The award was founded in 1947 by a committee of the American Theatre Wing headed by Brock Pemberton.The award is named after Antoinette Perry, an actress, director, producer and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, who had died in 1946.
The first awards ceremony was held on April 6, 1947, at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. The first prizes were "a scroll, cigarette lighter and articles of jewelry such as 14-carat gold compacts and bracelets for the women, and money clips for the men." It was not until the third awards ceremony in 1949 that the first Tony medallion was given to award winners.
Since 1997, the Tony Awards ceremony has been held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City in June and broadcast live on CBS television, except in 1999, when it was held at the Gershwin Theatre and 2011, when the ceremony will be held at the Beacon Theatre. Source: Wikipedia search 'Tony Awards History
I think the Tony Awards has to be one of the best awards shows going. I mean you really get a chance to be entertained. Broadway actors work really hard and love what they do and fully acknowledge that the main part of the show is the audience. I have been pleased to have attended three Broadway shows in my lifetime, there is nothing like it. If I lived in New York I'm afraid I would be Broadway-Poor. Thank you all you, Broadway-actor's past, for the memories and enjoyment I carry with me today.
I've only been to one Broadway play and it was magnificent! And I only live an hour from there by train. Shame on me! So many of the shows sound so good! I am a fan of Rosie's and she's always promoting Broadway. She prefers musicals. I think I probably would, too, if I were going all the time. One thing -- it is expensive to go. Even if you get cutrate tickets at one of the kiosks around town (which you have to time just right, and I probably wouldn't do, due to the extra time you have to wait around in the city). I wish I could take a big group of friends to a play. Want to go? ;)
ReplyDeletePS I love the Mitt Romney quote! ROFL Oh man I hope he doesn't have a chance...
ReplyDeleteKatie - I was watching Romney on Pierce Morgan and he said that - at first I thought he said "tasted" then listened again and got the "tested" I laughed so hard.
ReplyDeleteBroadway has good years and bad but this year really, really looks great. You better hop on the train and have a girl's nite out.
When I saw Producers, my daughter and I actually flew back to NYC just for that, arrived late Friday night, saw the show on Sat. and back home on Sunday.
Out of the three, Jersey Boys was spectacular, I wanted to sit back down and do it all over again. I did see it here in St. Louis, but never as good as New York, the smaller more intimate theaters. Just great, plus the Broadway cast was super duper.
I keep telling myself I should just bite the bullet and hop on the train to see a weekday matinee by myself, but so far I haven't listened to myself. LOL
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