Broadway Breakdown – "The Tony Awards: A Celebration in Excellence"

Host: Matt Koplik
Guest: Eila Mell, author of The Tony Awards: A Celebration of Excellence in Theater
Date: June 4, 2024

Overview

In this bonus episode, Matt Koplik sits down with theater author and journalist Eila Mell to dig into the history, drama, and memorable moments of the Tony Awards, timed to the release of Mell’s new book chronicling 75 years of Broadway’s biggest night. What follows is a lively, opinionated, and affectionate exploration of Tony lore—past, present, and future—fueled by personal stories, favorite performances, industry insights, and plenty of off-the-cuff banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Eila Mell’s Journey to the Tony Awards Book

• Personal History with the Tonys

  • Eila describes her early fascination:

    "I was a theater kid... I couldn't believe that this was on television. I get to see scenes from shows. How amazing is that?" (02:41)

  • Her grandmother was her only family member interested in the arts, making their shared Tony-watching ritual special. (02:53)

• Genesis of the Book Project

  • Introduced to the project by Emilio Sosa, now chair of the American Theatre Wing, after previously working with him on Project Runway book:

    “When they decided they wanted to do a book celebrating 75 years... he brought me into the project.” (03:31)

  • The book came together in just 10 months, a whirlwind process for such an expansive subject. (04:09)

The Tony Awards: Favorite Memories & Iconic Moments

• Unforgettable Performances

  • Both are effusive about Neil Patrick Harris’ “Bigger” opening number (2013):

    "My favorite performance in the show is 'Bigger.' Neil Patrick Harris doing 'Bigger.' I love that." (05:45, Eila) “What I love about that ‘Bigger’ number… there is a shot of Debra Messing, jaw open, looking around… I don’t know how that shot hasn’t been an Internet meme.” (06:52, Matt)

  • Other legendary performances cited:
    • Jennifer Holliday’s “And I Am Telling You…” from Dreamgirls (Book interviewees’ favorite, per Eila) (06:15)
    • Michael Jeter’s showstopper from Grand Hotel (06:15)
    • “One Day More” from Les Misérables: “That was life-changing for me at the time...” (07:47, Eila)
    • The tradition of showcasing full scenes from plays—something both wish would return. (08:00–08:39)
    • Discussion of medleys, live vs. pre-filmed performances, and what makes Tony numbers “truly electric.” (09:02)

• Personal Connections

  • Matt appears in the book: “The last Tony Awards in the book is the 2022 Tonys. And there is a photo that I am in.” (04:41)
    • Eila: “Oh, my gosh. I’m so happy I chose that photo.” (05:29)

• Funny Live TV Moments

  • Matt describes Elizabeth Taylor’s infamous, boozy 1981 appearance:

    “[She] comes out to present Best Musical… and she’s clearly had a sip of champagne or two… she goes, wait, this isn’t an acceptance speech. What am I doing?” (11:02)

  • Eila recalls George Abbott’s comically slow trek to the stage in early Tony ceremonies. (12:03)

What’s Missing from Today’s Tonys?

• Loss of Intimate Community Feel

  • Both reminisce about earlier ceremonies in Broadway theaters, before the move to larger venues like Radio City:

    “It truly felt like a representation of the community. …when certain winners won, you got a sense of how beloved they were or how excited people were for those wins.” (26:00–27:03, Matt)

  • Eila relays stories from Judy Prince (Hal Prince’s wife) about the family picnic-like vibe under Alexander Cohen’s stewardship. (28:05)

• The Evolution—and Pitfalls—of Tony Broadcasts

  • Both agree: more award categories should be back on the main broadcast—especially design awards (13:03–13:40, Eila).
  • Matt’s “controversial” fix: “Start an hour earlier. …cut out all the fat of things…actually show the nominations for the categories that were missing.” (13:40)
  • They lament when producer credits and onstage crowds dilute the recognition of real lead producers. (29:01–31:19)

• The Host Problem

  • Eila: “One thing you can totally cut is the bits that the host does.” (15:20)
  • Both cite Kevin Spacey’s 2017 hosting as the nadir (“He went on and on doing stupid bits…so frustrating,” Eila, 15:29–15:39).
  • Praise for the 2023 “no bits” Tonys—stripped by necessity due to the writers strike:

    “This might be the best Tonys in years because there's just no bits.” (16:11, Matt) "It was better. Right. It was just people being themselves. I don't care about banter." (16:17, Eila)

Behind-the-Scenes: Writing the Book

• Favorite Interviews and “Juicy Bits”

  • Mell dishes on what didn’t make the book:

    “Some things I couldn’t actually put out there… [a] legendary actress gave a story about a co-star that was 100% true and then said later that it wasn’t…” (16:45)

  • Reveals Jason Alexander’s candid stories on Jerome Robbins:

    “He could be cruel to his dancers and actually killed some people’s careers just because he destroyed their confidence. But…that was the only way he knew how to work…” (17:26)

  • Jennifer Holliday’s intense account of working with Michael Bennett is covered. (17:10)
  • Guest interviews included Mel Brooks, Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury (just before her death), Chita Rivera, and Carol Burnett. (21:17–21:58)

• Carol Burnett & The Hal Prince Theater Campaign

  • Mell is working with Burnett to rename a Broadway house after Hal Prince:

    “She always wanted a theater named for Hal Prince. And so we created that campaign together... We may be doing a book together that has something to do with that.” (19:45)

  • Both agree: no director more deserves a namesake theater than Prince. (20:28–20:57)

The Meaning of the Tonys and its Community

• Enduring Themes

  • Mell notes the most consistent sentiment from interviewees:

    “Everyone values the sense of community and loves the collaborative effort that goes into putting on a show... a real difference [from TV and film].” (22:22)

  • The deep embrace felt by non-theater artists when welcomed at the Tonys (22:58).

• Favorite Tony Wins & Upsets

  • Avenue Q’s victory over Wicked (“that was huge,” B, 23:59), Nikki M. James’ ascent from retail to Tony winner for The Book of Mormon (24:22), Lin-Manuel Miranda’s always-moving speeches (25:23), Bernadette Peters for Song & Dance (25:37), Jackie Mason’s acceptance speech.
  • The magic of surprise wins (“I love upsets…” 25:05, “I want all surprises because then it’s fun.” 36:49, Eila)

Producers, Categories, and the Modern Show

• Producer Credits and Acceptance
  • Debate over listing dozens of co-producers as Tony winners. Mell wanted only lead producers recognized:

    "Being a lead producer on something is a much different job than just being a co-producer." (30:07)

  • Matt suggests bringing the mic to the lead producer instead of crowding the stage (32:08).

Looking Ahead to 2024 and Beyond

• Predictions and Hopes

  • Both relish years with no frontrunner—“I hope that there will be surprises. I think this year is wide open because I don't think there's any front runner for best musical.” (34:42, Eila)
  • They hope for upsets and exciting, concise ceremonies, less presenter banter, more energy for the nominated works. (34:54–35:52)
  • Reflect on how competitive energy can elevate the theatrical art form. (36:07)

• The Enduring Relevance of Rodgers & Hammerstein

  • Eila shares what she learned about their once-revolutionary status:

    "I think of them as like these old standard shows, but they weren't. They were like the Hamilton of their time..." (39:08)

  • Matt: “They really pushed boundaries...It wasn’t until the 90s when we had the dark revivals… that everyone went, ‘Oh, these shows kind of are sexy and daring.’” (41:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Community of Broadway:

  • “You don’t get that on TV or film… but in theater, you’re all there. ...That makes a real difference.” (22:22, Eila Mell)

• On the Ceremony’s Evolution:

  • “The Tonys are never going to be the VMAs. They are for the nerds. So make it the most catnip for the nerds ever.” (15:09, Matt Koplik)

• On Accepting the Messy, Live TV Aspect:

  • “It's just a star with star quality having a love affair with the audience.” (11:15, Matt on Elizabeth Taylor)

• On Producer Credits:

  • “If 40 people all were giving their opinion? I know, they’d never get put up.” (31:02, Eila Mell)

• On the Addictive Thrill of the Tony Ceremony:

  • “There’s nothing like the Tonys. It's my Super Bowl.” (10:18, Eila Mell)

Important Timestamps

• Eila's first Tony memories & connection: 02:34–03:31
• Book creation & inside stories: 03:31–04:45, 16:45–18:46
• Favorite Tony moments/performances: 05:45–10:18
• On what’s changed and what’s missing (category awards/designers): 13:03–15:20
• Hosts & ceremony structure gripes: 15:20–16:17
• Community/family feel: 26:00–28:33
• Lead vs. co-producers onstage: 29:01–31:19
• Dream for Hal Prince theatre and future projects: 19:45–20:57
• Looking ahead/predictions for 2024: 34:42–36:49
• R&H and controversial classics: 39:08–41:01

Final Thoughts, Plugs, and Closing

Where to find Eila Mell:

• Instagram: @eilamell
  (“Easy to type, but hard to spell. It’s E I L A M E L L.” – 41:35)

Where to get the book:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, select NYC bookstores, Museum of Broadway, Theater Circle.
"You can actually go and get it in person in the stores, which is amazing." (41:51)

Book title:
The Tony Awards: A Celebration of Excellence in Theater
Foreword by Audra McDonald

Dream Broadway Diva to play out the episode:
Kristin Chenoweth (45:51)

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode is a fast-paced, affectionate, and occasionally irreverent love letter to Broadway’s biggest night—packed with juicy backstage stories, industry inside baseball, heartfelt appreciation for what makes Tony night singular, and eye-rolling at the ceremonies’ occasional missteps. Whether you’re a theater geek, casual fan, or Tonys first-timer, you’ll come away with new historical tidbits, a sense for how much the event means to the community, and excitement for the next curtain to rise.