Broadway Season Question

[tcb122]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 7:18pm

Quick question. I'm doing a paper, and I need to know- now I sort of wonder, when does the Broadway season start and finish? I understand its like " 03-04 season," but which months? Is it like after the Tony's? What decides? I'm confused and can't word it the way I want, I'm so sorry! Anyone who understands and can help me, thanks a ton!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 7:36pm

I'm pretty sure, its just after the Tonys. Usually you think of the "season" as being like school, fall - spring. But some musicals open in the summer. LIke for instance, last season started with The Frogs and Dracula, and Dracula opened in August. However, this year, Lennon opens in July (I think) and that's the first show of the new season.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 7:41pm

The season ends usually around the first week of May. This year the season ends May 4th and the new season begins May 5th (The Tonys are June 5th).

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 7:49pm

The exact date depends from season to season, and also depends on whether you're basing it on a particular group of awards. Most anthologies of recent Broadway seasons go by the Tony Award cut-off dates, or the announcement of nominations. Shows now (though this may not have been the case 50 years ago) never open between the Tony nominations and the awards shows, though from season to season a few will open during the summer after the awards fail to recognize shows and they close, opening up theaters.

[tcb122]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 8:24pm

Interesting..thanks all!!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 8:26pm

"Shows now (though this may not have been the case 50 years ago) never open between the Tony nominations and the awards shows"

Not true. This year "After the Night and the Music" by Elaine May will open at the Biltmore on May 19th. "The Constant Wife" also begins previews at the AA Theatre on May 27th and will open June 16th.

Two seasons ago, the revival of "Master Harold and the boys" began previews on May 6th and opened June 1st.

Updated On: 4/19/05 at 08:26 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/19/05 at 9:19pm

And "Sight Unseen" opened May 25 last year. Shows open when they open.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 4/20/05 at 1:42am

VARIETY has traditionally defined the season as June 1 to May 31. The Burns Mantle BEST PLAYS theatre yearbooks also follow those dates.

The Tony Awards used to be given out in April and the cut off date was usually late March. This is why APPLAUSE won the Tony Award as Best musical of 1969/70 and COMPANY won the Tony as Best Musical of 1970/71, though per Variety and Best Plays they both opened in the same season.

In 1978 changes were made by the Tony Awards. The awards were moved to the first Sunday in June covering shows that have opened up to the first week of May (the Tony cut-off date changes every year.) KNowing this, any producer who wants a show eligable for that year's Tony Awards, arranges the opening night to happen before that cut-off date, so often the last week of April is flooded with openings.