"Previously, the Rules and Regulations of The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards had enforced very narrow guidelines to producers as to what they could give to those voting for the annual Tony Awards. Under those rules, the producers could hand to Tony voters only: a souvenir book; a script; "an audio and/or video cast recording that replicates the on-stage performance of the eligible production and that does not contain additional material such as narration, quotations, musical underscoring, etc."; and "one set of selected reviews and/or unedited quotations regarding the eligible production."
In other words: no gravy, no graft, no superfluous swag. Just honest, educational promotional materials.
No more! About the suspension of the rules, Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, and Heather Hitchens, executive director of the American Theatre Wing, said in a joint statement, "It is the feeling of the committee that the producers have been acting responsibly and that they will continue to do so without such restrictive language. It is felt that the voters also act responsibly and that such things as souvenirs, edited reviews and small gifts, etc. have no bearing on the voters selections."
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
"such things as souvenirs, edited reviews and small gifts, etc. have no bearing on the voters selections."
I don't believe that for one moment.
"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Maybe I'm too minimalist to appreciate the appeal of being bombarded by promotional tschotskes, but does this seriously sway people's votes? It's not like producers take it back if you vote against them; you get to keep the crap regardless.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never
knowing how
The voters can be gifted with all the swag producers throw their way, but since presumably they vote secretly, there is no direct correlation probably between the bribes and the voters' picks. They can always TELL the bribers they voted for their show, even if they didn't.
"It is the feeling of the committee that the producers have been acting responsibly and that they will continue to do so without such restrictive language."
Let's see. So they're saying "the producers have been following the rules, so we're changing the rules, but we still expect them to follow the old rules".
Friend-raising is a big part of the campaign. Seomone who's on the fence may end up voting for you just because he likes you. So show 'em a good time. I can't wait for Harvey to take all the voters to the South Seas for a special performance!
In addition to Wilmington's apt remarks, there is an advantage to number of contacts. I don't think any voter is going to count memorabilia and vote for the show that sent the most crap.
But if s/he gets 8 mailings (flyers, libretto, recording, souvenir book, etc.) from WICKED while AVENUE Q can only afford to send 2, the number of items arriving from WICKED may keep WICKED uppermost in the voter's mind.
Given that Harvey Weinstein's now a Broadway producer, you'd think the Tony committee would TIGHTEN their rules. I wonder how much he paid them to drop the restrictions.
I assume (if this didn't already happen), this could open to other 'gifts' such as back stage tours, meet and greets and/or dinner with the cast etc.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000