The Tony Awards Administration committee set new rules Thursday that could offer authors and composers of revivals a first or second chance at a Tony Award.
Effective immediately, the committee established two new rules concerning revivals: the first states that authors and composers of shows that are considered revivals, but that have not previously appeared on Broadway, will be eligible to receive a Tony Award alongside the producers if that production wins for Best Revival of a Play or Musical. This season, that rule applies to Mart Crowley for “The Boys in the Band” and Kenneth Lonergan for “The Waverly Gallery.”
The second rule states that authors and composers of revivals may be eligible for a Tony Award, even if they have won previously, if the material has been substantially reworked, as determined by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. This distinction applies to Harvey Fierstein for “Torch Song,” the committee ruled. Fierstein previously won Tony Awards for “Torch Song” under the Best Play and for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play categories in 1983.
In addition to the new revival rules, the committee ruled that “What the Constitution Means to Me” will be considered in the Best Play category for the Tony Awards and that the playwright and star of the three-person play, Heidi Schreck, will be considered eligible for best actress in a leading role in a play.
The productions discussed were “King Kong,” “Choir Boy,” “True West,” “Be More Chill,” “Kiss Me, Kate,” “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations” and “What the Constitution Means to Me.”
Among the show specific determinations, the committee ruled that Jeremy Pope will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play category for his performance in “Choir Boy.” Pope, who now stars in this season’s “Ain’t Too Proud,” is not above the title in that musical, and therefore would not be considered in the leading role category.
That distinction goes to Derrick Baskin, who will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category for his performance in “Ain’t Too Proud.”
Corbin Bleu will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical category for his performance in “Kiss Me, Kate.”
Christiani Pitts and Eric William Morris will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress/Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical categories for their respective performances in “King Kong.”
In the design categories, Peter England will be eligible for both the scenic design and projection design categories for his work on “King Kong.”
Beowulf Boritt and Alex Basco Koch will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical category for their work on “Be More Chill.”
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Scenic Design of a Musical category for their work on “Ain’t Too Proud.”
The committee meets once more before the Tony nominations are announced on April 30.
