No script? No problem!
There was plenty of uncertainty in the run-up to this year91裸聊视频檚 Tony Awards, which at one point seemed unlikely to happen at all because of the ongoing Hollywood writer91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频淜imberly Akimbo,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淟eopoldstadt,91裸聊视频� and early 20th-century America, with 91裸聊视频淧arade,91裸聊视频� winner for best musical revival.
In the end, the lack of scripted banter didn91裸聊视频檛 much dampen the proceedings, and little wonder: Broadway folks are trained in improv. And of course there was more room for singing and dancing 91裸聊视频� including from current shows not in competition 91裸聊视频� 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 wasn91裸聊视频檛 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.
91裸聊视频淭hank you for coming uptown 91裸聊视频� never in my wildest dreams,91裸聊视频� quipped Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has helped bring events to the venue in the neighborhood where he set his 91裸聊视频淚n the Heights.91裸聊视频� 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 they91裸聊视频檇 see on teleprompters would be 91裸聊视频渨rap up please.91裸聊视频� 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 theater91裸聊视频檚 grand lobby, staircases and aisles, complete with gravity-defying leaps. Afterward, DeBose warned anyone who may have thought last year was 91裸聊视频渦nhinged91裸聊视频�: 91裸聊视频淏uckle up!91裸聊视频�
DeBose, who performed in the original cast of 91裸聊视频淗amilton91裸聊视频� and won an Oscar for 91裸聊视频淲est Side Story,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频�
An early award brought a sobering reminder of the horrors of antisemitism. Brandon Uranowitz of 91裸聊视频淟eopoldstadt,91裸聊视频� Tom Stoppard91裸聊视频檚 sweeping play about a Jewish family in Vienna, thanked the celebrated playwright 91裸聊视频渇or writing a play about Jewish identity and antisemitism and the false promise of assimilation,91裸聊视频� and noted his ancestors, 91裸聊视频渕any of whom did not make it out of Poland, also thank you.91裸聊视频�
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 91裸聊视频� only he couldn91裸聊视频檛, because he works in the theater.
91裸聊视频� AND IN AMERICA
91裸聊视频淟eopoldstadt91裸聊视频� went on to win best play, while best musical revival went to another searing work about antisemitism: 91裸聊视频淧arade,91裸聊视频� 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 play91裸聊视频檚 somber themes: 91裸聊视频淲e must battle this. It is so, so important, or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.91裸聊视频�
He added his own story of how, growing up, he often had been called the 91裸聊视频渇-word,91裸聊视频� referring to a homophobic slur. He then earned some of the night91裸聊视频檚 loudest cheers when he triumphantly reclaimed the slur while pointing out that he now had a Tony.
`I SHOULD NOT BE UP HERE91裸聊视频�
It was an emotional moment when Alex Newell of 91裸聊视频淪hucked91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淭he Glee Project91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淕lee,91裸聊视频� thanked close family for their love and support and then addressed the outside world.
91裸聊视频淭hank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black, little baby from Massachusetts,91裸聊视频� they said. 91裸聊视频淎nd to anyone that thinks that they can91裸聊视频檛 do it, I91裸聊视频檓 going to look you dead in your face and tell you that you can do anything you put your mind to.91裸聊视频�
Like the Oscars, the Tonys have only gendered categories for performers.
`THIS IS FOR YOU91裸聊视频�
J. Harrison Ghee was the second nonbinary actor of the night to make history, winning best actor in a musical for their role in 91裸聊视频淪ome Like It Hot,91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淔or every trans, non-gender-conforming, nonbinary human who ever was told you couldn91裸聊视频檛 be seen, this is for you,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淔unny Girl91裸聊视频� lead was not eligible for a Tony because she didn91裸聊视频檛 originate the role last year (that would be Beanie Feldstein, who Michele replaced in a matter of months).
But the former 91裸聊视频淕lee91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 Rain On My Parade91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� 13 years after she first performed it at the Tonys 91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� literally and figuratively 91裸聊视频� as they clutched their Tony and accepted well wishes or agreed to selfies. Ghee also chatted with last year91裸聊视频檚 winner of the same award, Myles Frost, who played Michael Jackson in 91裸聊视频淢J.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淥ur industry is shifting forward! We are erasing labels and boundaries and limits,91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淲hen you91裸聊视频檙e getting it custom made, you can really do something,91裸聊视频� they quipped.
91裸聊视频斺赌斺赌�
For more on the 2023 Tony Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/tony-awards
By Jocelyn Noveck
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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