To join in, you must download and install a piece of software (a plug-in) -- ichat -- which will take between five and fifteen minutes, depending on your computer. The download is completely free.We suggest you do it now. Don't wait until the last minute! Once it's done, you'll never have to do it again, and you'll be able to talk live with theatre fans over the world -- courtesy of Playbill On-Line! Directions for various types of computers appear at the end of this story.
Begun in with the 1995 Tonys, the Tony-night chat event is one of Playbill On-Line's most popular of the year, and brought to you by the same team that produced "Countdown To Curtain." Here is how the Playbill On-Line staff will be deployed on Tony Night:
Blair Glaser -- Providing minute-by-minute narration and chat commentary on the awards as they progress.
Andrew McGibbon -- Backstage at Radio City Music Hall, electronically gathering your questions and preparing them for the presenters and winners to answer.
Andrea Prince -- Backstage at Radio City, guiding celebrity guests to the area set up backstage for Playbill On-Line.
Robert Viagas -- Backstage at Radio City, addressing your questions to the guest stars and typing their replies -- live!.
Starla Smith -- Backstage at Radio City, photographing the presenters and winners as they come offstage.
Andrew Ku -- Backstage at Radio City posting Smith's photos and overseeing graphics.
Katia Lundy -- Will be maintaining the information flow on our America Online forum.
David Lefkowitz -- Will file the lead story wrapping up the Tonys at the end of the night.
Harry Haun -- Will provide day-after color and perspective.
We're using the online technology to put you not just as the Tonys, but backstage with the stars. Make sure to make us a part of your Tony party.
Remember: this is a live event -- anything can happen!
To take part in our chat you will need to get the ichat client (software). Before you can do this you will need to know:
) What browser you are using; and
2) What platform (Macintosh, Windows 95, Windows 3.x, UNIX) you are running on.
The chart below indicates what ichat client you will need to have depending on your browser and platform.
| Operating System | Browser | Ichat Client |
| Windows 3.1 | Netscape | Plug-In+ |
| Windows 3.1 | All Others | HTML* |
| Windows 95/NT | Netscape | Plug-in+ or Java** |
| Windows 95/NT | Explorer | ActiveX++ or Java** |
| Windows 95/NT | All Others | Java** or HTML* |
| Mac/Power PC | Netscape | Plug-In+ or Java** |
| Mac/Power PC | All Others | HTML* |
| UNIX | Netscape | Java** or HTML* |
| UNIX | All Others | HTML* |
| OS/2 | All Others | HTML* |
* -No additional software required. Simply use your browser + -Must be downloaded from ichat and installed
** -Requires no plug-in. Components will download when you go to our chat area
++ -Components will download when you go to our chat area. This may take 5-15 minutes
Playbill On-Line will be running a Tech Support room on Tony Night for those members requiring assistance. This room will open at 7 PM EST on June 1.
-- By Robert Viagas
