TELEVISION - May 30, 1991

Get the Hook: Producers of Sunday’s Tony Awards telecast are under orders from CBS to keep the show in its two-hour time slot. Last year’s Tonycast went 23 minutes over its allotted two hours, giving fits to CBS affiliates, which prefer airing profitable late-night local newscasts rather than thank-you speeches from winners often unknown beyond the New York theater community. Chopped from this year’s telecast will be scenes from the best play nominees. Excerpts from the best musical contenders remain.