Can Neil Patrick Harris boost Tony Awards ratings?

Neil Patrick Harris will host Broadway's biggest night for the third time, organizers of the Tony Awards announced on Tuesday. The award show is scheduled to take place June 10 at the Beacon Theatre in New York and will be broadcast live on CBS, with a delay for the West Coast.

Harris has proved a popular choice for the Tonys, but will the "How I Met Your Mother" actor, who hosted last year's Tonys as well as the 2009 ceremony, be able to reverse the show's declining TV viewership of the last three years?

Usually the least-watched of the major entertainment awards shows, the Tonys have struggled with falling TV ratings in recent years. Last year's show drew 6.9 million viewers, down from 7 million in 2010. That figure was down from 7.4 million viewers in 2009.

When are the 2012 Tony Awards?

Now that the Oscars are over we can move on to Broadway's big night, the 2012 Tony Awards.

"The 66th Annual Tony Awards" will take place on June 10 in a three-hour ceremony at New York's Beacon Theatre. The show will be broadcast at 8 p.m. on CBS --  live on the East Coast and tape-delayed on the West Coast. Nominations will be announced May 1.

On Wednesday, the American Theatre Wing announced the full Tony season calendar for its annual  awards:

April 26: Official cut-off for 2011-12 Tony eligibility.

May 1: The Tony Award nomination announcement will take place at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center at Lincoln Center. A live webcast of the event will be available at www.TonyAwards.com. 

May 2: The annual  "Meet the Nominees Press Reception"  will take place at the Millennium Broadway Times Square. 

May 31: The Tony Nominee luncheon will be held at the InterContinental Times Square Hotel. At the closed-to-the-media event, nominees will gather and receive their nomination certificates.

June 9: The "Tony Eve Cocktail Party," which presents the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre and recognizes special award recipients, will take place at the InterContinental Times Square Hotel. 

June 10: "The 66th Annual Tony Awards" takes place at 8 p.m. at the Beacon Theatre. The awards will be followed by the private Tony Gala.

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'Clybourne Park' will move from Taper to Broadway after all

-- Sherry Stern

Photo: The Tony Awards will take place June 10. Credit: CBS

'Clybourne Park' will move from Taper to Broadway after all

The acclaimed production of playwright Bruce Norris' "Clybourne Park," now playing at the Mark Taper Forum, will move to Broadway this spring after all, despite a well-publicized spat between Norris and a producer of the show that threatened to sideline the show.

"Clybourne Park is on," said Jordan Roth, president of Jujamcyn Theaters, in a brief statement Thursday night. "It is a true privilege to bring such a fiercely provocative and wildly funny work to Broadway audiences."

Leading Broadway and Hollywood producer Scott Rudin withdrew as a producer of the play earlier this week after Norris, who is also an actor, decided not to take a part in Rudin's HBO adaptation of Jonathan Franzen's novel "The Corrections."

The withdrawal threatened the show's plan to transfer from Los Angeles, where artistic director Michael Ritchie has called it one of the theater's biggest hits in recent years. A theater spokeswoman said "Clybourne Park" has been playing to 77% capacity houses.

"We are clearly pleased that Jordan Roth and his team were able to move so quickly and aggressively to put this show back on the path to a further life," Ritchie said. "We are extremely proud of this play and production and are thrilled that it will have the chance to be seen by an even larger audience."

The play had been expected to be a contender for this year's Tony Award for best play.

Check back with Culture Monster for more developments.

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Feud Clouds fate of ‘Clybourne Park’

‘Clybourne Park’ at Mark Taper Forum

‘Bruce Norris, scourge of political correctness’

 --Kelly Scott

Caption: Cast members Frank Ross, Damon Gupton and Crystal A. Dickinson in a scene from "Clybourne Park" at the Mark Taper Forum. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times

 

Feud Clouds fate of ‘Clybourne Park’

Julie Taymor eligible for Tony consideration for 'Spider-Man'

Julie Taymor, who was booted from the director's chair of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" before the show officially opened on Broadway, has received a show of support from the organizers of the Tony Awards.

On Thursday, the Tonys announced that Taymor -- and not her replacement -- is eligible for consideration in the best director for a musical category, despite the fact that she left the director's role.

Taymor served as the director of "Spider-Man" during its development and preview phases, working with the musical's composers, U-2's Bono and the Edge. But in March, producers removed her from the director's chair following negative reviews and numerous problems with the production. She was replaced by Philip William McKinley, who was brought in to retool the show for its June 14 opening and who now is credited as the musical's director.

Taymor retains the rather awkward credit of "original direction," in addition to being the co-book writer and mask designer for the show.

A spokeswoman for the Tonys confirmed that Taymor, not  McKinley, will be eligible for consideration for the best director in a musical category for "Spider-Man."

The Tonys are organized by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. "Spider-Man," which is playing at the Foxwoods Theatre, saw its opening day pushed back numerous times due to technical and creative problems.

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'Spider-Man' redux: What did the critics (and Bill Clinton) think?

Theater review: 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' at Foxwoods Theatre

-- David Ng

Photo: Julie Taymor. Credit: Fred Prouser / Reuters

The Arts on TV: Placido Domingo; Josh Groban; Nicholas Hytner

“Great Performances” -- 8:30 p.m. Friday, KOCE: "Rigoletto" From Mantua -- Plácido Domingo sings the lead in Verdi's “Rigoletto,” filmed in Italy.

“Josh Groban Command Performance: 10 Years With Public Television” -- 9:30 p.m. Friday, KVCR: A compilation of performances by the singer.

“The Artist Toolbox” -- 8:30 p.m. Saturday, KLCS: Spanish-language writer Isabel Allende.

“Ballet High” -- 8 a.m. Sunday and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Logo: Students from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School have their final year to prove they have what it takes to become professional dancers.

“Exploring the Arts With Gloria Greer” -- 4 p.m. Sunday, KVCR: A tour of collections at the Palm Springs Art Museum.

“Hello Paradise” -- 5 p.m. Sunday, KVCR: Cabot's Old Indian Pueblo Museum; artist Michael Bryan; Hong Kong.

“Theater Talk” -- 6 p.m. Sunday, KLCS: Nicholas Hytner, London's National Theatre; Jesse Green, Michael Musto and Patrick Pacheco discuss the Tony Awards.

“Who the ... Is Jackson Pollock?”  (2006) -- 6:10 and 10:35 a.m. Monday,  Sundance:  A 73-year-old former trucker battles the art establishment to have a painting she bought at a thrift shop declared authentic.

“Growing Bolder”  -- 10:30 p.m. Monday, KLCS: Living in Harmony -- Artist Elizabeth S. Hilaire Nelson; musician Bob Rafkin; FX International; Gentle Carousel miniature therapy horses.

-- Compiled by Matt Cooper

Photo: Plácido Domingo in "Great Performances: Rigoletto From Mantua." Credit: Cristiano Giglioli / Rada Film

CBS sees slight drop in overall Tony Awards viewers

The 65th annual Tony Awards on CBS drew 6.9 million viewers on Sunday, according to preliminary Nielsen figures, down slightly from the 7 million viewers reported last year. But the Tonys saw a 9% jump in viewers in the 18 to 49 age group.

The Tonys faced tough competition for viewers on Sunday in the form of ABC's broadcast of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, in which the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat for the championship. Viewership figures for the basketball game were not immediately available Monday, but it is expected to have been the most-viewed broadcast Sunday night.

Neil Patrick Harris hosted the Tonys telecast and "The Book of Mormon" won nine awards, including best musical.

Last year's Tony Awards, hosted by Sean Hayes, saw a year-over-year drop in viewers from approximately 7.4 million to 7 million.

RELATED:

12 things you didn't know about the Tony Awards

Tony Awards: 'Book of Mormon' wins nine awards, including top musical

Photos: Al Pacino, Brooke Shields and more at the 2011 Tony Awards

Tony Awards: Frances McDormand wins for 'Good People'

-- David Ng

Top photo: Neil Patrick Harris hosting the Tony Awards on Sunday in New York. Credit: Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images

Bottom photo credit: American Theatre Wing

 

 

12 things you didn't know about the 2011 Tony Awards

The 2011 Tony Awards have come and gone. And while everyone continues to marvel at Neil Patrick Harris' closing rap wrap-up, written by Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda ("In the Heights"), and his song-and-dance duet with past-host Hugh Jackman, we take this opportunity to share with you some factoids you may not have known.

Wrong number: “Book of Mormon” producer Scott Rudin suggested an opening of the Mormon boys singing the "Hello" song and ringing the bells of the dressing rooms of the personalities in the telecast, summoning them to the stage and ending with Neil Patrick Harris. Harris apparently wanted the specialty number he in fact opened with, “Broadway: It’s Not Just for Gays Anymore.”

The talent behind the song: Speaking of the opening number, according to Wikipedia, the song was penned by David Javerbaum, a comedy writer and former executive producer of “The Daily Show.”

Attention to details: Backstage in the media room, Trey Parker admitted that “Book of Mormon,” which he, “South Park” co-creator Matt Stone and Robert Lopez wrote, contains an inaccuracy that is often noticed and pointed out to them: The use of the phrase “Praise Christ.” “It’s that one ... ‘praise Christ’ that keeps biting us in the ass.... we should have taken that ‘praise Christ’ out.”

A sad fact of winning: Mark Rylance, winner of the lead actor trophy for “Jerusalem,” gets sad when he wins awards. “I don’t know why, I just do.”  He must have been pretty sad this season. Rylance won honors from the New York Drama Critics Circle, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League.
 

Monster Mash: 'Book of Mormon' wins nine Tonys; Hindu sculpture upsets in Idaho

Winners: "The Book of Mormon," the Broadway musical comedy from the makers of "South Park," won nine Tony Awards on Sunday, including best musical. "War Horse" won five awards, including best play. (Los Angeles Times)

Religious art: Some people are upset by a northern Idaho city's dedication of a sculpture depicting the Hindu deity Ganesha. (Reuters)

Arrested: Police in France have charged a retired electrician and his wife with stashing 271 stolen Picasso artworks in their garage. (Agence France-Presse)

Back to the stage: Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones are scheduled to reprise their roles in "Driving Miss Daisy" in London this fall. (Playbill)

Departure: The Sacramento Philharmonic has abruptly parted ways with its executive director. (Sacramento Bee)

Deal: A museum in western Australia has formed a partnership with the Museum of Modern Art to display works from the New York museum's collections. (The Australian)

Love triangle: An interview with the woman who helped to inspire Harold Pinter's "Betrayal." (The Telegraph)

Discovered: An art dealer in Britain has identified three previously overlooked paintings by the 17th century artist Anthony van Dyck. (The Guardian)

Holy water: Some people in Encinitas want the unauthorized outdoor mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary on a surfboard to remain intact. (NBC San Diego)

Out of business: The Bellevue Philharmonic in Washington is ceasing operations after more than 40 years. (Seattle Times)

Also in the L.A. Times: Budget woes at L.A. schools have hit arts programs hard.

-- David Ng

Photo: Robert Lopez, Matt Stone, Casey Nicholas and Trey Parker, left  to right, celebrate their Tony victories for "The Book of Mormon." Credit: Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Tony Awards: Watch Neil Patrick Harris' impressive wrap-up rap [Video]

If your DVR setting for the Tony Awards ended at 11 p.m. Sunday, you missed one of the highlights of Neil Patrick Harris' second stint as host for Broadway's 65th annual celebration.

Harris wrapped up the three-hour show with a two-minute hip-hop rap that was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda right up until the last few minutes of the broadcast. Check it out above.

Our sister blog Awards Tracker reported the full lyrics here.

Harris' performance brought to mind two previous musical highlights of the Tony Awards. Two years ago, he summed up the 2009 Tonys to the tune of "West Side Story's" "Tonight" and "Guys and Dolls' "Luck Be a Lady" (lyrics by "Hairspray's" Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman). And in 2008, Miranda accepted his Tony for the score of "In the Heights" with an acceptance rap.

Watch both below.

Dueling Tonys hosts: Watch the video of Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris

Current and former Tony hosts Neil Patrick Harris and Hugh Jackman pulled out all the stops at Sunday night's 65th annual awards with this original musical number that played on their friendly rivalry as favorite award hosts, Tonys and otherwise.

The clever number included the music of "Annie Get Your Gun," "West Side Story" and "Gypsy," among other classic musicals as well as dancing to "A Chorus Line."

Watch and enjoy.

RELATED:

Tony Awards: 'The Book of Mormon' wins best musical; 'War Horse' named best play

Best and Worst of the 2011 Tony Awards

-- Sherry Stern