Tony telecast 2023

Tony telecast: Yes, TV can still be fun

For three splendid hours, we were reminded how much fun TV can be.
These were the Tony Awards that almost didn’t happen. Only a compromise allowed the show to go on (scriptless) during the Writers Guild strike; flaws and all, it was terrific.
And yes, there were flaws. It was a mostly humorless night … the acceptance speeches were repetitious … a “tribute” to John Kander and Joel Grey was bizarre … and host Ariana DeBose didn’t sing.
But the big moments overwhelmed all of that. We were reminded that musicals – Broadway (shown here with a previous performance of “New York, New York”) and beyond – can be spectacular, and that TV can do a great job of showing them off. Read more…

Tonys plan to pack night with music

With lots of time on its hands, this year’s Tony Awards ceremony will be awash in music.
The telecast will be 8-11 p.m. ET Sunday (June 11) on CBS, with some West Coast stations airing it twice – at 5 and 8 p.m. PT. There will also be a preview show at 6:30 PT on Pluto, hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin.
With the writers strike continuing, there won’t be a script. That leaves plenty of time for music from the casts (including “Shucked,” shown here), the host (Ariana DeBose) and others. Alongside the awards (for musicals and plays), there will be: Read more…

At last, a bit of good news: There will be a Tonycast

With TV mired in its summer-and-strike slump, viewers need a shred of good news.
Now they have one: There will be a Tony telecast, after all. It will be June 11, Ariana DeBose (shown here) will again host and – if the past is any indication – it will be great fun.
CBS had already been promoting the show, but others had doubts. If writers were picketing, performers might have stayed away in support. Read more…