Three Emmy Awards for the 2011 Tony Awards Telecast
The June 2011 broadcast of the American Theatre Wing’s 65th Annual Tony Awards® was honored with three Primetime Emmy Awards on Saturday evening September 15 at the Creative Arts Awards presentation.
The Tonys won in these categories:
Outstanding Special Class Program
Ricky Kirshner, Executive Producer; Glenn Weiss, Executive Producer and Neil Patrick Harris, Host/Producer
Outstanding Art Direction for Variety or Nonfiction Programming
Steve Bass, Production Designer
Seth Easter, Art Director
Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
Song Title: “It's Not Just For Gays Anymore”
Music by Adam Schlesinger
Lyrics by David Javerbaum
This was the third year in a row at which the Tonys have been honored in the Special Class Program category.
"We are really proud of these honors,” said Glenn Weiss as he accepted his Emmy Award. “My producing partner, Ricky Kirshner and I couldn't be happier that we have the opportunity to put the best of Broadway on television every year.”
The telecast was also nominated in the category of Outstanding Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special (director: Glenn Weiss) and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special (Dave Boone). Those category will be announced on the Emmy Awards telecast on September 23.
These honors were for the 2011 Tony ceremony, which was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.
To date, the Tony Awards have received a total of 11 Emmy Awards:
Kirshner and Weiss previously won the Emmy Award in the Outstanding Special Class Programs Category in 2011 for the 64th Annual Tony Awards, 2010 for the 63rd Annual Tony Awards, 2008 for the 61st Annual Tony Awards and 2007 for the 60th Annual Tony Awards. They won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special in 2005 for the 58th Annual Tony Awards. Weiss was also the recipient of the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program in 2003 for the 56thAnnual Tony Awards. Dave Boone was honored with an Emmys in 2009 and 2010 in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special for the 63rd and 64th Annual Tony Awards.
The Antoinette Perry “Tony” Award, which was founded by the American Theatre Wing in 1947, is bestowed annually on theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry and the annual telecast – the night America watches Broadway – is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television. The Tonys are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.
Check back for info on the 2013 Tony Awards later this year.