Kathryn Lurie
New York: John Lithgow won best leading actor in a play at Sunday’s (New York time) Tony Awards for Giant, which depicts a crisis in the life of author Roald Dahl as he faces fallout from remarks deemed antisemitic and must weigh apologising against the risk to his reputation.
It was the 80-year-old Lithgow’s third Tony, having won his first 53 years ago for his Broadway debut in The Changing Room. Others nominated for best actor included Broadway veterans Nathan Lane and Daniel Radcliffe.
This year’s awards cap a record Broadway season, having generated $US1.91 billion ($2.7 billion) in grosses as audiences turned out for both established hits and new productions. Laurie Metcalf won best featured actress in a play for her role as Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman.
Metcalf said she had never seen a production of Salesman in anticipation of one day starring in it. It was her third Tony.
Australian performer Rose Byrne is nominated for best leading actress in a play for her role in Fallen Angels, with Carrie Coon (Bug), Susannah Flood (Liberation), Lesley Manville (Oedipus) and Byrne’s Fallen Angels co-star Kelli O’Hara also in the running.
Pop singer Pink, hosting the ceremony at Radio City Music Hall, led a huge opening number with a Broadway-updated rendition of Lady Marmalade and starring the cast of every single nominated musical.
There were plenty of Easter eggs in the number, including veteran actress Lea Michele singing, “We don’t do it for the awards” and trans actor Dylan Mulvaney singing, “Protect the dolls”. Michele herself, the leading lady in the revival Chess, was passed over for a nomination this year.
New musicals The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon! led all nominees with 12 nods each, followed by the revival Ragtime with 11.
Alongside leading contenders The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon!, Titaníque and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) have built strong followings, making the best musical category one of the most competitive in recent memory.
For best play, Pulitzer Prize winner Liberation by Bess Wohl entered with momentum, but David Lindsay-Abaire’s The Balusters has emerged as a formidable challenger after winning top honours at the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards.
The best musical revival race appears to be a two-show contest between a sweeping production of Ragtime and Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a ballroom-inspired reinvention of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical.
The ceremony will also feature anniversary celebrations for Chicago, which marks 30 years on Broadway with a tribute led by Queen Latifah, and The Book of Mormon, whose original cast will reunite for the musical’s 15th anniversary.
Rachel Zegler, who will be coming back to Broadway next season in the Jamie Lloyd production of Evita, will perform a tribute to A Chorus Line for its 50th anniversary, and Leslie Odom Jr will do a song from Rent for that show’s 30th anniversary.
Tony-winning actor Laura Benanti and Emmy-nominated actor Tituss Burgess will host the preshow, where the creative arts Tony Awards honouring designers, technicians and other
behind-the-scenes theatre artists will be presented.
Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.
From our partners
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
