What will happen to Tony Awards?

Will they still go on? How will it impact the nominees?

Updated On: 3/12/20 at 02:34 PM

Can't imagine there will be a Tony Awards this year.

Mr Roxy said: "In the grand scheme of things it is not that important."

That's true..LIVES are more important than an awards show at this time

Robbie2 said: "BWAY Baby2 said: "Will they still go on? How will it impact the nominees?"

As for now due to our COVID19 outbreak - The Tonys will NOT happen this year.We don't know how long it will last- BROADWAY is shut for 4 weeks...possibly longer all depends???"

Why would the Tonys not happen? There's still been a Broadway season and most of these shows will still open at some point. The Tonys may be delayed, but I can't imagine them being canceled just because of a 4-week pause in the season.

Jordan Catalano said: "If broadway is closed for 4 weeks, can’t the Tonys adjust their deadline for the season? "

This is what I was thinking as well.

Jordan Catalano said: "If broadway is closed for 4 weeks, can’t the Tonys adjust their deadline for the season?"

That assumes all is well in four weeks and that every planned production is able to withstand the delay.

Those numbers only include NYC residents. It does not include the millions of people who have been in NYC since last month.

Jordan Catalano said: "If broadway is closed for 4 weeks, can’t the Tonys adjust their deadline for the season? "

As haterobics alluded to, a 4 week closure is just the absolute bare minimum based on current information. If they announced a 6 month closure now, and refunded 6 months worth of ticket orders, and somehow miraculously, everything was back to normal in 3 months, they would regret it. I think it is safe to say that a 1 month closure is the first step.


Right now the US government is playing catch up, chasing this beast from behind. It Is appalling that so few Americans have been tested, primarily the very sick ones who obviously have it. There will not be an end in sight until we get in front of it, and that is done by widespread testing of virtually everyone, with quarantine protocols for not only those that are sick, but for the primary source of spread, the thousands and soon hundreds of thousands of people who are positive but symptom free or virtually symptom free.


If they just push back the deadline one month and/or reschedule the Tony Awards for the first Sunday in July, they already know it is extremely likely they will just have to postpone everything again.

Updated On: 3/13/20 at 05:37 PM

yankeefan7 said: "Why not have the shows that have opened by now be eligible for this years awards? The shows that were about to be in previews and have not officially opened will be eligible for the next year. Don't have a big Tony award ceremony this year and have the winners announced at a dinner kind of like the Golden Globes. Just a thought."

EXCEPT nearly HALF the season hasn't opened yet. It would be like previous depressing Tony ceremonies like 1985 and 1993 when there would only be 2 or 3 nominees in many of the categories. NOT to mention that the marketing value of the Tonys as the single biggest commercial for live theater – more badly needed than ever after this mess, I'm sure you'll agree – would be seriously undermined by either an undernourished half-'season', or obviously by doing it as a 'dinner' with no lavish TV broadcast. (Especially when the shows will desperately need that TV exposure more than ever.)

Honestly, if they can't extend the deadline for the June awards, or can't reschedule the ceremony for July or September - one of which I expect them to do if they can - it would probably make more sense to just scrap them this year, chalk up the Tonys to another casualty of the season, and then do a super-sized ceremony next year, with (presumably) a year and a half worth of shows, and the eligibility window extending from May 2019-April 2021. Given how it's almost impossible under the best of circumstances to squeeze all the critics, nominators and voters into every single show during the prime 2-month awards window of April-May, unless it looks like this is getting better VERY quickly, that actually might be the smartest bet.

Updated On: 3/12/20 at 06:02 PM

this is like finding out there is a mass famine and wondering if we will get whipped cream with our pie for dessert.

who cares? the Tony Awards are fun and all but Broadway is primarily a business, and employs so many people that will be out of work and out of money for so long. the last thing on anyone's mind is, or should be, whether some fancy awards ceremony will take place in June, when an entire city is about to enter a hellish lockdown. SMH.

JDonaghy4 said: "this is like finding out there is a mass famine and wondering if we will get whipped cream with our pie for dessert.

who cares? the Tony Awards are fun and all but Broadway is primarily a business, and employs so many people that will be out of work and out of money for so long. the last thing on anyone's mind is, or should be, whether some fancy awards ceremony will take place in June, when an entire city is about to enter a hellish lockdown. SMH."



Just want to make sure you can breathe since your pearls are being clutched so tightly. And this is a theatre message board - theatre related things are being discussed. If you’d like to scream to the heavens asking who will care about the children, then I’m sure you can find a message board more suited to your needing to feel superior.

my pearls aint clutched. theres plenty to discuss re shutting down broadway, the loss of so many jobs, and the fact that many shows will likely never premiere at all. anyone can talk about anything they want, its a free(ish) board but if youre suggesting I shouldnt join that conversation by pointing out how ridiculous it is, sorry. here i am.

being concerned that the big party in June might not happen strikes me as worrying about the orchestra as the titanic sinks. but youre right. worry away!