Ben Platt, Bette Midler, “Dear Evan Hansen,” and “Hello, Dolly!” were among the big winners at the 2017 Tony Awards, the biggest night of the year for Broadway—and the American theater.
Hosted by a lively Kevin Spacey and aired on CBS from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall June 11, the 71st annual Tony Awards ceremony was co-presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. The night was a celebration of arts representation, the vibrancy of the Great White Way, and embracing individuality.
“Don’t waste any time trying to be like anybody but yourself because the things that make you strange are the things that make you powerful,” said Platt in his rousing acceptance speech for leading actor in a musical.
Laurie Metcalf of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” and Kevin Kline of “Present Laughter” took home the leading actor in a play awards. Cynthia Nixon earned a Tony for “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes,” while Michael Aronov of “Oslo” took home the award for featured actor. In an especially competitive year, J.T. Rogers’ account of the Oslo Accords also won best new play.
Platt and his onstage mother, Rachel Bay Jones, both won Tonys for “Dear Evan Hansen,” which in addition to becoming this year’s best musical also earned recognition for Alex Lacamoire’s orchestrations, Steven Levenson’s book, and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s music. Midler and featured actor Gavin Creel added to the awards haul of best musical revival winner, “Hello, Dolly!”
“There isn’t one normal person in that show and it is so fabulous to see all those eccentrics onstage,” said an emotional Midler backstage after her acceptance speech. “I am having the time of my life.... It’s more than I deserve. So, thank you, thank you to the Broadway community.”
Best play revival went to “August Wilson’s Jitney,” a production that marked the drama’s Broadway debut. For Paula Vogel’s “Indecent,” Rebecca Taichman took home the statue for best director of a play, a category historically dominated by men. Best musical nominee “Come From Away” earned recognition for its director, Christopher Ashley.
The telecast featured performances from Radio City Music Hall’s Rockettes and last year’s Tony winners Leslie Odom Jr. and Cynthia Erivo, all nominated musicals, and a final duet by Spacey and Patti LuPone. Among the presenters were Tony winners Glenn Close, Lea Salonga, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as Stephen Colbert, Mark Hamill, Tina Fey, Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Field, and more.
For a full list of winners, visit TonyAwards.com!
Best Play
“A Doll’s House, Part 2”
“Indecent”
***“Oslo”
“Sweat”
Best Musical
“Come From Away”
***“Dear Evan Hansen”
“Groundhog Day The Musical”
“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Best Revival of a Play
***“August Wilson’s Jitney”
“Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
“Present Laughter”
“Six Degrees of Separation”
Best Revival of a Musical
“Falsettos”
***“Hello, Dolly!”
“Miss Saigon”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Denis Arndt, “Heisenberg”
Chris Cooper, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Corey Hawkins, “Six Degrees of Separation”
***Kevin Kline, “Present Laughter”
Jefferson Mays, “Oslo”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett, “The Present”
Jennifer Ehle, “Oslo”
Sally Field, “The Glass Menagerie”
Laura Linney, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
***Laurie Metcalf, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, “Falsettos”
Josh Groban, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Andy Karl, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
David Hyde Pierce, “Hello, Dolly!”
***Ben Platt, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Denée Benton, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Christine Ebersole, “War Paint”
Patti LuPone, “War Paint”
***Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!”
Eva Noblezada, “Miss Saigon”
Looking for advice on how to make your Broadway debut (and get your Tony nomination)? Be sure to subscribe to the Backstage YouTube Channel!
Check out Backstage’s Broadway audition listings!