I was like a kid in a candy store last night watching the Tonys. It is by far my favorite award show, and I love me an award show. But it was also the first time the show was fully back, post pandemic, as last years had so few nominations it was sad. So here we are and here are my thoughts!
One of my favorite things of the day was that since there were two shows there were two openings and I loved both! The fact that Darren Criss wrote the first was very cool. Ariana’s I actually rewatched to get even more of the references. Although of course Ariana’s was more flashy and the real opening, I think My favorite was Darren and Julianne’s pre opening opening.
My favorite performances:
- I haven’t watched Paradise Square (and did not really want to) but Joaquina Kalukango did a masterful plea to go see her before this show closes (Which will happen any minute). She was absolutely amazing and I bow down
- The Music Man didn’t see itself as well as it could I think ,but still i am all in for Sutton and Hugh Jackman tap dancing – they are fabulous
- Six always kills it and I am obsessed with its music
- Company’s performance was such a solid choice to showcase the wonderful ensamble! Im glad they went that route and not with Being Alive
- I love Spring Awakening and seeing them together was always going to be a highlight – but I would have loved to have heard another song – Touch me is just not as impactful (btw if you have not done so go see the documentary !!! )
The performances that I was not 100% into but we still have love for and appreciate them:
- I love a Strange Loop but will people who have not seen the show get it with this performance?
- A solid choice given the coreography love and it was a great sell for the show, just don’t think it was a great showcase for Miles Frost
You can catch all the performances here
My quick thoughts:
- No offense to JHud as she is fab and has the most gorgeous voice, but how is she an EGOT before Lin ? I might need to to talk to somebody
- Where was Angela Lansbury? not even a video acceptance? Is she ok?
- Loved the Play awards I thoroughly enjoyed both the Lehman Trilogy and Take Me Out
- Six winning score was so well deserved, however who decided that Score stays in the pre telecast and book in the actual show? I think both are equally important and It’s stupid they are not together (for me personally the score is more important than the book, but really its a chicken or the egg situation)
- Loved this line by Debose “The Great White Way is becoming more of a nickname than a how-to guide.”
- I loved knowing who Chris Harper was! (iykyk)
- Lin Manuel introducing Bernadette Peters to celebrate Sondheim was kind of a perfect tribute.
- Billy Cristal is amazing, I missed him and can he go back to award hosting?
- Presenting Best Plays is always weird but I really enjoyed the Q&A concept this time around
- I loved that Chita closed the show – we bookmarked anitas!
Some Official Commentary on the show:
- A Strange Loop’ Wins Best Musical as Tonys Celebrate Broadway’s Return
- 75th Tony Awards: The Weirdest, Wildest Moments of Broadway’s Big Night
- Tony Awards 2022 — The Complete List of Winners
- Best and Worst Moments of the 75th Tony Awards
- Recap the 2022 Tony Awards Acceptance Speeches
- The Highs, Lows, and Whoas From the 2022 Tony Awards
Fashion at the Tony’s is always subpar as much as Vogue tries to help put there were some solid choices, here were my favorites:
And of course, the winners:
Best Play
Clyde’s
Hangmen
The Lehman Trilogy
The Minutes
Skeleton Crew
Best Musical
Girl From The North Country
MJ
Mr. Saturday Night
Paradise Square
Six: The Musical
A Strange Loop
Best Revival of a Play
American Buffalo
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
How I Learned to Drive
Take Me Out
Trouble in Mind
Best Revival of a Musical
Caroline, or Change
Company
The Music Man
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Simon Russell Beale, The Lehman Trilogy
Adam Godley, The Lehman Trilogy
Adrian Lester, The Lehman Trilogy
David Morse, How I Learned to Drive
Sam Rockwell, American Buffalo
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Lackawanna Blues
David Threlfall, Hangmen
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Gabby Beans, The Skin of Our Teeth
LaChanze, Trouble in Mind
Ruth Negga, Macbeth
Deirdre O’Connell, Dana H.
Mary-Louise Parker, How I Learned to Drive
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Billy Crystal, Mr. Saturday Night
Myles Frost, MJ
Hugh Jackman, The Music Man
Rob McClure, Mrs. Doubtfire
Jaquel Spivey, A Strange Loop
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sharon D Clarke, Caroline, or Change
Carmen Cusack, Flying Over Sunset
Sutton Foster, The Music Man
Joaquina Kalukango, Paradise Square
Mare Winningham, Girl From The North Country
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Alfie Allen, Hangmen
Chuck Cooper, Trouble in Mind
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Take Me Out
Ron Cephas Jones, Clyde’s
Michael Oberholtzer, Take Me Out
Jesse Williams, Take Me Out
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Uzo Aduba, Clyde’s
Rachel Dratch, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
Kenita R. Miller, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Phylicia Rashad, Skeleton Crew
Julie White, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
Kara Young, Clyde’s
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Matt Doyle, Company
Sidney DuPont, Paradise Square
Jared Grimes, Funny Girl
John-Andrew Morrison, A Strange Loop
A.J. Shively, Paradise Square
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Jeannette Bayardelle, Girl From The North Country
Shoshana Bean, Mr. Saturday Night
Jayne Houdyshell, The Music Man
L Morgan Lee, A Strange Loop
Patti LuPone, Company
Jennifer Simard, Company
Best Direction of a Play
Lileana Blain-Cruz, The Skin of Our Teeth
Camille A. Brown, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy
Neil Pepe, American Buffalo
Les Waters, Dana H.
Best Direction of a Musical
Stephen Brackett, A Strange Loop
Marianne Elliott, Company
Conor McPherson, Girl From The North Country
Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage, Six: The Musical
Christopher Wheeldon, MJ
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
Michael Carnahan and Nicholas Hussong, Skeleton Crew
Es Devlin, The Lehman Trilogy
Anna Fleischle, Hangmen
Scott Pask, American Buffalo
Adam Rigg, The Skin of Our Teeth
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt and 59 Productions, Flying Over Sunset
Bunny Christie, Company
Arnulfo Maldonado, A Strange Loop
Derek McLane and Peter Nigrini, MJ
Allen Moyer, Paradise Square
Best Book of a Musical
Conor McPherson, Girl From The North Country
Lynn Nottage, MJ
Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel, Mr. Saturday Night
Christina Anderson, Craig Lucas & Larry Kirwan, Paradise Square
Michael R. Jackson, A Strange Loop
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics)
Flying Over Sunset (Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics: Michael Korie)
Mr. Saturday Night (Music: Jason Robert Brown Lyrics: Amanda Green)
Paradise Square (Music: Jason Howland Lyrics: Nathan Tysen & Masi Asare)
Six: The Musical (Music and Lyrics: Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss)
A Strange Loop (Music & Lyrics: Michael R. Jackson)
Best Costume Design of a Play
Montana Levi Blanco, The Skin of Our Teeth
Sarafina Bush, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Emilio Sosa, Trouble in Mind
Jane Greenwood, Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite
Jennifer Moeller, Clyde’s
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Fly Davis, Caroline, or Change
Toni-Leslie James, Paradise Square
William Ivey Long, Diana, The Musical
Santo Loquasto, The Music Man
Gabriella Slade, SIX: The Musical
Paul Tazewell, MJ
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Jon Clark, The Lehman Trilogy
Jane Cox, Macbeth
Yi Zhao, The Skin of Our Teeth
Joshua Carr, Hangmen
Jiyoun Chang, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Neil Austin, Company
Tim Deiling, Six: The Musical
Donald Holder, Paradise Square
Natasha Katz, MJ
Bradley King, Flying Over Sunset
Jen Schriever, A Strange Loop
Best Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Mikhail Fiksel, Dana H.
Palmer Hefferan, The Skin of Our Teeth
Nick Powell and Dominic Bilkey, The Lehman Trilogy
Mikaal Sulaiman, Macbeth
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Simon Baker, Girl From The North Country
Paul Gatehouse, Six: The Musical
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, Company
Drew Levy, A Strange Loop
Gareth Owen, MJ
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Warren Carlyle, The Music Man
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Six: The Musical
Bill T. Jones, Paradise Square
Christopher Wheeldon, MJ
Best Orchestrations
David Cullen, Company
Tom Curran, Six: The Musical
Simon Hale, Girl From The North Country
Jason Michael Webb and David Holcenberg, MJ
Charlie Rosen, A Strange Loop
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