Tony Award Categories you wish could be

[Bwaynerd]

I strongly believe that there should be a "Best Ensemble of a Musical" Tony Award

[willep]

^ first one that came to mind when I saw this topic. Best ensemble of a Play would be nice too.

[Bwaynerd]

I don't understand why there isnt an award for this!

[broadwayboy987]

best replacement!

[Bwaynerd]

haha yup!

[aasjb4ever]

^ Best Replacement is touchy because, say for instance if Bernadette Peters, Marin Mazzie, and Harvey Fierstein were all nominated for Night Music, next to normal, and La Cage, respectively, this past season. If one of them won, it could easily be argued that the role is Tony-worthy, and not the performance.

[bwayrose7]

Best New Song. Because sometimes the best song of the year isn't in the best score. The Oscars separate them; I think the Tonys should too.

[bwayphreak234]

Best replacement would also mean the Tony committee would have to revisit pretty much every show with replacements. While it is a good idea, it unfortunately isn't practical.

[AC126748]

Most OTT Performance in a Play/Musical

[broadwaydevil]

I, too, like the idea of best song. Just about every year I believe the best song comes from a different show than the show that wins best score, I'm not saying best score is flawed, just that sometimes incredible songs come from otherwise uninspiring scores.

[little_sally]

I also think it would only go to the most high-profile replacements. Which seems unfair.

[bwayphreak234]

I don't know about best song. If this were a category for the Tonys, that would be a lot of songs the Tony committee would have to look at individually. This year there are a lot of original musicals with original scores. Considering each musical has anywhere from 15 to 20 songs, that would be a lot of songs to have to look at, unlike the Oscars where it is one (maybe two) songs per movie to look at.

[little_sally]

How would you judge best song anyway?

[bwayphreak234]

It would be very difficult.

[SuperSoprano7]

Best Song would be a really good category, but I agree with bwayphreak234-it does seem impractical. It might not be possible for the committee just because of the sheer amount of songs that would have to be considered.

[Jordan Catalano]

They would vote on it, same as they do at The Grammys.

[SondheimFan5]

If they did Best Replacement they would have to see CHICAGO ~25 times in one year. And with the way the Tony voters seem to get starstruck, then people like Christie Brinkley and Usher could be picking up Tonys.

I wish they still had the 'Best Musical Direction/Conductor' category (though I know this is challenging because often the conductors vary from performance to performance. I feel like with the exception of people like Paul Gemignani, MD's are very overlooked on Broadway. And then, for example, in Anything Goes - would Rob Fisher (the musical supervisor) get the award or would James Lowe (the conductor) get it? or both?

[TonyVincent]

Perhaps separate best original book of a musical from best adapted book? Like the Oscars do for scripts?

That way someone who adapts a movie (or book) for the stage, when it's really the movie's writing that wins the award very often, a new category could encourage original book-writing.

[ljay889]

Best Ensemble is an awful idea. The Tony wouldn't be special anymore.

[AEA AGMA SM]

"Perhaps separate best original book of a musical from best adapted book? Like the Oscars do for scripts?"

I don't think the number of new productions each season could really support or justify splitting that category. Take this season, there's 11(?) new musicals, and maybe four that would qualify as an original book? That really doesn't create any sort of sense of competition.

[Just_John]

"Best Casting Director"

[bwayphreak234]

I would like to see a projection design category. I know there are projection designers out there who work very hard and create goregous projections (Sven Ortel comes to mind). With a lot of today's shows, there are projections and they are just as essential to the design as the lights and set for the design of some productions. The only problem is some seasons there are quite a few shows with projections while others there are only one or two. Just an idea.

[Jordan Catalano]

Hottest Chorus Boy

[Idiot]

Best Atrocious Pandering Tourist Trap Mess

The competition would be stiff.

[peerrjb]

"Best Musical Director" should really be added. (I mean, they created SOUND DESIGN awards, for Merman's Sake!-- and I would venture to say most people don't really have a CLUE what goes on in the "Design"...) As for who'd be eligible, there are a number of ways, including the concept that a Musical Director is usually working with singers, ensembles, phrasing of voices, interpretive techniques...NOT just the orchestra. So it's not really a "Conductor"-only award, by any means.