Tony Awards Postponed Due to Writer’s Strike

Updated:

May 15, 2023 1:55 pm

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Due to the writer’s strike, the 76th annual Tony Awards will not air on June 11.

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Writers Guild of America has denied the requested waiver to permit the show to be broadcast on CBS and to stream via Paramount+. The Tony Awards management committee has petitioned WGA, asking the organization to go on as planned to help Broadway financially.

President Charlotte St.Martin, producers Jordan Roth, Scott Sangers, and eight other representatives of the American Theater Wing explained that the telecast helps struggling shows within the theater district with exposure and box office ticket sales. The committee has scheduled an “emergency meeting” for Monday, May 15, to cultivate a plan of action.

They are currently contemplating two alternative plans – move forward with June 11 and hold a non-televised presentation of the ceremony as a press conference or an intimate dinner with nominees. The other option is to postpone the star-studded affair until the strike concludes and have it televised.

The Broadway League is allegedly leaning towards the first option, as the end of the strike is not in sight. A handful of theater owners, producers, and operators believe their shows will only survive with the help of the Tonys and a win listed on marketing materials. It will help with Broadway’s “post-pandemic recovery.” Meanwhile, The American Theater Wing is advocating for a delay.

This is the second time in three years that the awards have been disturbed due to unrelated events. The show was previously postponed due to the global health crisis in 2020. The following year, CBS aired a special titled Broadway’s Back, leaving the ceremony to be available only on Paramount+.

The outlet confirmed that the 2023 Tony Awards script was completed before WGA went on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Screenwriters and creatives are writing for better “compensation and equity structures.” This week marks their third week on picket lines nationwide.

The 76th Annual Tony Awards were slated to be held for the first time at the United Palace in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in Manhattan, New York. This would have marked the first time the theatrical event would not be held at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

Esteemed songwriters Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, and pop sensation Mariah Carey have all snagged their first Tony Award nominations.

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