Despite Starry Petition, Tony Administration Committee Will Not Reinstate Sound Design Tonys for Current Season

Despite a petition from many in the theatre industry that garnered over 32,000 signatures – including those from Tony winners Hugh Jackman, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Diane Paulus and Stephen Sondheim — the Tony Awards Administration Committee will not reinstate the Tony Awards for Best Sound Design of a Play and Best Sound Design of a Musical in the upcoming season.



A statement released Nov. 13 by the Administration Committee reads, "The Tony Administration Committee stands by their carefully studied decision regarding the elimination of the Sound Design category. In accordance with their standard procedure, the Tony Administration Committee has referred the request of the sound design community to the Rules Committee for further review." In June the awards were removed because the committee felt voters had little understanding of sound design and neglected to vote due to their lack of expertise. Some committee members thought that sound design fell under a technical skill rather than a theatrical art.

John Gromada, sound designer for the current Broadway revival of The Elephant Man who was Tony-nominated for last year's The Trip to Bountiful, began the petition at ThePetitionSite.com and originally set its goal at 1,000 signatures. In only a few months, that goal was quickly surpassed.

Although the awards will not be reinstated this season, The Administration Committee has asked the Rules Committee to review the request to reinstate the awards for future seasons. When this review will take place has not been announced.

