How many nominees for Tony Awards?

[Sinfonia2001]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 11:50am

I've been searching everywhere but I can't find my answer. Does anyone know how many nominations are allowed for each tony award category? I am pretty sure there are always only 4 nominees for best musical, and possible best revival, too. I think I have seen up to five nominees for best actor/actress, but other times I see only four. Does anyone know if there's a limit? or a set rule? Or does it depend on the year?

Thanks!

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:07pm

Usually four nominees in the Musical/Play/Revival Musical/Revival Play categories, and for some reason only four in each creative category (director/choreographer/sound/lighting/set/costume).

Five nominees usually in each of the eight acting categories. However, last year for the Actress in a Musical category, only four slots were filled because of the number of actresses eligible or something like that.

I'm presuming since they haven't announced anything contrary to the norm, it will be five nominees in each acting category and four in everything else.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:12pm

According to the official Tony Committee rules:

"There shall be no more than four nominees in each category; provided, that if there are at least seven eligible candidates for nomination in a Best Performance category, then there shall be five nominees in that category; and provided, further, that the Tony Awards Administration Committee shall also have the sole discretion to reduce the number of nominees to fewer than four (or five), but, in no event, fewer than two, in a particular category for the current season or to delegate this discretion to the Nominating Committee."

So, the default is four, but if there are seven or more eligible candidates, then the category is expanded to five. There were only four Best Actress nominees last year because there were fewer than seven eligible women.

If there aren't four, then they can nominate as few as two. I think they can also decide to get rid of the category, but I'm fuzzy on that point.

http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/about/Rules-2011-2012.pdf

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:14pm

Another interesting fact: There must be at least three play revivals and three musical revivals to warrant separate categories, otherwise they are lumped together in Best Revival (or possibly eliminated).

[Sinfonia2001]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:32pm

awesome! thanks so much!

[willep]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:39pm

Weren't there only two musical revivals last year? And they were a separate category?

Updated On: 4/2/12 at 12:39 PM

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:52pm

Yes, there were. I think that may have been improperly worded or untrue. Perhaps the poster meant if there were at least three eligible plays or musicals than the categories are separate but otherwise they're combined? Either way I've never heard the before.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 12:58pm

You're right, there were. A lot of this seems to fall to the discretion of the Nominating Committee, so maybe if there are enough play revivals to fill the category, but only two musical revivals, they can opt to have separate categories anyway.

Other interesting rules I found that I did not know before:

An actor cannot be nominated for a role they have already won a Tony for, even if it was years ago and in a completely different production.

Once a regional theater company has won a Tony Award, they are not allowed to receive it again, unless the artistic leadership has changed since the award AND the new leadership has been in place for at least five years.

A Special Tony Award for lifetime achievement or for excellence in the theater may not be awarded posthumously, unless the honoree dies after the decision has been made, but before the ceremony.

EDIT: I just reread the passage about revivals more carefully, and it looks like if there are at least three plays and three musicals, different categories are automatic. If there aren't at least three of each, it is up to the committee to decide.

Updated On: 4/2/12 at 12:58 PM

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 2:00pm

Gotcha, makes more sense!

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/2/12 at 3:27pm

"There shall be no more than four nominees in each category; provided, that if there are at least seven eligible candidates for nomination in a Best Performance category, then there shall be five nominees in that category."

Ah, to be named as having given one of the five best performances out of a total of seven! The equivalent of graduating in the top 71.43% of one's class.

Not to mention how the other two feel.