There are a lot of reviews coming this week, as I saw way too many of the nominated shows last week (including the two big winners Outsiders & Stereophonic), and I have not fully gotten my act together, but we will start with all my thoughts on the ceremony (as well as performance videos, best dressed and all the winners)
My thoughts
- Some of my Thoughts on the actual awards:
- it is clear for me that women categories were so much more contented than men’s this year. I loved Kecia Lewis in Hells Kitchen as i raved on my review, and I also loved Lindsey Mendez (again i did call her the best thing in the show and it was her other two colleagues that won who were also spectacular) so yes being a voter in that category must have sucked! Also the best actress of a play? an embarrassment of riches!!!
- For the first time in a while I absolutely agree with best new musical and best new play – they were my favorites
- I was surprised about outsiders over Maria Friedman in direction, not disappointed just surprised.
- Some of my random thoughts on the show (specific performance thoughts i will share with each performance):
- This has to be my quote of the night: “We need to fund the arts. It’s a sign of a civilized society. “David Adjmi, Stereophonic
- Idina + Cynthia introducing together was a wickedly good idea
- It is not ok that leading actor in a play got a full clip of their performance and leading actress of a play just their names because they were running late. Just run late, and deal with it
- I was yesterday days old when I realized Maria Friedman is sister to Sonia Friedman!
- People need to memorize their speeches or just give heartfelt speeches where they forget everything. Reading their speeches took so much emotion for it from some of them. What sarah paulson read was so beautiful but some of the effect got lost due to the reading. You are actors, memorize your lines
- The opening number was a No for me. The dancing was fun but Ariana de Bose has a serious enunciating issues. I did not understand half of what she said. Which given that that was what was related to the Tony’s made her opening very confusing. On second viewing I got more of it, but it was a definite fail for me , and nothing compared to her previous ones. Oh how I miss Neil Patrick Harris – bring Bigger style openings back (especially why not incorporate the shows)
- Yes i was full on crying in Jonathan Groff’s speech, please tell me I was no the only one
The Performances (and my thoughts on them when i had some)
HELLS KITCHEN – i loved this show and the performance totally showed the heart of the show. But i had some issues -first it did not highlight Maleah Joi Moon enough and she was the tony winner!! Also as much as I loved Alicia and Jay Z it 1. took away from the Hells kitchen actors and 2. might have been a bit unfair to the other shows that they got so much airtime. Not thinking of fairness aside it was a fabulous way to start off the show. Also i saw Alicia in the same outfit from the morning and I was confused as that is unlike her and then i realized it was a way to make a the Jay Z taped segment look live – it didnt though
THE OUTSIDERS – I really liked this show and i thought the medley they chose showed the show beautifully. Loved that they did the fight /rain scene! The makeup and hair on this show looked rough from the orchestra seats, but it def was not made for camera closeups.
CABARET – they definitely played to the camara expertly, as the theater in the round could have been hard to pull of in this stage. Eddie was a master of the close up. This had to be one of the performances that actually benefited from the closeup camera work (most of them just are not made for that). I wish they would have done a wilkomen going to a Sally song though
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS – great two song choices – sell your leading man whilst also showing the best parts of the show – the acrobatics and dancing
STEREOPHONIC – Obsessed that they got to perform. Really disappointed about how short it was. I wanted more!
THE WHO’S TOMMY – Peter Townshend playing the guitar and not just introducing was awesome!
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG – i really like this musical and the three of them are spectacular, but somehow the taping of this just did not show it to the greatness that I know it is.
ILLINOISE – i was more moved by the Tony performance than the actual show – i think the close ups did wonder for this one, Ricky Ubeda was so good when you could see his face up close
SUFFS – The song was so beautiful but the stage felt a bit bare no?
Best Dressed: The dresses again where just not great! even some of my sartorial greats that were invited like Sarah Paulson and Rachel McAdams disappointed a bit. Here were some of my favorites. Absolute best? Idina and Maleah Joi Moon!
Official Commentary:
- Review: The 2024 Tony Awards Had No Clear Front-Runner. That Made Them More Exciting.
- The Outsiders, Stereophonic Win Top Honors at 2024 Tony Awards; Maleah Joi Moon, Jonathan Groff, Sarah Paulson Among Winners
- Tony Awards: Every winner (and nominee) in all 26 competitive categories
- Tony Awards: ‘Stereophonic’ wins 5, ‘Merrily’ and ‘The Outsiders’ take 4 each
- 2024 Tony Awards Winners – The Full List
- 2024 Tony Awards: Complete Guide
- From Elphabas Presenting to Daniel Radcliffe Finally Winning an Acting Prize, Here Were the Biggest Surprises of the 2024 Tony Awards
- Shaina Taub and Dede Ayite Make History, and Other Memorable Moments From the 2024 Tony Awards
- 2024 Tony Awards: Daniel Radcliffe’s Emotional Win, JAY-Z’s Surprise Performance and a Full Recap of Broadway’s Big Night
- Tony Awards: ‘The Outsiders,’ ‘Stereophonic’ Take Home Top Prizes
- The Highs, Lows, and Whoas of the 2024 Tony Awards
- Tony Awards 2024: Fashion—Live From the Red Carpet
All the Winners
Best Musical
Hell’s Kitchen
Illinoise
√ The Outsiders
Suffs
Water for Elephants
Best Musical Revival
Cabaret
Gutenberg! The Musical!
√ Merrily We Roll Along
The Who’s Tommy
Best Actor (Musical)
Brody Grant, “The Outsiders”
√ Jonathan Groff, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Dorian Harewood, “The Notebook”
Brian d’Arcy James, “Days of Wine and Roses”
Eddie Redmayne, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Best Actress (Musical)
Eden Espinosa, “Lempicka”
√ Maleah Joi Moon, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Kelli O’Hara, “Days of Wine and Roses”
Maryann Plunkett, “The Notebook”
Gayle Rankin, “Cabaret”
Best Featured Actor (Musical)
Roger Bart, “Back to the Future: the Musical”
Joshua Boone, “The Outsiders”
Brandon Victor Dixon, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Sky Lakota-Lynch, “The Outsiders”
√ Daniel Radcliffe, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Steven Skybell, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Best Featured Actress (Musical)
Shoshana Bean, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Amber Iman, “Lempicka”
Nikki M. James, “Suffs”
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, “Monty Python’s Spamalot”
√ Kecia Lewis, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Lindsay Mendez, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Bebe Neuwirth, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Best Director (Musical)
Maria Friedman, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Michael Greif, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Leigh Silverman, “Suffs”
Jessica Stone, “Water for Elephants”
√ Danya Taymor, “The Outsiders”
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Annie-b Parson, “Here Lies Love”
Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman, “The Outsiders”
√ Justin Peck, “Illinoise”
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, “Water For Elephants”
Best Musical Book
Kristoffer Diaz, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Bekah Brunstetter, “The Notebook”
Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, “The Outsiders”
√ Shaina Taub, “Suffs”
Rick Elice, “Water for Elephants”
Best Original Score
Adam Guettel, “Days of Wine and Roses”
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, “Here Lies Love”
Will Butler, “Stereophonic”
√ Shaina Taub, “Suffs”
Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, “The Outsiders”
Best Orchestrations
Timo Andres, “Illinoise”
Will Butler and Justin Craig, “Stereophonic”
Justin Levine, Matt Hinkley and Jamestown Revival
(Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance), “The Outsiders”
Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone, “Hell’s Kitchen”
√ Jonathan Tunick, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Best Costume Design (Musical)
Dede Ayite, “Hell’s Kitchen”
√ Linda Cho, “The Great Gatsby”
David Israel Reynoso, “Water for Elephants”
Tom Scutt, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Paul Tazewell, “Suffs”
Best Lighting Design (Musical)
Brandon Stirling Baker, “Illinoise”
Isabella Byrd, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Natasha Katz, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Bradley King and David Bengali, “Water for Elephants”
√ Brian Macdevitt and Hana S. Kim, “The Outsiders”
Best Scenic Design (Musical)
Amp Featuring Tattiana Kahvegian, “The Outsiders”
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Takeshi Kata, “Water for Elephants”
David Korins, “Here Lies Love”
Riccardo Hernandez and Peter Nigrini, “Lempicka”
Tim Hatley and Finn Ross, “Back to the Future: The Musical”
√ Tom Scutt, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Best Sound Design (Musical)
M.L Dogg and Cody Spencer, “Here Lies Love”
Kati Harada, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Cody Spencer, “The Outsiders”
Nick Lidster for Autograph, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Gareth Owen, “Hell’s Kitchen”
√ Cody Spencer, “The Outsiders”
PLAYS
Best Play
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Mary Jane
Mother Play
Prayer for the French Republic
√ Stereophonic
Best Play Revival
√ Appropriate
An Enemy of the People
Purlie Victorious
Best Actor (Play)
William Jackson Harper, “Uncle Vanya”
Leslie Odom Jr., “Purlie Victorious”
Liev Schreiber, “Doubt”
√ Jeremy Strong, “An Enemy of the People”
Michael Stuhlbarg, “Patriots”
Best Actress (Play)
Betsy Aidem, “Prayer for the French Republic”
Jessica Lange, “Mother Play”
Rachel McAdams, “Mary Jane”
√ Sarah Paulson, “Appropriate”
Amy Ryan, “Doubt”
Best Featured Actor (Play)
√ Will Brill, “Stereophonic”
Eli Gelb, “Stereophonic”
Jim Parsons, “Mother Play”
Tom Pecinka, “Stereophonic”
Corey Stoll, “Appropriate”
Best Featured Actress (Play)
Quincy Tyler Bernstine, “Doubt”
Juliana Canfield, “Stereophonic”
Celia Keenan-Bolger, “Mother Play”
Sarah Pidgeon, “Stereophonic”
√ Kara Young, “Purlie Victorious”
Best Director (Play)
√ Daniel Aukin, “Stereophonic”
Anne Kauffman, “Mary Jane”
Kenny Leon, “Purlie Victorious”
Lila Neugebauer, “Appropriate”
Whitney White, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
Best Costume Design (Play)
Dede Ayite, “Appropriate”
√ Dede Ayite, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
Enver Chakartash, “Stereophonic”
Emilio Sosa, “Purlie Victorious”
David Zinn, “An Enemy of the People”
Best Lighting Design (Play)
Isabella Byrd, “An Enemy of the People”
Amith Chandrashaker, “Prayer For The French Republic”
Jiyoun Chang, “Stereophonic”
√ Jane Cox, “Appropriate”
Natasha Katz, “Grey House”
Best Scenic Design (Play)
dots, “Appropriate”
dots, “An Enemy of the People”
Derek McLane, “Purlie Victorious”
David Zinn, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
√ David Zinn, “Stereophonic”
Best Sound Design (Play)
Justin Ellington and Stefania Bulbarella, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
Leah Gelpe, “Mary Jane”
Tom Gibbons, “Grey House”
Bray Poor and Will Pickens, “Appropriate”
√ Ryan Rumery, “Stereophonic”
Winners by the Numbers
Stereophonic: 5 wins
The Outsiders: 4 wins
Hell’s Kitchen: 2 wins
Merrily We Roll Along: 4 wins
Appropriate: 2 wins
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch: 1 win
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club: 1 win
The Great Gatsby: 1 win
Illinoise: 1 win
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding: 1 win
Suffs: 2 wins
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