Issues with a Best Ensemble award at the Tonys?- Page 2

[B3TA07]

Posted: 2/3/07 at 12:11am

What if award winners who had no other Tony were only allowed to phrase it "Member of the Tony-Award winning Ensemble of In My Life."*





*The Joe Brooks Musical "In My Life" is only a hypothetical example. No offense was meant to the cast and crew of the Original production or the audience of its 23 previews and 61 performances.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/3/07 at 12:13am

I think that we're also excluding what a sound designer does, which is more than hearing the show well or not. A good example is Phantom of the Opera, where you can hear different things from various sides of the theatre, to mention one. I think that a good sound designer can definitely stand out and be recognized, and I think generalizing what such a designer does is a pity.
It is like giving an award for lighting design just for how well you can see the show or not.

Updated On: 2/3/07 at 12:13 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/3/07 at 12:13am

Hahaa.


As nice as it would be to recognize everyone, you can't. There should not be a category for best ensemble.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 2/3/07 at 12:22am

The problem with such awards is that the voting body for the Tony Awards is made up of a disparate group of individuals who don't share the same body of knowledge about the theater, and that's a shame. If the Oscars have done one thing right, it's having actors vote for actors, effects artists vote for effects artists, etc. If a sound design existed, the best judges of good sound design would be other designers. As the rules exists presently, however, I think the elements of an effective sound design would be largely lost on most of the Tony voters. Then again, we let the road voters skew our Best Musical races as it is, so what more harm can they do?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/3/07 at 12:26am

Exactly right, ourtime. I've been saying that about the Oscars for a while.

[danhattan]

Posted: 2/3/07 at 8:38am

I think it would be amazing to give out a best ensemble award but I do agree with everyone's issues with the prospect. When I look at this season (as of now) I would immediately think the award would be a toss up between Grey Gardens and Spring Awakening. Both of these shows have an INCREDIBLE ensemble of actors. And these are the two productions that many say will be fighting it out for the "Best Musical" category. Maybe the shows with truly the best ensembles are usually recognized as the best Musicals on Broadway that year? At least that's what I believe.

Also, if everyone who won in the "Best Ensemble" category could say they each won a Tony then why can't everyone that is involved in a show that wins "Best Musical" say they won a Tony? They were certainly a part of making the show what it is, right?

Last but not least, Margo... I'm sure this has been discussed before but which Broadway theatres were you referring to as being accoustically challenged? I'd love to know which are the best and the worst when it comes accoustics. Why a producer would ever want to put a musical in a box that is known for bad accoustics is beyond me.