Every year around this time, members and fans of the Broadway community look forward to seeing the hottest Broadway shows in town get their due at the annual Tony Awards.
But due to the pandemic, the lights of Broadway have been dimmed and the theatrical awards ceremony that was expected to air on June 7 has been postponed and most likely canceled.
To fill the spot vacated by the 73rd annual Tony Awards, CBS came up with a not-so-dazzling solution to replace the ceremony: a sing-a-long version of the 1978 film, Grease.
Theater fans fumed over the announcement and unanimously expressed that Grease – the movie musical starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John – is not the one that they want.
Broadway fans and stars alike took to Twitter to admonish CBS's decision.
Gideon Glick – who was nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Play for last year's To Kill a Mockingbird – tweeted:
"I'm certain there are a million gays out there who could help you curate a greatest hits of the Tony Awards to air instead!"
Patti Murin – who played Anna in the recently cancelled Broadway production of Frozen – took to Twitter and suggested why Grease isn't the word.
"Not like, a retrospective of past great Tony performances and speeches and moments? Or something highlighting the amazing work that people in theatre do for their community? Or literally anything other than this?"
Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda had no words for the move—just a telling picture of Michael Jordan giving some serious side eye.
Alternate options continued pouring in to replace the controversial Tony replacement.
Others, like actor Andy Mientus from NBC's Smash, gave in to humor, asking:
"Why is this hysterical to me."
Mientus offered a comparison between Grease and the Tonys.
Dear Evan Hansen co-creator Benj Pasek insisted there are no substitutes when it comes to the coveted awards show.
On March 12, Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandated that public gatherings of over 500 people in New York City will be prohibited in an effort to flatten the curve, and Insiders are already speculating the closure could extend through the winter.
This year's Tony contenders like – Plaza Suite, Mrs. Doubtfire and The Lehman Trilogy – never made it opening night.
Maybe there are worse things CBS could do, but the cancellation of the Tonys still feels like it's raining on prom night.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram