How Lindsay Mendez Got Ready for the 2024 Tony Awards
If the night of the Tony Awards feels long watching from home, just imagine how Lindsay Mendez felt. The star of the hit Merrily We Roll Along, which won the award for Best Revival of a Musical, began her day with Tonys rehearsal, had a matinee performance of Merrily—she plays Mary Flynn and earned a nomination for her excellent work—and then made her way to Lincoln Center for a red carpet, awards show, and mid-show performance. Oh, and she's currently about seven months pregnant.
Of course, part of the fun of any big night out is preparing for it. Mendez wore a custom Safiyaa gown, Pasquale Bruni jewelry, a Judith Leiber clutch, and Loeffler Randall shoes—"I had to have comfortable footwear," she says—to deliver a glamorous look.
Here, Mendez lets Town & Country and photographer Matthew Murphy tag along as she prepares.
"I've had the immense pleasure of doing this once before, so I feel like I had more experience this time going in. I have been working all through merrily with the incredible stylist Andrew Gelwicks, who has been keeping me feeling a million bucks all the time, even when I'm navigating pregnancy and my body changing all the time. I spoke to him before the nominations came out, just in case this was to happen, and I really wanted something classic. I wanted to feel elegant and sophisticated. I didn't want to hide my body. I've thought about some pregnant red carpet looks where you're just wearing a tent or something, and you know what? I'm proud of the fact that I'm still doing this show at this stage in my pregnancy."
"Andrew was contacted by the designer Safiyaa, who they said they would love to make me a custom dress for Tony night. They did some incredible sketches and I picked one of the pieces that they designed. I also found out that they had never designed a red carpet maternity look before, and every time I went into their shop, they had a little pillow on the dress form that they padded; it became their little baby as they worked on the dress. Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would have a dress this beautiful that fit so well with my body in the state that it is. It's amazing. I ended up going with dazzling red because our Merrily colors are black, white, and red, and I wanted to bring that in the mix this year."
"For my hair and makeup, I was thinking Old Hollywood would go well with this look. I'm also navigating that I'm performing in the show, so in the middle of doing all of this red carpet and my category, I have to go backstage, get a wig on, do my number, and then take my wig off and have my hair back looking a certain way. So, that definitely goes into what I'm thinking for my hair. But classic Hollywood styling and makeup feel right, I want to look fresh and beautiful. I'm trying to evoke my inner glow as much as I can, which I only have during these nine months, so why not use it?"
"I got incredible jewelry from Pasquale Bruni—it's freaking stunning. It's this huge diamond necklace with a ruby hanging off of it and it really completes the dress."
"Jonathan [Groff], Dan [Radcliffe], and I all got ready at the theater because we didn't have enough time to go home after our matinee. We were excited to get to have that first-look moment together before we head off to the Tonys and it gets crazy. We've made such a home there at the Hudson, and we've been there so long that it feels great get ready there."
"In other years I would have had a cocktail while I was getting ready. I like to listen to old-timey jazz music when I'm getting dressed for something like the Tonys, especially considering my look this year. My hair and makeup team, David Cruz and Natasha Smee, have been with me a long time, so I'm super comfortable with them. We usually chat it up, but when we've had a really long day, I may just sit with my eyes closed trying to snag a Zs."
"What do I bring to the awards with me? I was trying to be crafty because my clutch can fit a credit card and a dream. Instead, I try to strategize what my husband [J. Alex Brinson, pictured] can fit in his coat pockets As far as snacks go, I feel like I need candy or peanuts. Anything I can throw in my hand and quickly eat. It's a long night and you have to be fortified."
"Going out after the Tonys depends on how I feel. I really want to celebrate with my crew and cast, but our morning starts at 8 AM on Sunday and we still have to do shows next week. It's an amazing night, but then you have to pick up the pieces."
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