"Campaigning" for Tony Awards

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 7:20am

It happens ever year come Tony Time: the "strategizing," the campaigning, the pushing for one's pets. And time and time again, it all comes to naught. How about putting an end to such embarrassing conduct? And isn't it obvious that people resent attempts to manipulate them?

The producers lobby to have a supporting player placed in a lead category to enable their show to win more awards. The nominating committee complies. The actor then loses for a brilliant performance that would probably have won in the featured category.

Last year, producers foolishly try to get a new play placed in the revival category. The committee is miffed, and so the season's best play isn't nominated at all.

We read how Harvey made every campaign stop this Tony season. He loses the award for best book. The Trip to Bountiful producers' crying foul over Virginia Woolf? Ridiculous, and fruitless.

The media should likewise stop trying to influence award outcomes. That, too, backfires. It all started when Frank Rich used his bully pulpit week after week to promote Sunday in the Park. Well, the show did somehow win a Pulitzer Prize (which speaks loads about THAT award), but the Tony went (rightfully) to La Cage. Last year the NY Times dance critic wrote a piece before the Tony's proclaiming that Once had the season's best choreography. Newsies won the Tony in that category. This year Brantley wrote an entirely transparent second rave review for Matilda after the nominees were announced. Last night we saw how that turned out.

How about just letting the voters vote and leave it at that?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 7:33am

Unless you can look at the alernative universe and see what would happen without campaigning, you can't possibly say that campaigning doesn't change things. AND since it's still just opinion, it wouldn't make anything more "right".

The unauthorized pamphlet MIGHT have helped Woolf -- they won. So what is your point about Bountiful's supposed complaint? If anything, it proves campaiging MIGHT make a difference but whining about it doesn't.

Award shows are game. All of them. Except to the winners.

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 7:42am

Dramamamma,

Yes, we all realize, of course it's just a game.

But, let's not forget, Tony Award nominators and voters have THEIR agendas as well.

And nobody likes to feel that they can be manipulated to serve other people's interests, and so attempts to do so will invariably backfire.

And apart from that, it's transparent, undignified, and embarrassing.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:07am

"It happens ever year come Tony Time: the "strategizing," the campaigning, the pushing for one's pets. And time and time again, it all comes to naught. How about putting an end to such embarrassing conduct? And isn't it obvious that people resent attempts to manipulate them? "

Yeah, just ask the producers of Avenue Q how their campaign backfired on them.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:21am

But some would also attribute Kinky Boots' success last night to their smart campaigning while Matilda barely did any campaigning this year.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:28am

Some backfire, some don't. I'm sure we don't hear about MOST of the crap that happens, we just know the controversial stuff for the most part.

I doubt that all those things are true, or 'everyone' would know that and stop doing so.

To me, it's the same reason Coke and Pepsi continue to advertise. Fear that if they DON'T do something, they will look weak because the other company cotinues.

A number of years ago, people decided that we would do away with private retirement parties and do building wide parties, celebrating all retirees withing one building (in additon to the district wide gathering). That lasted about 3 year until "someone" was just too special not to have a private one. So within a 10 year span we are back to square one.

Even if "they" all agreed to stop -- it would start sneaking back in, and pretty darn quickly.

Updated On: 6/10/13 at 08:28 AM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:32am

Maybe but perhaps the original sign that was in the Matilda lobby near the box office during the first previews - which basically snarked that it was more important to read than buy shoes - was not their best marketing strategy.

I don't mind people campaigning if they believe in their show. It gets more people to the theater in general. And it IS a business. A show can be really amazing and great but if no one comes to see it, who cares? I am all for positive PR..but yes, the manipulating that sometimes goes on behind the scenes is often not in anyone's best interests.