I agree. Even fewer people would watch something that old-fashioned today. The other big problem with using actual theatres is logistics. These buildings were not really built for 21st Century theatre, much less the ability to accommodate what is needed for a live TV broadcast. The last Tonys in a theatre, IIRC, was when Nathan did it at the St James, and that was a logistical nightmare even though the show production numbers were shot from the theatres where they performed. (And of all of the major award broadcasts, the Tonys are the only one that is honoring live performance so there is an inherent depreciation - and irony - in that approach.
Nostalgia has its place in life, but in the theatre it is not good for art or business. |