thank you to the voters...the nominators and the voters
The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back! A Multi-Platform Celebration of the Best Of Broadway.
Or, you know, the belated Tony Awards ceremony from the 2019-2020 season that was cut short.
I know a lot of people were annoyed at CBS paywalling half the ceremony, but as a filthy cord-cutter who would’ve had to do Paramount+ to watch it anyway (I did the free trial shh I’m not paying for yet another streaming service lmao) I actually really like the way they did it! This way we actually got to see the creative awards they usually hide from us and only show clips of during the commercials. It was delightful.
Although I was tragically not very invested in any of the awards. It just wasn't a very good season. (Er, for obvious reasons. It would've been a much better season if it hadn't been cut short -- a number of promising shows didn't get the chance to open.)
Chester Gregory's Black Art Matters jacket was amazing, I loved it probably more than the performance.
David Alan Grier: "Where's Audra? Audra, now I got one! She's got like seven." LOL.
Catherine Zuber not removing her mask for her speech was a mood. Why didn't more people do that? Keep your mask on, people! We can hear you through it! (On an only semi-related note, I want one of those Tony masks people in the audience were wearing.)
I'm totally okay with Moulin Rouge sweeping the technical awards. It's a very pretty show. It's not good (it's fun and I like it but it's all spectacle and the book doesn't hold up) but it's pretty. Also none of the three musicals had good sound design, so... what are you going to do.
I don't know how I feel about Lauren Patten mentioning the JLP controversy in her speech. Like, on the one hand, good for her for acknowledging that it’s a very real concern people have about her character. On the other hand is that really the time? I don't know. (Meanwhile, Diablo Cody wins for best book and does not mention the controversy, even though they're bringing in a dramaturg to edit the book to address it. So it kind of sticks out. IDK.)
Sooo many technical awards 'accepted on the winner’s behalf'. I'm kind of charmed by it.
Aaron won leading actor in a musical! Congratulations! That would have been very awkward if he'd lost. I still don't think this was the role he should've won for (still can't believe this is his first nomination), but . . . that would have been very awkward if he'd lost.
"I'm really honored to be mentioned alongside [...] my friend Audra, but you have enough of these, Audra, you can't have this one."
Adrienne Warren won leading actress in a musical! I still know very little about Tina, I've listened to it and it was basically in one ear out the other. But she seems like a lovely person and I'm very happy for her.
Leslie Odom Jr. has so much charisma and talent, damn. I just want that man to sing to me 24/7.
Moulin Rouge's performance did a good job of presenting the spectacle of the show. And literally nothing else, lmao.
Ain't Too Proud with John Legend was a cute performance.
"Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd. George Floyd. George Floyd. We will never forget you."
"The table got to be bigger."
"The land that we're standing on tonight is Native American land."
"God bless you, let's do better."
That's an acceptance speech.
"Tell me, what does your silence sound like?"
Matthew Lopez's speech was lovely.
Josh Groban "lurking supportively in the wings", omg. And that performance of Beautiful City with Leslie (on the steps, in order to appear casual and unrehearsed) was gorgeous.
"That's not irony, you just listed things that, like, suck."
That In Memoriam section was devastating.
The Tina performance was effective but it just looked like a concert. Which I guess was the point?
Moulin Rouge wins Best Musical. Idk. I don't think any of the nominees are great theater but it's a weird season. Moulin Rouge is fun, at least.
Leslie and Nicolette singing Waitress together = life made.
Then Idina and Cheno singing For Good! Literally never gets old. NEVER.
Followed by Adam and Anthony singing What You Own. Damn. Hitting me in the feels here.
Audra and Brian singing Wheels of a Dream! They really are pulling out all the heavy hitters to end the night, wow.
Like, given that it's called "Broadway's Back" I would've liked to have seen more from the currently-running and soon-to-open shows, but also these performances are amazing and I can't complain.
And then it's all capped off by an incredible four minute recap by FLS. Wow.
Weird season! Weird ceremony. Good, though. Many great speeches. Great performances. I want rips of so many of those performances.
Or, you know, the belated Tony Awards ceremony from the 2019-2020 season that was cut short.
I know a lot of people were annoyed at CBS paywalling half the ceremony, but as a filthy cord-cutter who would’ve had to do Paramount+ to watch it anyway (I did the free trial shh I’m not paying for yet another streaming service lmao) I actually really like the way they did it! This way we actually got to see the creative awards they usually hide from us and only show clips of during the commercials. It was delightful.
Although I was tragically not very invested in any of the awards. It just wasn't a very good season. (Er, for obvious reasons. It would've been a much better season if it hadn't been cut short -- a number of promising shows didn't get the chance to open.)
Chester Gregory's Black Art Matters jacket was amazing, I loved it probably more than the performance.
David Alan Grier: "Where's Audra? Audra, now I got one! She's got like seven." LOL.
Catherine Zuber not removing her mask for her speech was a mood. Why didn't more people do that? Keep your mask on, people! We can hear you through it! (On an only semi-related note, I want one of those Tony masks people in the audience were wearing.)
I'm totally okay with Moulin Rouge sweeping the technical awards. It's a very pretty show. It's not good (it's fun and I like it but it's all spectacle and the book doesn't hold up) but it's pretty. Also none of the three musicals had good sound design, so... what are you going to do.
I don't know how I feel about Lauren Patten mentioning the JLP controversy in her speech. Like, on the one hand, good for her for acknowledging that it’s a very real concern people have about her character. On the other hand is that really the time? I don't know. (Meanwhile, Diablo Cody wins for best book and does not mention the controversy, even though they're bringing in a dramaturg to edit the book to address it. So it kind of sticks out. IDK.)
Sooo many technical awards 'accepted on the winner’s behalf'. I'm kind of charmed by it.
Aaron won leading actor in a musical! Congratulations! That would have been very awkward if he'd lost. I still don't think this was the role he should've won for (still can't believe this is his first nomination), but . . . that would have been very awkward if he'd lost.
"I'm really honored to be mentioned alongside [...] my friend Audra, but you have enough of these, Audra, you can't have this one."
Adrienne Warren won leading actress in a musical! I still know very little about Tina, I've listened to it and it was basically in one ear out the other. But she seems like a lovely person and I'm very happy for her.
Leslie Odom Jr. has so much charisma and talent, damn. I just want that man to sing to me 24/7.
Moulin Rouge's performance did a good job of presenting the spectacle of the show. And literally nothing else, lmao.
Ain't Too Proud with John Legend was a cute performance.
"Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd. George Floyd. George Floyd. We will never forget you."
"The table got to be bigger."
"The land that we're standing on tonight is Native American land."
"God bless you, let's do better."
That's an acceptance speech.
"Tell me, what does your silence sound like?"
Matthew Lopez's speech was lovely.
Josh Groban "lurking supportively in the wings", omg. And that performance of Beautiful City with Leslie (on the steps, in order to appear casual and unrehearsed) was gorgeous.
"That's not irony, you just listed things that, like, suck."
That In Memoriam section was devastating.
The Tina performance was effective but it just looked like a concert. Which I guess was the point?
Moulin Rouge wins Best Musical. Idk. I don't think any of the nominees are great theater but it's a weird season. Moulin Rouge is fun, at least.
Leslie and Nicolette singing Waitress together = life made.
Then Idina and Cheno singing For Good! Literally never gets old. NEVER.
Followed by Adam and Anthony singing What You Own. Damn. Hitting me in the feels here.
Audra and Brian singing Wheels of a Dream! They really are pulling out all the heavy hitters to end the night, wow.
Like, given that it's called "Broadway's Back" I would've liked to have seen more from the currently-running and soon-to-open shows, but also these performances are amazing and I can't complain.
And then it's all capped off by an incredible four minute recap by FLS. Wow.
Weird season! Weird ceremony. Good, though. Many great speeches. Great performances. I want rips of so many of those performances.