and neither of Lisa Kron’s wins were shown in 2015."

Exactly this. To have Yazbeck finally win and have it not be televised was such a sad commentary on things. I wondered why but as soon as I realized Book was televised because they wanted Tina on the telecast, it made me even more annoyed. Yazback has put in his times for nearly 20 years; sure, Tina is famous (and great), but this is her first foray into theatre.

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 4:01pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Bruce's performance was sweet, but when you so rudely shut down the speech for Best Revival of a Musical and you don't show Best Score to make room for that performance, it pissed me off a bit."

Bruce had no say in this, though, he negotiated to perform for a specific amount of time, and (as far as we know) did exactly what he promised. I mean, I'm sure people thought he would do more than list off his neighbors names and such, but his performance was likely exactly how much time he was given to perform.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 4:10pm

I found the dichotomy of the broadcast fascinating - the sweep THE BAND's VISIT had was totally at odds with the blatant shoe horning of celebrities at every chance.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 5:02pm

I know people won’t believe me, but this year they decided to alternate Best Book and Best Score on the telecast. This year Best Book was televised, next year Best Score will be televised, no matter who is nominated. I wish they could make time to air both, but if that is a non-starter for CBS, at least this is a better compromise than just never showing bookwriters.

That is the idea, anyway, until they change their minds again.

[green waver]

Posted: 6/11/18 at 5:30pm

If true, ridiculously arbitrary. Oh, and by the way, choreography has been booted off the telecast as well. Fosse and Michael Bennett must be tapping in their graves!

[Lot666]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 1:21pm

Did I miss something, or did they also present the Lifetime Achievement Tonys to Chita Rivera and Andrew Lloyd Webber off-camera? I saw the compilation footage of their combined work, but they were not presented with the awards at that time.