I finally got around to watching all of last Sunday night's Tony Award ceremony. It was a perfectly fine program with only a couple of awkward moments…mostly the musical numbers not from this year's shows. Hugh Jackman was a perfectly fine host and none of the winners got too enthused in acting like their victory was a high point in the history of mankind. This was never a very satisfying broadcast back when CBS used to insist they get on and off the air in two hours. At three hours, it has become a much more pleasant experience.
My favorite moment was Carol Channing rapping "Hello, Dolly" with L.L. Cool J. Then later, Jackman came out and announced Carol Channing had just been involved in a drive-by shooting. My least favorite moment was seeing the fiddler from Fiddler on the Roof squatting on a marquee at Radio City Musical Hall and then Tevye (Alfred Molina) walking up the aisles of the theater. I thought they were going to start singing, "Let's Do the Time Warp Again."
The ratings were terrible. Well, they're always terrible for the Tonys but they may have hit a new low this time, a fact that one might attribute to the fact that there were no "hot" races or shows to generate special interest. Interestingly, no shows have announced closing dates so far this week. Usually, a few marginal productions struggle to hold on to see if a flukish Tony win (or just exposure on the telecast) will boost the box office…and when that doesn't happen, they fold. Wonderful Town has been reporting low grosses so it may fade away soon. I didn't think its number of the Tony show did it any favors, whereas the song from The Boy From Oz probably sold every empty seat they'd otherwise have until Jackman leaves the show in September.
Jackman almost certainly won't be on Broadway next year so he probably won't be back to host. But rumors have it that Billy Crystal's one-man show will bow on the Great White Way late this year or early next. If he's there next June and willing to host the Tonys, he could probably raise the ratings a point or two. Martin Short is also supposed to have a one-guy show on the way with a possible arrival date in Spring. He wouldn't stink up the place, either.