Sound Design Returns to the TONYS

Never understood why it was cut in the first place

SENSATIONAL NEWS!

Also interesting that now both categories (and Best Orchestrations) will still be selected by the nominating committee as a whole, but then only be voted on by specific subsets of industry professionals. Similar to how the Academy does some of their tech categories, but reversed.

Kad said: "It also notes that "voting on the winners of the three categories [Sound Design- Play, Sound Design- Musical, Orchestrations] will now be the responsibility of a subset of the overall voter pool based on their professional affiliation."

So I assume only those voters who  have background in sound / music will be eligible to vote for those categories?"

That's probably true. One would hope that anybody with the distinction of being a Tony voter would have at least a rudimentary understanding of either sound or music, but sadly that is often not the case.

It really is unfortunate that The Great Comet (and Hamilton) will miss out their shot at this. They both have exemplary sound design.

Yes! This is amazing news! Just for fun, here's my predictions for what would have been nominated in the last three years (for musicals):

 

2015:

An American in Paris - WIN

Fun Home

The King & I

On the Twentieth Century

 

2016:

Hamilton - WIN

School of Rock

Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All that Followed

Spring Awakening

 

2017:

Dear Evan Hansen

Groundhog Day

Miss Saigon

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

 

Dysquith13 said: "Just for fun, here's my predictions for what would have been nominated in the last three years (for musicals):

2015:
An American in Paris - WIN
Fun Home
The King & I
On the Twentieth Century

2016:
Hamilton - WIN
School of Rock
Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All that Followed
Spring Awakening

2017:
Dear Evan Hansen
Groundhog Day
Miss Saigon
Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812"

Here's my guesses for both plays and musicals...

2015
Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Kai Harada-Fun Home
Kai Harada-On the Town
Scott Lehrer-The King & I
Jon Weston-An American in Paris (Winner)

Best Sound Design of a Play:
Paul Arditti-Skylight
Ian Dickinson-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Winner)
Nick Powell-Wolf Hall, Parts I & II
Jon Weston-You Can’t Take It With You

2016
Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Steve Canyon Kennedy-On Your Feet!
Scott Lehrer-Shuffle Along…
Dan Moses Schreier-American Psycho
Nevin Steinberg-Hamilton (Winner)*

*Had the sound categories been in existence last year, Hamilton would've tied the all-time record that's still held by The Producers.

Best Sound Design of a Play:
Broken Chord-Eclipsed
Tom Gibbons-Arthur Miller’s A View From the Bridge
Clive Goodwin-Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Fitz Patton-The Humans (Winner)

2017
Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Scott Lehrer-Hello, Dolly!
Nicholas Pope-Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 (Winner)
Mick Potter-Miss Saigon
Nevin Steinberg-Dear Evan Hansen

Best Sound Design of a Play:
Gareth Fry & Pete Malkin-The Encounter
Matt Hubbs-Indecent (Winner)
Fitz Patton-The Little Foxes
Peter John Still & Marc Salzberg-Oslo