Who are the Tony Awards for, really? Regardless of who won, it’s a rare opportunity to bring Broadway into America’s living room. And if a production resonates with the millions of viewers through live broadcast, the better the chance of its continued success in New York and on the road.
1 Minute Critic attended an exclusive viewing party in Cleveland, Ohio. The front-row seat on a sectional couch included commentary from a six-month-old puppy and VIP snacks, including Girl Scout cookies and hard seltzers.
But the big takeaways were from a small sampling of Broadway’s core audience. The unofficial poll included three people: a 49-year-old female, a 58-year-old male, and a 17-year-old teenage girl. The dog declined to participate.
Laugh though you may, Cleveland is a litmus test for the rest of the country. Its Broadway series is one of the largest in the country, drawing 44,000 subscribers and generating nearly $360 million in economic impact.
So what did this captive audience think of this year’s Tony-nominated musicals?
In addition to asking the basic “Did you like it?” I also posed the question: “Can you tell what this musical is about from the excerpt?” Their responses were as varied as the evening’s winners, and often more colorful than our own team of professional critics.
‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ – 3 Tony Awards
“I wanted to like it, but I don’t know that it’ll hold my attention. I thought maybe the costumes would do it for me, but I don’t think there’s any story.”
“I don’t know. The dancing is fun. I don’t need to see it.”
‘Two Strangers Carry a Cake (Across New York) – no wins
“Is that Ed Sheeran?!”
“That was a 10 out of 10! I want to see it—it looks like so much fun.”
“It’s about a couple that’s visiting New York and the guy is obviously not from the U.S. Somehow they get an AmEx card, and they can put whatever they want on it for a day.”
“It looks super fun, modern, current day. I think there’s something about seeing it in New York because it’s about New York. Also, I really like that guy’s voice. I want to see him.”
‘Schmigadoon! – 4 Tony Awards
“It’s good dancing and looks fun, but I think you’d forget it right after you saw it.”
“It’s like that corn show.”
“Oh, right! What was that called—?”
“Shucked!”
“Is the idea that they wander into an altered reality?”
‘Ragtime’ – 4 Tony Awards
“I definitely want to see that. I want to know how it’s held up. I love a period piece.”
“It’s an old show, but it feels very relevant. I got goosebumps. The choreo and everyone intermingling, then separating—very cool.”
“If two people walked through with backpacks, it’d be just like the last one.”
‘Titaníque’ – no wins
“Is this a spoof?”
“I think so.”
“I can’t decide how I feel about this.”
“I can. That was terrible.”
“I think it’s supposed to be.”
“It didn’t hook me. The Celine Dion music is great, but I don’t need to see it.”
‘The Lost Boys’ – 4 Tony Awards
“The energy was good; it seemed like there was a love theme going on. I’m all in.”
“I’m not sure about the music.”
“The vibe of the movie is so hardcore.”
‘The Rocky Horror Show’ – no wins
“I have friends in college who could do this.”
“This show is not meant to be polished. I would have no interest in going to see that on Broadway, but very interested in going back to a midnight screening.”
Liberate audiences with more plays
Though the 2025-26 Broadway season was thin on new musicals (The Queen of Versailles and Beaches were completely shut out of nominations), it was a fantastic year for new plays and revivals.
Death of a Salesman was the night’s big winner, with six wins, but Liberation and playwright Bess Wohl’s acceptance speech spoke to the desire of theatergoers across America craving new works.
“I like it when they give us a play once a year,” said one viewer of Cleveland’s typical Broadway series lineup.
The 2026-27 Broadway season is beginning to shape, with revivals of Dreamgirls and Evita among the most anticipated titles. What will pique audience interest on Broadway and across America? Only time will tell, but we’ll be there.
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