June 17, 202411:29
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Punctually, around 9 p.m. Argentina– Ariana DeBose, the winner of the Oscar for his supporting role in Love without barriersinaugurated the 77th edition of the Tony Awards for the North American stagesomething like the Oscar of the theater. The actress and singer returned to host the award ceremony after two consecutive seasons in which she more than fulfilled – sobriety and friendliness – the challenge of leading the three-hour official ceremony that she broadcast live. Films & Artsfor the first time since David H. Koch Theater of the Lincoln Center of Manhattanin the heart of New York’s theater district. On Saturday the 22nd, the ceremony will be subtitled in Spanish.
After an opening musical, the host of the show made the formal presentation of the delivery, which had as exclusive candidates: Hell’s Kitchenmusical based on the singer’s life Alicia Keys, now the piece Stereophonicwhose script tells the story of a rock band with the sounds of arcade Fire. Both titles led the list of nominations, ranking in thirteen categories each, although They did not reap the expected amount of prizes.
“When I was little, my aunt and my godmother took me to see my first show in broadway, Wiz. The public’s reaction made me say “I want to do that, I want to reach people’s emotions and hearts,” he said. DeBose at the beginning of the broadcast, achieving the first standing ovation from a star-filled audience. The actress was summoned again after having directed the last installment practically without a script, given the scriptwriters’ strike that was taking place in the USA at the time of delivery.
This season, the circuit broadway –undisputed cradle of North American theater, with repercussions in the main stage venues of the world– has been graced with the presence of notable figures from film and TV such as Daniel Radcliffe, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, Rachel McAdams, Brooke Shields Sarah Paulson and Jessica Langewhich gave the ceremony of Tony a major artistic value. The award-winning works were released between April 27, 2023 and April 25, 2024.
The award ceremony – an aspirational recognition of the entertainment industry – is usually one of the most watched programs on TV. USA and a great accolade for some of the award-winning titles, although the majority of the candidates arrive at the venue with laudatory work and good ticket sales performance. However, Broadway has not finished recovering after the Covid pandemic. Although tickets slightly decreased in value during the last season, costs rose and the collection record of $1.8 billion achieved during 2018-2019 was far away.
Making history, the award was established in 1947. SYour name pays tribute to Antoinette Perrynicknamed “Tony”who was an actress, director, producer and co-founder of the American Theater Wingdied in 1946 and that played a leading role in entertaining the allied soldiers during the Second World War.
Each item had a guest star presenting it. Among the main names were Angelina Jolie, Nick Jonas, Idina Menzel, Ashley Park, Jim Parsons, Wendell Pierce, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Josh Gad, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sean Hayes, Taraji P. Henson, Julianne Hough, Jennifer Hudson, Pete Townshend, Tamara Tunie, Adrianne Warren, Patrick Wilson, Anthony Ramos, Andrew Rannells and Jeffrey Wright.
Nine minutes into the ceremony, Jeremy Strong He went up to receive the first prize of the night. The star won in the category best leading actor for his role in An enemy of the peoplethe classic of Henrik Ibsen.
After strong dedicated the award to his wife, a musical scene from Hell’s Kitchenone of the favorites of the night, received with a standing ovation among those present who celebrated the appearance of the creator and producer of the work, Alicia Keys and the surprise of the night: the rapper Jay Z, who joined him to perform together his song “Empire State of Mind”, which is part of the musical and managed to get the entire audience dancing.
The best supporting actor performance corresponded to Will Brill for his work in Stereophonic, one of the season’s highlights. A new ovation was received by the presence on stage of Pete Townshendband member The Whowho began his speech with the classic Shakespearean speech “to be or not to be”, before becoming part of the musical table of the new staging. tommythe successful play that returned to Broadway.
The gray hair Kara Young he took his statuette in the field Best Supporting Actress for his work in Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch (The purge of victory). The artist was one of the most excited to receive her award, in a ceremony that was characterized by the sobriety and elegance of those present. Below, a scene from the musical Merrily We Roll Along, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, He received another of the great applauses of the night.
Daniel Aukindirector of Stereophonicgave him the second Tony to the piece. The experienced director was the first of the award winners to read his gratitude speech. He then appealed to the same appeal. Danya Taymorwho was the winner as best director in musical for the work The Outsiders (Strangers), supporting his award on the stage to read his message.
At the opening of a new section of the transmission Radcliffeone of the stars of the night, took the stage to receive his recognition as best actor in a featured role in a musical for his character in the play Merrily We Roll Alongwhose first version dates back to 1934, the first statuette that the actor received from Harry Potter.
Kecia Lewis won like Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical by Hell’s Kitchen. Dressed in a striking dress with feathers and wearing the most striking hairstyle of the night, the beloved actress joked by taking her cell phone to read her gratitude and not being able to find the corresponding text. To the actress, singer and songwriter Shaina Taub His heart seemed to jump out of his mouth when he heard his name. The brilliant musician received her statuette for the original lyrics and music of Suffsthe musical that portrays the struggle of the suffragettes at the beginning of the 20th century and that carries a clear message about women’s rights and equality. Suffs features Hillary Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai as producers, becoming the most acclaimed piece by the female audience in the last Broadway season.
A painting of Cabaret, “At The Kit Kat Club” closed a section of the broadcast, turning the room into a glamorous space of furious red.
The image of Chita Rivera, a symbol of musical theater, who died on January 30 at the age of 91, closed the obituary where the representatives of the industry who died in the last period considered for the awards paraded. It is worth remembering that the actress personified, among many other roles, Jenny (The Threepenny Opera), Charity Hope Valentine (Sweet Charity) and Velma Kelly (Chicago).
An interesting category of the Tonys – which could well be implemented in some awards with which the Buenos Aires scene is recognized – is best revival of a play. In the 77th edition of the award, the recognition was in the hands of Appropriate, the piece that takes as its trigger the ties of the Lafayette family, after the death of its patriarch. Current and historical protagonists of the work gathered in the David H. Koch room at Lincoln Center. In the category of best revival of a musical, it was privileged Merrily We Roll Along.
As expected, Stereophonic, by David Adjmi, one of the most nominated pieces, was the one that was consecrated as best work. In the case of best actress, the award went to Sarah Paulson for his work in Appropriatedrama written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkinssurpassing icons like Jessica Langenominated by mother game. Another of the predictable awards was the one that went to Maleah Joi Moon for best actress in a musical thanks to his work in Hell’s Kitchen. The performer greeted some of her colleagues on her way to the stage, before she asked for help to be able to remove the printed note with her thanks from her wallet. Dressed in a silver dress and with a haircut very different from the one seen on stage, she was one of the most elegant of the night.
In the case of best lead actor in a musical, the Tony went to Jonathan Groff, exclusive protagonist of Merrily We Roll Along. About the end, the best musical category it was for The Outsiders, one of the well-deserved surprises of the night, which brought its entire team to the stage, including its producer, Angelina Jolie, who had also been in charge of presenting the musical tableau of the work that was presented during the ceremony. The work is based on the novel by SE Hinton, which was adapted to film by Francis Ford Coppola 40 years ago as Rumble Fisha film known in Spanish as The street law.
Short speeches (with some exceptions) and presentations of topics with very brief scenes that left you wanting more. Elegance and discretion. Festive atmosphere, excitement, but without stridency. It was a very neat delivery, in accordance with the critical times that the world is experiencing and a certain crisis that still broadway can’t be taken off.
