More stats on who and what are winning Tonys.

In yesterday's post we only looked at revivals.  Let's look at new shows today.

In the last 20 years, there has only been 1 New Musical Tony Winner produced by a non-profit (and that new musical was Contact, which featured popular music on tape and no singing).

In the last 20 years, there has only been 3 New Play Tony Winners produced by non-profits.

Obviously you can see what business the Broadway non-profits are in in this city:  revivals, which are generally regarded as safer choices. 

Seems odd, doesn't it?  I know the mission statement for each theater is different, but you would think that non-profits would be the ones taking bigger risks, wouldn't you?

And people crack on commercial producers all the time for not taking enough risks with new material.
We do it more often and better on Broadway than anyone else.

Off-Broadway however?  Give props where it is due.  The only new plays are done by non-profits.

Comments

[Tyler Phillips]

Two things: Don't the non-profits hand-off their musicals to a for profit group when it goes to Broadway (i.e. Spring Awakening, In the Heights)?

Also, didn't your show Altar Boyz, pass the recoup point in February (was that strictly that Off-Bdwy version not counting the tour?)? That is what I am keenly interested in. How viable is an Off-Broadway product? Can it recoup and turn a profit staying on Off-Broadway? Are you proving that Off-Broadway is fertile ground for a profit venture?

[RLewis]

"Obviously you can see what business the Broadway non-profits are in in this city: revivals, which are generally regarded as safer choices."

Given that non-profits on Broadway are still such a very new concept, I worry that your statement above (as already re-posted on other blogs) might be giving folks an incorrect take-away.

Those not familiar with the very limited number of non-profits with a Broadway presence might think that it's a trend when really you're only talking about a fortunate few.

Those few, like the Roundabout, had the ability to make this move, in part, because their original mission was about doing classics, not new work. Even if their show selection may look safe now, taking on Bway was their big ri$k.

Non-profits with a mission of doing new work rarely build the capital for such a venture, and I'd recon' that's why new work from non-profits account for so few tonys. I doubt that risk-taking vs. safe choices has much to do with Tony's gaze... yet.