Ratings: Tony Awards Drop 44 Percent Without ‘Hamilton’ Hype
Last year’s best-of-Broadway hit a 15-year high thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda musical
Tony Maglio | June 12, 2017 @ 8:48 AM
Last Updated: June 12, 2017 @ 9:36 AM
How huge was “Hamilton” last year? Well, without all its hype, this season’s Tony Awards declined 44 percent from 2016.
Last time around, the best-of-Broadway show had hit a 15-year high. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, and while CBS hauled in the most total viewers throughout primetime, the so-called Tiffany Network finished third in the key 18-49 demographic.
Airing the clincher of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals, NBC was first among that important age range. Congrats to them, and to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
NBC was first in ratings with a 1.8 rating/7 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and second in total viewers with an average of 5.9 million, according to preliminary numbers. “Sunday Night With Megyn Kelly” at 7 p.m. put up a 0.9/4 and 4.3 million viewers. The Cup followed, pulling up the network’s averages.
ABC was second in ratings with a 1.2/5 and third in viewers with 5.7 million. Following a rerun, the season premiere of “Celebrity Family Feud” at 8 landed a 1.5/6 and 6.9 million viewers. At 9, the series debut of “Steve Harvey’s Funderdome” posted a 1.4/5 and 6.1 million viewers. The kickoff to a new summer of “$100,000 Pyramid” at 10 had a 1.2/5 and 5.5 million viewers.
CBS was third in ratings with a 0.9/4 and first in viewers with 6.4 million. At 7, a “60 Minutes” rebroadcast got a 0.7/3 and 7.7 million viewers. The 71st Annual Tony Awards handled the rest of prime, averaging a 0.9 and 6 million viewers.
Univision was fourth in ratings with a 0.8/3 and fourth in viewers with 2 million, airing soccer.
Fox was fifth in ratings with a 0.5/2 and in viewers with 1.1 million. After some repeats, “Bob’s Burgers” at 8:30 had a 0.7/3 and 1.5 million viewers. At 9, the season premiere of “American Grit” settled for a 0.4/2 and 1.1 million viewers.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.3/1 and in viewers with 772,000.
All 13 Tony Awards Musical Performances, From 'Hello, Dolly!' to 'Dear Evan Hansen' (Videos)
Kevin Spacey Kicks Off (With the Rockettes) --
Who knew Frank Underwood could sing? The host croons his way through homages to some of the season's biggest hits, from "Evan Hansen" to "Sunset Boulevard."
"Come From Away" --
The Canada-set 9/11 musical earned a Tony for director Christopher Ashley -- and impressed with its opening number, "Welcome to the Rock."
"Miss Saigon" --
Eva Noblezada was still just a teenager when she was cast to lead the revival of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil's 1989 re-telling of "Madame Butterfly." And she wows in this medley.
"Falsettos" --
Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells and Stephanie J. Block led a medley from the already-shuttered revival of this '80s musical about a boy whose dad divorces his mom to partner up with another guy.
"Dear Evan Hansen" --
It's a bit surprising that the night's big winner performed so early in the show -- but the solo "Waving Through a Window" is a great showcase for the remarkable Ben Platt.
"Groundhog Day" --
"Matilda" composer Tim Minchin wrote a catchy score for the adaptation of the 1993 big-screen comedy, and Andy Karl charms as the cynical weatherman first played by Bill Murray.
"Hello, Dolly!" --
Sadly, Bette Midler opted not to perform -- ceding the spotlight to co-star David Hyde Pierce, who performed a number that had been cut from the original 1964 production: the charming "Penny in My Pocket."
"New York, New York" --
Last year's Tony winners for lead musical actors, Leslie Odom Jr. ("Hamilton") and Cynthia Erivo ("The Color Purple"), joined the Rockettes in a celebration of Broadway's hometown.
"War Paint" --
Co-nominees Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole sing "Face to Face" from this musical about the rivalry between Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, two mid-20th-century entrepreneurs and beauty icons.
"Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" --
Tony nominee Josh Groban leads the cast of this elaborately staged musical based on Tolstoy's "War and Peace" -- even into the laps of audience members at Radio City Music Hall. And they nearly bring down the dacha.
"Bandstand" --
Former second lady Jill Biden introduced this swinging number from a musical about WWII veterans who join together to form a band. It's easy to see why the show won the award for choreography.
In Memoriam --
Justin Guarini led a quintet of Broadway stars to sing Boys II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye" as images of late theater greats rushed past, including Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, Mary Tyler Moore and Gene Wilder.
Closing Number --
Kevin Spacey picks up the mic to belt out Bobby Darin's "The Curtain Falls" beside Patti LuPone to end the show on a (literal) high note.
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Who knew Kevin Spacey would do so much singing?
Kevin Spacey Kicks Off (With the Rockettes) --
Who knew Frank Underwood could sing? The host croons his way through homages to some of the season's biggest hits, from "Evan Hansen" to "Sunset Boulevard."
