drama

Barred From Voting for Tonys, Post Theater Columnist Unveils Plan to ‘Break Broadway’s Neck’

We figured Michael Riedel would have something to say about this! On Tuesday, the Tony Management Committee announced via e-mail that theater-covering critics, reporters, and editors would lose their ability to vote for the awards, claiming the 100-strong group has a “conflict of interest.” Riedel quite reasonably points out in today’s Post, however, that the press was the least biased eighth of the Tony-voting body, which is otherwise made up of producers and theater owners who are hilariously allowed to cast ballots for shows they have financial stakes in.

Riedel — who is not to be fucked with — is so mad he’s outlined a four-point plan for revenge:

1. “Ignore the whole idea of a first night press performance.”

2. “Ignore the crass commercial shows.”

3. “Ignore the Broadway League and the American Theater Wing, the two useless organizations that control the Tonys.”

4. “Beef up the Drama Critics Circle Awards.”


Like he says, “The theater press should stop whining about being ‘marginalized’ by the Tonys … It can put its boot on Broadway’s neck and break it.” Prediction: By Monday, theater press will be allowed to vote on Oscars, Nobel Prizes, and Supreme Court cases.

A WHOLE NEW BALLOT GAME [NYP]

Barred From Voting for Tonys, Post Theater Columnist Unveils Plan to ‘Break Broadway’s Neck’