No script? No problem!
There was plenty of uncertainty in the run-up to this year香蕉视频直播檚 Tony Awards, which at one point seemed unlikely to happen at all because of the ongoing Hollywood writer香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播淜imberly Akimbo,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淟eopoldstadt,香蕉视频直播� and early 20th-century America, with 香蕉视频直播淧arade,香蕉视频直播� winner for best musical revival.
In the end, the lack of scripted banter didn香蕉视频直播檛 much dampen the proceedings, and little wonder: Broadway folks are trained in improv. And of course there was more room for singing and dancing 香蕉视频直播� including from current shows not in competition 香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檛 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.
香蕉视频直播淭hank you for coming uptown 香蕉视频直播� never in my wildest dreams,香蕉视频直播� quipped Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has helped bring events to the venue in the neighborhood where he set his 香蕉视频直播淚n the Heights.香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檇 see on teleprompters would be 香蕉视频直播渨rap up please.香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 grand lobby, staircases and aisles, complete with gravity-defying leaps. Afterward, DeBose warned anyone who may have thought last year was 香蕉视频直播渦nhinged香蕉视频直播�: 香蕉视频直播淏uckle up!香蕉视频直播�
DeBose, who performed in the original cast of 香蕉视频直播淗amilton香蕉视频直播� and won an Oscar for 香蕉视频直播淲est Side Story,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播�
An early award brought a sobering reminder of the horrors of antisemitism. Brandon Uranowitz of 香蕉视频直播淟eopoldstadt,香蕉视频直播� Tom Stoppard香蕉视频直播檚 sweeping play about a Jewish family in Vienna, thanked the celebrated playwright 香蕉视频直播渇or writing a play about Jewish identity and antisemitism and the false promise of assimilation,香蕉视频直播� and noted his ancestors, 香蕉视频直播渕any of whom did not make it out of Poland, also thank you.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播� only he couldn香蕉视频直播檛, because he works in the theater.
香蕉视频直播� AND IN AMERICA
香蕉视频直播淟eopoldstadt香蕉视频直播� went on to win best play, while best musical revival went to another searing work about antisemitism: 香蕉视频直播淧arade,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 somber themes: 香蕉视频直播淲e must battle this. It is so, so important, or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.香蕉视频直播�
He added his own story of how, growing up, he often had been called the 香蕉视频直播渇-word,香蕉视频直播� referring to a homophobic slur. He then earned some of the night香蕉视频直播檚 loudest cheers when he triumphantly reclaimed the slur while pointing out that he now had a Tony.
`I SHOULD NOT BE UP HERE香蕉视频直播�
It was an emotional moment when Alex Newell of 香蕉视频直播淪hucked香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淭he Glee Project香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淕lee,香蕉视频直播� thanked close family for their love and support and then addressed the outside world.
香蕉视频直播淭hank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black, little baby from Massachusetts,香蕉视频直播� they said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd to anyone that thinks that they can香蕉视频直播檛 do it, I香蕉视频直播檓 going to look you dead in your face and tell you that you can do anything you put your mind to.香蕉视频直播�
Like the Oscars, the Tonys have only gendered categories for performers.
`THIS IS FOR YOU香蕉视频直播�
J. Harrison Ghee was the second nonbinary actor of the night to make history, winning best actor in a musical for their role in 香蕉视频直播淪ome Like It Hot,香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淔or every trans, non-gender-conforming, nonbinary human who ever was told you couldn香蕉视频直播檛 be seen, this is for you,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淔unny Girl香蕉视频直播� lead was not eligible for a Tony because she didn香蕉视频直播檛 originate the role last year (that would be Beanie Feldstein, who Michele replaced in a matter of months).
But the former 香蕉视频直播淕lee香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淒on香蕉视频直播檛 Rain On My Parade香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� 13 years after she first performed it at the Tonys 香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播� literally and figuratively 香蕉视频直播� as they clutched their Tony and accepted well wishes or agreed to selfies. Ghee also chatted with last year香蕉视频直播檚 winner of the same award, Myles Frost, who played Michael Jackson in 香蕉视频直播淢J.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淥ur industry is shifting forward! We are erasing labels and boundaries and limits,香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淲hen you香蕉视频直播檙e getting it custom made, you can really do something,香蕉视频直播� they quipped.
香蕉视频直播斺赌斺赌�
For more on the 2023 Tony Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/tony-awards
By Jocelyn Noveck
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Like us on and follow us on .
