

Richard Skipper here and I am addressing the fact that at The Tony Awards, The Lifetime Achievement Award will NOT be presented during The Tony telecast. I would like to change that! Can you weigh in with your thoughts? Please sign the petition and pay it forward.

We are close to 1500 signatures!

Lifetime achievement awards are awarded to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. This year's recipient is Tommy Tune and he is certainly deserving of this award. He has won 9 Tony Awards and the only person in theatrical history to win in four different categories and to win the same two Tony Awards two years in a row. With this Lifetime Achievement Award, he will have an unprecedented 10 Tony Awards!

Tommy danced onto the Broadway scene in the chorus of "Baker Street" in 1965 and hasn't stopped since. He worked in the chorus' of "A Joyful Noise" in 1967 and "How Now Dow Jones" in 1968.

He garnered raves and his first Tony (Best Featured Actor in a Musical) in Michael Bennett's "Seesaw" in 1973. Branching out, he directed his first show, the off-Broadway production of "The Club" in 1976. "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" was his next venture followed by "A Day in the Hollywood/ A Night in the Ukraine" and his second Tony (Best Choreography). Tommy returned to off-Broadway in 1981 to direct Caryl Churchill's "Cloud 9"; 1982 brought "Nine" and his third Tony (Best Direction of a Musical). Mr. Tune pulled double duty in My One and Only and was rewarded with his fourth and fifth Tony (Best Choreography, Best Actor in a Musical).

This was followed by "Stepping Out", and then he received his next two Tonys with "Grand Hotel" (Best Choreography, Best Direction of a Musical). The following year brought the "Will Rogers Follies" and his next two Tony Awards, (Best Choreography, Best Musical).

Not satisfied to remain stationary, Mr. Tune returned to the stage in his acclaimed one-man song and dance extravaganza, "Tommy Tune Tonight!" first on Broadway and then touring nationally and internationally.

He continues to perform and epitomizes why Tonys are given out in the first place.

It is an insult to a body of work and worth to be relegated to not be a part of the very telecasts that purports to celebrate excellence in the theatre! Please help me get him the respect he deserves and allow his legion of fans to celebrate with him. That is not just about Tommy Tune this is for ALL FUTURE recipients!

Go to RichardSkipper.com and click the button to sign the petition

Liz Smith and Michael Reidel agree with us!

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/guest-diary/2015/liz-smith-tommy-tune-william-shatner-lena-horne-ava-gardner-and-light-egyptian

http://nypost.com/2015/05/21/tell-the-tonys-to-give-tommy-tune-his-due

AND from Playbill.com: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/tony-viewers-up-in-arms-over-telecast-petitions-started-for-creative-and-special-awards-349643

Viewers Up in Arms Over Telecast; Petitions Started for Creative and Special Awards

And from The Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/article/broadway-supporters-urge-tony-awards-to-televise-lifetime-acheivement-award

It’s Not Where You Start; It’s Where You Finish!

Celebrating our theatre’s rich legacy,

Lifetime Achievement should be more than a footnote of the ceremony. A substantial part of the televised show should demonstrate and honor his work.

Juanita Arcaro COLONIAL HEIGHTS, VA