The Heart of Rock and Roll, a jukebox musical featuring songs from the GRAMMY Award-winning band Huey Lewis and the News, is coming to Broadway this spring.
Matt Doyle and members of the Old Globe company of “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” 2018. Credit: Jim Cox.
The show will begin performances on March 29, 2024, ahead of an opening night on April 22 at the James Earl Jones Theatre. The musical premiered at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre in 2018, featuring a cast led by Tony winner Matt Doyle and Katie Rose Clarke. A summer 2023 workshop was led by Jonah Platt with Clarke.
The Heart of Rock and Roll tells the story of two 30-somethings each with certain plans, changing when they meet each other, set to a score of songs made famous by Huey Lewis and the News.
The Heart of Rock and Roll features a book by Jonathan A. Abrams, based on a story created by Tyler Mitchell and Abrams. Brian Usifer does the music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations, with Gordon Greenberg directing and choreography by Lorin Latarro. The musical is also being produced by Hunter Arnold, Mitchell, and Kayla Greenspan.
Working on our show has been so gratifying. I’ve always been a storyteller, and it’s a thrill to see my songs woven together in service of a fantastic, new story. That it will all take place on the world’s most prestigious stage — Broadway — just makes the ride that much sweeter.
Huey Lewis
Lewis’s tune “The Power of Love” was featured in Back to the Future on Broadway earlier this year, and in the original movie as well. “The Power of Love,” as well as “Workin’ for a Livin’,” “Stuck with You,” “If This Is It” and the musical’s title tune are among the Huey Lewis and the News songs that will be featured in The Heart of Rock and Roll.
Casting for the Broadway production, as well as additional creative team members, will be announced soon. To purchase tickets and find more information, visit here.
In a groundbreaking announcement, producers Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, and Tom Kirdahy revealed that Grammy Award®-winning music icon Ani DiFranco will embark on her Broadway debut as ‘Persephone’ in the Tony® and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical, Hadestown, at the Walter Kerr Theatre starting February 9, 2024.
DiFranco’s association with Hadestown dates back to 2010 when she extended an invitation to Anaïs Mitchell to release the original studio album on DiFranco’s label, Righteous Babe Records. Having originated the role of ‘Persephone’ on the album, DiFranco’s return to the character marks a significant moment in the evolution of the show.
Expressing her excitement, Ani DiFranco stated, “I could not be more thrilled to be joining the cast of Hadestown. It’s like I get to rewind to my New York youth and follow the road not taken.”
Mitchell added, “I can’t really overstate the influence of Ani’s music and example on me as a young songwriter. Poetic, bold, radically emotive and FUN, she simply has been a mythic figure in my life, and I can’t think of anything more beautifully full circle than Ani playing the role of ‘Persephone’ on Broadway. Grateful and awestruck.”
Widely acknowledged as a feminist icon, Ani DiFranco pioneered the DIY movement, establishing her own record label in 1990. Beyond her reputation as the “Little Folksinger,” her music spans genres from punk and funk to hip hop and jazz. Her recent works include the 2021 album Revolutionary Love and the 25th-anniversary reissue of Little Plastic Castle in June 2023, both released on her label Righteous Babe Records. In addition to her musical endeavors, her memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream became a New York Times Top 10 best seller in May 2019, and she recently released her debut children’s book, The Knowing.
Hadestown’s current cast features Betty Who as Persephone (through February 4), Jordan Fisher as Orpheus, Tony Award winner Lillias White as Hermes, Phillip Boykin as Hades, and Solea Pfeiffer as Eurydice. The production, with its unique blend of modern American folk music and New Orleans-inspired jazz, has earned critical acclaim for reimagining the ancient tale and providing audiences with a captivating theatrical experience.
In addition to her musical achievements, Ani DiFranco has left an indelible mark in her hometown of Buffalo. Renaming the 19th-century Gothic church she bought and renovated, the venue, originally dubbed The Church, is now known as Babeville. This multifaceted space houses her music label, Righteous Babe Records, and the Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center. A proud Buffalo native, DiFranco continues to contribute to the cultural vibrancy of her hometown.
Tickets for Hadestown are available at www.seatgeek.com/hadestown-tickets or by visiting the Walter Kerr Theatre box office. Don’t miss the chance to witness Ani DiFranco’s Broadway debut in this transformative and resonant production.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical will be welcoming GRAMMY award-winning singer, songwriter and trailblazer Boy George in his return to Broadway as he performs the the role of “Harold Zidler” at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre, starting February 6, 2024.
Boy George rose to fame as the lead singer of the iconic band Culture Club, first appearing on Top of the Pops with Culture Club in 1982, he instantly had people talking. The pop sensation achieved seven UK Top 10 singles, nine Top 10 singles in the USA, and nine Top 20 singles in Australia including, “Karma Chameleon” and “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me”.
Boy George was last represented in the Broadway production Taboo in 2003, where he performed and wrote the music for the production. Taboo became well respected for highlighting the 80’s club scene, and focusing on George’s life before and after achieving fame.
Boy George attracted high praise and gained global recognition, creating a world-wide presence that transcends age, race, colour, creed, nationality and even religion. He began his solo career in 1987 and became part of the New Romantic movement which emerged in the late 1970s to early 1980s.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the winner of ten 2021 Tony Awards, directed by Alex Timbers and choreography by Sonya Tayeh and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Justin Levine. Moulin Rouge! The Musical enters a world of splendor and romance, eye-popping excess, glitz, grandeur, glory and a world where bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows to revel in electrifying enchantment. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film come to life onstage, remixed in a musical mash-up extravaganza celebrating truth, beauty and freedom.
For more information on Boy George in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, please visit here.
L-Acoustics released a video piece about the use of the pioneering audio technology L-ISA in the Broadway production of Here Lies Love. Featuring interviews with musical legend David Byrne (concept, music & lyrics), sound designers Cody Spencer and M.L. Dogg, and scenic designer David Korins, the video goes in depth on how L-ISA is used in the show and what it means in the context of Broadway productions.
Here Lies Love is a revolutionary Broadway show with a rock-pop pedigree, creating a demand for a sufficient sound system to do justice to the Byrne-Fatboy Slim musical. The L-ISA spatial sound system brings an essential sense of immersion to the production, with over 220 speakers in configuration around the theater.
Here Lies Love tells the story of former Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos’ astonishing rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution. The show features the first all-Filipino cast to perform on Broadway, and opened in July to raving reviews.
Developed and directed by Tony Award-winner Alex Timbers and choreographed by Olivier Award-nominee Annie-B Parson, the show uses creative choreography and movement to immerse the audience in not only the music, but the dancing and thrill of the Broadway experience.
Tickets are on sale at Telecharge.com, by phone at 212-239-6200, or in person at the Broadway Theatre box office (1681 Broadway at 53rd Street). For information on groups of 10+, contact Broadway Inbound at broadwayinbound.com or call 866-302-0995.
Rush tickets are available in-person at the Broadway Theatre box office on the day of the performance for $35 each. Tickets are limited to a maximum of 2 per person and are subject to availability.
Digital lottery entrants can register for the chance to purchase up to 2 tickets at $39 each. Entries for the Here Lies Love digital lottery start at 12 AM, one day before the performance, and winners are drawn the same day at 10 AM and 3 PM. Visit rush.telecharge.com for more information and to register. Drawings only appear when they are open for entries.
Playbill, The Broadway League, and the Times Square Alliance have announced the lineup of Broadway shows to be included in the Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway finale concert, concluding the third-annual Curtain Up Broadway Festival.
The Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway finale concert will be a grand, outdoor event taking place rain or shine on Sunday, Sept. 10 from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM in Duffy Square. This free outdoor concert spotlights marquee talent, showcases current Broadway musicals and plays, and will be aired live on WABC TV.
Participating shows include & Juliet; A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical; Aladdin; Back to the Future: The Musical; The Book of Mormon; Chicago; The Cottage; Hadestown; Harmony; How to Dance in Ohio; Jaja’s African Hair Braiding; Kimberly Akimbo; The Lion King; Moulin Rouge! The Musical; The Shark Is Broken; Shucked; SIX;Some Like It Hot; Spamalot; Wicked; and more areto be announced.
From Friday, Sept. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 10 the Curtain Up Broadway Festival brings Broadway to the streets, in the heart of New York City. Stretching between 45th and 47th Streets, the festival will include interactive events and performances that are all live, free, and open to the public. It kicks off with guest speakers from Playbill, The Broadway League, Times Square Alliance, & Prudential Financial, with Broadway guest hosts, special performances, and special guests from The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), Hotel Edison, Open Jar Studios, The Entertainment Community Fund, and more.
What better way to kick off a new Broadway season than to celebrate the Curtain Up Broadway Festival in Times Square. This incredible three-day festival will host special concerts, sing-alongs, and workshops, just to name a few of the many exciting events planned. Last season, Broadway had a total attendance of 12.3 million indicating just how much live theatre means to so many and its pivotal role in NYC’s economic development. We’ll wrap up the weekend with the Curtain Up! LIVE from Broadway finale concert on Sunday, September 10th and thank WABC for returning to live broadcast the star-studded show.
Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League.
The Prudential Stages on Broadway Brought to You by Playbill contest hosted by Brittney Johnson, an acclaimed Broadway star who made history playing the title role of Glinda in the smash-hit musical Wicked, will take place on September 9 and gives aspiring and emerging artists across the country the opportunity to capitalize on their “Now What?” moment. The winning artists will have the chance to network with theatre professionals – like host Johnson and contest judges Tara Rubin and Allen René Louis – and could walk away with a monetary prize of up to $10,000 plus an opportunity for financial advice from a Prudential Advisor.
Additional events include ¡Viva! Broadway® Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, Broadway Sing-Alongs throughout the festival on the ‘Belt It Out On Broadway’ stage, Curtain Up After Dark events featuring Broadway Sings and Rockers On Broadway, Ailey’s Revelations dance workshop, multiple Dueling Piano events at the ‘Belt It Out on Broadway’ stage, Broadway Block Parties presented by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), and more to be announced.
For more information and a full lineup, visit here.
Midnight Theatre will celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary by welcoming in Freestyle+ on Aug. 17. Recognized as New York’s premier Hip-Hop improv group, Freestyle+ is set to pay homage to the genre’s fundamentals. The performance will incorporate elements of “MCing, DJing, Breakdancing, Graffiti, and Knowledge.” Audience members will even have the opportunity to join the cast in a show-closing cypher.
Brett Beyer Photography
Anthony Veneziale, Chris Sullivan, and Andrew Bancroft, members of the Tony Award-winning production Freestyle Love Supreme, established the FLS Academy in 2018. The academy looks to foster diverse and creative voices through freestyle rap. Freestyle+ was born out of the organization and looks to fuse influences of Broadway and hip-hop culture. This month’s cast features legend Dizzy Senze, Broadway’s Aneesa Folds, and Rich Midway. They will also be joined by two-time world champion beatboxer Kaila Mullady, improv whiz Steph Rae, and DJ Gedun.
We believe everyone should be empowered to build resilience in their minds, confidence in their voice, and communities where they feel seen.
-Freestyle+
Midnight Theatre is a unique and intimate performance theater located in Manhattan. The 150-seat venue acts as both a versatile space for shows and an entertainment industry hub. Previous acts include Shoshana Bean, Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Marano, and Raye. Midnight Theatre is also a culinary destination thanks to the venue’s pan-Asian restaurant and bar, Hidden Leaf.
Freestyle+ Celebrates Hip Hop’s 50th Birthday is on Aug. 17 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are on sale here.
National Black Theatre (NBT) recently announced that it would be joining the production team for the revival of Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch. The venture marks the second consecutive season that NBT will be on Broadway, following its acclaimed production of Fat Ham. Previews will begin on Sept. 7 and opening is set for Sept. 27 at The Music Box Theatre.
Jonathan McCrory, Leslie Odom Jr., Sade Lythcott (Credit: Jennifer Broski/Broadway World)
Artist Dr. Barbara Ann Teer founded National Black Theater in 1968. Recognized as the longest-running Black theatre in New York City, NBT has received Tony and Emmy nominations. The organization aims to produce powerful works of theatre that “shift the inaccuracies around African Americans’ cultural identity by telling authentic stories of Black lives.” NBT also serves as a space for learning, using arts to educate and empower those in the community. Based in Harlem, the Theatre is set to undergo a capital redevelopment project that will transform the space “into a 21st-century destination for Black culture.”
We are delighted to welcome the venerated National Black Theatre, under the leadership of Sade Lythcott and Jonathan McCrory, to the producing team of Purlie Victorious. Their participation and input into the production seems especially appropriate, since both the play and National Black Theatre… emerged in the 1960’s, during a period of intense social upheaval and cultural reexamination.
Producers Jeffrey Richards and Irene Gandy
Legendary playwright, actor, and activist Ossie Davis originally penned Purlie Victorious. The comedy details the story of a Black preacher returning to his small hometown in Georgia. Based in the era of Jim Crow, the preacher looks to save the community’s church and free the cotton pickers working on a nearby plantation. The play premiered on Broadway in 1961 and initally featured actors Alan Alda, Godfrey Cambridge, Sorrell Booke and Beah Richards. For its 100th performance, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. visited the company and celebrated the milestone with them.
Kenny Leon will direct the latest rendition of the iconic play. Actors Leslie Odom Jr, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Billy Eugene Jones, Noah Pyzik, Noah Robbins, and many more set to star Purlie Victorious. The performance will also feature contributions from Tony Award winner Derek McLane who will be responsible for scenic design.
United in vision and intention, it is a privilege to partner with National Black Theatre on the revival of Purlie Victorious. Creativity, ingenuity, resources, and a touch of class—our room is better for having them in it!
Leslie Odom Jr.
NBT is led by CEO Sade Lythcott and Executive Artistic Director Jonathan McCrory. The group hosts more than 90,000 visitors annually and has produced over 300 original works.
Tickets are on sale here. Call 212-239-6200 or in person at The Music Theatre box office. Here for more details and information.
TKTS, which revolutionized same-day discount theatre tickets for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, has announced it is celebrating its 50th anniversary in Times Square with special activities.
The Theatre Development Fund’s TKTS will celebrate its golden anniversary behind the TKTS Booth on Broadway and 47th Street, in front of the red steps on June 28, starting at 11 a.m. The City of New York will present a proclamation to TDF which will be accepted by S. Epatha Merkerson, a two-time Tony Award nominee and beloved star of Law & Order and Chicago Med, along with other activities.
The look of the TKTS Booth may have changed over the years, but what happens at it has not. For 50 years, TKTS has provided affordable tickets to people on a budget who would not be able to attend Broadway and Off Broadway any other way. Among the many things TKTS has done over the years is to build new audiences. More than 30% of folks who get tickets at TKTS have never been to a Broadway show before. We’re proud to be able to continue to be the entry point for millions of new theatregoers and grateful to have been of service to New Yorkers, tourists from all over the US and indeed the world.
Victoria Bailey, TDF’s Executive Director.
Operated by TDF, a not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts, TKTS Times Square opened for business on June 25, 1973, and quickly became a mecca for theatergoers from all over the world. Selling same-day discount tickets, the booth is one of New York City’s most photographed landmarks. The current booth, housed under red glass steps, opened in 2008 and has garnered more than a dozen international design awards.
To date, TKTS has been responsible for 68.6 million admissions to thousands of Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, returning over $2.68 billion in revenue to those shows over the past half-century. The early supporters did not realize they were creating a phenomenon that would be replicated worldwide, and since then, booths have developed in Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, London, and Sydney.
TKTS in 1973.
The celebration in Times Square features emcee Eric Ulloa, an actor, playwright, and TDF Wendy Wasserstein Project mentor, Broadway Inspirational Voices, who will perform a medley of songs from Broadway musicals of the past 50 years, arranged by the ensemble’s artistic director Allen René Louis, and a Broadway sing along with tunes played by Marie’s Crisis pianist Franca Vercelloni. There will also be TKTS gift certificate giveaways, TKTS trivia, and a roaming photo booth.
For more information about TDF’s TKTS, visit here.
Partnering organizations, the Shubert Foundation and Music Theatre International have recently announced the return of their annual Broadway Junior Student Finale. The 18th celebration will commence on June 22 at 11:15 a.m. at Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre located in Midtown Manhattan.
Throughout the past four years, since the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on human normality, the Broadway Student Finale has looked much different than previous years as schools all across the world and Broadway itself was shut down. Now, the students have returned to the stage to bask in the blinding spotlights provided by a real theater and not a computer screen.
The Shubert Foundation and MTI Broadway Junior partnership founded the musical theatre mentorship program to help public schools create change in their community’s social culture through building sustainable theatre education programs. The Shubert Foundation is the largest institutional funder of theatre education programs throughout NYC public schools and has provided nearly $8 million for Theatre and Arts programs in NYC.
Its partner in Broadway Junior, Music Theatre International, is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world, including schools, the right to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. The organization’s initiative has had substantial widespread involvement as 167 schools and more than 24,500 students have participated in Broadway Junior while over 100 schools are currently in the program.
The Broadway Junior process is vast as it spans multiple years of involvement with students, teachers, and public schools. In the first year of the program, teachers and students are guided step-by-step through the process of producing a first-ever musical in their schools. In the second year, teachers and students continue to receive support and encouragement on their second musical but take ownership of their productions. In the third year and beyond, schools present a musical independently and serve as inspiration for other schools involved in earlier cycles of the program. The program utilizes master teachers and expert production advisers from educational theatre organizations, iTheatrics, Broadway Bound Kids, and ArtsConnection.
Hundreds of these participating students from Brooklyn to Staten Island will share musical numbers from their fully produced school shows at the Finale. The Broadway shows being represented include Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR., Disney’s Aladdin JR., Into the Woods JR., Dear Edwina JR., Disney’s High School Musical JR., Legally Blonde The Musical JR., Disney’s The Lion King JR., Once on This Island JR., Shrek The Musical JR., and Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR.
Not only will students get the chance to perform on such an iconic stage at the 18th Broadway Junior Finale, but various Broadway professionals will be in attendance including the two hosts Jeanna de Waal and Uma Paranjpe. Also in attendance will be The Shubert Foundation President Diana Philips along with prominent members of the event’s other sponsors.
“The success of the program since 2005 has demonstrated that theater enhances young performers’ ability to collaborate, follow directions, practice self-discipline and work ethics, and use their imaginations while honing their verbal communication skills and developing social skills which will serve them well in navigating life,” said Drew Cohen, President, and CEO of Music Theatre International. “We are grateful to the students, of course, and also to the teachers, teaching artists, and parents who make this opportunity a reality for the students.”
The 18th Broadway Junior Student Finale performances from middle school groups participating in the second year of the program:
Brooklyn Environmental Exploration School
The Emerson School (Queens)
I.S. 136 Charles O. Dewey (Brooklyn)
Isaac Newton Middle School for Math and Science (Manhattan)
Manhattan School for Career Development
Marsh Avenue Expeditionary Learning School (Staten Island)
M.S. 935 (Brooklyn)
M.S. 158Q Marie Curie Middle School (Queens)
Pelham Gardens Middle School (Bronx)
P.S. 177Q The Robin Sue Ward School of Excellence (Queens)
Pugsley Preparatory Academy (Bronx)
Stephen Decatur Middle School 35 (Brooklyn)
The William W. Niles School – JHS 118 (Bronx)
Year Three and Graduated Schools participating in the Shubert/ MTI Musical Ensembles:
Accion Academy (Bronx)
Collaborative Arts Middle School (Queens)
Corona Arts and Sciences Academy (Queens)
Evergreen Middle School (Brooklyn)
I.S. 96 Seth Low (Brooklyn)
I.S. 131 The Albert Einstein Intermediate School (Bronx)
I.S. 217 School of Performing Arts (Bronx)
I.S. 392 (Brooklyn)
JHS 185 Edward Bleeker (Queens)
Lafayette Academy (Manhattan)
M. S. 101 The Edward R. Byrne School (Bronx)
M.S. 129 Academy for Independent Learning & Leadership(Bronx)
M.S. 331 Bronx School of Young Leaders (Bronx)
M.S. 915 (Brooklyn)
New Preparatory Middle School (Queens)
P.S./M.S. 4 Crotona Park West (Bronx)
P.S./I.S. 30 Mary White Ovington School (Brooklyn)
Last night, the 76th annual Tony Awards celebrated this year on Broadway by making history and breaking rules, and awarding Kimberly Akimbo the Award for Best Musical.
Ariana Debose hosting, credit to Kevin Mazur.
At the United Palace in Washington Heights, the audience gathered to reflect on and award this past Broadway season. The theatre industry has seen drama offstage this year. Arguments about how much actors should give to their performances, discussions on the industry’s ableism and racism, post-COVID struggles that forced iconic shows to close, and Patti LuPone ripping up her Equity union card were just some of the one-act plays we saw debut on social media.
Ariana Debose hosted the show for the second year in a row. But this year, she did things differently. The show opened to her looking through her script for the 76th annual Tony Awards, only to find blank pages. Unlike most Tony Awards opening numbers, there was no singing. DeBose moved into an impressive dance number choreographed by Carla Garcia. It was started the night with a bang as it married Fosse with modern styles. Once onstage―after catching her breath―DeBose shared the “very good reason” why the Tony’s script pages were blank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4oQeYx5INE
“Our siblings over at the [Writer’s Guild of America] are currently on strike in pursuit of a fair deal,” DeBose said. “I’m sure some of you at home are thinking, ‘Oh, okay, but what does that have to do with the Tony Awards?…Award shows are traditionally written by members of the WGA. So in order for this show to go on, a whole host of people had to come together in order to find a compromise…And so now you are asking, what’s the compromise? Well, we don’t have a script.”
Without teleprompters, the night felt charged. Just like any Broadway show, this truly was a live performance. But that wasn’t the only part of the Tony’s that made it unlike any other before. Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee made history as they became the first out non-binary actors to win Tony awards. Even though Toby Marlow, who won the Tony for best musical score for Six, is non-binary, Newell and Ghee are the first in the Tony’s only gendered category: acting.
Photo by Theo Wargo, Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro.
Newell won best supporting actor in a musical for their performance of Lulu in Shucked, a new musical comedy nominated for 9 Tony awards. Shucked tells the story of Maizy, who travels to find out why all of the corn in her small town, Cob County, is dying. The constant corny humor makes audiences laugh nonstop.
“Broadway, I should not be up here,” Newell said in their acceptance speech. “As a queer, non-binary, fat, black little baby from Massachusetts. And to anyone that thinks that they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face and tell you that you can do anything you put your mind to.”
J. Harrison Ghee accepts the award for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical for “Some Like It Hot” at the 76th annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at the United Palace Theater in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Charles Sykes, Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Soon after, Ghee accepted the Tony for best leading actor in a musical for their portrayal of Jerry/Daphne in Some Like it Hot. They thanked their producers and creative team for letting them lead. “Thank you…for letting me be representation, letting lives be seen.”
Although there were many great shows nominated, one swept overall. New musical Kimberly Akimbo won 5 awards, including best new musical. Even though the night was unscripted, critics and audiences alike were not surprised.
The musical tells the story of Kimberly, a 16-year-old girl born with a rare genetic condition that makes her age almost five times as fast as kids her age. The show is heartwarming and breaking. Other than best musical, Kimberly Akimbo took home beat supporting actress (Bonnie Milligan), best lead actress (Victoria Clarke), best original score, and best book of a musical.
Despite how the show was real and unfiltered, censorship reminded viewers of big differences between stage and screen. After two previous nominations, Michael Arden scored his first win for Direction of a musical for his work on Parade, which won best musical revival. Arden took his acceptance speech as an opportunity to speak out about the need to fight intolerance. “It is so, so important,” Arden stressed, “or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.”
Michael Arden’s bleeped-out Tony Award speech is instantly iconic:
"Growing up, I was called the F-word more times than I could remember. And all I can say now is I'm a faggot with a Tony!"#TonyAwardspic.twitter.com/pJYzfgIJoh
What viewers remember most about Arden’s speech, though, is something we could not even hear. “to our beautiful trans, nonbinary, queer youth, know that your queerness is what makes you beautiful and powerful,” he expressed. “Growing up, I was called the f word more times than I can remember, and now all I can say is I’m a f***** with a tony.” CBS censored the last words of Arden’s speech. Still, we saw how the live audience stood up and cheered louder than they had all night.
If you missed the 76th Tony Awards, you can stream it on Paramount Plus.
76th Annual Tony Award Winners
Best Play
Ain’t No Mo’ Between Riverside and Crazy Cost of Living Fat Ham Leopoldstadt
Best Musical
& Juliet Kimberly Akimbo New York, New York Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Revival of a Play
August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson A Doll’s House The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Best Revival of a Musical
Parade Into the Woods Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Book of a Musical
& Juliet Kimberly Akimbo New York, New York Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Almost Famous Kimberly Akimbo KPOP Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog Corey Hawkins, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy Wendell Pierce, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House Jodie Comer, Prima Facie Jessica Hecht, Summer, 1976 Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Some Like It Hot J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Brian d’Arcy James, Into the Woods Ben Platt, Parade Colton Ryan, New York, New York
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo Lorna Courtney, & Juliet Micaela Diamond, Parade
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Jordan E. Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’ Samuel L. Jackson, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt David Zayas, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nikki Crawford, Fat Ham Crystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’ Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living Kara Young, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kevin Cahoon, Shucked Justin Cooley, Kimberly Akimbo Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like It Hot Jordan Donica, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Alex Newell, Shucked
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Julia Lester, Into the Woods Ruthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Bonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo NaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It Hot Betsy Wolfe, & Juliet
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Prima Facie Life of Pi Good Night, Oscar Leopoldstadt A Christmas Carol
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
New York, New York Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Shucked Some Like It Hot
Best Costume Design of a Play
Life of Pi Fat Ham Leopoldstadt Ain’t No Mo’ Good Night, Oscar
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Some Like It Hot Parade Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot KPOP & Juliet New York, New York
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Leopoldstadt Prima Facie A Doll’s House Fat Ham Life of Pi Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman A Christmas Carol
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
New York, New York Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot Parade & Juliet Some Like It Hot Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Sound Design of a Play
Ain’t No Mo’ Life of Pi A Christmas Carol A Doll’s House Prima Facie
Best Sound Design of a Musical
New York, New York Shucked Into the Woods & Juliet Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Direction of a Play
Saheem Ali, Fat Ham Jo Bonney, Cost of Living Jamie Lloyd, A Doll’s House Patrick Marber, Leopoldstadt Stevie Walker-Webb, Ain’t No Mo’ Max Webster, Life of Pi
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Parade Lear deBessonet, Into the Woods Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot Jack O’Brien, Shucked Jessica Stone, Kimberly Akimbo
Best Choreography
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Some Like It Hot New York, New York & Juliet KPOP
Best Orchestrations
& Juliet Kimberly Akimbo Shucked Some Like It Hot New York, New York
