James Corden, a Tony winner himself hosts the 70th Annual Tony Awards. Watch as Hamilton wins ALL THE AWARDS tonight! The smash musical is up for 16 awards.
The show opens with a solemn acknowledgment of the horrific mass shooting that took place in Orlando early this morning. The Tonys are for everyone, no matter what race, creed, sexuality or religion says host, James Corden, as he stands alone on a bare stage. – Watch the Video.
When the show begins proper, the mood lightens immediately as the cast of Hamilton take the stage with a fun parody introducing James and the Tonys. Next, James heads a musical number that takes the audience on a tour of James through the ages and his love of theater. The number features moments from favorite musicals like Phantom, Grease, Lion King, Jesus Christ Superstar (SPOILER ALERT HE DIES!), Sound of Music, Music Man, and more. It’s the history of musicals in a 5 minute performance. Ha. James is genius playing frenetic. Eventually, he introduces all the musical acting nominees who take the stage to sing the big final number “This is where you could belong!” A boy’s dream, realized. – Watch the Video
Jake Gyllenhaal presents the first award to Featured Actress in a Play to Jayne Houdyshell for The Humans.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is next. He introduces a performance from his musical, School of Rock, featuring Alex Brightman playing the Jack Black part, performing “You’re in the Band.” He whips a group of cute kids into a band. – Watch the Video
Next, James explains Ham4Ham, which is a live performance Lin-Manuel Miranda puts on, with Broadway notables, outside the theater during the nightly Hamilton ticket lottery. Throughout the evening, Steve Martin, Edie Brickell (Bright Star) and various show casts are outside the theater performing other people’s musicals and it’s a terrific idea. It’s all in celebration of 70 years of the Tony Awards.
After break, the cast from Shuffle Along are outside entertaining the crowds.
Aaron Tveit and Mary Elizabeth Winstead present Featured Actress in a Musical to Renee Elise Goldsberry for Hamilton. That’s the first award, of many more to come, for the groundbreaking show. I’m sure. She praises God for her children AND her Tony.
The company of Shuffle Along…, including Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell, take the indoor stage to sing “Broadway Blues.” It’s a revival of a 1921 musical, featuring an all-black cast. – Watch the Video
The School of Rock kiddies are outside singing The Phantom of the Opera. It’s different!
Bettina Miller and Daniel Dae Kim present Featured Actor in a Musical to Daveed Diggs from Hamilton. YES ALL THE AWARDS. Daveed talks about how his parents gave him room to explore his creativity. He cries a little!
James introduces Carole King “The woman responsible for soundtracking most of my high school breakups.” She presents Best Original Score to Lin Manuel Miranda for Hamilton. Lin-Manuel recites a sonnet he wrote. It starts off as an ode to his wife (The camera cuts to her. She’s crying) but then broadens to talk about tragedy and how love will rise above: “Love is love is love is love is love is love is love…and cannot be swept aside.” It’s a sentiment we need always, but especially today. Who doesn’t love this guy? Everybody else nominated in the musical categories should just go home now. – Watch the Video
Meg Ryan is next! Her movie, You’ve Got Mail, was based on the musical, She Loves Me, which is currently a Broadway revival. Jane Krakowski. Laura Benanti and others perform. – Watch the Video
The cast of Fiddler on the Roof are outside singing songs from Annie Get Your Gun. And when we come back, the She Loves Me cast sing “Cabaret.”
Lucy Liu and Jesse Tyler Ferguson present Best Direction of a Play to Ivo Van Hove for Arthur Miller’s View From a Bridge. Next they present Best Direction of a Musical to READY FOR IT…Thomas Kail for Hamilton. And a weird thing happens where another guy is pictured on the screen when Spring Awakening director, Michael Arden’s name is announced. AWKWARD.
Josh Groban starred in Fiddler on the Roof in High School! And we get to see the footage of young Josh singing “If I Were a Rich Man!” Ha ha. He’s making his Broadway debut this fall, by the way. He introduces Danny Bernstein and the Fiddler on the Roof company, who perform “Sunrise Sunset” and “The Bottle Dance” – Watch the Video
Outside the theater, the Bright Star cast sings “We’ve Got Heart” from Damn Yankees.
James introduces the accountants who need to be on screen for 15 seconds, per contract. He counts the seconds on his watch, while the pair stand their looking awkward. Ha. Andrew Rannells and Saoirse Ronan present Featured Actor in a Play to Reed Birney from The Humans.
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell (Mrs. Paul Simon), the writers of Bright Star are next. Steve jokes about how “already being famous” helped him avoid jumping through the usual hoops. Ha. Carmen Cusack and the cast sing “If You Knew My Story.” – Watch the Video
The Color Purple cast are in front of the theater singing “Circle of Life” from The Lion King.
James introduces the Broadway stars who are ALSO TV stars. Because some of us would not know them otherwise! Truth. So many Broadway stars have starred on Law And Order. In Danny Burstein’s case MANY times in Many roles.
The producer of The Color Purple, Oprah!!!! introduces the cast to the stage to sing “Joyful Noise” and “I’m Here.” I saw The Color Purple years ago when Fantasia starred, but this cast is also pretty great. Cynthia Evo is a revelation! That got a standing ovation from the crowd. – Watch the Video
James Earl Jones and Angela Lansbury are next. The American Theater Wing is 100 years old, they tell us and promise the group will continue to award scholarships to students. They announce the Andrew Lloyd Webber initiative for even more scholarships and training for young people.
Nathan Lane cracks a joke about Trump University. YES. That’s before he presents Leading Actress in a Play to Jessica Lange for Long Day’s Journey Into Night.
Emilio Estefan, the producer of On Your Feet assures the crowd that everyone in the cast has all their papers! They’re legal. The Trump digs never stop and that makes me happy. Emilio’s wife, Gloria Estefan, perform all the songs! Lin-Manuel is on his feet dancing with a few cast members out in the audience. – Watch the Video
The cast of Spring Awakening sing/sign a song from Hair outside in front of the theater.
Time for Carpool Karaoke. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Audra McDonald, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jane Krakowski sing along with James to songs from Hamilton and more. “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserable is the big finish. Hit that high note Audra!
Cate Blanchett presents Leading Actor in a Play to Frank Langella for The Father. Instead of thanking people, he addresses the shooting in Orlando. “I urge you Orlando to be strong….we will be with you every step of the way.” he says.
Marlee Matlin (and her sign language translator) from Spring Awakening introduce a performance from the revival, which includes deaf actors. They perform “Mama Who Bore Me.” and “The Bitch of Living.” Ali Stroker, from Glee Project and Glee is the first actress who uses a wheelchair for mobility, to star on Broadway. Smash’s Andy Mientus (producer too) and Krysta Rodriguez also star. It’s an intriguing production. – Watch the Video
Outside the theater the cast from Hamilton sing the songs of Rent! Perfect.
Diane Lane introduces each of the Best Revival of a Play nominees before awarding the Tony to Arthur Miller’s A View from a Bridge.
Blair Underwood a Carnegie Mellon University alum, presents the school’s Excellent in Theater Education to a Detroit teacher.
In a video message, President and Michelle Obama recount how Lin-Manuel Miranda previewed “Alexander Hamilton” at a Washington DC event. They laughed then, but aren’t laughing now! “America is what we the people make of it,” says Michelle. Next, Common introduces a performance of Hamilton. By the way, the cast left behind the muskets that are typically part of the production, in deference of what happened in Orlando this weekend.” A dynamic performance of “My Shot” and “Yorktown” from the cast. – Watch the Video
Christian Borle and Nikki M. James present winners from the Creative Arts Awards which took place earlier in the evening.
Claire Danes introduces all the Best Plays and presents the Tony to The Humans.
James mum and dad are in the audience. “It’s going on for a bit,” says dad, a little impatient to get on with it. “…I’m only here for the party,” he says. Heh.
Keri Russell introduces the company of the musical Waitress, including Sara Bareilles. Keri starred in the 2007 movie the musical is based on. Sara (who wrote the musical) and Jessie Mueller sing “She Used to Be Mine.” Very affecting performance, particularly from Jessie. – Watch the Video
James introduces a couple of parody musicals. Andrew Rannells stars as Donald Trump in the Book of Moron. “Hello my name is Donald Trump, I’d like to build a wall that goes right through your house,” he croons And Glenn Close is Hillary Clinton in “A Clinton Line.” Glenn sings, “I really need this job…I’ve got to get this job!” Ha. – Watch the Video
Bebe Neuwirth performs a bit of “All That Jazz” from Chicago, congratulating the show on 20 years. It’s the longest running American musical of all time.
Uzo Aduba and Sean Hayes presents Best Revival of a Musical to The Color Purple!
Chita Rivera takes the stage next. Boy she looks GREAT! She’s over 80. She introduces the In Memoriam segment. A string quartet plays “Seasons of Love.” Patty Duke, Anne Jackson, David Bowie, Alan Rickman and more are included.
Neil Patrick Harris is very bald at the moment. For a role! He presents Leading Actor in a Musical to Leslie Odom Jr for Hamilton! Remember him in Smash? He gives all the props to his fellow castmates.
Next, Audra McDonald presents Leading Actress in a Musical to Cynthia Erivo from The Color Purple. Hamilton shut out of that category. Cynthia thanks all of her cast members, including Jennifer Hudson who left the cast last month.
Barbra Streisand is NEXT! Medical staff is standing by, unless anyone in the audience collapses, says James “You’re making me verklempt” she says after the warm reception. She talks about the beauty that artistry can bring into the world. Art can console us, in times like these, she says. And of course, The Tony goes to Hamilton.
And…the cast of Hamilton sing us out with “The Schuyler Sisters.” New York City…The greatest city in the world! Work it girls. – Watch the Video
Hamilton broke no Broadway records tonight. But 11 wins is NOT too shabby.
Also notable: For the first time in Tony’s history all four musical acting awards went to people of color.
James Corden should come back and host next year. He kept things moving along with great energy and humor.
2016 Tony Awards Winners List
Best Play
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans – WINNER
King Charles III
Best Musical
Bright Star
Hamilton – WINNER
School of Rock—The Musical
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Waitress
Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge – WINNER
Blackbird
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Noises Off
Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple – WINNER
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening
Best Book of a Musical
Bright Star, Steve Martin
Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda – WINNER
School of Rock—The Musical, Julian Fellowes
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, George C. Wolfe
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Bright Star (Music: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell / Lyrics: Edie Brickell)
Hamilton (Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda) – WINNER
School of Rock—The Musical (Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber / Lyrics: Glenn Slater)
Waitress (Music & Lyrics: Sara Bareilles)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father – WINNER
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night – WINNER
Laurie Metcalf, Misery
Lupita Nyong’o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock—The Musical
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton – WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple – WINNER
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans – WINNERS
Bill Camp, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans – WINNER
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton – WINNER
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton – WINNER
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans – WINNER
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Es Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton
Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
David Rockwell, She Loves Me – WINNER
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Michael Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed – WINNER
Tom Scutt, King Charles III
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton – WINNER
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Katz, Long Day’s Journey Into Night – WINNER
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Hamilton – WINNER
Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho
Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge – WINNER
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton – WINNER
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton – WINNER
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan
Best Orchestrations
August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton – WINNER
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
