Posted: 4/14/23 at 7:42am
From what I can see, it might have happened on their Broadway reviews sometime between 2003-2006. Does anyone know the history of this?
Posted: 4/14/23 at 8:13am
Alright, I did some scouring with my NYT subscription, and found that the 2005 Broadway season didn't have any labeled as CPs. The earliest Critics Pick I can find is for Spring Awakening, reviewed in June 2006.
For comparison, THE HISTORY BOYS was given rave reviews from the NYT in April 2006 (and won Tony for Best Play) and didn't have a Critic's Pick' distinction. All pre-June 2006 don't have one, so I want to say summer 2006 was when they began it.
I loved getting to peruse old reviews for this!
Updated On: 4/14/23 at 08:13 AM
Posted: 4/14/23 at 9:51am
Probably around the time the NYT (and others in the industry and audience) began to realize its reviews alone were no longer the sole arbiter of a Broadway show’s success or failure.
It became a new way for them to make their “seal of approval” the most important.
Posted: 4/14/23 at 11:16am
brodynky said: "Probably around the time the NYT (and others in the industry and audience) began to realize its reviews alone were no longer the sole arbiter of a Broadway show’s success or failure.
It became a new way for them to make their “seal of approval” the most important."
Right on the money. Well put.
