This year's Tonys broadcast unlikely to go forward due to WGA strike

The Writers Guild Of America strike’s toll on the awards show industry proceeds apace this week, as Deadline reports that the Tony Awards will soon be forced to drastically alter plans for their annual televised broadcast. The Tony Awards Management Committee had previously requested a strike waiver from the WGA to allow the Tonys to go forward as normal with the show, scheduled for June 11, but got told no dice today.

The strike is hitting the Tonys from a few different angles, despite the fact that the show itself has reportedly had a pre-written script ready for weeks. For one, plenty of playwrights are WGA members, and are thus likely to decline to show up to accept awards for a CBS/Paramount+ broadcast of the show. Even worse is the likely threat of picketing, which was ultimately the straw that broke the recent MTV Movie And TV Awards, which transitioned to a pre-taped event after it was clear that numerous stars wouldn’t cross the Writers Guild picket lines to attend or present.

The Tonys are in an especially weird position because, even more so than some of their award show contemporaries, they’re not really just about recognizing excellence: They’re an advertising tool. Lots of troubled Broadway shows try to hold on until the Tonys each year before closing, hoping that the one night of the year where TV audiences are likely to tune in to see live musical numbers from hot new plays might give them the ticket sales bump necessary to survive. Which leaves the trade organizations who organize the show each year in something of a pickle—even as Actors’ Equity, the union representing Broadway actors and stage managers, has thrown in its support for the WGA, with numerous members joining picket lines in solidarity.

Tony organizes are reportedly set to hold an emergency meeting on Monday to decide if they’ll postpone the show, move to a non-televised broadcast, or try to find some other solution to the dilemma.