2008 Tonys: Oddly, the speeches were the best part

The Tony Awards are unique among the big award shows in that you cannot experience the nominated works or artists in the convenience of your own home, or even your own town, unless you live in New York. Notwithstanding some 12 million Broadway tickets reportedly sold last year, the broadcast is for most an exercise in vicarious theatergoing or a kind of armchair tourism -- meant in part to inspire real theatergoing and real tourism. "Come to New York and see a Broadway show" is its annually recurring mantra.

By Robert Lloyd

June 16, 2008