It has been announced that the Writers Guild of America (WGA) will not picket the 2023 Tony Awards. The decision follows a request from the Tony Awards Productions to alter the show to meet the WGA’s specific requests. The WGA did not negotiate an interim agreement or waiver for the Tony Awards but pledged not to picket the event. In a statement, the guild expressed solidarity with fellow workers on Broadway who are impacted by the ongoing strike.
The Tony Awards Management Committee has appealed to the WGA and requested that the striking writers not picket the televised awards ceremony. The decision to deny a waiver for the Tony Awards to proceed with the televised ceremony during the strike was made by the WGA on Friday. In New York City, the 76th Annual Tony Awards ceremony would be broadcast on CBS on June 11.
CBS and Paramount were also blamed for the waiver denial in the WGA statement. As a result, the WGA claimed the companies declined to negotiate fair contracts for its members. the statement also drew praise from the Actors’ Equity Association, with its president, Kate Shindle, thanking the WGA West and East before encouraging Equity members to show up at the pickets. Shindle also blamed the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for the situation.
The ongoing strike has impacted the Broadway community, leading to the cancellation of various shows. The WGA strike began on May 2, with its members protesting against the lack of compensation for streaming royalties. The strike has impacted various television shows and streaming platforms, with Netflix and Amazon both suspending the production of several shows.
The strike has also led to delays in the production of popular shows such as “Stranger Things” and “Atlanta.” The WGA also denied waivers for the Golden Globe Awards and Writers Guild Awards earlier this year. The WGA is continuing its strike, and there is currently no resolution in sight.