The musical, based on author SE Hinton’s beloved book, is about rival gangs of rich and poor in Oklahoma in the 1960s. The win meant Angelina Jolie, who is one of its producers, also won her first Tony.
In his speech, producer Matthew Rego thanked Hinton, who was in the audience at Lincoln Center in Manhattan: “Susie, I’m here to tell you that your story and its eternal message of love and family and staying faithful has changed for always all our lives”.
Stereophonic, the play about a Fleetwood Mac-like band recording an album during a turbulent, life-changing year, won best new play and had the most total awards of the night with five. It was written by David Adjmi, with songs by former Arcade Fire member Will Butler.
“Oh no! My agent gave me a beta blocker (blood pressure lowering medication), but it’s not working,” Adjmi said. He added that the work took 11 years to manifest.
“It was a very difficult journey to get here,” he said. “We need to fund the arts in America.”
Feat of women
Two special guests electrified the crowd: Jay-Z and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The latter, producer of a musical about suffragettes, presented Suffs.“I’ve been on a lot of stages, but this is very special,” Clinton said. “I know a little bit how difficult it is to make a change.”
In the first musical performance, Alicia Keys appeared at the piano while the cast of her semi-autobiographical musical, Hell’s Kitchen, featured a medley of songs. She sang her and Jay-Z’s 2009 hit Empire State of Mindjoining the rapper amidst wild applause.
Later, newcomer Maleah Joi Moon won Best Leading Actress for Hell’s Kitchen, overcoming the challenge of veteran Kelli O’Hara. The 21-year-old, who plays a role loosely based on Keys’ life, dedicated her award to her parents.
Danya Taymor, whose aunt is Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for directing a musical, became the sixth woman to win the same award for The Outsiders.
Then Shaina Taub, the second woman in Broadway history to write, compose and star in a Broadway musical, won best score, the ninth woman to do so. The creator of Suffs had already won the award for best script this very night.
“If you feel inspired by the story of Suffs, please make sure you and everyone you know are registered to vote and vote, vote, vote,” she said. Taub said the victory was for all the loud girls: “Keep going.”
Other winners
Jeremy Strong took home the first grand prize of the night. The star of Succession won his first Tony for his work in the revival of Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 political play An enemy of the people. The award for best lead actor in a play joins his Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe.
Kara Young, the first black artist to be nominated for a Tony three years in a row, won this time for best supporting actress in a play for Purlie Victoriousthe story of a black preacher’s plan to claim his inheritance and take back his church from a plantation owner.
“Thank you to my ancestors,” he said, thanking a list that included playwright Ossie Davis and his co-star Ruby Dee, who originated his role.
The star of Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, cemented the turn of his theater career by winning best actor in a musical, his first trophy in five Broadway shows. He won for the revival of Merrily We Roll Along, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s musical that goes back in time.
“This is one of the best experiences of my life,” Radcliffe said. “I don’t think I’ll ever have it this good again.” He also thanked his parents for putting Sondheim in the car when he was little.
Merrily It was also named best musical revival and earned Jonathan Groff his first Tony, as a lead actor in a musical. Groff, previously nominated for Spring Awakening y Hamilton, he thanked his co-stars Lindsay Mendez and Radcliffe, both of whom were emotional in the audience.
Groff, who said he used to see the Tonys in Pennsylvania as a child, also thanked his parents and brother for letting him perform scenes from I Love Lucy when I was a child. “Thank you for always allowing my flag to fly without making me feel weird about it,” he said.
Kecia Lewis, who plays a formidable piano teacher in Hell’s Kitchen, also took home his first Tony. The 40-year-old veteran made her Broadway debut at 18 in the original company of Dreamgirls.
“This moment is the one I dreamed of for those 40 years,” he said. “Do not give up!”.
The gala
Appropriate, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ show, centered on a family reunion in Arkansas, was named best revival of a play. Jacobs-Jenkins also thanked Davis, saying she would not have Appropriate sin Purlie Victorious.
The star of Appropriate, Sarah Paulson added a Tony for Best Leading Actress in a Play to her awards cabinet. Paulson said she was thrilled to delve into the human condition: “This is the heart and soul of what we do and I am so honored to be among you.”
Three-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera received a special tribute from Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Bebe Neuwirth. Images of her work were projected on Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman (The kiss of spider women) y West Side Story (Love without barriers) while dancers performed their hits. Host Ariana DeBose, who won an Oscar for her role as Anita in West Side Story de Rivera, joined.
DeBose, a three-time host, also co-choreographed the original opening number, This Party’s for You. The song encouraged those who sacrifice for their art: “You will learn that movies and television can make you rich and make you famous. But theater will make you better.”
The performances also included an intense and eerie version of Welcome of the replacement of Cabaret directed by Eddie Redmayne, Pete Townshend playing guitar for The Who’s Tommy and a disorderly roar of The Outsiders which included falling water, buckets of dirt, several rugs, and a truck on stage.
At the ceremony there were also previews of upcoming shows, inviting Nicole Scherzinger, who will star in the revival of “Sunset Boulevard,” to sing the section In Memorial. Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren, announced today as stars of The Last Five Years of 2025, were presenters.
Scherzinger sang What I Did for Love when names appeared, including playwright Christopher Durang and actors Alan Arkin, Glenda Jackson, Louis Gossett Jr. and Treat Williams.
Source: AP
