Hamilton Doesn't Need Tonys To Validate Its Success

Chris Peterson

There has been a lot of hoopla surrounding the news that Hamilton's producers are going to limit the amount of performances that Tony voters can get free tickets to see. 

While I'd like to believe this is an artistic, "We don't need Tonys" attitude behind the move, it's probably a money thing. Would you want to give away 1,400 free tickets to the hottest show on Broadway? Especially during the time of year when grosses get higher? 

I didn't think so. 

But while some are freaking out that Hamilton might not win every category, or even Best Musical, I would like to remind them that many works that we consider the greatest musicals of all time, didn't win the Tony for Best Musical either. 

The list is iconic, West Side Story, Gypsy, Follies, Pippin, Chicago. If we're talking more recent years, you could include Wicked and Next to Normal. In some cases, these musicals lost to far inferior work (Sorry Billy Eilliot). 

So if you're worried that Hamilton won't best thought of as one of the great works of our time if it doesn't win a Tony award, given the list above, I don't think that will be the case.