㽶Ƶֱ

Skip to content

㽶ƵֱThe Outsiders㽶Ƶֱ best musical, 㽶ƵֱStereophonic㽶Ƶֱ best play at Tony Awards

Women make strides in annual theatre awards gala
web1_20240616200620-666f81a22863b2db9eae03b7jpeg
Host Ariana DeBose performs 㽶ƵֱThis Party㽶Ƶֱs for You㽶Ƶֱ during the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

㽶ƵֱThe Outsiders,㽶Ƶֱ a gritty adaptation of the classic young adult novel, became the essence of a Broadway insider on Sunday, winning for best new musical on a night when women made strides.

The musical based on the beloved S. E. Hinton book is about rival gangs of haves and have-nots in 1960s Oklahoma. The win meant a producer, landed her first Tony, too.

Producer Matthew Rego, in his acceptance speech, thanked Hinton, in the audience at Manhattan㽶Ƶֱs Lincoln Center: 㽶ƵֱSusie, I㽶Ƶֱm here to tell you that your story and its eternal message of love and family and staying gold has forever changed all of our lives.㽶Ƶֱ

the play about a Fleetwood Mac-like band recording an album over a turbulent and life-changing year, won best new play and had the night㽶Ƶֱs most total awards at five. It was written by David Adjmi, with songs by former

㽶ƵֱOh, no. My agent gave me a beta blocker, but it㽶Ƶֱs not working,㽶Ƶֱ Adjmi said. He added the play took 11 years to manifest.

㽶ƵֱThis was a very hard journey to get up here,㽶Ƶֱ he said. 㽶ƵֱWe need to fund the arts in America.㽶Ƶֱ

Two special guests electrified the crowd 㽶Ƶֱ Jay-Z and Hillary Rodham Clinton. The latter, a producer of , presented 㽶ƵֱSuffs.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱI have stood on a lot of stages, but this is very special,㽶Ƶֱ Clinton said. 㽶ƵֱI know a little bit about how hard it is to make change.㽶Ƶֱ

appeared at a piano as the cast of her semi-autobiographical musical, presented a medley of songs. She sang her and Jay-Z㽶Ƶֱs 2009 smash 㽶ƵֱEmpire State of Mind,㽶Ƶֱ joining the rapper on interior steps to wild applause.

Later, newcomer Maleah Joi Moon won best leading actress for 㽶ƵֱHell㽶Ƶֱs Kitchen,㽶Ƶֱ brushing aside a challenge from veteran Kelli O㽶ƵֱHara. The 21-year-old, who plays a role loosely based on Keys㽶Ƶֱ life, dedicated her award to her parents.

Danya Taymor 㽶Ƶֱ whose aunt is Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for directing a musical 㽶Ƶֱ became the sixth woman to win the same award for 㽶ƵֱThe Outsiders.㽶Ƶֱ

Then Shaina Taub, only the second woman in Broadway history to write, compose and star in a Broadway musical, won for best score, the ninth woman to do so. The 㽶ƵֱSuffs㽶Ƶֱ creator had already won for best book earlier in the night.

㽶ƵֱIf you are inspired by the story of 㽶ƵֱSuffs,㽶Ƶֱ please make sure you and everyone you know have registered to vote and vote, vote, vote!㽶Ƶֱ she said. Taub said the win was for all the loud girls out there: 㽶ƵֱGo for it.㽶Ƶֱ

took home the first big award of the night. The 㽶ƵֱSuccession㽶Ƶֱ star landed his first Tony for his work in the revival of Henrik Ibsen㽶Ƶֱs 1882 political play 㽶ƵֱAn Enemy of the People.㽶Ƶֱ The award for best lead actor in a play will sit next to his Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe.

Kara Young, the first Black performer to be nominated for a Tony three consecutive years in a row, won this time as best featured actress in a play for 㽶ƵֱPurlie Victorious,㽶Ƶֱ the story of a Black preacher㽶Ƶֱs plan to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church from a plantation owner.

㽶ƵֱThank you to my ancestors,㽶Ƶֱ she said, giving thanks to a list that included playwright Ossie Davis and co-star Ruby Dee, who originated her role.

㽶ƵֱHarry Potter㽶Ƶֱ star cemented his stage career pivot by winning featured actor in a musical, his first trophy in five Broadway shows. He won for the revival of 㽶ƵֱMerrily We Roll Along,㽶Ƶֱ the George Furth musical that goes backward in time.

㽶ƵֱThis is one of the best experiences of my life,㽶Ƶֱ Radcliffe said. 㽶ƵֱI will never have it as good again.㽶Ƶֱ He also thanked his parents for playing Sondheim in the car growing up.

㽶ƵֱMerrily㽶Ƶֱ was also named best musical revival and earned his first Tony, for leading actor in a musical. Groff 㽶Ƶֱ previously nominated for 㽶ƵֱSpring Awakening㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱHamilton㽶Ƶֱ 㽶Ƶֱ thanked co-stars Lindsay Mendez and Radcliffe, both emotional in the audience.

Groff, who said he used to watch the Tonys in Pennsylvania as a kid, also thanked his parents and brother for letting him act out scenes from 㽶ƵֱI Love Lucy㽶Ƶֱ as a child.

㽶ƵֱThank you for always allowing my freak flag to fly without ever making me feel weird about it,㽶Ƶֱ he said.

who plays a formidable piano teacher in 㽶ƵֱHell㽶Ƶֱs Kitchen,㽶Ƶֱ took home her first Tony, too. The 40-year veteran made her Broadway debut at 18 in the original company of 㽶ƵֱDreamgirls.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱThis moment is the one I dreamed of for those 40 years,㽶Ƶֱ she said. 㽶ƵֱDon㽶Ƶֱt give up!㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱAppropriate,㽶Ƶֱ Branden Jacobs-Jenkins㽶Ƶֱ show centered on a family reunion in Arkansas, was named best play revival. Jacobs-Jenkins also thanked Davis, saying there would be no 㽶ƵֱAppropriate㽶Ƶֱ without 㽶ƵֱPurlie Victorious.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱAppropriate㽶Ƶֱ star Sarah Paulson added a best leading actress in a play Tony to her awards cabinet. Paulson said she was thrilled to be able to interrogate the human condition: 㽶ƵֱThis is the heart and soul of what we do and I am so honored to be amongst you.㽶Ƶֱ

Three-time Tony-honored got a special tribute from Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Bebe Neuwirth. Images of her work in 㽶ƵֱChicago,㽶Ƶֱ 㽶ƵֱKiss of the Spider Woman㽶Ƶֱ and 㽶ƵֱWest Side Story㽶Ƶֱ were projected while dancers performed her hit numbers. who won an Oscar in Rivera㽶Ƶֱs 㽶ƵֱWest Side Story㽶Ƶֱ role of Anita, joined in.

DeBose, a three-time host, also co-choreographed the opening original number, 㽶ƵֱThis Party㽶Ƶֱs for You.㽶Ƶֱ The song cheered those who sacrifice for their art and took a gentle swipe at other entertainment types: 㽶ƵֱYou㽶Ƶֱll learn that film and TV can make you rich and make you famous. But theater will make you better.㽶Ƶֱ

The performances also included an intense, creepy version of 㽶ƵֱWillkommen㽶Ƶֱ from the 㽶ƵֱCabaret㽶Ƶֱ revival led by Eddie Redmayne, Pete Townshend playing guitar for 㽶ƵֱThe Who㽶Ƶֱs Tommy㽶Ƶֱ and a messy rumble from 㽶ƵֱThe Outsiders㽶Ƶֱ that included falling water, buckets of dirt, various carpets and an onstage truck.

The telecast teased upcoming shows, inviting Nicole Scherzinger 㽶Ƶֱ slated to star in a 㽶ƵֱSunset Boulevard㽶Ƶֱ revival 㽶Ƶֱ to sing the 㽶ƵֱIn Memoriam㽶Ƶֱ section. Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren 㽶Ƶֱ announced today as stars of 2025㽶Ƶֱs 㽶ƵֱThe Last Five Years㽶Ƶֱ 㽶Ƶֱ presented.

Scherzinger sang 㽶ƵֱWhat I Did for Love㽶Ƶֱ as the names appeared, including and actors and

READ ALSO:





(or

㽶Ƶֱ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }