WGA strike impact on the 2023 Tonys- Page 7

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 8:16pm

The decision against a waiver is new information in the sea of speculation that is this thread.

So to be clear, regardless of options that have been tossed around in this thread that would have a telecast with no written portions, it is the act of producing any content for CBS/Paramount (part of AMPTP who the strike is against) during this strike that would be seen as crossing a picket line? That is the reason a waiver was requested, and the reason WGA denied it?

These questions are based on how the THR article reported the vote. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 8:30pm

Curious what impact this will have on the nominated shows and if they still try to happen in June sometime.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 8:36pm

Some of the nominated shows might as well quit while they’re ahead and hope to build word of mouth on tour. I just don’t see a ceremony happening at any point in 2023. 

Hopefully the writers, actors, and directors all get better pay and the situation improves by next year’s scheduled Tony ceremony. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 8:41pm

Would it not be possible to just read the winners on a live stream on Youtube or something (like they do with the nominations) and then cut in pre-taped performance segments from the shows?  My understanding is that the two parts of the regular Tonys that violate the WGA strike are that the segments between awards/banter is the jurisdiction of WGA members and CBS is part of the group they're striking against, but this would allow them to avoid both?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 8:45pm

I suppose we’ll find out Monday what is actually going to be happening but sadly, I think this is gonna kill some of those shows that we’re banking on the awards and the buzz they create. Sad situation all around.

[Kimbo]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 9:03pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Some of the nominated shows might as well quit while they’re ahead and hope to build word of mouth on tour. I just don’t see a ceremony happening at any point in 2023.

Hopefully the writers, actors, and directors all get better pay and the situation improves by next year’s scheduled Tony ceremony."

One of the most ludicrous things I’ve read on this board (which is saying a lot).  Just a year and a half ago the awards were held at the very end of September; it’s the beginning of May.  The longest strike in the history of the WGA was five months, so even if this one goes as long there’d still be 3 months to put on a ceremony by year’s end – entire galas, benefits and telethons are put together in less time than that.

My guess is they go ahead with an informal announcement if it looks like no progress is made in the next few weeks (the idea of even a dinner handing out statuettes seems unlikely to me as that too could be a target for picket lines). Then, once the strike is resolved, I suspect CBS/Paramount will go ahead with a celebration of Broadway in the fall, not all they dissimilar to what was aired in fall of 2021 - with numbers from the nominated shows (at least those still running and/or able to reassemble), with this year’s winners invited to belatedly accept their awards and give their speeches, and with other musical numbers rounding out the show.

if they scrap the televised portion for good, that means that by June of 2024 there would have only been two Tony Awards broadcast in the last 5 years.  Aside from looking bad in general, at a time when theater is less a part of the culture than ever, that’s a terrible idea, and I don’t see how that does anything but set back the overall recovery of the industry another year.  
 

They’ll find a way to do some sort of broadcast to celebrate the season, one way or another, at some point.

 

Updated On: 5/12/23 at 09:03 PM

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 9:03pm

By any chance, could they broadcast a scaled-back ceremony on social media? Just announcing the winners and doing performances I know that sounds HIGHLY unlikely, but as Jordan mentioned, as there will not be a broadcast this year, it will financially kill some of these shows. Didn't social media cause Ain't No Mo to extend? Again, just a thought. 

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 9:21pm

https://www.justjared.com/2023/05/12/wga-denies-waiver-for-tony-awards-2023-show-wont-air-as-planned/ 

it’s official. It’s not being broadcast!

At least they don’t have to figure out the logistics in getting everyone to and from and back and forth and to and from and back and forth to Washington Heights! 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 9:24pm

Awful. Pretty much every new musical was hinging on these awards for some kind of boost. Sucks.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 9:29pm

If a single annual prime time informercial that only 4 million people watch live is such a make or break event for Broadway, then the industry has so many more issues to grapple with than whether these awards will happen this year or not. 

[pethian]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 9:37pm

Kad said: "If a single annual prime time informercial that only 4 million people watch live is such a make or break event for Broadway, then the industry has so many more issues to grapple with than whether these awards will happen this year or not."

Precisely. The news for the current crop of shows affected by this is heartbreaking. But what this augurs for the future is very unsettling.

[bear88]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 9:53pm

I understand that argument, but there’s a lot of publicity that goes along with the broadcast. Four million people is a lot more than watched Donald Trump’s TV appearance, and that has received endless publicity. I know it’s an apples and oranges comparison, but my point is that there’s more about the Tony Awards than how many people watch the broadcast on CBS.

All the new musicals are in trouble. Let’s say Kimberly Akimbo wins Best Musical and other awards. The value of that win has just gone down. The headlines will be about no TV show, not the musicals and plays that won. I am not saying Tony wins will have no value. The shows can still promote their victories. But it won’t be the same.

That’s especially true for shows without big names. Sweeney Todd will be fine. But Shucked and the other new musicals without stars are kinda screwed. The Tonys will be the tree that fell in a deserted forest.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 10:13pm

I see a slew of closings over the next 2 months.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 10:17pm

I mean, sure only 4 million people watch, but clearly winning Best Musical has an impact on the box office as evident by many past winners. So not having it televised is still going to be a big blunder to the shows struggling. The last time it happened was with, what, Moulin Rouge? Which by all accounts was already a hit and doing fine.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 10:25pm

I'm surprised the only two options being considered (according to articles) are something non televised or a postponement. Seems like something with pretaped performances should be in the conversation too.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 10:36pm

DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "https://www.justjared.com/2023/05/12/wga-denies-waiver-for-tony-awards-2023-show-wont-air-as-planned/

it’s official. It’s not being broadcast!

At least they don’t have to figure out the logistics in getting everyone to and from and back and forth and to and from and back and forth to Washington Heights!"


Your insight never fails to amuse. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 10:37pm

First of all, no one has said at this point that there will not be a broadcast on CBS. Second, all of this "news" emanates from THR's poorly worded headline. As has been pretty clear from the get go, a waiver was the longest of long shots. We do not know that there will not be an announcement of the voting results nor do we know that it won't be on CBS nor whether it will accompanied by previously recorded performances (if nothing else, all of these shows have plenty of released and unreleased b-roll) and/or ads (the price of which will be going down and down). 

Notwithstanding, it sucks that the very important strike hit at the worst time for a lot of shows and will cost even less perilous ones sales.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 11:05pm

Just because it's not being telecast doesn't mean the awards won't be given out.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 11:12pm

Dollypop said: "Just because it's not being telecast doesn't mean the awards won't be given out."

Yes, everyone knows that. 

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 11:12pm

Sally Durant Plummer said: "I see a slew of closings over the next 2 months. "

Two months? Try two weeks. A few of the shows that would have performed and were up awards have been limping through just to get to the awards. If they are not going to be seen on national TV, producers are more than likely going to cut their loses sooner rather keep bleeding money because they can't wait for the strike to end and a ceremony to be held later in the summer or the fall. They just don't have the funds left to justify it when they had budgeted to hold on specifically to June 11th.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 11:43pm

Mr. Wormwood said: "Dollypop said: "Just because it's not being telecast doesn't mean the awards won't be given out."

Yes, everyone knows that."

I just wanted to make sure

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/12/23 at 11:48pm

This sucks and demonstrates one of the problems with unions.  What would it have taken for them to grant an exception, knowing that not granting an exception would lead to quicker show closures, at least one or two of which might have been helped by the Tony’s.  For example, can KA survive this…I assume they have been losing money.  Will Leopoldstadt close sooner, since they must be bleeding money at this point? Shucked, NYNY and SLIH might have been helped if they put the right numbers.  It’s been decades but it happened with Smokey Joe’s Cafe.  Lightening could strike again, given the opportunity.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/13/23 at 12:18am

If they were to grant a waiver under those conditions , its like saying that broadway's jobs/success are more important than their survival.  

I'm saddened, but I totally get it.

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 5/13/23 at 12:36am

The only group being punished here is the theatre industry. West coast screen writers don’t care about east coast thespians. Granting a waiver wouldn’t have been some windfall for Paramount+ and CBS, since as we keep seeing, Tony broadcast ratings aren’t that strong.

WGA granted a waiver in 2007-2008 for the SAG awards. Different circumstance, different time, less viewers, yada yada. But denying a waiver today is going to mess up a lot for a lot of people - people who aren’t even party to the dispute. 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 5/13/23 at 12:52am

BorisTomashevsky said: "The only group being punished here is the theatre industry. West coast screen writers don’t care about east coast thespians. Granting a waiver wouldn’t have been some windfall for Paramount+ and CBS, since as we keep seeing, Tony broadcast ratings aren’t that strong.

WGA granted a waiver in 2007-2008 for the SAG awards. Different circumstance, different time, less viewers, yada yada. But denying a waiver today is going to mess up a lot for a lot of people - people who aren’t even party to the dispute."

That's what I keep coming back to and why I'm disappointed a waiver wasn't granted. I get the need to be disruptive. But this doesn't hurt or disrupt CBS or Paramount one lick. It hurts Broadway and the unions within it. Disappointing.