new Tony category for plays?

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 2:46pm

Does the category BEST PLAY pertain to the script or the overall production...or both? I know that the playwright and producer share the trophy. Should there be a category for the playwright and another for "production of a play?" Kinda like its musical counterparts: best book and best musical categories.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 3:43pm

The category is "Best Play" which I believe would refer to the script.

For a few years in the early 60s there was a separate category for playwrights (Neil Simon won his first Tony in this category), but what did it mean? The issue was settled in about 1965 by the ATW with the decision that the Best Play was also the best written play and the Best Author category was discontinued.

For that matter there was also a separate category for Best Producer and what does that mean?

With a musical there was the decision that the writing components were indeed separate contributions and could be honored thusly. These weren't finalized until 1972.

1776 and Applause (1969 and 1970) were awarded Tonys not to just the producers but to all the authors as well. Hallelujah Baby was given Tonys to the producers and the book writer, but the score was in a separate competitive category.

The other categories cover the production values.

Does any of this make sense? It is all from memory so I hope the facts are right.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 4:23pm

Thanks for that historical perspective WOSQ. I was wondering if recent plays such as Take Me Out, The Goat, and I Am My Own Wife would still be awarded Best Play if their respective productions were crap.
For the history buffs out there - was their any best play Tony winner that only garnered a best play nomination and no nominations in the other categories (acting, direction, sets, etc.)?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/8/04 at 5:16pm

I don't think a Best Play has ever ONLY won for best play and not nominated for anything else, but I'd have to check (there have been plays that got nominated for best play, just to fill out the category, but then were nominated for nothing else). The Best Play category went to the format we have now (one award honoring playwright and producers) in 1966 after a few odd and confusing results and categories at the awards in 1965. That year, there were three separate categories: Best Play (for author & producer); Best Producer (Dramatic); and Best Author (Dramatic). Best Play went to "The Subject Was Roses" by Frank D. Gilroy (also winner of the Pulitzer), produced by Edgar Lansbury. Best Producer (Dramatic) went to Claire Nichtern (who produced the big hit comedy "Luv" by Murray Schisgal). Best Author (Dramatic) however went to Neil Simon for writing "The Odd Couple." (Incidentally, Edward Albee's controversial "Tiny Alice" managed to get nominated for and lose all three categories). After much head scratching at those results, the next year they combined all three categories into the one "Best Play" category.

Updated On: 6/8/04 at 05:16 PM