2024 Tony Award Nomination RANT!

Hey friends! The 2024 Tony nominations are out! 🎭 Instead of discussing potential winners, I want to highlight an important issue: there's no Tony Award for Music Direction. We have categories for Best Original Score, Best Orchestrations, and Best Sound Design, but nothing for the amazing pit orchestra and music directors who are the engine of every show.
As a music director, I wear many hats: arranger, rehearsal pianist, vocal arranger, and more. Recognizing these roles would truly honor the incredible contributions of musicians in every production.
Do you think we need a category for Best Pit Orchestra? Share your thoughts!
#TonyAwards #Broadway #MusicDirector #PitOrchestra #Theatre
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[@KevinLynchNJ]

2024 Nominees --> www.tonyawards.com/nominees/

[@JennyParker38]

Agree with the best pit category. I do have to note that there used to be a Best Musical Director category, but it was retired years ago.

[@PatriciaVettori]

Wow! I'm kind of surprised there aren't nominations for orchestra/pit or musical direction!

[@Blackkittymom]

One of my favorite curtain calls was Matilda. All of the sudden the music came to a screeching halt and the musicians were on the stage and stepped forward to get their well deserved ovation. Great statement. One of the last shows I actually enjoyed on Broadway.

[@KevinLynchNJ]

YES! Musicians being recognized is soooo important in our industry. Most audience members leave thinking it was canned music or not live. Great compliment but acknowledge the pit!

[@leahjennings9181]

I have an ongoing joke(that I think is actually now serious) that if I ever make it into a broadway pit(I want to play for a pit one day) I will come out of the stage door and sign autographs and see who gets very confused and who appreciates it or just doesn’t say anything bc they don’t want to ask

[@ERRIN2000]

The Oscars is having the same issues with not having Awards for Stunt Men and Woman, as well as Stunt Coordination. And is sucks!

[@austinanthony2880]

1:05 Dude, THANK YOU! I know all too well the pain of being stage manager. In my senior year of high school, my theater class was planning to do some kind of collaboration project with the school's AV team. I was given the dishonor of being its stage manager. And I say dishonor because it was a damn chore working on this project. The actors that were lined up were not really involved, and every single fucking time we tried to read over the script, someone would always got off track, and then they'd all just spend the rest of rehearsal on their phones. And given that I had previously worked with much younger kids in junior theater productions that could do million times better than the cast I was working with on this project, it was really embarrassing to have to endure this. One of the most emotionally draining moments in all of my history in theater.

[@KevinLynchNJ]

It’s always the stage manager and music director/pit that run the show and make it happen. Without them the show doesn’t work!!! Perhaps a “Best Stage Manager” Tony is in store?! That’s a hard role to play.

[@karsonbollinger8412]

I also feel like there should be a a best song category. Maybe Be More Chill could e won something. But like that would’ve been Wickeds win in 2003 too.

[@lizabrarian]

My question, and it's a genuine one, is how much turnover is there in the pit on Broadway? Is that part of the reason they don't recognize the pit?

[@KevinLynchNJ]

Musicians hold the main chair for the book they play, but they do get subs to cover when they need.

[@Paynusification]

YASSSS!

[@mustuploadtoo7543]

You should react to the tony awards that happened yesterday!

[@KevinLynchNJ]

My reaction… 🤢🤮

[@mustuploadtoo7543]

@@KevinLynchNJ I'm not from the states so I haven't found a way to watch it yet! I tried paramount plus but it isn't on the service ouside of the US? I think Merrily We Roll Along is the highlight of the season none of the other shows have impressed me :(

[@Anthonybevilacquaviolin]

That's what i love about local and regional theatre. Its so much more personable. I'd spend half my intermission breaks talking to appreciative audience members. In pro theatre they stare at us like we're a pit fulla alligators at the zoo, and leave not giving a flying fuck. What about an on-stage bow for the music director? Theyve only been doing that every fuckin night for 100 fuckin years at the Metropolitan Opera. It seems like every year they try harder and harder to sterilize the live music element more and more in musical theatre. The next person to ask me if the music was canned as i'm walking out of the theater with my violin case is gonna get a foot in their ass.

[@gramps2matt]

Having never seen a show in New York because I've NEVER been to N Y, have only seen national tours, I don't know how the pit musicians operate in regard to sicknesses and other absents. The swings and understudies taking over a roll for a performance are ALWAYS announced, but what about the subbing cellist because the usual one is on a family emergency? And how about the fact the judges have a specific time to see the shows what if there is an absent performer on a couple performances? Another truism is that only a small portion of the audience CAN SEE them so it's no wonder as another comment here says they think it's canned. Now I know shows like RENT and Chicago have made strides in having the musicians on stage but not all. Find a way to draw attention to them (wasn't this why overtures and interact music was composed anyway?) then give them awards.