Tony Committee Doubles Design Awards
by Broadway Staff • Sep 24, 2004
The Tony Administration Committee has announced that it is doubling the number of design awards for the 2005 Tonys. Set, costume and lighting design awards will now each be given separately to plays and musicals.
While the Drama Desk Awards differentiate between Best Set Design of a Musical and Best Set Design of a Play, no prominent theater awards have six design categories. The change is certain off-set the imbalance of musical nominations in design categories which has been the case historically. Last year, three of the four nominees in each of the three design categories worked on musicals. Henry IV was the only straight play to earn any design nominations.
While the Drama Desk Awards differentiate between Best Set Design of a Musical and Best Set Design of a Play, no prominent theater awards have six design categories. The change is certain off-set the imbalance of musical nominations in design categories which has been the case historically. Last year, three of the four nominees in each of the three design categories worked on musicals. Henry IV was the only straight play to earn any design nominations.
The Tony committee also announced that six duplicates of the Tony Awards medallions for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Revival of a Play will be presented to authors and composers or their representatives and six duplicates of the Tony Awards medallions for Special Theatrical Event may be presented to the individuals who were integrally involved in the creation of the production.
All of these rules will be in effect for the 2005 Tony Awards.