Comments on: The MTV Tony Awards: Television’s De-Theatricalization of Broadway’s Biggest Night http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2012/06/13/the-mtv-tony-awards-televisions-de-theatricalization-of-broadways-biggest-night/ Responses to Media and Culture Fri, 12 Feb 2016 19:35:04 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.5 By: Karen Petruska http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2012/06/13/the-mtv-tony-awards-televisions-de-theatricalization-of-broadways-biggest-night/comment-page-1/#comment-207422 Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:49:41 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=13420#comment-207422 When I think about the Tonys, I always wonder why they are on TV in the first place (note: I think this about all awards programs for all media forms). If it is liveness (people in the flesh in front of you, not just perfomances happening live, per se), that distinguishes theatre from TV/film, etc, then the Tonys from the get-go cannot capture the element that makes theatre unique.

Moreover, Broadway is one small part of the theatrical world–and indeed is likely the least interest part for those with a genuine interest in (new) theatrical work–so promulgating the myth that Broadway is the “best” of theatre is, in itself, problematic.

But I’m talking as a (former) theater person here. Which leads to one question your article has inspired me to ponder: a question of audience. When we discuss the Tony’s ratings, do we have to take into account the powerhouse that is Sunday night TV in the age of the great cable drama? This show went up against the “Mad Men” finale among other programs on HBO–how much overlap is there between the viewers of cable programming and theatre? If I am the target audience, then guess where I was on Sunday night? [At the movies with Don and Peggy.]

Second, if the goal of the Tonys, alternatively, is to attract the non-theater-goer, the stereotypical midwesterner visiting the “big city” looking to see a (film/TV) star on that Broadway stage, then do we need to evaluate the Tony Awards show differently? Are the critiques you offer above sort of the point–the Tonys should cut down on discussions of anything not of appeal for a mass audience. In fact, the critique should be that theatre is TOO present as a distinctive form in this awards show.

]]> By: Alyxandra Vesey http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2012/06/13/the-mtv-tony-awards-televisions-de-theatricalization-of-broadways-biggest-night/comment-page-1/#comment-207363 Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:24:35 +0000 http://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/?p=13420#comment-207363 Thanks for this, Kelly. In line with your argument, I wondered what you thought about Audra McDonald’s win for Porgy and Bess and how this was handled in the broadcast. Some commentators note that last Sunday was an historical night for both the actress and the Tonys. McDonald won Best Actress in a Musical, resulting in the fifth win of her career. As one commentator noted (http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/9b4e0ca0-b373-11e1-bcc4-123138165f92), this made her the third actress–and first actress of color–to reach that milestone. It’s also pretty remarkable given that she’s only appeared in ten productions since 1991.

So with that in mind, I wonder two things.

1. Do the Tonys have any sense of their own history at this point?
2. If so, whose triumph narratives are they including and excluding?

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