Sunday night marked the 77th Tony Awards, an evening dedicated to honoring the best of Broadway. Hosted for the third time by actress Ariana DeBose, this year’s ceremony took place at Lincoln Center in New York City. With 18 new shows opening in just two months this spring, there was great competition and even greater anticipation over who would take home this year’s coveted awards. Read on for a recap of the winners and some of our favorite moments from the evening.
It All Started on the Blue Carpet
While we’re used to seeing our favorite celebs gracing red carpets at big events, the Tony Awards opted for a navy blue carpet to act as the evening’s runway. Nevertheless, stars showed up and showed out with their outfits for the occasion.
DeBose set the tone for the evening’s fashion with an eye-catching ensemble by Oscar De La Renta.
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo shined in a gorgeous gown by Louis Vuitton.
Angelina Jolie, who produced The Outsiders, also stunned in a whimsical custom look by Atelier Versace.
A Family Affair
Many stars were joined by family members both on the carpet and during the ceremony. Jolie brought along daughter Vivienne, who was an assistant producer for The Outsiders. The mother-daughter duo even wore matching outfits for the occasion. And at just 15, Vivienne is now a Tony winner, with Outsiders nabbing the award for Best Musical.
Daniel Radcliffe brought partner Erin Darke and his parents along for the event. He gave all three heart-warming shoutouts in his acceptance speech for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Merrily We Roll Along.
Alicia Keys also posed for family photos with her parents and kids, who she brought along on the carpet and to the ceremony.
Alicia Keys and Jay-Z Take the Stage
Speaking of Keys, the native New Yorker stunned attendees when she took the stage with the cast of Hell’s Kitchen to perform “New York State of Mind.” Hell’s Kitchen is semi-autobiographical, following the story of Keys’ upbringing in NYC in the 90s. Joined by Jay-Z from outside of the venue, the performance was clearly a favorite for audience members.
The performance immediately reminded fans of Jay-Z and Keys’ 2009 VMAs appearance, where the duo were spontaneously joined on stage by rapper Lil Mama.
Memes of the incident quickly flooded social media, and Keys even got in on the fun, posting an image of three microphones – one labeled for her, Jay-Z, and Lil Mama – to her Instagram story.
The Radcliffe-Groff Bromance Was on Full Display
Anyone who follows Broadway knows that the Merrily cast are particularly close, and it was evident last night when Jonathan Groff received the Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Overcome with emotion for his co-star, Radcliffe jumped up to hug Groff as he made his way to accept the award in an adorable, now-viral moment.
EGOT Watch
The night also put several of its winners one step closer to achieving EGOT status (winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony). With her win for The Outsiders, Jolie has added a Tony to her Oscar win for Girl, Interrupted in 2000.
Succession actor Jeremy Strong is in a similar position. After winning an Emmy for his depiction of Kendall Roy in the HBO series, the actor took home a Tony for his performance as Dr. Thomas Stockmann in An Enemy of the People on Sunday night.
Sarah Paulson of American Horror Story fame is also one step closer, earning a Tony for leading actress in a play for her performance in Appropriate. Paulson previously nabbed an Emmy for lead actress in a limited miniseries or movie for playing Marcia Clark in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
The three stars would join 19 other EGOT winners, including Jennifer Hudson, Elton John, and Viola Davis, if they obtain all four prestigious awards.
While the 2023-2024 Tony Awards season has drawn to a close, we can’t wait to see what the world of theater will have to offer over the next year. Find the full list of this year’s nominees and winners below.
Best Musical
Hell’s Kitchen
Illinoise
The Outsiders (Winner)
Suffs
Water for Elephants
Best Revival of a Musical
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Gutenberg! The Musical
Merrily We Roll Along (Winner)
The Who’s Tommy
Best Direction of a Musical
Maria Friedman — Merrily We Roll Along
Michael Greif — Hell’s Kitchen
Leigh Silverman — Suffs
Jessica Stone — Water for Elephants
Danya Taymor — The Outsiders (Winner)
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Brody Grant — The Outsiders
Jonathan Groff — Merrily We Roll Along (Winner)
Dorian Harewood — The Notebook
Brian d’Arcy James — Days of Wine and Roses
Eddie Redmayne — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Eden Espinosa — Lempicka
Maleah Joi Moon — Hell’s Kitchen (Winner)
Kelli O’Hara — Days of Wine and Roses
Maryann Plunkett — The Notebook
Gayle Rankin — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Roger Bart — Back to the Future
Joshua Boone — The Outsiders
Brandon Victor Dixon — Hell’s Kitchen
Sky Lakota-Lynch — The Outsiders
Daniel Radcliffe — Merrily We Roll Along (Winner)
Steven Skybell — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a 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 (Winner)
Lindsay Mendez — Merrily We Roll Along
Bebe Neuwirth — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Book of a Musical
Kristoffer Diaz — Hell’s Kitchen
Bekah Brunstetter — The Notebook
Adam Rapp and Justin Levine — The Outsiders
Shaina Taub — Suffs (Winner)
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 (Winner)
Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine — The Outsiders
Best Orchestrations
Timo Andres — Illinoise
Will Butler and Justin Craig — Stereophonic
Justine Levine, Matt Hinkley, and Jamestown Revival — The Outsiders
Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone — Hell’s Kitchen
Jonathan Tunick — Merrily We Roll Along
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown — Hell’s Kitchen
Annie-B Parson — Here Lies Love
Rick and Jeff Kuperman — The Outsiders
Justin Peck — Illinoise (Winner)
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll — Water for Elephants
Best Scenic Design in a Musical
Amp featuring Tatianna Kahvegian — The Outsiders
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini — Hell’s Kitchen
Takeshi Kata — Water for Elephants
David Korins — Here Lies Love
Riccardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini — Lempicka
Tim Hatley and Finn Ross — Back to the Future
Tom Scutt — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club (Winner)
Best Costume Design in a Musical
Dede Ayite — Hell’s Kitchen
Linda Cho — The Great Gatsby (Winner)
David Israel Reynoso — Water for Elephants
Tom Scutt — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Paul Tazewell — Suffs
Best Lighting Design in a 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 (Winner)
Best Sound Design of a Musical
M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer — Here Lies Love
Kai Harada — Merrily We Roll Along
Nick Lidster for Autograph — Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Gareth Owen — Hell’s Kitchen
Cody Spencer — The Outsiders (Winner)
Best Play
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Mary Jane
Mother Play
Prayer for the French Republic
Stereophonic (Winner)
Best Revival of a Play
Appropriate (Winner)
An Enemy of the People
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Best Direction of a Play
Daniel Aukin — Stereophonic (Winner)
Anne Kauffman — Mary Jane
Kenny Leon — Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Lila Neugebauer — Appropriate
Whitney White — Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
William Jackson Harper — Uncle Vanya
Leslie Odom, Jr. — Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Liev Schreiber — Doubt: A Parable
Jeremy Strong — An Enemy of the People (Winner)
Michael Stuhlbarg — Patriots
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Betsy Aidem — Prayer of the French Republic
Jessica Lange — Mother Play
Rachel McAdams — Mary Jane
Sarah Paulson — Appropriate (Winner)
Amy Ryan — Doubt: A Parable
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Will Brill — Stereophonic (Winner)
Eli Gelb — Stereophonic
Jim Parsons — Mother Play
Tom Pecinka — Stereophonic
Corey Stoll — Appropriate
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Quincy Tyler Bernstine — Doubt: A Parable
Juliana Canfield — Stereophonic
Celia Keenan-Bolger — Mother Play
Sarah Pidgeon — Stereophonic
Kara Young — Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch (Winner)
Best Scenic Design in a Play
dots — Appropriate
dots — An Enemy of the People
Derek McLane — Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
David Zinn — Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
David Zinn — Stereophonic (Winner)
Best Costume Design in a Play
Dede Ayite — Appropriate
Dede Ayite — Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (Winner)
Enver Chakartash — Stereophonic
Emilio Sosa — Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
David Zinn — An Enemy of the People
Best Lighting Design in a Play
Isabella Byrd — An Enemy of the People
Amith Chandrashaker — Prayer for the French Republic
Jiyoun Chang — Stereophonic
Jane Cox — Appropriate (Winner)
Natasha Katz — Grey House
Best Sound Design of a 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 (Winner)
What's Your Reaction?
