It’s award season in Theatreland, and with the Olivier Awards handed out a few months back, it was time to find out who was taking home a Tony Award over in America.
This year there were lots of nominations for British actors, as well as productions which had originally started out in London. Three Oliver Award-winning shows were nominated and 23 Olivier nominees were also Tony-nominated.
There’s usually one show which sweeps wins in the Tonys, and this year was no exception, with Hadestown (which had been nominated for 14 awards) taking home eight Tonys, including best musical, score and featured actor in a musical for André De Shields.
The winner of featured actor in a musical, André De Shields.
Hadestown had previously had a successful run at the National Theatre, where it received high critical acclaim and regular sold-out performances. Tony-nominee Eva Noblezada, who plays Eurydice in the show, is also no stranger to Theatreland, having previously played Éponine in Les Misérables.
The Ferryman team who won Best Play
The other big winner of the night was The Ferryman, which after receiving an incredible nine nominations, went onto win four Tony Awards, (the most of any nominated play this year) including one of the most-wanted awards of the night for best play. It also won best costume design of a play, best scenic design of a play and best direction of a play for Sam Mendes.
During its West End run, The Ferryman received several five-star reviews, was described as “the play of the year” (Time Out), and received eight nominations at the Olivier Awards last year.
Sam Mendes
Talking about his Tony win, Sam Mendes said:
“It’s a little bit bonkers trying to make theatre on Broadway – to be dealing with something so fragile in such a rough and tumble environment. But when it works, it’s like nowhere else in the world. So I’m hugely grateful for the embrace New York has given this play and production…I’ve lost count of the times on this job that I’ve counted my lucky stars. And now, again, I’m left to reflect on what a privilege – what an absolute privilege it is – to be able to tell stories for a living.”
Bertie Carvel won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Rupert Murdoch in Ink, a role which also won him an Olivier Award last year. While Ink’s lighting designer Neil Austin, who was nominated at the Olivier Awards this year for his work on Company, also took home a Tony for his work on the show.
And Bertie wasn’t the only actor taking home an award for a role originally played in the West End. Previous Olivier winner Bryan Cranston took home a Tony for best performance by an actor in a leading role for Network.
Ali Stroker, winner of Best Performance By An Actress In a Featured Role in a Musical for Oklahoma!
As well as huge wins for several shows, history was also made by Ali Stroker, as she became the first actor in a wheelchair to ever win a Tony Award for her role in Oklahoma!.
Hosted by James Corden for a second year, the Tony Awards featured performances from Ain’t Too Proud, Tootsie, Oklahoma!, Beetlejuice, The Prom, Choir Boy, Hadestown, Kiss Me Kate and The Cher Show.
The full list of Tony winners are:
BEST PLAY
The Ferryman
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Oklahoma!
BEST MUSICAL
Hadestown
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
The Boys in the Band
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Santino Fontana, Tootsie
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
Bryan Cranston, Network
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
Robert Horn, Tootsie
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE
Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
André De Shields, Hadestown
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Ali Stroker, Oklahoma!
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
Bertie Carvel, Ink
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Rachel Hauck, Hadestown
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Bob Mackie, The Cher Show
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, Hadestown
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
Fitz Patton, Choir Boy
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Bradley King, Hadestown
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Neil Austin, Ink