What I do the day after the Tony Awards.
For everyone in the biz, the day after the Tonys is a busy one, especially if you have a new show running. Wraps are analyzed, new ads are placed, closing notices are prepped . . . and all through the fog of a few hours sleep and a Broadway-sized hangover.
Whether or not I have any or all of the above to do, or whether or not I won, lost, was or was not nominated, I always make sure I do one thing the day after the Tony Awards.
I take a cue from Hal Prince.
The morning after he opened a show, Hal always made sure he cleared his calendar for one very important meeting.
Was it the ad meeting for the show that opened? Was it a budget meeting with his GM to see how they ended up?
Nope.
It was a production meeting . . . for his next show.
As he talks about in his biography (which is one of the best – and I recommend it for anyone looking to be a Producer/Director of Theater Anything), one of his traditions was to always schedule a meeting about whatever show was next on his docket for the “day after” whatever show he was working on. Doing this made sure he:
- Didn’t revel in the previous night’s success (if it was a success)
- Didn’t sulk from the previous night’s failure (if it was a failure)
- Always had another project ready to go, because he knew part of success is just about continuing to DO.
So the morning after this year’s Tony Awards, I had one meeting for a new show that I haven’t mentioned to anyone, and I spent an hour coming up with 3 ideas for other shows that I wanted to do. The Tonys always inspire me to want to do more, and I let them . . . and use that inspo as fuel for what’s coming next.
There’s a reason why Hal has 21 Tonys on his mantle. Yes, it’s because he is uber talented and could direct a 2nd Grade production of “Bunny, Bunny, Where’s The Bunny?” and make Ben Brantley weep . . . but it’s also because he understands that the secret of success is not celebrating it. It’s just doing what you do . . . and letting whatever happens, happen.
Do it enough, and with enough passion, and the success will catch up with you. I guarantee it.
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