Brian Stokes Mitchell: Love/Life - Tony Elligible?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 10:17am

Is his 1 man show at the Beaumont last May elligible for this year's Tony Awards? It opened right after last year's deadline and, according to IBDB, is considered a Broadway show. Considering that the other SPECIAL EVENT possibilities, Bridge and Tunnel was ruled as a play, and Chita was ruled as a musical, can Stokes win by default? Does it work that way?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 10:37am

I'm guessing they're eliminating the category this year. They could have had an interesting contest with Chita and Sarah Jones, but now I doubt they'll bother.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 10:39am

Why would Chita be considered a musical and Bridge and Tunnel be considered a play? They both seem like special events to me. Geez way to ruin a great category considering the likelyhood of Chita being nominated is slim to none!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 10:50am

Was The Blonde in the Thunderbird considered a special theatrical event? Is that the only show in this category? What about Primo? Mark Twain Tonight?

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 10:56am

Both Primo and Mark Twain Tonight! are considered one-actor plays, therefore eligible in the Play categories and not in the Special Theatrical Event category. The Blonde in the Thunderbird is indeed a Special Event but I highly doubt it will get any kind of recognition from the Tony Committee.
Updated On: 4/14/06 at 10:56 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 10:59am

If I were Billy Crystal, I'd be pissed.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 11:00am

So, *IF* there was going to be a Special Theatrical Event category this year at the Tony Awards, The Blonde in the Thunderbird would the the *only* show eligible?

If this is the case, we will obviously not be seeing that category this year.

I am still upset that Chita is considered a musical...it's just wrong!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 11:04am

Ha! How funny would it be if Blonde won by default?

[Horton]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 11:04am

I think that it is especaially wrong after Dick came in to do a few performances! HELLO, and can the Tony Committee change their decision based what is a play/musical later on in the year.

[myManCape]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 11:05am

Mark Twain Tonight! only played 15 performances and was a special return engagement of the show. It could be considered a Special Event, if the committee keeps the category.

However if these are the only 3 shows eligible for the Special Event Tony (Love/Life, Mark Twain Tonight! and Blonde in the Thunderbird) it could create a situation where Love/Life would be the likely winner, requiring Brian Stokes Mitchell as a member of the Tony Committee to nominate his own show. This adds to my suspicion that the Special Event category will be eliminated this year.

[myManCape]

Posted: 4/20/06 at 6:53pm

The newest Tony ruling reminded me of this thread. It now seems that the committee has decided to keep the Special Event category, otherwise it would have been pointless to rule Bridge and Tunnel as a Special Event. If they do keep the category it seems as though the committee just handed Jones a Tony because nothing else is worthy. With such a weak year it makes you wonder if Jay Johnson regrets his postponement, since it very likely could have equaled a Tony for him.