After a long wait, Tony Awards finally have a date
At last, we have a date for the much-awaited Tony Awards! Celebrating the best of Broadway, the award ceremony is set to take place on September 26, around the same month Broadway shows also reopen. The four-hour-long 74th Annual Tony Awards will air on CBS and Paramount+. To recall, the pandemic had completely shut down live performances and stage productions since March 2020.
What to expect from the event this year
The award ceremony will be followed by The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back!. The event will feature performances from the three Best Musical Contenders (Jagged Little Pill, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, and Moulin Rouge! The Musical). Also, "superstar Broadway entertainers and Tony Award winners (will be) reuniting on stage to perform beloved classics and celebrate the joy and magic of live theater."
'We are thrilled to bring the best of Broadway'
Jack Sussman, executive vice president at CBS Entertainment, said, "We are thrilled to bring the best of Broadway to television viewers who have been through so much without the joys, comfort, and excitement that live theater provides." "With the combined power of CBS and Paramount+, the show will honor this year's Tony Award nominees and winners in a new format unlike any other."
Many iconic Broadway shows are reopening in September
Tony Awards usually take place in June (when there's no pandemic). However, last year, the ceremony was postponed and organizers said it will happen "in coordination with the reopening of Broadway." Hadestown, the 2019 Best Musical winner, will be the first Broadway show to reopen on September 2. Meanwhile, other favorites like Wicked, The Lion King, and Hamilton will be returning on September 14.
How the pandemic affected Broadway for over a year
The impact of COVID-19 was significant on Broadway actors, as it was shut down for over a year. This came on the heels of rising COVID-19 cases in NYC last March. Many Broadway artists were out of work. A performer revealed, "This is about an entire countrywide industry that has been left in the dust and is facing catastrophic loss for over a year."
