Oklahoma!’s Ali Stroker, the first actress who needs a wheelchair for mobility known to have appeared on a Broadway stage, made history winning the Tony for Best Featured Actress at at the 73rd Tony Awards from New York City‘s Radio City Music Hall Sunday.
In her speech, Stroker, who was injured in an auto accident at two-years-old, told the crowd, ‘This award is for every kid who is watching tonight who has a disability, a limitation, a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena – you are!’
Network’s Bryan Cranston took home the Best Leading Actor in a Play honors, besting a talented field that included Paddy Considine (The Ferryman), Jeff Daniels (To Kill a Mockingbird), Adam Driver (Burn This), Jeremy Pope (Choir Boy).
Not mad as hell: Network’s Bryan Cranston took home the Best Leading Actor in a Play honors at the 73rd Tony Awards from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall Sunday
The Breaking Bad leading man jabbed President Donald Trump in his acceptance speech, saying, ‘The media is not the enemy of the people – demagoguery is the enemy of the people.’
James Corden, the host of CBS’s The Late Late Show and a Tony winner himself, hosted the show, which honors theater professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway.
He opened the proceedings with a musical bit in which he sat on a couch singing about the merits of musicals, with the curtain behind him to reveal the packed crown at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall behind him.
The packed number included a cameo from Bryan Cranston, who Corden singled out as he headed to the bathroom. Corden later did a routine in which he coached nominees to put on a good losing face, singling out Broadway mainstays Kristin Chenoweth and Matt Bomer in the bit.
Speaking out: The Breaking Bad leading man jabbed President Donald Trump in his acceptance speech, saying, ‘The media is not the enemy of the people – demagoguery is the enemy of the people’
Excalibur moment: In her speech, Stroker said, ‘This award is for every kid who is watching tonight who has a disability, a limitation, a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena – you are!’
Long time coming: The celebrated performer has been on Broadway since 2015
Key role: Stroker plays Ado Annie Carnes in the Broadway production of Oklahoma!
Happy: The performer looked joyous as she was snapped backstage at the show
Smiling: The beauty had previously taken the stage performing I Cain’t Say No
Soaking in the cheers: Stroker and her beau David Perlow posed backstage at the event
Big win: To Kill a Mockingbird’s Celia Keenan-Bolger won the honors for Best Featured Actress in a Play
Next up was a Temptations number from the musical Ain’t Too Proud.
To Kill a Mockingbird’s Celia Keenan-Bolger won the honors for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
Tina Fey and Jake Gyllenhaal presented the honors in the category, which also included nominees Fionnula Flanagan (The Ferryman), Kristine Nielsen (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus), Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus) and Ruth Wilson (King Lear).
Energetic: Isabelle McCalla (L) and Caitlin Kinnunen led the cast of The Prom onstage
Showman: Host James Corden opened the proceedings with a musical bit in which he sat on a couch singing about the merits of musicals
Entertaining: The late night host held nothing back in the clever number
Production: Corden and company held nothing back with the exhilarating opening number
Ink’s Bertie Carvel took home the Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play, defeating Robin De Jesús (The Boys in the Band), Gideon Glick (To Kill a Mockingbird), Brandon Uranowitz (Burn This) and Benjamin Walker (All My Sons) for the honors.
The Waverly Gallery’s Elaine May captured the Best Leading Actress in a Play, edging out nominees Annette Bening (All My Sons), Laura Donnelly (The Ferryman), Janet McTeer (Bernhardt/Hamlet), Laurie Metcalf (Hillary and Clinton), and Heidi Schreck (What the Constitution Means to Me).
The ceremony also included a live rendition from the Tootsie musical, and a monologue from playwright Jez Butterworth.
Hadestown’s Andre De Shields won the honors for Best Featured Actor in a Musical prevailing over fellow nominees Andy Grotelueschen (Tootsie), Patrick Page (Hadestown), Jeremy Pope (Ain’t Too Proud), and Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud).
Striking: Hadestown’s Reeve Carney gave it his all onstage in his performance
Hooray for Hollywood: Sienna Miller and Darren Criss appeared onstage at the event
Center stage: Santino Fontana performed in a number from Tootsie at the show
Victory: Ink’s Bertie Carvel took home the Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play
Smooth: The cast of the Temptations musical Ain’t Too Proud wowed the crowd at the event
Hadestown’s Rachel Chavkin claimed the prize for Best Direction of a Musical, besting Scott Ellis (Tootsie), Daniel Fish (Oklahoma!), Des McAnuff (Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations), and Casey Nicholaw (The Prom).
Chavkin delivered an inspiring speech about inclusivity after her win.
‘There are so many women who are ready to go,’ she said. ‘There are so many artists of color who are ready to go. And we need to see that racial diversity and gender diversity reflected in our critical establishment too.
‘This is not a pipeline issue. It is a failure of imagination by a field whose job is to imagine the way the world could be. So let’s do it.’
Breaking for the bathroom: Corden singled out Bryan Cranston during his number, as the actor protested he was headed for the bathroom
Banner evening: Oklahoma!’s Ali Stroker, seen in an in-show performance, made history with her victory at the ceremony
Winner: Elaine May beamed as she accepted the Leading Actress in a Play award for The Waverly Gallery
Next up was a live rendition from Beetlejuice, with the film’s Catherine O’Hara announcing the special performance. Other performances included the casts of Oklahoma!, The Prom, and Choir Boy, as well as a monologue from Taylor Mac.
The Boys in the Band was named the winner in the Best Revival of a Play category, besting Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, The Waverly Gallery, Torch Song and Burn This.
The Ferryman’s Sam Mendes won the Best Direction of a Play over Ink’s Rupert Goold, To Kill a Mockingbird’s Bartlett Sher, Network’s Ivo van Hove, and Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus’s George C. Wolfe.
Anaïs Mitchell of Hadestown won for music and lyrics for Best Original Score, besting fellow nominees Eddie Perfect (Beetlejuice), Joe Iconis (Be More Chill), Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Prom), David Yazbek (Tootsie) and Adam Guettel (To Kill a Mockingbird).
Passionate: Mart Crowley delivered an empowering speech collecting the win for The Boys in the Band for Best Revival of a Play
Recognition: Harold Wheeler and Rosemary Harris were honored with Tony awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater
Fan favorite: Taylor Mac delivered a brilliant monologue to the delight of the crowd
Jump for joy: Sergio Trujillo claimed the award for Best Choreography for Ain’t Too Proud
Gleeful: David Stone and Ryan Murphy claimed the Best Revival of a Play award for The Boys in the Band
Top of the zeitgeist: Pose star Billy Porter emerged onstage in a red ensemble with sequins and tulle
Proud: Anaïs Mitchell of Hadestown won for music and lyrics for Best Original Score
Glittering: The Cher Show’s Stephanie J. Block, who won Best Leading Actress in a Musical, wore an elaborate stage get-up during a performance
Oklahoma! defeated Kiss Me, Kate in the best musical revival category.
Tootsie’s Santino Fontana claimed the honors for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, winning out over Oklahoma!’s Damon Daunno, Beetlejuice’s Alex Brightman, Ain’t Too Proud’s Derrick Baskin, and The Prom’s Brooks Ashmanskas.
Stephanie J. Block of The Cher Show won Best Leading Actress in a Musical, beating out Caitlin Kinnunen and Beth Leavel (both in The Prom), Eva Noblezada in Hadestown and Kelli O’Hara in Kiss Me, Kate.
Staple: Catherine O’Hara announcing the special performance for Beetlejuice film’s act, as she appeared in the 1988 classic
Animated: Beetlejuice’s Alex Brightman was among the performers who took the stage on the night
Career night: Tootsie’s Santino Fontana claimed the honors for Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Ensemble: Hadestown cast and crew congregated onstage after the production was named Best Musical
At the end of the evening, Hadestown was named Best Musical, besting Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of The Temptations, Beetlejuice, The Prom and Tootsie.
Hollywood A-listers Cranston, Driver, May and Daniels made the cut but some of their starry colleagues did not, including Kerry Washington, Armie Hammer, Ethan Hawke, Joan Allen, Michael Cera, Lucas Hedges and Keri Russell.
