The 71st annual Tony Awards were handed out this weekend at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The evening was hosted by Kevin Spacey who joked in the opening number about the lukewarm reception he received when first announced as host.
His gig showed a lot of effort but most of his bits, were out of date, impersonations of Johnny Carson, Bill Clinton, and references to his movies, “American Beauty” and “The Usual Suspects” left one wondering if the millennials in the audience would get the references.
Spacey did get a little help from Sara Bareilles who passed out pies as her “Waitress” character and Chaz Palminteri with cannolis as a nod to the Award Shows before them who passed out treats during the broadcasts.
Tonys Opening Number:
“Dear Evan Hansen” was the night’s big winner, taking home awards for Orchestration, Best Musical, Book of a Musical, Best Actor for Ben Platt and Best Actress for Rachel Bay Jones to name a few.
Veteran Broadway actor, James Earl Jones received this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
One of the night’s highlights came from Bette Midler. The legendary actress won her first performance Tony for the Broadway revival musical “Hello Dolly.” Midler paid homage to all the “Dolly Levis” who came before her, singling out Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey.
Presenters included: Scott Bakula, Sara Bareilles, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bloom, Glenn Close, Stephen Colbert, Brian d’Arcy James, Cynthia Erivo, Tina Fey, Sally Field, Sutton Foster, Josh Gad, Whoopi Goldberg, Josh Groban, Jonathan Groff, Mark Hamill, Taraji P. Henson, Chris Jackson, Allison Janney, Scarlett Johansson, Anna Kendrick, Keegan-Michael Key, Nick Kroll, John Legend, John Lithgow, Bette Midler, Patina Miller, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Mulaney, David Oyelowo, Chaz Palminteri, Sarah Paulson, Ben Platt, Lea Salonga, Tom Sturridge, Tommy Tune and Olivia Wilde.
Complete Winners List:
Best Play
A Doll’s House, Part 2
Indecent
Oslo – WINNER
Sweat
Best Musical
Come From Away
Dear Evan Hansen – WINNER
Groundhog Day The Musical
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Book of a Musical
Come From Away
Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen
Steven Levenson – WINNER
Groundhog Day The Musical
Danny Rubin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Dave Malloy
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Come From Away
Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen
Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Pau – WINNER
Groundhog Day The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Music & Lyrics: Dave Malloy
Best Revival of a Play
August Wilson’s Jitney -WINNER
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Present Laughter
Six Degrees of Separation
Best Revival of a Musical
Falsettos
Hello, Dolly! – WINNER
Miss Saigon
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter – WINNER
Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Laura Linney, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2 – WINNER
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Falsettos
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen – WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly! – WINNER
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Michael Aronov, Oslo – WINNER
Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes – WINNER
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly! – WINNER
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen – WINNER
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia
Best Scenic Design of a Play
David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong -WINNER
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
Michael Yeargan, Oslo
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Korins, War Paint
Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 – WINNER
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes – WINNER
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, Anastasia
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly! – WINNER
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, War Paint
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Christopher Akerlind, Indecent – WINNER
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 – WINNER
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Direction of a Play
Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Rebecca Taichman, Indecent – WINNER
Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Come From Away – WINNER
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand – WINNER
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Orchestrations
Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen – WINNER
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
James Earl Jones
Special Tony Award
Gareth Fry & Pete Malkin, Sound Designers for The Encounter
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Dallas Theater Center
Dallas, Texas
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Baayork Lee
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Nina Lannan
Alan Wasser
