Tony Awards voters will not have to see every nominated performer or show to vote in that category this season, according to a new rule from the Tony Award Administration Committee.
The rule change, put in place for the 2022-2023 season only, will allow a voter to still vote in a category if they have missed one nominated show, one performance by a nominated actor or actress and one creative element (i.e. lighting or scenic design) per category.
This would mean that a voter could, for example, still vote for best play or best musical even if they had not seen one of the nominated productions and to vote in the best actor and best actress categories without having seen one of the performers.
The Tony Awards did not give a reason for the why this change was made for this season, but cited situations in which there were “circumstances beyond the control of the voter or production.”
“This season only, due to circumstances beyond the control of the voter or production, voters will be permitted to vote in a category even if they did not have the opportunity to see one nominee in that category. If they missed two or more nominees, they will not be able to vote in that category,” a spokesperson for the Tony Awards said in a statement.
Until this season, Tony voters had to self-certify that they had seen every production and mark their attendance in an online portal. If they failed to see the production (and truthfully marked that they had not), the voter would not be able to vote in any category in which the production was nominated.
The rule change comes after several productions this season, including the musical KPOP and the plays Ain’t No Mo’ and Ohio State Murders saw abrupt closures this fall and winter, which may have made it difficult for Tony voters to attend. COVID-19 cases within Broadway casts have also led to surprise absences from cast members. However, the rate of show closures and shutdowns related to COVID-19 is lower this season compared to last, which saw the rise of Omicron over the winter.
The decision from the first meeting of the Tony Awards Administration Committee this season. Among the other notable decisions:
- Ohio State Murders, starring Audra McDonald, will be considered in the best revival of a play category, and playwright Adrienne Kennedy will be eligible as its author, even though the play has never before appeared on Broadway. The play originally premiered in 1991 and has been produced Off-Broadway and in regional theaters.
- J. Harrison Ghee, who identifies as nonbinary, will be considered in the category of best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical for their role in Some Like It Hot. Justin David Sullivan, a nonbinary performer in &Juliet, withdrew their name from consideration, the New York Times reported, rather than be considered in the gendered categories.
- Danielle Brooks and Samuel L. Jackson will also be considered as featured roles, rather than leading, for their performances as Berniece and Doaker Charles, respectively, in The Piano Lesson, as will Sharon D. Clarke for her role as Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman.
The Tony Awards is scheduled to take place on June 11 and will, for the first time, be held at the United Palace in Washington Heights, rather than its traditional home at Radio City Music Hall. Nominations will be announced on May 2.
