Broadway lives by the motto “The Show Must Go On.”
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That sentiment has never been more true than during this season, when the theater community continued amid endless COVID-19 cancellations and cast changes. Broadway celebrated its triumphant comeback during The 75th Tony Awards. After a show-stopping opening number from host Ariana DeBose, the Oscar-winner explained how the theme of the night was diversity and inclusion, with several Black and LGBTQ+ nominees highlighting the proceedings.
From there, things got moving quickly with a stunning performance from the cast of MJ, which features the music of Michael Jackson and was introduced by the superstar artist’s kids, Paris and Prince Jackson. Myles Frost, Tony-winner for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, embodied the King of Pop and performed one of his biggest hits, “Smooth Criminal.”
The night’s most-nominated show, A Strange Loop, took home two awards for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical. The show is a unique, new meta-musical that follows the thoughts of Usher, a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer writing a musical.
The most jaw-dropping moment of the night came from Paradise Square’s Joaquina Kalukango, whose emotional performance of “Let it Burn” was every reason to love live theater wrapped up in one song. The way she built to that crescendo and had the audience hanging on her every note was masterful. Unsurprisingly, she received one of the night’s few standing ovations. Tony audiences have seen everything, so they don’t hand out standing ovations like other award shows. You have to really earn it here.
After that show-stealer, it was no surprise when she won for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.
Over on the play side, despite several nominations for shows like Clyde’s, Skeleton Crew and Lackawanna Blues, the night was dominated by The Lehman Trilogy and Take Me Out. Though one bright spot came when the legendary Phylicia Rashad picked up another honor with her win for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Skeleton Crew.
For theater fans who were hoping the shutdown would force the genre to change some of its outdated practices and unwritten rules, The 75th Tony Awards signaled that things could be headed in the right direction.
Best Musical
A Strange Loop (WINNER)
Girl From the North Country
MJ The Musical
Mr. Saturday Night
Paradise Square
SIX: The Musical
Best Revival of a Musical
Caroline, or Change
Company (WINNER)
The Music Man
Best Revival of a Play
American Buffalo
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf
How I Learned to Drive
Take Me Out (WINNER)
Trouble in Mind
Best Book of a Musical
Paradise Square - Christina Anderson, Craig Lucas and Larry Kirwan
Mr. Saturday Night - Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel
A Strange Loop - Michael R. Jackson (WINNER)
Girl From the North Country - Conor McPherson
MJ The Musical - Lynn Nottage
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Flying Over Sunset - Music: Tom Kitt, lyrics: Michael Korie
Mr. Saturday Night - Music: Jason Robert Brown, lyrics: Amanda Green
Paradise Square - Music: Jason Howland and Larry Kirwan, lyrics: Nathan Tysen and Masi Asare
SIX: The Musical - Music and lyrics: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (WINNER)
A Strange Loop - Music and lyrics: Michael R. Jackson
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Simon Russell Beale, The Lehman Trilogy (WINNER)
Adam Godley, The Lehman Trilogy
Adrian Lester, The Lehman Trilogy
David Morse, How I Learned To Drive
Sam Rockwell, American Buffalo
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Lackawanna Blues
David Trelfall, Hangmen
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Gabby Beans, The Skin of Our Teeth
LaChanze, Trouble in Mind
Ruth Negga, Macbeth
Deirdre O’Connell, Dana H. (WINNER)
Mary-Louise Parker, How I Learned To Drive
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Billy Crystal, Mr. Saturday Night
Myles Frost, MJ The Musical (WINNER)
Hugh Jackman, The Music Man
Rob McClure, Mrs. Doubtfire
Jaquel Spivey, A Strange Loop
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sharon D Clarke; Caroline, or Change
Carmen Cusack, Flying Over Sunset
Sutton Foster, The Music Man
Joaquina Kalukango, Paradise Square (WINNER)
Mare Winningham, Girl From the North Country
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Alfie Allen, Hangmen
Chuck Cooper, Trouble in Mind
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Take Me Out (WINNER)
Ron Cephas Jones, Clyde’s
Michael Oberholtzer, Take Me Out
Jesse Williams, Take Me Out
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Uzo Aduba, Clyde’s
Rachel Dratch, POTUS
Kenita R. Miller, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Phylicia Rashad, Skeleton Crew (WINNER)
Julie White, POTUS
Kara Young, Clyde’s
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Matt Doyle, Company (WINNER)
Sidney DuPont, Paradise Square
Jared Grimes, Funny Girl
John-Andrew Morrison, A Strange Loop
A.J. Shively, Paradise Square
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Jeannette Bayardelle, Girl from the North Country
Shoshana Bean, Mr. Saturday Night
Jayne Houdyshell, The Music Man
L Morgan Lee, A Strange Loop
Patti LuPone, Company (WINNER)
Jennifer Simard, Company
Best Direction of a Play
Lileana Blain-Cruz, The Skin of Our Teeth
Camille A. Brown, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy (WINNER)
Neil Pepe, American Buffalo
Les Waters, Dana H.
Best Direction of a Musical
Stephen Brackett, A Strange Loop
Marianne Elliott, Company (WINNER)
Conor McPherson, Girl From the North Country
Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, SIX: The Musical
Christopher Wheeldon, MJ The Musical
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Warren Carlyle, The Music Man
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, SIX: The Musical
Bill T. Jones, Paradise Square
Christopher Wheeldon, MJ The Musical (WINNER)
Best Orchestrations
David Cullen, Company
Tom Curran, SIX: The Musical
Simon Hale, Girl From the North Country (WINNER)
Jason Michael Webb and David Holcenberg, MJ The Musical
Charlie Rosen, A Strange Loop
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Angela Lansbury
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Robert E. Wankel
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Court Theatre
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC)
Broadway For All
Feinstein’’s/54 Below
Emily Grishman
United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE
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