The Tony Awards for excellence in Broadway theatre yesterday highlighted history with awards for a musical on the suffragette movement, a gritty remake of a book set in the 1960s and a tale of a 1970s rock band.
The ceremony took place for the first time at New York City’s Lincoln Centre with Tony-nominated and Oscar-winning actress Ariana DeBose hosting for the third year in a row, after presiding over last year’s writerless event, opening the show with an elaborately choreographed dance number.
Maleah Joi Moon won best lead actress in a musical for her role in Hell’s Kitchen and Jonathan Groff won for best lead actor in a musical for Merrily We Roll Along.
Best revival of a musical award winner Merrily We Roll Along has been a favourite narrative of the season, delighting audiences and critics with the revived production of Stephen Sondheim’s most famous flop, which closed after 52 previews and 16 performances in its first go-round on Broadway in 1981.
Shaina Taub won best score and best book of a musical for Suffs, the story of the suffragette movement, featuring an all-woman cast.
Stereophonic took the Tony Awards for best play and best direction for Daniel Aukin. David Adjmi’s play about a 70s-era rock band making an album, featuring original songs by Will Butler, formerly of Arcade Fire, broke the record for the most nominations for a play in Tony’s history.
Athoy Garang