Broadway shared the wealth at the 79th Tony Awards on Sunday.
“Death of a Salesman,” a radical revival that restages Arthur Miller’s classic in a garage, was the big winner with six prizes, while “Schmigadoon!,” “The Lost Boys” and “Ragtime” each earned four statues. But no single show dominated the evening. Instead, it was a night that rewarded stage veterans like John Lithgow (“Giant”), Shoshana Bean (“The Lost Boys”) and Joshua Henry (“Ragtime”), as well as newcomers like Alden Ehrenreich (“Becky Shaw”). It was also a history-making ceremony, with “Liberation”’s Bess Wohl becoming the first female playwright in 38 years to win best play, while Apple, which produced “Schmigadoon!,” became the fastest streaming service to complete an EGOT.
Here are five key takeaways from a memorable celebration of theater.
Did This Show Produce Itself?
“Death of a Salesman” triumphed on Sunday, winning the award for best revival of a play. But one of the show’s leading creative forces went unacknowledged — for good reason. “Death of a Salesman” marked the return of Scott Rudin, the superstar producer who spent five years in exile after investigative stories were published about his abusive behavior with staff. It’s customary to name-check the producer of a show in an acceptance speech, but neither Joe Mantello nor Laurie Metcalf mentioned Rudin when they picked up their statues for best director and best featured actress, respectively. When the show won best revival, Nathan Lane — its star, and not one of its producers — rattled off a list of thank-yous, and again didn’t mention Rudin. Heading into the night, awards watchers wondered whether a Rudin backlash might deprive “Death of a Salesman” of top prizes. Sunday night’s ceremony offered a different message — Broadway is willing to work with Rudin, but applauding him is still a bridge too far.
All the Wrong Notes
Accepting the second of two Tony Awards he’d win for writing the score and book of “Schmigadoon!,” Cinco Paul pointed out a troubling trend: His show was one of just six new musicals last season. “That is not enough,” he said. “We need more new musicals on Broadway.” But there’s a reason why Broadway musicals are an endangered species — money. Since COVID, only five musicals have recouped their investment, and the price tag of mounting these shows has only grown. “Schmigadoon!,” which won best musical, reportedly cost $15 million to stage, while its main competition for the prize, “The Lost Boys,” was capitalized at $25 million. Yet if Broadway wants to keep drawing crowds, it needs to offer its signature razzle-dazzle. After all, as Lorne Michaels, one of the producers of “Schmigadoon!,” put it: “Sometimes singing, dancing, a lot of jokes and a happy ending is really all you need.”
There Is Nothing Like a Dame
Lesley Manville, who made her Broadway debut at 69, joins a long line of British acting titans to be embraced by New York’s theater community despite spending most of their careers on the West End. Her performance as Jocasta in “Oedipus” showed people on this side of the pond what they’ve been missing — Manville delivered a 10-minute monologue that had audiences mesmerized. And she was rewarded with a best leading actress Tony, joining fellow Brits like Maggie Smith (“Lettice and Lovage”), Judi Dench (“Amy’s View”) and Vanessa Redgrave (“Long Day’s Journey Into Night”) in the winner’s circle. Smith and Dench never returned to Broadway after winning their Tonys, but Redgrave was lured back twice. Here’s hoping Manville follows Redgrave’s model.
Happy Pride!
Broadway’s biggest night was loud, proud and unapologetically queer. Performances by nominees like “The Rocky Horror Show,” which featured action star Luke Evans in fishnets and a thong, and “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” with its voguing LGBTQ+ dancers, were enough to give Stephen Miller a stroke. And one winner after another used their time at the microphone to praise the theater industry’s history of providing refuge for people who have been ostracized or othered. Some of the night’s biggest cheers were reserved for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”’s Qween Jean, who became the first openly transgender person to win a Tony when she accepted her prize for best costume design of a musical. “We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people,” Qween Jean said. “We have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm.”
Broadway’s Newest Star Is … Pink?
Pink may never have appeared on a Broadway stage. But as the host of the Tony Awards, the pop star showed she has the pipes of a veteran belter with a roof-rattling opening number set to “Lady Marmalade.” That wasn’t her only showstopper. Pink also performed “All That Jazz” as part of a tribute to “Chicago,” leaving guests at Tony after-parties wondering if Velma Kelly might be in her future. Heading into the evening, Pink described herself as one of Broadway’s biggest fans. After the Tonys, the feeling is mutual.