No script? No problem!
There was plenty of uncertainty in the run-up to this year害羞草研究所檚 Tony Awards, which at one point seemed unlikely to happen at all because of the ongoing Hollywood writer害羞草研究所檚 strike.
But the ceremony went off without a hitch on Sunday night. The event was scriptless, to honor a compromise with striking writers, but chock-full of high-spirited Broadway performances drawing raucous cheers from an audience clearly thrilled just to be there at all.
It was a night of triumph for the small-scale but huge-hearted musical 害羞草研究所淜imberly Akimbo,害羞草研究所� about a teenager with a rare aging disease, but also a night notable for inclusion: Two nonbinary performers, Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee, made history by winning their respective acting categories.
The ceremony also touched on the specter of antisemitism in very different places: World War II Europe, with best play winner 害羞草研究所淟eopoldstadt,害羞草研究所� and early 20th-century America, with 害羞草研究所淧arade,害羞草研究所� winner for best musical revival.
In the end, the lack of scripted banter didn害羞草研究所檛 much dampen the proceedings, and little wonder: Broadway folks are trained in improv. And of course there was more room for singing and dancing 害羞草研究所� including from current shows not in competition 害羞草研究所� and nobody was complaining about that.
Oh, and the show ended right on time. Oscars, are you listening?
Some key moments of the night:
BROADWAY HEADS UPTOWN
It wasn害羞草研究所檛 just the writers strike that made for a different evening. The venue was new, too. It was on Broadway, yes, but miles from the theater district. The ceremony took place uptown in Washington Heights, in the ornate, gilded United Palace, a former movie theater filled with chandeliers and carpets and majestic columns.
害羞草研究所淭hank you for coming uptown 害羞草研究所� never in my wildest dreams,害羞草研究所� quipped Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has helped bring events to the venue in the neighborhood where he set his 害羞草研究所淚n the Heights.害羞草研究所� The afterparty was held in tents outside the building instead of the usual festivities in the fancy food halls of the Plaza Hotel near Central Park.
A BLANK PAGE, BUT A FULL NIGHT
Oscar winner and Broadway luminary Ariana DeBose, hosting for the second year running, immediately addressed the elephant in the room. Speaking to the audience before the pre-show telecast began, she explained nothing would be scripted and told winners the only words they害羞草研究所檇 see on teleprompters would be 害羞草研究所渨rap up please.害羞草研究所� When the main telecast began, she appeared on camera reading a Tony script, but the pages were blank.
Instead of words, DeBose and others spoke with their dance moves, doing a brassy number in the theater害羞草研究所檚 grand lobby, staircases and aisles, complete with gravity-defying leaps. Afterward, DeBose warned anyone who may have thought last year was 害羞草研究所渦nhinged害羞草研究所�: 害羞草研究所淏uckle up!害羞草研究所�
DeBose, who performed in the original cast of 害羞草研究所淗amilton害羞草研究所� and won an Oscar for 害羞草研究所淲est Side Story,害羞草研究所� also passionately explained why the Tonys are so crucial to the economic survival of Broadway, and to touring productions around the country.
A TIMELY REMINDER OF ANTISEMITISM IN EUROPE 害羞草研究所�
An early award brought a sobering reminder of the horrors of antisemitism. Brandon Uranowitz of 害羞草研究所淟eopoldstadt,害羞草研究所� Tom Stoppard害羞草研究所檚 sweeping play about a Jewish family in Vienna, thanked the celebrated playwright 害羞草研究所渇or writing a play about Jewish identity and antisemitism and the false promise of assimilation,害羞草研究所� and noted his ancestors, 害羞草研究所渕any of whom did not make it out of Poland, also thank you.害羞草研究所�
Uranowitz, who won for featured actor in a play, also joked that the thing he wanted most in life was to repay his parents for the sacrifices they made 害羞草研究所� only he couldn害羞草研究所檛, because he works in the theater.
害羞草研究所� AND IN AMERICA
害羞草研究所淟eopoldstadt害羞草研究所� went on to win best play, while best musical revival went to another searing work about antisemitism: 害羞草研究所淧arade,害羞草研究所� starring Ben Platt as Leo Frank, a Jewish man lynched in 1915 in Georgia. In his acceptance speech for best director, Michael Arden echoed the play害羞草研究所檚 somber themes: 害羞草研究所淲e must battle this. It is so, so important, or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.害羞草研究所�
He added his own story of how, growing up, he often had been called the 害羞草研究所渇-word,害羞草研究所� referring to a homophobic slur. He then earned some of the night害羞草研究所檚 loudest cheers when he triumphantly reclaimed the slur while pointing out that he now had a Tony.
`I SHOULD NOT BE UP HERE害羞草研究所�
It was an emotional moment when Alex Newell of 害羞草研究所淪hucked害羞草研究所� became the first out nonbinary person to win an acting Tony, taking the prize for best featured actor in a musical. Newell, also known for 害羞草研究所淭he Glee Project害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淕lee,害羞草研究所� thanked close family for their love and support and then addressed the outside world.
害羞草研究所淭hank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black, little baby from Massachusetts,害羞草研究所� they said. 害羞草研究所淎nd to anyone that thinks that they can害羞草研究所檛 do it, I害羞草研究所檓 going to look you dead in your face and tell you that you can do anything you put your mind to.害羞草研究所�
Like the Oscars, the Tonys have only gendered categories for performers.
`THIS IS FOR YOU害羞草研究所�
J. Harrison Ghee was the second nonbinary actor of the night to make history, winning best actor in a musical for their role in 害羞草研究所淪ome Like It Hot,害羞草研究所� based on the classic 1959 film. They play a male musician on the run who disguises as a woman in what becomes a voyage of discovery about gender (the movie role involved disguise, but no discovery). Ghee said they had been raised to use their gifts not for themselves, but to help others.
害羞草研究所淔or every trans, non-gender-conforming, nonbinary human who ever was told you couldn害羞草研究所檛 be seen, this is for you,害羞草研究所� Ghee said, tapping the Tony for emphasis.
LEA MICHELE GETS HER TONY MOMENT
Not to mix show metaphors or anything, but Lea Michele was not about to throw away her shot. The 害羞草研究所淔unny Girl害羞草研究所� lead was not eligible for a Tony because she didn害羞草研究所檛 originate the role last year (that would be Beanie Feldstein, who Michele replaced in a matter of months).
But the former 害羞草研究所淕lee害羞草研究所� star, who has turned around the fortunes of the revival production, is seen by many as the ultimate Fanny Brice, and her gorgeously belted rendition of 害羞草研究所淒on害羞草研究所檛 Rain On My Parade害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� 13 years after she first performed it at the Tonys 害羞草研究所� definitely did not disappoint.
PARTY TIME
Most Tony attendees spent a good five hours in the United Palace, and the room got pretty warm. So folks were happy to step outside to the afterparty, where guests munched on ceviche, mangoes on sticks and mini-Cuban sandwiches, and sipped specially designed cocktails.
Ghee was a clear star of the party, towering over most guests 害羞草研究所� literally and figuratively 害羞草研究所� as they clutched their Tony and accepted well wishes or agreed to selfies. Ghee also chatted with last year害羞草研究所檚 winner of the same award, Myles Frost, who played Michael Jackson in 害羞草研究所淢J.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淥ur industry is shifting forward! We are erasing labels and boundaries and limits,害羞草研究所� Ghee said when asked their main takeaway of the night. The actor wore a bright blue custom ensemble by Bronx designer Jerome LaMaar, with a choker of glistening jewels.
害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e getting it custom made, you can really do something,害羞草研究所� they quipped.
害羞草研究所斺赌斺赌�
For more on the 2023 Tony Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/tony-awards
By Jocelyn Noveck
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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