Tony Award For Perfect Attendance Introduced Next Season

In response to ongoing complaints by ticket-buyers whenever top-billed stars miss performances, The Broadway League and The American Theatre Wing have announced that, beginning with the 2009-10 season, Tonys will be awarded in a new category, Perfect Attendance.

Their press release states, "Under the new rules, any actor billed above the title who completes his or her contract without missing a performance will automatically win a Tony Award."

Says American Theatre Wing Board member, Edward Evans, "We believe this new category will be a marvelous incentive to lure nationally known celebrities with little or no theatre training into make their stage acting debuts by starring in Broadway shows; which box office receipts tell us is exactly what the public wants to see.  You show up for work, we give you a Tony.  It's as simple as that."

"And it comes with a removable plaque that you can engrave with whatever category you want," says Evans.  "You want to tell your friends in California you won the Tony for Best Actor?  Go ahead!  Nobody west of the Hudson has any idea who gets these, anyway."

BroadwayWorld.com wishes its readers a Happy April Fools Day and wishes healthy runs to all Broadway performers.