What makes The Tony Awards different from all other Awards?

The Producer's Perspective: I got in a very interesting discussion with a reporter the other day about our beloved Tony Awards. She hypothesized that the awards were mostly a marketing exercise for Broadway and the specific shows of that season. “Sure,” I said, “But isn’t that what all awards shows are? Aren’t they designed to recognize excellence, and then promote that excellence in whatever industry they are in?” “Yes,” she said, “But it’s never life or death for the products in the other industries.”