2015 Tony Awards Winners List and Live Blog (VIDEOS)

We’re live blogging right here beginning at 8/7c pm. The event airs on CBS.

This year’s show was well produced, Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth were entertaining hosts, but the performances just didn’t grab me like they have in year’s past.

Alan is wearing a suit and tie…and shorts.  The show opens with a medley.  Cabaret (Alan was The Emcee). “This is the last time I’ll ever sing that.” It’s been a record breaking year for Broadway! Wicked is still running, Kristin reminds us.  She’s up for a  Tony, for “On Twentieth Century”!  They run through a list of snubs: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and….Harvey Weinstein. They serenade him with  “Smile.”  Of course, he’s not crying because “Finding Neverland” is cleaning up at the box office without love from Tony.  Or critics.  Alan and Kristin are very cute together.

The first performance is from Something Rotten, featuring  Brian d’Arcy James and Brad Oscar. We learn about the history of musicals. Except not really! Did you know Nostradamus predicted musicals? It’s the Alternate Reality history of musicals. The fun number has tons of call backs to beloved productions.  All the tropes are here! Including a Rockettes style finish. Alan and Kristin join the fun.

Kristin introduces Bradley Cooper as “someone I slept with.” YOU TOO? quips Alan. ZMOG!!!  Bradley presents Best Leading Actress in a Play to Helen Mirren for The Audience.  It’s her FIRST Tony Award! It’s about time.

Alan and Kristen demonstrate how wordy acceptance speeches will be cut off. A line of tap dancers will literally step out to remove the offender!

Debra Messing and Anna Chlumsky present  Best Lead Actor in a Play to Richard McCabe for The Audience.  He thanks star Helen Mirren and more.

Taye Diggs is next. He’s set to star in Hedwig and the Angry Inch when Darren Criss leaves the role in July. He introduces Kelli O’Hara, Ken Watanabe, Ruthie Ann Miles. and the company of The King and I.  They sing a medley of songs including “Getting to Know You” and “Shall We Dance.”

As a segue to commercials,  Kirsten and Alan sing the song just performed on stage, but with reworked lyrics to promo what’s coming up in the next segment. The kids from The King & I join them.

OMG.  Alan is in a pink hat and dress signing “Getting to Know You.” Kristin crawls out from under his dress costumed as The King. “It’s not I Dream of Jeannie. It’s the King and I!” says Alan.

“I know these next presenters from my nightly imaginary three ways with them,” says Alan. He’s naughty tonight. VERY NAUGHTY. Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale giggle through their presentation as a result of THAT intro. And the Best Featured Actor in a Musical goes to Christian Borle! YAY!

Taylor Schilling and Jim Parsons present Best Leading Actress in a Play to Annaleigh Ashford for You Can’t Take It with You. Her acceptance speech is super tearful.

Misty Copeland from the American Ballet Theater introduces Tony Yazbeck and the cast of On the Town. The performance begins in the audience, as he serenades and dances with a few stars before he jumps on stage to sing a medley of “Lonely Town,” “New York, New York,” and “Times Square Ballet.”

Next, is a tribute to the legendary Broadway dancer and choreographer, Tommy Tune.   He had previously (off camera) taken the stage to accept his lifetime achievement award. FREAKISHLY TALL.

He presents Best Direction of a Musical to Sam Gold for Fun Home.

Ashley Tisdale is next.  She introduces her BEST FRIEND Vanessa Hudgens, Corey Cott, Victoria Clark and the cast of Gigi. This new musical is not doing great business. Say hello and goodbye to this one, basically.

Joel and Jennifer Grey are next! Father and daughter! Joel having a little problem reading the teleprompter ha ha. Jennifer gently chides him. Fittingly, the musical is about a father and daughter, who both happen to be gay. Sydney Lucas, Michael Cerveris and Beth Malone perform “Ring of Keys.”

Kristin comes out dressed as ET. “OMG I SAID FUN HOME” says an exasperated Alan before he introduces Kiefer Sutherland and Rita Wilson. They present Best Direction of a Play to Marianne Elliott for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Leanne Cope, Robert Fairchild, Brandon Uranowitz, Max von Essen and the cast of An American in Paris perform a medley of “An American in Paris (pas de deux),” “S’ Wonderful” and “I’ve Got Rhythm.”

Marg Helgenberger introduces a video highlighting “The Year in Plays.”

Sutton Foster! I love her. She presents Featured Actress in a Musical to Ruthie Ann Miles for The King and I. Fun Home shut out of the category! UH OH THE TAP DANCERS ARE ON THE WAY. She stopped talking just in time.

Alan introduces Kristin Chenoweth and the cast of On the 20th Century for a performance of “Life is Like a Train,” “On the 20th Century,” “I’ve Got It All” and “Babette.”

Sting is next. His show, The Last Ship, is nominated for a Tony. Sadly, it closed pretty quickly. He thanks…somebody.

Bryan Cranston introduces clips from the Tony nominated plays. And the Best Play award goes to The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time.

Hi Jennifer Nettles! She introduces Chita Rivera and the cast of The Visit, performing “Love and Love Alone” and “I Would Never Leave You.” Go Chita! She’s been performing on stage for at least 7 decades.

Kristin and Alan riff on how movie adaptions are NEVER cast with the original Broadway actors. Well. Probably Bradley Cooper they admit.

Amanda Seyfried and Thomas Sadoski present Best Revival of a Play to Skylight.

Jennifer Lopez, Nick Jonas and Kiesza, featured on the Finding Neverland soundtrack, introduce Matthew Morrison and Kelsey Grammer who perform the song Kiesza recorded, “Stronger.”

Harry Connick Jr. is presenting next! It’s an American Idol reunion.

Before announcing the Carnegie Mellon excellence in teaching award. Joe Manganiello asks Sutton Foster and Darren Criss in the audience, to name their favorite teachers. “I’ve seen Magic Mike. I’ve learned a lot from you,” snarks Darren. Har.

Hi Harry Connick Jr! He presents Best Revival of a Musical to The King and I. Sad for On The Town and producer Nigel Lythgoe.

David Hyde Pierce introduces Lisa Howard, Adam Heller and Tyne Daly performing a song from It Shoulda Been You.

Next, special Tony’s were awarded to Hedwig creator, John Cameron Mitchell and Steven Schwartz. But not on camera!

Judith Light presents Best Leading Actor in a Play to Alex Sharp from The Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-Time.

Phylicia Rashad is next to introduce the In Memoriam segment.  Josh Groban performs “You’ll Never Walk Alone” with a huge choir of Broadway singers. Lauren Bacall, Ruby Dee, James Garner, Gerry Goffen, Edward Herrmann, Polly Bergen, Anne Meara, Leonard Nimoy, Elaine Stritch, Eli Wallach and Robin Williams are some of the names that scroll on the screen.

Bernadette Peters presents Best Leading Actor in a Musical to Michael Cerveris for Fun Home.

Neil Patrick Harris made some predictions…whoops. Not going there. Ha ha. He presents Best Leading Actress in a Musical to Kelli O’Hara for The King and I.

Larry David and Jason Alexander are on stage. They do their typically hilarious shtick. Jason will be stepping into Larry’s place in his play, Fish in the Dark. They present Best Musical to Fun Home. The writer Alison Bechdel, joins them onstage.

“We’re bringing you back to a time when women were oppressed, trans was an airline and men had cojones,” says Alan as he introduces The Jersey Boys. “And sometimes those cajones were squeezed really tight!” add Kristin. They and all of tonight’s performers take us out with “Oh What A Night” as the credits roll.

2015 Tony Awards Winners List

Best Musical

An American in Paris
Fun Home – Winner
Something Rotten!
The Visit

Best Play

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – WINNER
Disgraced
Hand to God
Wolf Hall

Best Musical Revival

The King and I – WINNER
On the Town
On the Twentieth Century

Best Play Revival

The Elephant Man
Skylight – WINNER
This Is Our Youth
You Can’t Take It With You

Best Leading Actor in a Play

Steven Boyer, ‘Hand to God’
Bradley Cooper, ‘The Elephant Man’
Ben Miles, ‘Wolf Hall’
Bill Nighy, ‘Skylight’
Alex Sharp, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ – WINNER

Best Leading Actress in a Play

Geneva Carr, ‘Hand to God’
Helen Mirren, ‘The Audience’ – WINNER
Elisabeth Moss, ‘The Heidi Chronicles’
Carey Mulligan, ‘Skylight’
Ruth Wilson, ‘Constellations’

Best Leading Actor in a Musical

Michael Cerveris, ‘Fun Home’ – WINNER
Robert Fairchild, ‘An American in Paris’
Brian d’Arcy James, ‘Something Rotten!’
Ken Watanabe, ‘The King and I’
Tony Yazbeck, ‘On the Town’

Best Leading Actress in a Musical

Kristin Chenoweth, ‘On the Twentieth Century’
Leanne Cope, ‘An American in Paris’
Beth Malone, ‘Fun Home’
Kelli O’Hara, ‘The King and I’ – WINNER
Chita Rivera, ‘The Visit’

Best Book of a Musical

‘An American in Paris,’ Craig Lucas
‘Fun Home,’ Lisa Kron – WINNER
‘Something Rotten!,’ Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell
‘The Visit,’Terrence McNally

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics)

‘Fun Home,’ Music: Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: Lisa Kron – WINNER
‘The Last Ship,’ Music and Lyrics: Sting
‘Something Rotten!,’ Music and Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick
‘The Visit,’ Music: John Kander, Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Best Featured Actor in a Play

Matthew Beard, ‘Skylight’
K. Todd Freeman, ‘Airline Highway’
Richard McCabe, ‘The Audience’ Winner
Alessandro Nivola, ‘The Elephant Man’
Nathaniel Parker, ‘Wolf Hall’
Micah Stock, ‘It’s Only a Play’

Best Featured Actress in a Play

Annaleigh Ashford, ‘You Can’t Take It with You’ – WINNER
Patricia Clarkson, ‘The Elephant Man’
Lydia Leonard, ‘Wolf Hall’
Sarah Stiles, ‘Hand to God’
Julie White, ‘Airline Highway’

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Christian Borle, ‘Something Rotten!’ – WINNER
Andy Karl, ‘On the Twentieth Century’
Brad Oscar, ‘Something Rotten!’
Brandon Uranowitz, ‘An American in Paris’
Max von Essen, ‘An American in Paris’

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

Victoria Clark, ‘Gigi’
Judy Kuhn, ‘Fun Home’
Sydney Lucas, ‘Fun Home’
Ruthie Ann Miles, ‘The King and I’ – WINNER
Emily Skeggs, ‘Fun Home’

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Bunny Christie and Finn Ross, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ – WINNER
Bob Crowley, ‘Skylight’
Christopher Oram, ‘Wolf Hall’
David Rockwell, ‘You Can’t Take It with You’

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Bob Crowley and 59 Productions, ‘An American in Paris’ – WINNER
David Rockwell, ‘On the Twentieth Century’
Michael Yeargan, ‘The King and I’
David Zinn, ‘Fun Home’

Best Costume Design of a Play

Bob Crowley, ‘The Audience’
Jane Greenwood, ‘You Can’t Take It with You’
Christopher Oram, ‘Wolf Hall’ – WINNER
David Zinn, ‘Airline Highway’

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, ‘Something Rotten!’
Bob Crowley, ‘An American in Paris’
William Ivey Long, ‘On the Twentieth Century’
Catherine Zuber, ‘The King and I’ – WINNER

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Paule Constable, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ – WINNER
Paule Constable and David Plater, ‘Wolf Hall’
Natasha Katz, ‘Skylight’
Japhy Weideman, ‘Airline Highway’

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Donald Holder, ‘The King and I’
Natasha Katz, ‘An American in Paris’ – WINNER
Ben Stanton, ‘Fun Home’
Japhy Weideman, ‘The Visit’

Best Direction of a Play

Stephen Daldry, ‘Skylight’
Marianne Elliott, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ – WINNER
Scott Ellis, ‘You Can’t Take It with You’
Jeremy Herrin, ‘Wolf Hall’
Moritz von Stuelpnagel, ‘Hand to God’

Best Direction of a Musical

Sam Gold, ‘Fun Home’ – WINNER
Casey Nicholaw, ‘Something Rotten!’
John Rando, ‘On the Town’
Bartlett Sher, ‘The King and I’
Christopher Wheeldon, ‘An American in Paris’

Best Choreography

Joshua Bergasse, ‘On the Town’
Christopher Gattelli, ‘The King and I’
Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’
Casey Nicholaw, ‘Something Rotten!’
Christopher Wheeldon, ‘An American in Paris’ – WINNER

Best Orchestrations

Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, Bill Elliott, ‘An American in Paris’ – WINNER
John Clancy, ‘Fun Home’
Larry Hochman, ‘Something Rotten!’
Rob Mathes, ‘The Last Ship’

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater

Tommy Tune

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

Stephen Schwartz

Regional Theatre Tony Award

Cleveland Play House

Special Tony Award

John Cameron Mitchell, ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theater

Arnold Abramson
Adrian Bryan-Brown
Gene O’Donovan

Performance Playlist

To watch every performance, click on the box and scroll through the playlist to choose your favs.