The Tonys take on Twitter

Anyone who talks to me for five minutes knows that I am a huge Broadway fanatic. I would estimate that 90 percent of my iPod is devoted to showtunes. I spent 15 years of my life performing, so everything musical has become my passion.

As the Tony Awards are a little more than 24 hours away, I feel the need to celebrate The Great White Way’s use of social media. While there have been many Facebook and Myspace groups devoted to the love of the stage, larger things have emerged, such as BroadwaySpace.com, a social networking site for theater fans, actors, dancers, techies, producers, and more.

This year the Tony Awards created a Twitter account to inform fans about everything from leading up to the nominations to live tweeting from Tony night rehearsals. Many of the nominated shows started Twitter accounts and have been taking fans along for the ride on the way to the night of June 7.

While the demographic of Broadway fans may be smaller than that of American Idol or America’s Got Talent, the theater companies and shows have definitely found their niche in social media.

It has also opened up the opportunity for social activism. Broadway Impact, a movement to achieve marriage equality, has used social media as a tool to inform the public as well as recruit volunteers.

So: bravo, Broadway! I applaud you for taking social media into your own hands and spreading the love.