The 76th annual Tony Awards were held on Sunday evening at the United Palace in Manhattan’s Washington Heights district. Hosting the prestigious event was none other than Ariana DeBose, the talented Oscar-winning actress. Broadcasting on CBS and Paramount+, the awards ceremony recognised outstanding plays and musicals that graced Broadway between April 29, 2022, and April 27, 2023.
Before the main ceremony, viewers were treated to a special segment streamed on Pluto TV, hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin. This pre-ceremony segment unveiled several noteworthy awards, including honours for lifetime achievement and best original score.
This year’s Tony Awards faced potential cancellation due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, causing great concern. Fortunately, an agreement was reached with the union, leading to a script-less presentation to comply with the agreement. Playwrights rallied together to save the telecast when the screenwriters’ strike loomed last month. The ceremony proceeded without an opening number, and writers were encouraged to record their acceptance speeches in advance.
Among the night’s triumphs, “Kimberly Akimbo” took home the coveted title of best musical, while “Leopoldstadt” claimed the accolade of best play.
Making history, J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell became the first openly nonbinary actors to win in their respective categories, securing the titles of best lead actor in a musical and best featured actor in a musical. Another notable recipient was Jodie Comer, renowned for her gripping portrayal of an assassin in the television series “Killing Eve.” Comer took home a Tony Award for her remarkable performance in the captivating one-woman show, “Prima Facie,” marking her debut in professional theatre.
The Full List of Tony Award Winners 2023
Best musical
Kimberly Akimbo
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play
Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical
Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo
Best play
Leopoldstadt by Tom Stoppard
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play
Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical
J Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot
Best revival of a musical
Parade
Best book of a musical
Kimberly Akimbo – David Lindsay-Abaire
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical
Alex Newell, Shucked
Best revival of a play
Topdog/Underdog
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play
Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Best direction of a musical
Michael Arden, Parade
Best direction of a play
Patrick Marber, Leopoldstadt
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical
Bonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play
Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt
Best scenic design of a play
Tim Hatley and Andrzej Goulding, Life of Pi
Best scenic design of a musical
Beowulf Boritt, New York, New York
Best orchestrations
Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, Some Like It Hot
Best costume design of a musical
Gregg Barnes, Some Like It Hot
Best costume design of a play
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Leopoldstadt
Best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theatre
Kimberly Akimbo – music: Jeanine Tesori, lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
Best choreography
Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It HotÂ
Best lighting design of a play
Tim Lutkin, Life of Pi
Best lighting design of a musical
Natasha Katz, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best sound design of a play
Carolyn Downing, Life of Pi
Best sound design of a musical
Nevin Steinberg, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
