The show, like much of Broadway, was too too much. That tiny piece of real estate area called Broadway is a small community, a small stage for celebrity-obsessed America that's always trying to be more than it really is. Why else would a show celebrating Broadway NOT be in a Broadway house?
More than any other awards, Broadway has a schizophrenic personality as it promotes more and more and more, piously clinging to its desire to produce art. The result is you get major awards for both 'Kinky Boots' and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' Want to produce true art? You probably won't do it on Broadway, but if you have $25K, you CAN win a Tony.
Rather than celebrate the current season, the Tonys try to push as much into the broadcast as possible. And if that's the point, where was 'Book of Mormon' and 'Wicked' last night? Oh, right... that might focus the spotlight too much on making money.
One could fit all the voters into one of Broadway's smaller playhouses, few if any see all the performances and ultimately, it becomes about voting for friends and colleagues. Broadway always clings to its 'art,' its 'we are so high-brow making art'... but never doubt, it's never about anything but money.
The show last night? Was what it was. Broadway celebrating itself for one night. Today, it's back to the business of making money. Then again, I could be wrong.
The number of people who will not see a show they don't want to see... is unlimited.
Oscar Hammerstein