Ah, the Tony Awards – a night meant to celebrate the dazzling world of Broadway with all the glitz and glamour one can muster. Yet this year, things were more – with apologies to Stephen Sondheim – comedy tomorrow, tragedy tonight, with the ceremony offering an opening number as thrilling as Mister Monotony’s slide trombone and camerawork that might send Guido Contini into an even deeper creative crisis than the one he faced in Nine. As if that weren’t enough, the entire evening was marred by a staggering lack of vision, leaving us to wonder if anyone in charge remembered what these awards signify. But fear not, dear readers, for even in the midst of such calamity, there were diamonds to be found among the rough. As awards were handed out and heartfelt thank-yous were delivered, there were moments that shone brightly. In this column, we will endeavour to sweep aside the lowlights and embrace the highs, celebrating the best of what this year’s Tony Awards had to offer. So, sit back, relax, and let’s find the silver lining in this theatrical storm.

Before we jump into the main list, how about a few honourable mentions? All of these moments gave us the feels.

• Linda Cho’s nod to how much the world has changed since her mom told her, ‘You’re a woman, you’re a minority, you will never succeed in anything artistic.’ Things are changing.
• David Zinn’s reflection on ‘what turns a room into a poem.’ He was talking about design, but this is the transformative act that is theatre in and of itself.
• Hana S. Kim’s speechless speech, which just reminds us all of being recognised for who we are, and having that person embraced.
• Branden Jacobs Jenkins, whose plays have been considered twice for Pulitzer Prizes, thanking Carole Rothman for saying yes to Appropriate, which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, ‘after years and years of being told I was too risky, I was too provocative and too not commercial enough,’ because staying true to yourself as an artist is one of the hardest vocations of them all.
• The outstanding “In Memorium” segment, supported by Nicole Scherzinger’s delivery of “What I Did For Love,” which paid tribute to the members of our artistic community we lost this past year.

10. The Opening Montage of Act One

Act One started off with a montage of clips from shows and interviews that gave a recap of the season. Perhaps it lacked a little context in its setup, but it was super to see the focus on the creative disciplines in this segment and to catch moments from shows that would not receive major attention in the full ceremony. What this clip captured that many parts of the main ceremony didn’t was a love for the theatre that felt authentic; there was a stark juxtaposition in this authenticity almost as soon as the hosts for Act One, Julianne Hough and Utkarsh Ambudkar, walked out and started their banter, with bits that just felt pat and flat. To be fair, Hough did have a few moments when she tried to be genuine about her love for dance as a universal language, but even these came across as manufactured and postered. So when returning to the clip upon a second viewing of the ceremony, its sense of truth just stood out even more.

9. The Greasers are Gonna Have Their Way Tonight

In The Outsiders, one piece of choreography and its technical design has already entered the annals of theatrical legend. Late in the show, the Greasers and Socs brutally fight one another in the pouring rain, and part of this sequence was showcased in the performance from the show, alongside “Tulsa ’67” and “Grease Got a Hold.” It’s proof of just how stirring theatre can be when everything comes together perfectly.

8. CJay Philip’s Drama Lesson

CJay Philip was presented the Excellence in Theatre Education Award and ended her address to the audience with a collaborative mantra, something that revealed just how important theatre programmes in our schools are. In the clip that introduced her, Philip said:

I want my students to know that art is connective. It helps us to see each other, to be moved. It gets at the soul and the core of us as creative beings

Watch her acceptance speech below and join her in saying, ‘Let the light within you shine.’ And then go out and shine a light.

7. Dede Ayite’s Winning Speech

Dede Ayite’s words following her win for Best Costume Design of a Play for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding was a fabulous reminder of one of the markers of a truly great speech, meaningful thanks to those who have held you up on the journey; for her, this included ‘all the costume shops and makers who truly move the needle in terms of getting the glitz and glam on stage.’ It was also heartwarming to see an African winner afforded recognition for her role in helping to tell an African story.

6. Illinoise and the Beauty of Dance

No matter how many times it’s said out loud, Illinoise is still not a musical. What it is, is an incrediblepiece of dance theatre, something that was in evidence in the gorgeous performance of “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!” Justin Peck’s choreography is a dream and there’s no doubt that Illinoise is a superb theatrical endeavour. But as in the case of Contact, another dance show nominated for and which actually went on to win Best Musical at the Tony Awards, Illinoise is a reminder there is just no space to recognise dance theatre at the Tony Awards. This means that shows like this one, and others that have gone before it, need to be shoehorned in somewhere else and consequently market themselves as something that they aren’t, which limits the development of and the accessibility to dance theatre in the wider context of theatre on Broadway. The best solution the Tony Awards could come up with in the past was a now-retired prize, Best Special Theatrical Event, which wasn’t really suitable to recognise productions told in the medium of dance either. Surely the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League can do better than this?

5. Kecia Lewis is the Roman Empire of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen

The first performance from a nominated musical was a medley of numbers from Hell’s Kitchen. Much has already been said about the appearance of Alicia Keys and Jay-Z that was appended to this segment, with many citing it as a highlight of the ceremony. Yes, it was a vibe, but the stand-out in the selection performed from the show itself was Kecia Lewis, who would go on to win Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical. Lewis delivered some smart singing that was emotionally impactful. Her acceptance her trophy was even more moving. Her humourous appeal at the start of her speech, which she read from her phone – ‘People, stop texting me, Jesus.’ – introduced a story of passion, commitment and sacrifice.

Being in this business 40 years I wanted to give up many times…. I’d like to thank my spiritual families over the years for their training and loving me just for me without having me even open my mouth and sing a note, particularly pastors Martin and Gail Watson, Reverend Darling, Palmer, and Dr. Hart Ramsey at Hunger Church Atlanta. To my family, aunt Ruth, who indulged me but still laughs about me standing in the mirror as a kid watching myself cry to see if I looked like a wonderful actress. My parents, the late John Henry Lewis and Betty Mae Lewis, and my heart that walks outside my body, my son, Simon Evans. Lastly, 40 years ago yesterday, I walked into the Imperial Theatre to begin my Broadway career at 18 years old. I have had so many amazing experiences and some heartbreaking ones too. I took a short break from showbusiness and raised a son as a single parent while trying to build a career. This moment is the one I dreamed of for most of those 40 years. So, I say to everyone who can hear my voice ‘don’t give up!

4. The Triumph of Merrily We Roll Along

One of the most infamous flops in Broadway history, Merrily We Roll Along returned to Broadway this season in a revival that took home four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, a triumph reflected in Maria Friedman’s observations when the prize was presented to the show.

There was a line that flew out on opening night to me from the show, which is, “Musicals are popular, they’re a great way of stating important ideas, ideas that can really change the world, make a difference.” And then Frank turns to Charlie and says, “Charlie, we can change the world.” Well, Steve and George, “Merrily“ is popular. 

This followed a sterling performance of one of the key numbers in the show, “Old Friends,” which featured the entire cast in its introductory transition before showcasing the performances of Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez who made an almost impossible task seem easy, helping us jump into the complex relationships between these three characters without the benefit of seeing it in the context of the show. They let us in – and by the final ‘damn few,’ we were right there with them. The synergy developed between these three stars was also referenced explicitly in two of the evening’s other superlative moments, during Radcliffe’s speech after winning Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical –

Jonathan, Lindsay, I will miss you so much. I don’t really have to act in this show, I just have to look at you and feel everything that I want feel. I will never have it this good again.

– and in Groff’s speech after he won Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical –

Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez, you are more than old friends, you are soulmates, and I’m looking forward to watching each other change for the rest of our lives.

Groff’s remarks also reflected on the meaning of having a supportive family, one that knows ‘the life-saving power of fanning the flame of a young person’s passions without judgment.’ Could anyone in 1981 have predicted how much joy Merrily We Roll Along would bring us more than four decades later?

3. Jack O’Brien’s Reminder of Why We Do It

When Jack O’Brien was presented with his Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, he reflected on the privilege and honour inherent in responding to the calling to a life in the theatre.

We didn’t answer an ad in the New York Times that said ‘glittering theatrical types needed to save a moribund industry’ as a matter of fact I can tell right now that most of the people in this house were discouraged from being here tonight by their parents, their teachers, their lovers, their financial advisors, “Don’t do it.” But we couldn’t help it could we? There is a fragile web of belief we chase each night in these houses. It’s the only real magic accorded to us, and it doesn’t come when called. So when it doesn’t work you’ve got to do it the next night and try to be better. But when it works, it can change lives.

These words speak to the miracle buried in the heart of the theatre and remind us that despite every challenge we face, there’s a deeper “why” for everyone who involves themselves in the arts.

2. Jonathan Tunick’s Win for Best Orchestrations

Jonathan Tunick’s win early on in the night was the first tearjerker of the ceremony. As he mentioned, this was his first win for a Stephen Sondheim musical – an almost unbelievable fact given that he gave voice to Sondheim’s scores for Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Passion, the new orchestrations of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Frogs, Putting it Together, Road Show and the original version of Merrily We Roll Along! The only reason for this is that there was no recognition for Best Orchestrations until 1997. Sondheim mentioned Tunick’s contributions in his thanks each time he won Best Score and advocated for a category recognising orchestrators for their indispensable work, so this was truly a full-circle moment. When Tunick thanked Sondheim in this speech, calling him his ‘old friend and teacher,’ his humility and gratitude were an object lesson to us all.

1. George C. Wolfe’s Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

This segment was one of the overall highlights of the ceremony. Audra McDonald’s introduction shared with us some of the reasons why people love working with George C. Wolfe, namely his brilliance in guiding everyone through the creative process of making theatre and the words he uses to do so. Watching the video tribute was a reminder of just how significant an impact he has had in the theatre, including his work on some landmark Broadway plays and musicals, including Angels in America, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, The Wild Party, Caroline, or Change, The Normal Heart and Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed. Wolfe’s acceptance of this honour was filled with gems, emphasising the importance of parents telling their children that they are ‘magical and special;’ that in the theatre and in life, we have ‘a responsibility to honour the culture that [we] come from and to join other cultures and connect with them, so [we can learn] that it [doesn’t] need to look like you to be about you;’ and perhaps most importantly of all, the power of theatre to give all of us a piece of ourselves that we didn’t know that we had.’ Before he departed, he left behind a challenge:

As we go through this incredibly complicated time, it’s very important that we approach it not with fear, not with trepidation, but knowing that we work with the dynamic of celebrating and exploring the powerful, fragile dynamic that is the human heart. So we need to do so, more so, with power and command and authority and defiance, and take on the world. And those people that come to see us, see the work that we do, whether onstage or backstage, will hopefully feel empowered from experiencing the work we do.

Final Thoughts

While this year’s Tony Awards might have faltered in their presentation, lacking the polish we expect from Broadway’s biggest night, the event still managed to spotlight the resilience and brilliance of the theatre community. Despite a shaky start and a few questionable production choices, the heartfelt speeches, memorable performances, and deserving winners reminded us why we love the theatre, shining through the evening’s flaws. So, as we look ahead to the continuing current season on Broadway, let’s celebrate these highlights and remember that even in the most imperfect of settings, the magic of the theatre will always find a way to dazzle us.