Shows that got no major Tony nominations that recouped

I was thinking back on certain shows that didn't do particularly well at the Tony Awards but still managed to recoup their investments and the list is surprisingly short that I could come up with. Almost all the ones I could find were celebrity-driven limited run plays. Obviously shows like The Addams Family and Finding Neverland ran for a while, but they never recouped, but A Bronx Tale seems like it will probably recoup despite zero Tony nominations.

So, I'm curious. What shows either recent or past have become financial successes despite almost no major Tony nominations. I consider Book, Score, Play, and Musical to be the major ones (one might consider Director as well, though I wouldn't as it doesn't speak to the actual quality of the show itself).

Motown?

Particularly with regards to musicals, it's a mistake NOT to count Best Director as one of the major awards. With the rise of the star director-choreographer, it's been accepted that the person in that job is responsible for everything the audience sees and hears.

From the late 1950s on, we speak of Jerome Robbins' musicals, Gower Champion musicals, Harold Prince musicals, Bob Fosse musicals, etc., no matter how much we admire Kander & Ebb. There are exceptions, of course (Sondheim, but not until Frank Rich elevated him to icon stature in the mid-1980s).

Having said the above, no, I don't know of any examples of a musical that only won Best Director and then recouped.

Updated On: 6/6/17 at 12:58 AM

So did Motown.  I don't know if it made back its investment either.  Finding Neverland got none, but also pretty sure it lost money.  

Cant think of any musicals, either from recent times or older.  I would actually be surprised if there are any musicals.  Probably are some plays, besides the two mentioned.  Like the Julia Roberts show.  Limited engagements with big stars...that did not get good reviews and would otherwise have closed if the star had not been in it.  Did the Pacino fiasco from last season make back its investment?  

 

My initial thought was going to be Aida, but they won Best Score that year (along with Best Actress, obviously). No best musical nomination, and they still ran for over 1800 performances. 

Probably shows which came out prior to the tony awards

Back in the "Golden Age", when quality was high and costs were much lower, I expect there were a number of shows that recouped without winning what are called "major" Tony Award nominations here.

LI'L ABNER (1957) surely recouped after 18 months and won for Featured Actress and Choreography, but wasn't nominated for musical, book, score or director.

THE MAGIC SHOW (1975) ran for 4.5 years with only nominations for Featured Actor and Best Director. The latter category wasn't in the original requirement, but I added it later.

THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN (1960) ran for a year-and-a-half which should have let it recoup in those days. It received nominations for none of the "major" Tonys, as we are defining them, but it did score a win for Best Featured Actress for Tammy Grimes.

CAMELOT (1960) ran for over two years (thanks to appearances on the ED SULLIVAN SHOW) but received no nominations for writing or directing. (It did receive technical awards and Best Actor for Richard Burton.)

GEORGE M! (196 ran for over a year with just a nomination for Joel Grey and a win for choreography. I can't know for certain, but it may have recouped.

HAPPY HUNTING (1957) -- I believe I read this recouped even though it wasn't nominated for any of the writing or directing awards. Ethel Merman, however, considered a mere year's run a flop by this time.

The above per IBDB and the Tony Awards Database:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/tonyawardsdb.cfm

Note: either they didn't have a slate of nominees or no record is listed before the 1956-57 season. There are any number of shows (THE BOYFRIEND, CAN-CAN, etc.) than enjoyed long runs without winning any of the writing or directing awards.

If Anastasia keeps going the way it is, it could become one of them.

ETA: Same for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Updated On: 6/6/17 at 06:23 PM