Tony Committee Rules ‘Shuffle Along' a New Musical

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has decided that "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and all that Followed" will be considered a new musical, denying a request by the show's lead producer to consider it a revival.

The decision, made Friday at a meeting to determine final eligibility rulings for the 2016 Tony Awards, means the show will go up against "Amazing Grace," "American Psycho," "Bright Star," "Disaster!," "Hamilton," "On Your Feet," "School of Rock," "Tuck Everlasting" and "Waitress" for the evening’s top prize.

If it had been considered a revival, it would have had a greater chance at scoring a nomination against "The Color Purple," "Fiddler on the Roof," "She Loves Me" and "Spring Awakening."

The original "Shuffle Along" premiered in 1921 as one of Broadway’s earliest all-black musicals, and ran for 500 performances, launching the careers of Paul Robeson and Josephine Baker. The new musical features songs from the original, with an almost entirely original book.

The 70th Annual Tony Awards, hosted by Tony winner and "Late Late Show"-host James Corden, will air on CBS on June 12.

Andrew Rannells ("Hamilton," TV’s "Girls") and Patina Miller ("Pippin," TV’s "Madam Secretary") will announce this year's Tony nominations on the morning of May 3.

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