Words by Constance Drugeot 

We’ve been waiting for it all year, and it’s finally here: the 79th Annual Tony Awards, led by P!NK at the Radio City Music Hall, were a triumph! 

From a legendary opening number to breathtaking performances and incredible talents on stage, the evening was filled with magic, powerful vocals, stunning dance numbers, and even flying. What a beautiful celebration of theatre! 

Now, before we dive in, we just wanted to say congratulations to P!NK for hosting an incredibly mind-blowing ceremony – her first time ever! – and making it a night to remember forever. Not only did she show off her charisma, singing and dancing abilities, but she also reminded us what we are celebrating today and forever: “Theatre is not an escapade, but a mirror to what’s happening in our society”, “Broadway theatre is brave, and that bravery is in its very bones.” From the bottoms of our hearts, thank you, P!NK. 

The Winners

The leading winner of the night was Joe Mantello’s revival of Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman, which earned six Tony Awards, including Best Revival of A Play, Best Actress in a Featured Role for Laurie Metcalf, and Best Direction. 

Schmigadoon! and The Lost Boys are once again tied in their win, both earning 4 Tony Awards after receiving 12 nominations each. Schmigadoon! ends the evening with the award for the Best Musical, as well as Best Book, Best Original Score and Best Orchestration. The Lost Boys, on the other hand, receive the awards for Best Scenic Design and Lighting Design of a Musical, and win big in the featured performers category, with both Shoshana Bean and Ali Louis Bourzgui going home with their awards. One of our highlights was definitely Ali’s speech, dedicating his win to immigrant families, queer and trans communities, and Palestine, all the while using his role as a vampire as a metaphor – “life is short, but that’s its gift.”

The revival of Ragtime was also very acclaimed, with the production winning Best Revival of a Musical, and both Caissie Levy and Joshua Henry earning an award for their leading roles in the show. 

Looking at plays, Liberation was the one to take home the prize for Best Play, while John Lithgow received the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Giant and Lesley Manville for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Oedipus.

Cats: The Jellicle Ball made itself known throughout the evening by winning not one, not two, but three Tony Awards, including Best Costume Design by Qween Jean, who made history by being the first publicly trans person to win a Tony, Best Choreography, and Best Direction. 

However, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Titanique, Chess, The Rocky Horror Show, and The Balusters ended the night without an award, and that’s okay. We’re here to celebrate the best of what theatre and performers have to give us, and every single one of these nominees gave their all! So, here’s to theatre in all its shapes and colours – Congratulations, you did it!

See the full list of winners below :

Best musical
The Lost Boys
Schmigadoon! – WINNER!
Titaníque
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical
Nicholas Christopher, Chess
Luke Evans, The Rocky Horror Show
Joshua Henry, Ragtime – WINNER!
Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime

Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical
Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!
Stephanie Hsu, The Rocky Horror Show
Caissie Levy, Ragtime – WINNER!
Marla Mindelle, Titaníque
Christiani Pitts, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Best revival of a play
Death of a Salesman – WINNER!
Becky Shaw
Every Brilliant Thing
Fallen Angels
Oedipus

Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play
Christopher Abbott, Death of a Salesman
Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime
Brandon J. Dirden, Waiting for Godot
Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw – WINNER!
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Richard Thomas, The Balusters

Best revival of a musical
Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Ragtime – WINNER!
The Rocky Horror Show

Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play
Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels
Carrie Coon, Bug
Susannah Flood, Liberation
Lesley Manville, Oedipus – WINNER!
Kelli O’Hara, Fallen Angels

Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical
Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys – WINNER!
André De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Bryce Pinkham, Chess
Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime
Layton Williams, Titaníque

Best play
The Balusters
Giant
Liberation – WINNER!
Little Bear Ridge Road

Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical
Shoshana Bean, The Lost Boys – WINNER!
Hannah Cruz, Chess
Rachel Dratch, The Rocky Horror Show
Ana Gasteyer, Schmigadoon!
Nichelle Lewis, Ragtime

Best direction of a play
Nicholas Hytner, Giant
Robert Icke, Oedipus
Kenny Leon, The Balusters
Joe Mantello, Death of a Salesman – WINNER!
Whitney White, Liberation

Best direction of a musical
Michael Arden, The Lost Boys
Lear deBessonet, Ragtime
Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Tim Jackson, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball – WINNER!

Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play
Betsy Aidem, Liberation
Marylouise Burke, The Balusters
Aya Cash, Giant
Laurie Metcalf, Death of a Salesman – WINNER!
June Squibb, Marjorie Prime

Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play
Will Harrison, Punch
Nathan Lane, Death of a Salesman
John Lithgow, Giant – WINNER!
Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing
Mark Strong, Oedipus

Best choreography
Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon!
Ellenore Scott, Ragtime
Ani Taj, The Rocky Horror Show
Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball – WINNER!
Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys

Best scenic design of a musical
dots, The Rocky Horror Show
Soutra Gilmour, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Rachel Hauck, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys – WINNER!
Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!

Best scenic design of a play
Hildegard Bechtler, Oedipus
Takeshi Kata, Bug
Chloe Lamford, Death of a Salesman – WINNER!
David Korins, Dog Day Afternoon
David Rockwell, Fallen Angels

Best lighting design of a musical
Kevin Adams, Chess
Jane Cox, The Rocky Horror Show
Donald Holder, Schmigadoon!
Adam Honoré, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Adam Honoré and Donald Holder (Lighting Design) and 59 Studio (Projection Design), Ragtime
Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys – WINNER!

Best lighting design of a play
Isabella Byrd, Dog Day Afternoon
Natasha Chivers, Oedipus
Stacey Derosier, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Heather Gilbert, Bug
Heather Gilbert, The Fear of 13
Jack Knowles, Death of a Salesman – WINNER!

Best sound design of a musical
Kai Harada, Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Kai Harada, Ragtime – WINNER!
Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys
Brian Ronan, The Rocky Horror Show
Walter Trarbach, Schmigadoon!

Best sound design of a play
Justin Ellington, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Tom Gibbons, Oedipus
Lee Kinney, The Fear of 13
Josh Schmidt, Bug
Mikaal Sulaiman, Death of a Salesman – WINNER!

Best book of a musical
David Hornsby and Chris Hoch, The Lost Boys
Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon! – WINNER!
Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue, Titaníque
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Best orchestrations
Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, Schmigadoon! – WINNER!
Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez and Gabriel Mann; The Lost Boys
Lux Pyramid, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
Brian Usifer, Chess
Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder and Doug Schadt; Cats: The Jellicle Ball

Best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theatre
Caroline Shaw, Death of a Salesman
Steve Bargonetti, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
The Rescues, The Lost Boys
Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon! – WINNER!
Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Best costume design of a musical
Linda Cho, Ragtime
Linda Cho, Schmigadoon!
Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball – WINNER!
Ryan Park, The Lost Boys
David I Reynoso, The Rocky Horror Show

Best costume design of a play
Brenda Abbandandolo, Dog Day Afternoon
Qween Jean, Liberation
Jeff Mahshie, Fallen Angels – WINNER!
Emilio Sosa, The Balusters
Paul Tazewell, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone