WGA strike impact on the 2023 Tonys

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 10:08am

This is a very early prediction, but those reading the tea leaves think a strike is almost guaranteed because the streamers/networks will not budge on some of this stuff. Strike would happen around May 1, and the Tonys are June 11. So a ceremony is just not going to be feasible if a strike lasts longer than 3/4 weeks, and that will probably be a late call by the League and White Cherry (which produces the Tonys).

The last writers strike happened in 2007-2008 and lasted 3 months. The Golden Globes got cancelled that year and it really shook up the TV landscape. The winners were read off in a press conference that year; or we could get a non-televised ceremony, or yet another delayed ceremony. I'm sure the League is already bracing for impact.

Wages and residuals are on the line, in a TV landscape that has changed significantly due to streaming. The WGA will not go down without a fight –– nor should they.

Let the games begin!

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 1:23pm

Sucks we probably won’t have a Tony ceremony, but viewership for the awards was probably going to hit a new low anyway. 

And as we know, CBS can always replace it with a singalong version of Grease!

[bdn223]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 1:38pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "This is a very early prediction, but those reading the tea leaves think a strike is almost guaranteed because the streamers/networks will not budge on some of this stuff.Strike would happen around May 1, and the Tonys are June 11. So a ceremony is just not going to be feasible if a strike lasts longer than 3/4 weeks, and that will probably be a late call by the League and White Cherry (which produces the Tonys).

The last writers strike happened in 2007-2008 and lasted 3 months. The Golden Globes got cancelled that year and it really shook up the TV landscape. The winners were read off in a press conference that year; or we could geta non-televised ceremony, or yet another delayed ceremony. I'm sure the League is already bracing for impact.

Wages and residuals are on the line, in a TV landscape that has changed significantly due to streaming. The WGA will not go down without a fight –– nor should they.

Let the games begin!"

I would assume the WGA would be more willing to make and keep a special agreement the Tony's, which they attempted to do with the Golden Globes in 2007 before it fell apart, since the unlike the Tony's celebrate live entertainment and thus outside of the broadcast do not fall under the WGA's purview or anything they are striking for. Also as Broadway arguably needs the Tony's as an advertisement each year the American Theater Wing will be pressured by producers to give into the WGA's demands in order to have a proper broadcast. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 2:04pm

I'd like to think that too, but if you start making concessions for the Tonys it makes it easier for others to do so. The goal of a strike is to disrupt. The suits are, allegedly, ok with a strike going on for a month or two because it can help them get out of some talent deals + it makes the writers sweat a bit. It won't effect most output for 6-12 months down the line because these things are written far in advance.

Some analysts also believe that if a strike happens, it's not the kind of thing where they settle after a few weeks –– if they get to the point of striking, it'll last a few months. But obviously everything is speculation at this point.

Updated On: 3/3/23 at 02:04 PM

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 2:42pm

I remember that during the last strike, the late night shows got to come back on earlier than others because they had the hosts write their own jokes solo. 

I wonder if the Tony's would consider hiring someone like that as host, therefore, they could get away with it. No speech before each award, just simply "The nominees are, the winner is"

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 2:44pm

I would think that opens a big can of worms....and is like crossing a picket line - or hiring scabs.  (I think that's the right word!)   It's one thing to "do it yourself, for yourself" but very different to still HIRE someone else outside of the union.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 2:57pm

dramamama611 said: "I would think that opens a big can of worms....and is like crossing a picket line - or hiring scabs. (I think that's the right word!) It's one thing to "do it yourself, for yourself" but very different to still HIRE someone else outside of the union."

yes, this is the tricky part with strikes. And the League argument of "the Tonys are Broadway's biggest promotional night of the year, they need to happen on TV like always" will be meaningless to those striking or commenting. Could be a VERY bad look for the League (and might have pushback from the theatrical union members) to try to get around it if a strike is active at on June 11. Of course, if other unions choose to strike in solidarity with the WGA (such as DGA), that's just another complication and would effectively shut down the film & TV industry until resolved.

Could all be a nothing-burger, but we and the producers should assume a strike is gonna happen until it doesn't. These were things that the WGA wanted implemented in 2020, but because of COVID and not wanting to disrupt even further they pushed most of their key asks to 2023 (a sensible thing to do).

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 3:08pm

If there isn’t a ceremony, perhaps the nominated musicals could release some B-roll of a song on their social media and YouTube pages, in lieu of the traditional live performance. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 4:08pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "If there isn’t a ceremony, perhaps the nominated musicals could release some B-roll of a song on their social media and YouTube pages, in lieu of the traditional live performance."

David Hyde Pierce will sing a song from each nominated musical on their YouTube page.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/3/23 at 4:23pm

I think the League just has to push it back a month. Shows that need wins to survive would have to push a bit further, but the alternative is exponentially worse for them. 

TBH, I don't think the idea of just doing it without the writers is the worst idea. People were already talking about Lin-Manuel Miranda hosting because the ceremony's gonna be in Washington Heights. Have him write an opening. Keep the rest of it simple. Witty bits before awards are easily the easiest thing to cut from an awards ceremony. Some of the others rely more on them, but the Tonys are really about the performances. 

Posted: 3/3/23 at 4:33pm

jkcohen626 said: "I think the League just has to push it back a month. Shows that need wins to survive would have to push a bit further, but the alternative is exponentially worse for them.

TBH, I don't think the idea of just doing it without the writers is the worst idea. People were already talking about Lin-Manuel Miranda hosting because the ceremony's gonna be in Washington Heights. Have him write an opening. Keep the rest of it simple. Witty bits before awards are easily the easiest thing to cut from an awards ceremony. Some of the others rely more on them, but the Tonys are really about the performances."

Lin is a WGA member. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 3/4/23 at 4:15am

ajennyishjoanne said: "jkcohen626 said: "I think the League just has to push it back a month. Shows that need wins to survive would have to push a bit further, but the alternative is exponentially worse for them.

TBH, I don't think the idea of just doing it without the writers is the worst idea. People were already talking about Lin-Manuel Miranda hosting because the ceremony's gonna be in Washington Heights. Have him write an opening. Keep the rest of it simple. Witty bits before awards are easily the easiest thing to cut from an awards ceremony. Some of the others rely more on them, but the Tonys are really about the performances."

Lin is a WGA member."

Well there goes that plan, lol

[TarHeelAlan]

Posted: 3/4/23 at 7:49am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "dramamama611 said: "I would think that opens a big can of worms....and is like crossing a picket line - or hiring scabs. (I think that's the right word!) It's one thing to "do it yourself, for yourself" but very different to still HIRE someone else outside of the union."

yes, this is the tricky part with strikes. And the League argument of "the Tonys are Broadway's biggest promotional night of the year, they need to happen on TV like always" will be meaningless to those striking or commenting. Could be a VERY bad look for the League (and might have pushback from the theatrical union members) to try to get around it if a strike is active at on June 11.Of course, if other unions choose to strike in solidarity with the WGA (such as DGA), that's just another complication and would effectively shut down the film & TV industry until resolved.

The DGA television contract explicitly states that the Guild will not go out in support of another union's strike: "The Guild agrees that during the term hereof it will not call or engage in or assist any strike, slowdown or stoppage of work affecting television production against the Employer. The Guild agrees that it will use its best efforts in good faith to require its members to perform their services for the Employer."

That said, individual DGA members could choose to honor a picket line, which could theoretically have a similar impact as an "official" DGA walkout in sympathy with the WGA. 

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/5/23 at 1:13pm

Wasn’t there initial backlash when the tony awards announced they were holding the event at United Palace this year instead of RCMH or the Beacon, because the UP does not have an IATSE crew? I wonder how that would affect any special agreements with WGA.
 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/5/23 at 2:57pm

Does this mean we get another Ariana Debose terrible rap?

[James885]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 12:24pm

Figured this would be a good time to bump this thread, since there's roughly 36 hours left until the WGA's contract expires and as of now, the guild and the AMPTP have still not reached a deal. If they don't reach an agreement by 11:59pm PT tomorrow, a strike will commence and if it's prolonged, it will 100% affect the Tony telecast.

It'll be interesting to see what happens. 

Updated On: 4/30/23 at 12:24 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 1:05pm

RippedMan said: "Does this mean we get another Ariana Debose terrible rap?"

If it means we get a “Betsy Wolfe did the thing” moment, then I’m all here for it.


^the tony awards are essential in the marketing/advertising of broadway, the league and producers will do anything they can to have a telecast. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 4:21pm

I believe the Tony awards will be as scheduled. What it will look like is another matter. It could be anything from a press release and a promise of a "show" after the strike, to an unscripted show*, or even a streamed show*. At this point I don't think anyone knows anything but a postponement messes with a lot of things, not the least of which is that a bunch of these shows that are on fumes they hope will last until the current date would never make it beyond, and other shows that are optimistic of big awards need to be able to advertise "best ___ winner" to grab the unwashed summer audiences. Added to the mix here is that agents have clients crossing both sides. It's going to be hardball but we shall see.

*These options raise quicksand type issues for the union.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 4:43pm

I asked this in another thread but there's nothing stopping handing out awards and performances, right? 

A Writers Strike would impact an opening monologue/song, any pretaped bit and banter between presenters. But it feels like the thing most people tune in for (performances and presenting awards) could still happen?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 4:56pm

In theory, yes. 

[pethian]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 7:04pm

The potential strike was a major story on the nightly news tonight. This is getting white knuckle, as it often does in these situations. I didn't think the TONYs broadcast was  in peril, until tonight. As they pointed out on the news, the problem is--especially in the case of the TONYs-- other unions refusing to cross the line.

Updated On: 4/30/23 at 07:04 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 8:07pm

Seeing how the talkshows adapt to this might be an indication of how the Tonys try to handle the situation.

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 9:04pm

bdn223 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "This is a very early prediction, but those reading the tea leaves think a strike is almost guaranteed because the streamers/networks will not budge on some of this stuff.Strike would happen around May 1, and the Tonys are June 11. So a ceremony is just not going to be feasible if a strike lasts longer than 3/4 weeks, and that will probably be a late call by the League and White Cherry (which produces the Tonys).

The last writers strike happened in 2007-2008 and lasted 3 months. The Golden Globes got cancelled that year and it really shook up the TV landscape. The winners were read off in a press conference that year; or we could geta non-televised ceremony, or yet another delayed ceremony. I'm sure the League is already bracing for impact.

Wages and residuals are on the line, in a TV landscape that has changed significantly due to streaming. The WGA will not go down without a fight –– nor should they.

Let the games begin!"

I would assume the WGA would be more willing to make and keep a special agreement the Tony's, which they attempted to do with the Golden Globes in 2007 before it fell apart, since the unlike the Tony's celebrate live entertainment and thus outside of the broadcast do not fall under the WGA's purview or anything they are striking for. Also as Broadway arguably needs the Tony's as an advertisement each year the American Theater Wing will be pressured by producers to give into the WGA's demands in order to have a proper broadcast."

The American Theater Wing can't "give into the WGA's demands" -- it's not an issue of one single event/show/film/contract, the "demands" have to do with the entire union. In a dispute like this, you don't have one-offs because one (relatively minor) party "gives in" -- we're taking about the whole of Hollywood and TV writers of, frankly, any and everything on a screen. To paraphrase Lord of the Rings, the Wing has no power here.

Updated On: 4/30/23 at 09:04 PM

[darquegk]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 9:16pm

The Macy’s Day Parade was unscripted and improvised during a previous writer’s strike. As that’s the other big Broadway commercial, I can see the same thing happening here.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/30/23 at 9:22pm

darquegk said: "The Macy’s Day Parade was unscripted and improvised during a previous writer’s strike. As that’s the other big Broadway commercial, I can see the same thing happening here."

Skimming online through the first hour of the 2007 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, it seems that Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira had a proper introduction for every Broadway show — thus, it felt to me like any other parade.