Tony Award Categories You'd Like To See
#3
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:15am
I think Best Vocalist should be a thing for the gendered categories. Prime example is Bette winning Best Actress, she gave a great performance but was an okay singer. This category would be tough, since there are so many actors who were great at singing but not that good at acting, and vice versa.
#5
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:17am
I've literally never understood why there's an award for Book of a Musical, but none for Best Playwright (or, in other words, Best Script/Book of a Play).
#6
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:19am
Best Casting
Just remembering you've had an "and"
When you're back to "or"
Makes the "or" mean more than it did before
#7
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:19am
Not sure it would work logistically, but Best Replacement would be cool. Lend a little prestige to shows that didn't open that year.
#8
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:20am
They tried to launch a Best Replacement several years ago and it was a huge-mongous disaster.
Even with a special committee, there's just no logical way for a group of people to see all the replacement performers who go on in a given season to make a fair assessment.
Just remembering you've had an "and"
When you're back to "or"
Makes the "or" mean more than it did before
Updated On: 8/7/17 at 11:20 AM
#9
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:20am
Best Debut could easily get into Grammys New Artist territory where people who've been Off Broadway for years and are "names" win. Or you give it to Cate Blanchette, no stranger to NY Theatre in her technical debut on Broadway.
Best Ensemble is tricky to judge. I mean how do you judge a great 4 hander play ensemble vs Hello Dolly vs Natasha Pierre vs say, a Fiasco Into the Woods type ensemble.
Best Replacement is long overdue. If anything, it would entice bigger names to replace more and more. Say, if Patti thought she could win for Dolly.
#10
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:21am
BroadwayConcierge said: "I've literally never understood why there's an award for Book of a Musical, but none for Best Playwright (or, in other words, Best Script/Book of a Play)."
I think that's because a lot more work usually goes into writing musicals as opposed to plays.
#11
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:22am
The playwright shares in the Tony for Best Play, but the book writer does not share in a Best Musical Tony.
Just remembering you've had an "and"
When you're back to "or"
Makes the "or" mean more than it did before
#12
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:25am
Best Ensemble would be tricky, but ultimately it'd go to the shows with the most creative/involved/big ensemble. If the category was available this year, GC vs Dolly would be incredibly hard to judge.
#13
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:25am
Best Hair & Makeup
Just think of all the productions that could've easily won this category (Cats, La Cage aux Folles, The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King, Hairspray, Wicked, Spamalot, Shrek, Matilda, Hedwig & the Angry Inch).
Updated On: 8/7/17 at 11:25 AM
#14
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:28am
Best Understudy and/or Best Swing! Understudies and swings barely get any recognition, and sometimes people miss out on some star talent.
#15
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:31am
nasty_khakis said: "Best Ensemble is tricky to judge. I mean how do you judge a great 4 hander play ensemble vs Hello Dolly vs Natasha Pierre vs say, a Fiasco Into the Woods type ensemble."
I think a Tony for Best Ensemble would recognize productions where every single cast member is eligible for the featured categories. If that category existed this year, the nominees probably would've been...
Indecent
Jitney
Sweat
The Play That Goes Wrong
#16
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:32am
Replacement would essentially have to be "opt in" with the production basically being ok with giving away that many tickets in the limited amount of time. It's not impossible, really, but it would have to be so highly regulated with things like "with runs longer that x months."
#17
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:36am
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "I think that's because a lot more work usually goes into writing musicals as opposed to plays."
I don't think that's necessarily true - or at least not how I'd word it. Rather, I'd say that a musical is made up of more components.
I agree with BroadwayConcierge. Just because they include the playwright in best play does not negate the point that they should be separate. The problem is you end up with plays that have superior scripts getting left out because their "overall production" is not noteworthy. Sometimes it's the other way around, but it's a discrepancy nevertheless. If the Tony committee acknowledges that they should have "Best Musical" to award overall productions, in addition to awarding each individual writing and production component, there is no logical reason why the same should not be true for plays.
Updated On: 8/7/17 at 11:36 AM
#18
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:36am
How would anyone do nominating or voting on an understudy or swing? Typically you don't know when they're going on. And for shows opening late in the season, usually none of those people have gone on by the time nominations come out.
Just remembering you've had an "and"
When you're back to "or"
Makes the "or" mean more than it did before
#19
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:40am
^ They could possibly do pre-planned understudy/swing dates, although that doesn't seem like a thing most shows would be willing to do. Kind of like a short vacation leave for the main actors, where the u/s and swings could alternate. Idk it's a pipe dream but I think it would be nice.
#20
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:44am
Best Projection Design
It boggles my mind how projections are lumped in with either Lighting or Set Design.
#21
Posted: 8/7/17 at 11:44am
I think the only way they could recognize understudies is with some sort of special, non-competitive award. Kind of like a Tony version of Gypsy of the Year.
Just remembering you've had an "and"
When you're back to "or"
Makes the "or" mean more than it did before
Updated On: 8/7/17 at 11:44 AM
#22
Posted: 8/7/17 at 12:01pm
Acetic Acid said: "Best Projection Design
It boggles my mind how projections are lumped in with either Lighting or Set Design."
Objectively, I think you're right. It should really be recognized. But from a personal standpoint, I'm glad they don't have that category, because I think the way projections are frequently used nowadays is horrendous. Directors and projection designers nowadays have no sense for when projections will feel gratuitous, out of place, and over-the-top. The fact that Anastasia's nauseating, tacky projections won the Drama Desk made me very mad. I don't want more directors and designers encouraged by that tasteless display.
#23
Posted: 8/7/17 at 12:29pm
I wholeheartedly agree that hair design and makeup design should be their own categories. There are some rather spectacular transformations on Broadway that should be rewarded. (Lola and Elphaba come to mind)
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#24
Posted: 8/7/17 at 12:57pm
carolinaguy said: "I think the only way they could recognize understudies is with some sort of special, non-competitive award. Kind of like a Tony version of Gypsy of the Year."
This would probably never logistically work for the Tonys, but my statewide high school theatre awards have a sort of Gypsy Robe ceremony like this that I've always liked—
The cast of each show that's nominated for "Best Ensemble" votes (prior to the award ceremony) for one of their ensemble members to become the "Gypsy Honoree." This person gets to go up onto the stage when their show is announced during the category, and if their show wins Best Ensemble, the Gypsy Honoree gets the "Gypsy of the Year" award and a small scholarship.
I was my school's honoree when we did Godspell my junior year. It was a wonderful moment/surprise and they could somehow work something like it into the Tonys I think it'd be awesome.
#25
Posted: 8/7/17 at 3:02pm
Two categories 100% come to mind:
-Best Song (this would be one of the most fun categories every year)
-Best Ensemble (meaning everyone, not just non-characters; Come From Away is a perfect example)
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