Will the TONY show be more appealing this year?

[jo]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 8:35pm

How will they jazz up the TONY show ? Will this year's show attract more audiences ?


I read this on another article re the upcoming event --

https://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,274|88392|1|,00.html

"Tony>https://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,274|88392|1|,00.html>https://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,274|88392|1|,00.html

"Tony producers Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss (who is also the director) want this year's show to appeal to a broader audience, and as such have Nicole Kidman and Scarlett Johansson presenting awards.

"When Nicole came over, she was roommates with my wife," Jackman says, trying to recall if the stately redhead had to bunk on the floor or if there were a bed available. "She's very sweet and terrific on stage. Maybe she will get up and sing with me."


Hugh and Nicole singing on the Broadway stage, if only for a few seconds, is such a delicious thought



Updated On: 6/1/04 at 08:35 PM

[junglered]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:07pm

jo - thanks for the link.

I really hope that the 2004 Tony Awards show is fast paced and full of pizzazz. My initial wish is that it will inspire more folks to make an effort to see some wonderful Broadway shows. My other (and just as important) wish is that an exciting Tonys show will consciously motivate folks to support the fine arts at all levels in their own towns and help to inspire the next generation of performing artists.

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:26pm

And I hope Kristin and Idina won't cancel each other out again...

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:28pm

"Will the TONY show be more appealing this year?"









No comma no they will not period

[wally]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:36pm

This year the Tonys are less appealing to me than ever. I don't care to see Hugh Jackman do anything. And I hope to god Nicole Kidman does not sing! And who is Scarlett Johansen, what does she have to do with theatre? And Mary J. Blige, Tony Bennett...Jimmy Fallon?? Ugh.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:37pm

Your damn theme park ruined the Griswold family vacation you son of a bitch so you best keep your mouth SHUT!

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:47pm

that's not a real gun, is it clark?

are you kidding this is a magnum p.i.

its a bb gun. you couldn't even break the skin with that thing.

oh thanks for that, sum. now that i'm done laughing i have holiday road running through my head and it'll be there for hours!

[Plum]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:51pm

And I hope Kristin and Idina won't cancel each other out again...

Waddaya mean, again? There is absolutely no proof anywhere that two performers nominated for the same show cancel each other out. Believe it or not, it's possible- in fact, quite probable- that Donna Murphy won her precursor awards on her own merits. To imply that she needed Menzel and Chenoweth to cancel each other out in order to win is an insult to her amazing performance.

And to get back to the topic of this thread- I think the Tonys' attempts to link back to pop culture smack of desperation, but I don't really care. I'm watching the show regardless, aren't I? Updated On: 6/1/04 at 09:51 PM

[BroadwayBoy2005]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:56pm

Wait a second- Jimmy Fallon?!?! What the hell is that idiot doing at the awards?

On the other hand, I could understand Chris Kattan being there since he will be in 'The Frogs', but JIMMY FALLON?!?!?! Come on, he's about as Broadway as George Bush is an intelligent creature! Updated On: 6/1/04 at 09:56 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:58pm

I have no idea. Unless you consider stand-up comedy to be vaguely theatrical, he has no business there.

But like I said, who cares? The theater geeks are all going to end up watching, impotent anger and all.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 9:58pm

Stand up? He is an insult to the tradition!

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 10:04pm

I don't think Jimmy Fallon is funny at all. He tries to hard on SNL, but it doesn't work. Who the hell makes the decisions on who will be there? Mary J. Blige??? Come on people!! This is the Tony awards for BROADWAY, not the MTV music awards or the VMAs.

But I'm still going to watch it because I haven't missed a year since I was 8.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 10:15pm

This will be my first year watching the entire broadcast, so I hope it will be memorable! Off topic: Jimmy Fallon is definitely not funny, and I'm glad he's not coming back to SNL next season.

[wally]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 10:19pm

Yes, Jimmy Fallon will be a presenter. I have no idea why they would want him there - he's not even really that popular, is he? And he finally left SNL! I wonder if he can get through his presentation without laughing at himself?

And I don't think he's ever done stand-up?

Sum - :)

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 10:29pm

I really do hope the Tony's get really good ratings this year. If not, i hope it doesnt go off network tv or anything. I dont know if the tony's are more appealing...but it might be because of hugh jackman hosting. Nicole Kidman presenting award is not going to boost ratings....if thats all shes going to do.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 10:56pm

Sumofallthings- thank you for just making me literally spit milk all over the place from laughing. That was genius.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 6/1/04 at 11:52pm

If we really want to get more people to watch the Tonys, we all need to tell our friends we are having a big party. When they come, lock them in a room and make them watch the Tonys. If they try to break out, threaten to put a skunk in the room with them. It'll work I tells ya!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 12:25am

Yes, I think the way to get complete mass appeal for the Tonys would be to have Hugh, Kristen and Idina alternate announcing all the awards and to present as many awards as possible to each other. Because GOD FORBID some people that the two or three dozen people who DO NOT POST ON BROADWAY message boards might recognize from other media outlets come along and celebrate Broadway, as FANS. God for frickin bid.

[Plum]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 12:46am

You forgot Audra, Namo. And J-Tags.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 1:10am

The Tonys will be low-rated as always this year -- they're going up against Game One of the NBA Finals, as well as the season finale of the Sopranos -- but they have a contract with CBS for the next few years. CBS says it likes the demographics and the kind of viewers and advertisers the Tonys attract (ie, rich people -- not a lot of them, but enough to justify the inevitable ratings loss..... sort of the same reason they show golf). Unlike the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes etc.... the Tonys will NEVER get much of a rating because its product is not one that can be inexpensively mass marketed internationally. TV is free, movies are $10 at most, CDs just a bit more expensive than that, while plays and musicals, no matter how popular, can only be seen by one to two thousand folks at a time, at $100 a person (most Tony viewers know nothing about discounts). Put another way, more people saw Shrek 2 last weekend, than will see Wicked on during the next couple of years of its soldout Broadway run; more people bought Mary J Blige's last album than ever bought a ticket to see Thoroughly Modern Millie during its entire run. 99% of the potential Tony audience around the country haven't seen any of these shows, 97% will never see any of these shows (either because they can't afford to, aren't planning a trip to NY, don't live in a city where tours go through, or just plain have no interest in what Broadway has to offer) so the vast majority of people have no rooting interest in the Tony Award show and no reason to watch.

The Tonys will continue to air on CBS for the next few years at least, but eventually the show will likely move to Bravo, PBS or some other smaller network. While it'll lose whatever small cache' that comes with being on a major network, at least the Tonys will gain the ability to do a show without the network pressure of having to include non-theatre celebs such as Mme. Blige, Scarlett Johanssen, and Jimmy Fallon and perhaps actually be able to give time to ALL the noteworthy shows of the season -- Big River, Taboo, Little Shop -- and devote time to THEATRICAL celebrities like Barbara Cook, Elaine Stritch, Julie Harris et al.... In other words, the Tonys could actually be a real celebration of Broadway and its amazing history (like it used to be not so many years ago) rather than a lame three hour parade of second tier celebrities, rushed musical numbers and endless categories that only a few thousand people in the entire world care about the outcome of.

[etoile]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 1:22am

"...This will be my first year watching the entire broadcast..."

Please don't tell me it's because in past years it ran past one's bedtime.

[brdwaybabe052]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 1:59am

"Your damn theme park ruined the Griswold family vacation you son of a bitch so you best keep your mouth SHUT!"

I hate to go off-topic, but I cannot quit laughing from this statement... it's quite random, but still a hilarious comeback to 'wally'

guess who just downloaded 'holiday road'

in my opinion, the Tony's are more appealing to me this year, but that is mainly because I'm familiar with the shows that are in the standings... and my attention span has grown, lol.

[ActionBoy]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 2:22am

Wally, I will be looking forward to the Tony's this year... but I don't look forward to CBS's take on the Tony's. Nicole Kidman... she's done a "musical." Scarlett Johanssen... she sang in "Lost in Translation." That's the thought process of the CBS executives and their sorry attempts at pulling in more viewers. Unfortunately, ratings will not be any higher this year. Maybe by a few percentage points but in the scope of things, the same crowd watches each year. It's just like the Washington Post: "If you don't get it, you don't get it."

When that stupid kid from "Two and A Half Men" walks out to present at the Tony's and every commercial break plugging CBS's "summer season" of re-runs... that's when I'll throw in a VHS and watch the telecast another time utilizing the fast forward button.

I am fond of Jackman. But hosting the event when he is up for and will more than likely win one of the top awards? Tasteless, in my humble opinion.

P.

"theatre is life, film is art, television is furniture."

[jezzebelle]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 8:32am

I watch every year, regardless. I've suffered through two years of Rosie hosting, so at this point, I can make it through just about anything, I think. :)


-Jess

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/2/04 at 10:13am

Anyone who thinks this year will be especially dreary must have missed the Tonys of 1989 and 1995. I really hated the early 80s Tonys with the multiple presenters like Susan Anton and Nancy Dussault where they would perform little numbers from older shows not nominated as filler and the performances from the nominated shows were often lip-synced (Barnum was particularly obvious). What we have now is far superior.