Tony Awards: ‘Stereophonic,’ ‘Merrily We Roll Along,’ ‘The Outsiders,’ and ‘Appropriate’ Take Top Prizes
“Stereophonic” and “Merrily We Roll Along,” two shows that examine the tension between art and commerce, triumphed at the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday, capturing prizes for best play and best musical revival. “The Outsiders,” a kinetic adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s coming-of-age novel, was named best musical, while best revival of a play went to “Appropriate,” a piercing and darkly funny tale of family dysfunction.
It was a night filled with tributes to following dreams and staying true to your artistic compass, as well as a show that alluded to the rise of authoritarianism around the world and revival of Trump-ism in the U.S. In one of many politically charged moments, Shaina Taub, who won Tony Awards for writing the book and the score of “Suffs,” a look at the women’s suffrage movement, urged the audience to remember that “when we organize, when we come together, we are capable of making real change in this country for equality and justice.” Later, one of the show’s producers, Hillary Clinton, took to the stage to a standing ovation.
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The former First Lady was there to introduce a number from “Suffs,” one of several energetic performances during the broadcast from the likes of “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” “Water for Elephants” and “Hell’s Kitchen” (which saw Alicia Keys joined by Jay-Z for “Empire State of Mind”). They represented just a handful of the 36 new productions and three special events that comprised the 2023-24 season. For many of these shows, winning a Tony Award, particularly in a major category, can mark the difference between an extended run and a closing notice. It is still seen as one of the best ways to attract audiences, particularly at a time when the theater business has not fully regained its pre-COVID stride.
With five awards, “Stereophonic” was the evening’s biggest winner, but if there was a statue for most unlikely comeback it would go to “Merrily We Roll Along.” The Stephen Sondheim show which moves backwards in time as it examines the fraying bonds between a trio of friends was a fiasco when it debuted on Broadway in 1981. It closed after 16 performances and 44 previews. And yet its revival was one of the major commercial successes of the season, as well as an awards season victor, earning four Tony Awards.
“Stereophonic,” the story of a Fleetwood Mac-like rock band, struggling to make an album while contending with too many drugs, too much romantic drama and too many clashing egos, earned prizes for Daniel Aukin’s direction, as well as the supporting performance of Will Brill as the most substance-addled member of the band. It was written by David Adjmi, who spent 11 years creating a show about artistic obsession and the drive to create something truly lasting.
“The Outsiders'” Danya Taymor was named best director of a musical. Taking off her heels as she accepted her award, she implored young artists: “Don’t be afraid to trust your gut. Artistic risk yields rewards.” The show’s Oscar-winning producer Angelina Jolie was on hand to watch “The Outsiders” capture its four honors (CBS’ cameras panned back repeatedly to the Oscar-winning movie star throughout the broadcast to catch her reactions). Going into the evening, awards sages had predicted that “Hell’s Kitchen,” a semi-autobiographical look at Alicia Keys’ teenage years, would win best musical.
“Appropriate” marks the Broadway debut of its writer Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a two-time Pulitzer finalist whose other shows such as “An Octoroon” and “The Comeuppance” were beloved by critics. It won three prizes, including best actress in a play for Sarah Paulson’s lacerating turn as a woman in a fight with her siblings for her father’s inheritance.
In an emotional speech, Paulson paid tribute to Janet McTeer, who she said inspired her with her work in the 1997 revival of “A Doll’s House.” “Some nights when I’m backstage I think about the indelible impact of her and I think about the walls of theaters all over this magical town holding the impact of each and every one of you in this room and all of those who came before. And I think how lucky those walls were to bear witness to the relentless interrogation of human experience that we endeavor to explore nightly for each other to give back to one another with the hope of finding some shared path towards the truth of being alive.”
Jeremy Strong was named best actor in a play for his performance as a doctor who raises the alarm about a public health crisis in “Enemy of the People” at great personal cost. Strong drew parallels between his character’s struggles and the moral dilemmas society is grappling with today. “This play is a cry from the heart and an exhortation to face up to the difficult truths that are staring us all down right now,” Strong said. “It’s been a privilege to give its warning and its hope to audiences.
Kara Young won best supporting actress in a play for her comic turn in “Purlie Victorious” as a woman involved in a scheme to buy back a community church. Even before her victory, Young made history as the first Black actor nominated for a Tony three years in a row. She was previously recognized for her work in “Clyde’s” and “Cost of Living.”
“Merrily We Roll Along’s” earned three of the four musical acting prizes, winning best actor in a musical for Jonathan Groff, as well as a statue for the supporting performance of Daniel Radcliffe. Groff thanked his parents for encouraging his theatrical pursuit, saying, ““I walk through life with an open heart because you let me know that I could.” In his acceptance speech, Radcliffe said “I will never have it this good again.” He noted that he had become so close to Groff and his co-star Lindsay Mendez that “I don’t really have to act in this show; I just have to look at you and feel everything that I want to feel.”
Kecia Lewis (who had to tell well-wishers to stop texting her as she accepted her statue) was named best supporting actress in a musical for her portrayal of an inspirational music teacher in “Hell’s Kitchen.” “I’d like to thank those people in my life who wouldn’t let me give up,” she said. “Being in this business 40 years, I wanted to give up many times.”
“Hells Kitchen” breakout Maleah Joi Moon was named best actress in a musical for her Broadway debut as a talented musician rebelling against an overprotective mother. She had trouble finding her speech in her purse after her name was called. She thanked her parents for the role they played in getting her to Broadway’s biggest stage. “‘Hell’s Kitchen’ is about a 17-year-old on the cusp of a dream,” she said. “I can’t imagine how many dreams differed, how many sacrifices each of you made.”
Ariana DeBose, the Oscar-winning star of “West Side Story,” hosted the Tony Awards for the third consecutive year. After a spirited dance number, DeBose nodded to the political and social upheaval around the world.
“Headlines are frankly terrifying most of the time, but the theater is a safe place for us all,” she said. “In the most trying of times art is imperative, because art reflects society and provides context for the very real situations that we find ourselves in today.”
Best Play
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Mary Jane
Mother Play
Prayer for the French Republic
WINNER: Stereophonic
Best Musical
Hell’s Kitchen
Illinoise
WINNER: The Outsiders
Suffs
Water for Elephants
Best Revival of a Play
WINNER: Appropriate
An Enemy of the People
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Best Revival of a Musical
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Gutenberg! The Musical!
WINNER: Merrily We Roll Along
The Who’s Tommy
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
William Jackson Harper, Uncle Vanya
Leslie Odom, Jr., Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Liev Schreiber, Doubt: A Parable
WINNER: Jeremy Strong, An Enemy of the People
Michael Stuhlbarg, Patriots
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Betsy Aidem, Prayer for the French Republic
Jessica Lange, Mother Play
Rachel McAdams, Mary Jane
WINNER: Sarah Paulson, Appropriate
Amy Ryan, Doubt: A Parable
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brody Grant, The Outsiders
Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along
Dorian Harewood, The Notebook
Brian d’Arcy James, Days of Wine and Roses
Eddie Redmayne, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Eden Espinosa, Lempicka
WINNER: Maleah Joi Moon, Hell’s Kitchen
Kelli O’Hara, Days of Wine and Roses
Maryann Plunkett, The Notebook
Gayle Rankin, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
WINNER: Will Brill, Stereophonic
Eli Gelb, Stereophonic
Jim Parsons, Mother Play
Tom Pecinka, Stereophonic
Corey Stoll, Appropriate
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Doubt: A Parable
Juliana Canfield, Stereophonic
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Mother Play
Sarah Pidgeon, Stereophonic
WINNER: Kara Young, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Roger Bart, Back To The Future: The Musical
Joshua Boone, The Outsiders
Brandon Victor Dixon, Hell’s Kitchen
Sky Lakota-Lynch, The Outsiders
WINNER: Daniel Radcliffe, Merrily We Roll Along
Steven Skybell, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Shoshana Bean, Hell’s Kitchen
Amber Iman, Lempicka
Nikki M. James, Suffs
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, Monty Python’s Spamalot
WINNER: Kecia Lewis, Hell’s Kitchen
Lindsay Mendez, Merrily We Roll Along
Bebe Neuwirth, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Book of a Musical
Hell’s Kitchen – Kristoffer Diaz
The Notebook – Bekah Brunstetter
The Outsiders – Adam Rapp and Justin Levine
WINNER: Suffs – Shaina Taub
Water for Elephants – Rick Elice
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Days of Wine and Roses – Music & Lyrics: Adam Guettel
Here Lies Love – Music: David Byrne and Fatboy Slim – Lyrics: David Byrne
The Outsiders – Music & Lyrics: Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine
Stereophonic – Music & Lyrics: Will Butler
WINNER Suffs – Music & Lyrics: Shaina Taub
Best Scenic Design of a Play
dots, Appropriate
dots, An Enemy of the People
Derek McLane, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
David Zinn, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
WINNER: David Zinn, Stereophonic
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian, The Outsiders
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, Hell’s Kitchen
Takeshi Kata, Water for Elephants
David Korins, Here Lies Love
Riccardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini, Lempicka
Tim Hatley and Finn Ross, Back To The Future: The Musical
WINNER: Tom Scutt, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Costume Design of a Play
Dede Ayite, Appropriate
WINNER: Dede Ayite, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Enver Chakartash, Stereophonic
Emilio Sosa, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
David Zinn, An Enemy of the People
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite, Hell’s Kitchen
WINNER Linda Cho, The Great Gatsby
David Israel Reynoso, Water for Elephants
Tom Scutt, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Paul Tazewell, Suffs
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Isabella Byrd, An Enemy of the People
Amith Chandrashaker, Prayer for the French Republic
Jiyoun Chang, Stereophonic
WINNER: Jane Cox, Appropriate
Natasha Katz, Grey House
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Brandon Stirling Baker, Illinoise
Isabella Byrd, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Natasha Katz, Hell’s Kitchen
Bradley King and David Bengali, Water for Elephants
WINNERS: Brian MacDevitt and Hana S. Kim, The Outsiders
Best Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington and Stefania Bulbarella, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Leah Gelpe, Mary Jane
Tom Gibbons, Grey House
Bray Poor and Will Pickens, Appropriate
WINNER: Ryan Rumery, Stereophonic
Best Sound Design of a Musical
M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer, Here Lies Love
Kai Harada, Merrily We Roll Along
Nick Lidster for Autograph, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Gareth Owen, Hell’s Kitchen
WINNER: Cody Spencer, The Outsiders
Best Direction of a Play
WINNER: Daniel Aukin, Stereophonic
Anne Kauffman, Mary Jane
Kenny Leon, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Lila Neugebauer, Appropriate
Whitney White, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Best Direction of a Musical
Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along
Michael Greif, Hell’s Kitchen
Leigh Silverman, Suffs
Jessica Stone, Water for Elephants
WINNER: Danya Taymor, The Outsiders
Best Choreography
Annie-B Parson, Here Lies Love
Camille A. Brown, Hell’s Kitchen
Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman, The Outsiders
WINNER: Justin Peck, Illinoise
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, Water for Elephants
Best Orchestrations
Timo Andres, Illinoise
Will Butler and Justin Craig, Stereophonic
Justin Levine, Matt Hinkley and Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance), The Outsiders
Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone, Hell’s Kitchen
WINNER: Jonathan Tunick, Merrily We Roll Along
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