My idea for a Tony broadcast

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:53pm

I think we all agree that the Tony broadcast is severely lacking. I love that fans can buy tickets and be at Radio City Music Hall, but with all the technical issues that happened, why aren't we back in the Minskoff or Gershwin where there never seemed to be that problem?
Additionally, there's a resurgence of nostalgia for "The Golden Age of Broadway" these days. Why not capitalize on that for a theme?
Open the show with the legends we have left: Chita Rivera, Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Kaye Ballard, Tommy Tune, Carol Burnett, Carol Channing, Jerry Herman, Liza Minelli, Stephen Sondheim, ALW, Lainie Kazan, Hal Prince, Gena Rowlands, Elaine Stritch, etc. Or incorporate them in some way. The ratings are at a point where TV and Movie stars presenting aren't really helping. Especially when this is the one night for Broadway.
For the revivals, I think it'd be wonderful to see the current show with the stars from the original. (A dated example: if Chicago was up for best revival, do All That Jazz with the current lead AND Chita Rivera).
I'm sorry, but I miss the opening numbers from the Rosie years.
I like that they showed clips of all the musicals this year, but instead of a number where the nominated shows sing for 1 minute (and will present a number later anyway), bring in the cast of the other shows (be it non-nominated or currently running older shows). THAT would be a production number.
As for a host, I think Hugh Jackman has the goods, but I feel there are better options. I enjoyed the multiple host format, because when they do a little ditty, I feel like I'm being genuinely entertained.
That's all I got. I was going to post a rant on the existing threads about last night's show, butI wanted to be able to include something more than "I didn't like it."
Thanks for reading,
dt
Updated On: 6/6/05 at 01:53 PM

[TVBoy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:01pm

You're wanting to move out of Radio City to a smaller venue? Also, with the changes you propsed, CBS would drop the telecast in a second. The other nets wouldn't pick it up so it would, at best, go to PBS or a smaller cable outlet. Even though it's a write-off show for CBS, look at the national exposure Broadway gets that night. Also, being on a broadcast network, the show gets promoted, at least a week or two in advance, during primetime. Although you have decent ideas, as for the television broadcast, I think it's best left as is. (Let's just hope that CBS will renew the contract again for next year.)

I do agree with a possible host change. For television and ratings purposes, it has to be someone with a "name." Rosie O'Donnell, Billy Crystal...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:06pm

Maybe it has been discussed already, but why don't they get Nathan Lane to host?

And how about Kelsey Grammer to sing a song?

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:07pm

Hugh Jackman has a name....

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:18pm

TVBoy - I really apologize if this offends (I'm really not the kinda person who does or says mean things) but your response...is like, flashing "sell out!" in giant neon, flashing letters.

Would it really be so bad if PBS got the show? Then at least it'd have the option of being true to itself and really be a night that honors theatre - rather than trying to glitz it up so that more people get to see a representation of the Broadway community.

And honestly, what GOOD is that national representation and exposure if it's 1. a POOR representation, and 2. not showing the theatre community as it really is?

I personally LOVE the original poster's idea. I too miss the days of Rosie, even though I feel her time was up as a host, we need someone to come in that as excited about theatre as she was - who will be a breath of fresh air, as well as that respect, admiration and general awe of the theatre as a craft - make us feel like Rosie did, that Theatre CAN be as widely appreciated in the mainstream (for lack of a better workd) as film and the music industry.

I'd gladly watch the Tony's suggested by DT rather than last night's (or the past few years for that matter) presentation.

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 02:18 PM

[Pinguin]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:20pm

I just think that they need to get someone better to produce the Tonys...the camera stuff was AWFUL last night and did not serve the performances.

[TVBoy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:25pm

No offense taken. I work in television and since the title of this thread is "My idea for a Tony BROADCAST," I chimed in on the television aspect. Since it's currently aired on CBS, I wanted to speak to that.

I agree to having the word SELL-OUT in big, neon letters. So does CBS. I think it's all a matter of do you want to keep this on a national broadcast network or a smaller independent or cable net with a MUCH smaller audience?

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 02:25 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:35pm

My meaning was more of a wish list versus a "Dear CBS" letter.
I'd be curious to hear other's ideas...

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:44pm

I agree with the camera work on the show last night. I was also thinking during the show how they can make it better and my 1st thought is what DT came up with as far as using the legends we have left. Yes, Hugh Jackman has a name as host but he doesn't have anything in the movie theaters right now so he really isn't "hot" at the moment. I don't know why they have chosen some of the people they have to sing in the past few years. Mary J. Blige was already overexposed by the time she performed last year. Nobody I know tuned in to see her. I love her but was not excited to see her sing on the show. It was nice to see Aretha but she's really not going to draw a lot of people in. (And I grew up on and lover her music). I think the only way to draw more viewers in is to get some of the hot stars out there. But then you would have all of these non-theatre people on the show and it would take away from it. TVBoy works in TV and I agree, to an extent, with what he said about leaving it as it is. But I think they could utilize some of the living legends that we have. Don't know that they will all be around for their 75th telecast. Also...I really enjoyed the shots of NYC at the breaks and really wish they had continued the shots of the stars saying "You are watching the 59th Annual Tony Awards". They did them for I guess the 1st hour and then stopped.

Just my opinion.

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 02:44 PM

[TVBoy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:51pm

More good opinions... I'm not at all knocking the ideas of the original poster, I just have to say, "Easier said than done." Since theatre is not my profession, I won't begin to critique performances, but when it comes to television, that's where I can add my two-cents.

I will tell you.. many of those "living legends" were extended an invitation to perform or present. As is often the case, most decline. They would rather sit and enjoy the ceremony, than have to go through all the prep work, rehearsals, etc. that it takes to do it.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 2:53pm

it was ugly enough to see chita for 2 minutes.....why would i want to see someone as old and as ugly as she is? besides she cant dance anymore..and she was never a good singer. im sorry..and i think the tonys were amazing... at the radio city music hall.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 3:08pm

Well Muscle, that's fine. But I should share with you that it is the ugly Chita Rivera's that helped make Broadway what it is today and in that same breath, allowed you (albiet in an abstract way) to watch the show from Radio City.
My point about the venue was that when it was in a smaller Broadway house, I never remember the technical problems with the live performances that we witnessed last night. That's all...
P.S. - I hope I look as good at 72 as she does.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 3:11pm

yeah, my favorite part is the use of the current legends.

I also like the idea of having something (although it would lose something after the first time, so I guess it could only really be a one-time thing) where the other musicals on broadway perform - like Rosie always used to do on her show sometimes. Although then it gets sticky - on one hand, it'd be a more encompassing (sp?) way of truly celebrating Broadway by featuring everything that's long running but then do you run into probs with shows that didn't get nominated - is that just perceived as a symbolic "eff you for overlooking our show"? and when would the cut off be, etc., and are the Tony's to celebrate broadway or jsut the best of the best?

Some things are certain - they need to fix 1. the way they handle the "not running anymore but still nominated but they don't get to perform" thing - last year wasn't so bad but this year it was rather insulting to not even really mention them except to say "you didn't see th at show and it's nominated too" I thought. The other is the play category. There has to be a way to feature them more. I myself was a musical theatre major at school but I still think it's kind of unfair that musicals get soooo much more acknowledgement at the ceremony than the straight plays. Can't they feature a scene or something from each show - in lieu of stupid mary j blige/aretha franklin type remixes and such?

just my ideas.

ps. muscle - ms. Rivera CAN in fact still dance and does still perform, and better than most people a quarter her age that are on broadway in my opinion.

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 03:11 PM

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 3:13pm

DT I second thatI hope I look as good as she does when I am 82! And I hope I can dance like taht at 82 (be it i can't dance like that at all and I'm only in my 20's hehe)

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 5:59pm

And she's headed back to Broadway!!!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/6/05 at 6:01pm

The thing about bringing back all the old broads (uh, I mean legends) is that they would have to ask Elaine Stritch. And everyone knows what a pain in the butt she can be. Just ask the Obie Awards people who were presented with a $1,000 bill for her hair and makeup.