Curtain Call: Spotlight on the 2023 Tony Awards Winners
The glamour and brilliance of Broadway took center stage at the iconic United Palace in Washington Heights, playing host to the illustrious 76th Annual Tony Awards. Among the night’s dazzling victors, the standout was undoubtedly ‘Kimberly Akimbo’, sweeping up a remarkable total of five accolades. Hot on its heels, Tom Stoppard’s gripping masterpiece ‘Leopoldstadt’ claimed a noteworthy four awards. The classic reboot ‘Some Like It Hot’ had its moment in the limelight too, garnering three wins, while the breathtakingly adventurous ‘Life of Pi’ walked away with two proud trophies. What an unforgettable evening of accolades and applause!
In the dramatic whirlwind leading up to the Tony Awards, the ceremony’s producers made a solemn pledge: they wouldn’t include bespoke materials created solely for the show. This commitment paved the way for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) to withhold its picket line, saving the event from potential turmoil. Nevertheless, the WGA remained unyielding, urging its Tony-nominated members to stand in solidarity by avoiding the ceremony, pre-recording acceptance speeches, or letting non-members claim their awards.
However, after earnest consultations with the Dramatists Guild, many of the union’s members chose to attend the Tonys, seizing the national platform to champion writers and the WGA. Their tenacity paid off splendidly: the evening’s first award set the stage, with “Kimberly Akimbo” lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire championing writers in his opening remarks. Later, the charming host, Ariana DeBose, ushered in the CBS portion of the show by echoing her own heartfelt support for the union. It was a striking display of solidarity and advocacy under the spotlight.
The winners of each category were as follows (in red):
Best Musical
& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot
Best Play
Ain’t No Mo
Between Riverside and Crazy
Cost of Living
Fat Ham
Leopoldstadt
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a PlayYahya Abdul-Mateen II, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/UnderdogCorey Hawkins, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/UnderdogSean Hayes, Good Night, OscarStephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and CrazyWendell Pierce, Arthur Miller’s Death of a SalesmanBest Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a PlayJessica Chastain, A Doll’s HouseJodie Comer, Prima FacieJessica Hecht, Summer, 1976Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a MusicalChristian Borle, Some Like It HotJ. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It HotJosh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetBrian d’Arcy James, Into the WoodsBen Platt, ParadeColton Ryan, New York, New York
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a MusicalAnnaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetSara Bareilles, Into the WoodsVictoria Clark, Kimberly AkimboLorna Courtney, & JulietMicaela 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 LessonArian Moayed, A Doll’s HouseBrandon Uranowitz, LeopoldstadtDavid Zayas, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nikki Crawford, Fat HamCrystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s WindowKaty Sullivan, Cost of LivingKara Young, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a MusicalKevin Cahoon, ShuckedJustin Cooley, Kimberly AkimboKevin Del Aguila, Some Like It HotJordan Donica, Lerner & Loewe’s CamelotAlex Newell, Shucked
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a MusicalJulia Lester, Into the WoodsRuthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetBonnie Milligan, Kimberly AkimboNaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It HotBetsy Wolfe, & Juliet
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Tom Kitt (music & lyrics) and Cameron Crowe (lyrics), Almost Famous
Jeanine Tesori (music) and David Lindsay-Abaire (lyrics), Kimberly Akimbo
Helen Park and Max Vernon, KPOP
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, Shucked
Marc Shaiman (music & lyrics) and Scott Wittman (lyrics), Some Like It Hot
Best Book of a Musical
David West Read, & Juliet
David Lindsay-Abaire, Kimberly Akimbo
David Thompson and Sharon Washington, New York, New York
Robert Horn, ShuckedMatthew López & Amber Ruffin, Some Like It Hot
Best Scenic Design of a PlayMiriam Buether, Prima FacieTim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding, Life of PiRachel Hauck, Good Night, OscarRichard Hudson, LeopoldstadtDane Laffrey & Lucy Mackinnon, A Christmas Carol
Best Scenic Design of a MusicalBeowulf Boritt, New York, New YorkMimi Lien, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetMichael Yeargan & 59 Productions, Lerner & Loewe’s CamelotScott Pask, ShuckedScott Pask, Some Like It Hot
Best Costume Design of a PlayTim Hatley, Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell, Life of PiDominique Fawn Hill, Fat HamBrigitte Reiffenstuel, LeopoldstadtEmilio Sosa, Ain’t No Mo’Emilio Sosa, Good Night, Oscar
Best Costume Design of a MusicalGregg Barnes, Some Like It HotSusan Hilferty, ParadeJennifer Moeller, Lerner & Loewe’s CamelotClint Ramos & Sophia Choi, KPOPPaloma Young, & JulietDonna Zakowska, New York, New York
Best Lighting Design of a PlayNeil Austin, LeopoldstadtNatasha Chivers, Prima FacieJon Clark, A Doll’s HouseBradley King, Fat HamTim Lutkin, Life of PiJen Schriever, Arthur Miller’s Death of a SalesmanBen Stanton, A Christmas Carol
Best Lighting Design of a MusicalKen Billington, New York, New YorkLap Chi Chu, Lerner & Loewe’s CamelotHeather Gilbert, ParadeHoward Hudson, & JulietNatasha Katz, Some Like It HotNatasha Katz, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Sound Design of a PlayJonathan Deans & Taylor Williams, Ain’t No Mo’Carolyn Downing, Life of PiJoshua D. Reid, A Christmas CarolBen & Max Ringham, A Doll’s HouseBen & Max Ringham, Prima Facie
Best Sound Design of a MusicalKai Harada, New York, New YorkJohn Shivers, ShuckedScott Lehrer & Alex Neumann, Into the WoodsGareth Owen, & JulietNevin Steinberg, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Direction of a PlaySaheem Ali, Fat HamJo Bonney, Cost of LivingJamie Lloyd, A Doll’s HousePatrick Marber, LeopoldstadtStevie Walker-Webb, Ain’t No Mo’Max Webster, Life of Pi
Best Direction of a MusicalMichael Arden, ParadeLear deBessonet, Into the WoodsCasey Nicholaw, Some Like It HotJack O’Brien, ShuckedJessica Stone, Kimberly Akimbo
Best ChoreographySteven Hoggett, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It HotSusan Stroman, New York, New YorkJennifer Weber, & JulietJennifer Weber, KPOP
Best OrchestrationsBill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro, & JulietJohn Clancy, Kimberly AkimboJason Howland, ShuckedCharlie Rosen & Bryan Carter, Some Like It HotDaryl Waters & Sam Davis, New York, New York
Best Revival of a PlayAugust Wilson’s The Piano LessonA Doll’s HouseThe Sign in Sidney Brustein’s WindowSuzan-Lori Parks’s Topdog/Underdog
Best Revival of a MusicalInto the WoodsLerner & Loewe’s CamelotParadeSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
