You might have a favorite TV series and are bemoaning the end of Downton Abbey but the Tony Awards broadcast form Radio City Music Hall, Sunday, reminded folks of what theater is all about. – live dramatic and musical performances.
Host James Corden and the casts of Tony nominated shows put on a lengthy, fun-filled number about performing live. Though he did run up to the cameras saying “Forget what I just said… TV pays us better.”
If you watch the Academy or the Tony Awards on TV you do see the nominees’ reactions to winning and losing. So Corden looked for a few nominees in the audience and asked them to put on their best “loosing” expression.
The fun moment may have helped when the winners were announced because the losers seemed to try to wear their best congratulatory expressions.
Those expressions were particularly in force when Ali Stroker who performed her Ado Annie’s “I Cain’t Say No” song from her wheelchair, won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for “Oklahoma” and when 80-something-year-old comedienne, screenwriter, film director, actress Elaine May received the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for “The Waverly Gallery. ”
Here is a brief look at who and what took home Tony Awards. For the complete list please visit TonyAwards/Winners.
“Hadestown” (14 nominations) was the big winner with eight awards including Best Musical and best actor in a featured role in a musical, André De Shields. Written by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show combines the mythical tales of Orpheus and Eurydice with King Hades and wife Perspehone.
“Ferryman” (nine nominations) was the next big winner with four Tonys including Best Play . Written by Jez Butterworth and directed by Sam Mendes it is a thriller that takes place in Northern Ireland in 1981.
“Ink,” “The Cher Show,” “Oklahoma” and “Tootsie,” each took home two awards.
“Ink” (6 nominations), written by James Graham and directed by Rupert Goold, is based on Rupert Murdoch’s purchase of the The Sun newspaper and his aim to destroy the competition with the help of editor Larry Lamb and a team of reporters. Set in 1969 London, the show brought Bertie Carvel the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play as Murdoch. Neil Austin received a Tony for Best Lighting Design of a Play.
“The Cher Show” (3 nominations) previewed in Chicago before taking a “made-up show”about the entertainer’s life (so far) to Broadway. No surprise that Cher’s costumer Bob Mackie took the Tony for Best Costume Design. The show also brought Stephanie J. Block the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical.
Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma (8 nominations) received Tony Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (see above) and Best Revival of a Musical.
Tootsie – (11 nomination) won a Tony for Robert Horn for Best Book of a Musical and a Tony for Santino Fontana for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.
“Choir Boy,” “The Boys in the Band,” “Network,” “Aint Too Proud,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Waverly Gallery” each won one Tony.
“Choir Boy,” (4 nominations) Tarell Alvin McCraney’s gender-sensitive show about making it in a choir was directed by Trip Cullman.
“The Boys in the Band,” (2 nominations), by Matt Crowley and directed by Joe Mantello about a group of gay men, won Best Featured Actor in a Play for Robin de Jesus.
“Network,” ( 5 nominations) Lee Hall’s adaptation of Paddy Chayefsky’s Academy Award-winning film about an anchorman who falls apart while live on-screen, won Bryan Cranston Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play as anchorman Howard Beale.
“Aint Too Proud” about the life and times of the Temptations, won Best Choreography for Sergio Trujillo.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” (9 nominations), Harper Lee’s famed play, adopted by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Bartlett Sher, brought Celia Keenan-Bolger the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured role in a Play.
” The Waverly Gallery ” (1 nomination) by Kenneth Lonergan about a grandson watching his grandmother die from Alzheimer’s disease, brought in a Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play. (see above)
Check these show’s websites given here for their Broadway schedule.
Jodie Jacobs