The New York Post reports that the American Theater Wing — owner of the Tony Awards copyright — has appointed a "Tony Overhaul Committee" to help address the problems of the Tony telecast and seek solutions. The New York daily also says that this committee will comprise Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization president Ted Chapin, one-time Disney Studio president turned theatre producer Peter Schneider, theatre supporter Sondra Gonzalez-Falla and lawyer Ronald Konecky. Keith Sherman, a spokesperson for the Tony Awards, denied that such a committee is already in place, explaining, "We are in the process of developing a long-range planning committee. This is at the instigation of the [American Theater] Wing, [but] this is very, very early in the process. The Wing is reaching out, hoping to put something like this together, but nothing is yet in place. It's all a work in progress — sort of an idea. We have lots of ideas all the time, but we don't generally announce things until there's something to announce. People are talking about ideas that are in the formation stage."
When asked about the names mentioned in the Post, Sherman said, "Those are people that the Wing would like to sit on this committee. [Now], they're reaching out to the League [of American Theatres and Producers, who co-produce the Tonys with the American Theater Wing.]"
The 57th Annual Tony Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 8.