Tony Ratings Have a Long Gap to Clear, Despite Efforts to Mimic Larger Shows
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The Hollywood strikes last year forced the Tonys to go off script, but the awards show for live theater productions still delivered its best ratings since 2019.
Even with a writing staff back, Sunday’s ceremony for the recent Broadway season on CBS and Paramount+ is trying some new things to expand the show’s audience.
It isn’t a surprise that the Tonys are the weakest link of the EGOTs. With tickets typically running over $100 on Broadway as an industry primarily confined to New York City, live theater does not have the kind of accessibility that recorded music, films and TV shows do.
As such, producers of the Tonys have said Sunday’s show will offer closer looks at the various plays dotting out the nominations and present more footage of nominated actors within the context of the productions vying for awards. This tracks with how the Oscars and Emmys are typically presented, where sizzle reels typically accompany each awards category.
A change of venue for the first time in years also means producers are utilizing the new space to stage choreographed transitions between the categories, as opposed to a wall coming down and back up. This is another move that will make the Tonys more like other TV broadcasts, per the producers.
With nominated stars including Eddie Redmayne for “Cabaret,” prior Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. for “Purlie Victorious,” Emmy winner Sarah Paulson for “Appropriate” and eternally recognizable Daniel Radcliffe for his role in “Merrily We Roll Along,” there is significant talent this year who can bring in more viewers, especially since Ariana DeBose is hosting again.
On top of that, a live performance from “Stereophonic” is on the docket after fan outcry that it wasn’t included in the initial lineup for this year’s show. The music of “Stereophonic” hails from ex-Arcade Fire member Will Butler and is one of the contenders for best play, alongside “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” “Mary Jane,” “Mother Play” and “Prayer for the French Republic.”
Clearly the Tonys has some pull among younger folks if the producers are that receptive to fans’ feelings, but tracking of ratings among the coveted 18-49 demographic doesn’t differ much from other EGOT awards ceremonies.
The 2024 Grammys did succeed in pulling ahead of the Oscars among younger adult viewers, thanks to performances from Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Travis Scott, but popular artists with young fanbases aren’t usually making music for Broadway and can’t be utilized to the same degree.
It remains unfortunate for awards shows in general that the big spike in viewership observed for the 2022 Oscars occurred because of Will Smith interrupting the show by slapping host Chris Rock, who had just made a joke about wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s physical appearance.
While the Oscars still grew viewers over subsequent shows, ratings for the 18-49 demographic fell in 2024, an indication that unexpected breaks from programming are potentialy more appealing to some younger viewers than the intended schedule of awards and performances.
The Tonys can certainly take cues from its EGOT compatriots to boost interest in the show on televised and streaming platforms. But the crawl back to pre-pandemic ratings for such ceremonies is as slow as ever. The Tonys won’t make much of a difference.
