Tooys

onlY7-8 p.m.: First10 awards

(KETC, Ch. 9)

8-10 p.m.: Restof the awards

(KMOV, Ch. 4)

Inside'

"Millie" will·

,win,,"butln'otbecauseit's the best

By biwID S. THOMPSON

Special to the Post-Pispatyh ' ,

At Sunday night's Tony Awards

. . cere~ony in New York, bet on. "Thorough~y Modern Mi1li~"to

take the pnze for Best MUSIcal.And bet the farm.

: The new musical, based on the 1967movie about flapperscoming' of age in NewYork and everythingmodern (as of 1922),has been a show ofdestiny since it openedApril 18 on Broadway.

Why?'Is "Thoroughly

Modern Millie" thebest musieal currently'running on the' GreatWhite Way?Has it re-,ceived the best re-

,views? Is it the biggesthit with audiences? Issomeone stuffing theballot box?

The answer, to eachquestion, is yes and no.But Broadway is. abusiness and for'fony'voters, a vote for "Mil-

. lie" may offer the bestlong-term financial re­turn. A Tony practical-

'ly guarantees, a suc- A listingofcessful cross-country nominees,86.tour, and that wouldbenefit actors, producers and the folkswho run theaters.

As the theater season draws to a. close each year, Broadway celebrates

its own with the Tony Awards, namedfor' Antoinette Pe~ry, a longtime ac­tress, director and theaJer philanthro­pist who was board chairman and sec­retary of the American Theatre Wingat the timE of her death in 1946. Theffrst Tonys were awarded in 1947; Sun­day's ceremony will be the 56th.

For theatergoers and fans around thecountry, the Tonysrepresent the most ea­gerly,anticipated night of the year Par­ticularly for those who cannot travel toNew Yorkon a regular basis, the Tony's"seal of approval" is a sign of excellence.

In most years, the winners of the big'prizes (Best Play and Best Musical) areobvious to careful observers. On rare oc­casions, the winner is clear to all- a run­away hit such as last year's "The Produc­ers." However,sometimes predicting the .TonyV\'innerrequires a critical eye, a lit­tle insider information and a lot of luck.

"Millie," which counts St. LoUis-basedFox Theatricals among its producers, isnot the best musical currently runningOn Broadway; it is, as some have pointedout, an exercise in paint-qy'~n~berstheater. In a recent panel discussion,Newsweek theater critic 'Linda Winer

Tooys

onlY7-8 p.m.: First10 awards

(KETC, Ch. 9)

8-10 p.m.: Restof the awards

(KMOV, Ch. 4)

Inside'

At Sunday night's Tony Awards

, ,'ceremony in New York, bet on"Thoroughly Modern Millie" totake the prize for Best Musical.

And bet the farm.The new musical, based on the 1967

m.ovie about flapperscoming-of age in NewYork and everythingmodern (as of 1922),has been a show ofdestiny since it openedApril IRon Broadway.

Why?'Is "Thoroughly

, Modern Millie" thebest musiCal currently'running on the' GreatWhite Way? Has it re-,ceived the best re­views? Is it the biggesthit with audiences? Issomeone stuffing theballot box?

The answer, to eachquestion, is yes and no.But Broadway is, abusiness and for Tony'voters, a vote for "Mil-

, lie" may offer the bestlong-term financial re­turn. A Tony practical­

'ly guarantees, a suc- A listingofcessful cross-country nominees,86.tour, and that wouldbenefit actors~ producers and the folkswho run theaters.

As the theater season draws to a, close each year, BroadWay celebrates

its own with the Tony Awards, namedfor Antoinette Pe:r:ry, a longtime ac­tress, director and theaJer philanthro­pist who was board chairman and sec­retary of the American Theatre Wingatthe tim( of her death in 1946. Theffrst Tonys were awarded in 1947; Sun­day's ceremony will be the 56th.

For theatergoers and fans around thecountry, the Tonys represent the most ea­gerlyanticipated night of the year. Par- 'ticularly for those who cannot travel toNew York on a regular basis, the Tony's"seal of approval" is a sign of excellence.

In most years, the winners of the big I

prizes (Best Play and Best Musical) areobvious to careful observers. On rare oc­casions, the winner is clear to all- a run­away hit such as last year's "The Produc­ers." However, sometimes predicting the,Tonywinner 'requires a critical eye, a lit­tie insider information and a lot of luck.

"Millie," which counts S1.LoUis-basedFoxTheatricals among its v.roducers, isnot the best musical currently runningOnBroadway; it is, as some h'ilve'pointedout, an exercise in paint-l?y:-nuq).berstheater. In 'a recent panel' discussion,Newsweek theater critic linda Winertermed it a "tracing-paper musical."

, , ,See Tonys, B5