"West Side Story" star and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose hosted the Tony Awards Sunday night.
In a year where a record number of Black playwrights released work, the labor was rewarded. Diverse creators were recognized in record numbers in a show that has been historically predominately White. It seems that all of the advacay for diversity and inclusion in all spaces was embraced in this award show space with African Americans snaging top honors.
Two African American men who won have a connection to Michael Jackson. His namesake, writer Michael R. Jackson and actor Myles Frost who played the late star in "MJ" both received Tonys. Michael R. Jackson won for "A Strange Loop," a musical about his own life that goes inside the head of a black, queer writer he named Usher. The production earned the most nominations this year (11) and won two -- Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical. Frost, an ewually ifted actor and dancer, won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a musical in the "MJ."
Paris and Prince Jackson atnthe 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall
on June 12, 2022.
The accolades did not stop there for African American theatre talent as several Black women were also reconized for their work.
Paradise Square’s Joaquina Kalukango won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. She held the starring role of Nellie, a bar owner in Manhattan.
Acting vet Phylicia Rashad sacked a win for her turn as a struggling factory worker in Skeleton Crew. "Just when I thouht I had done everythin there was to do, alon came Faye Dais," she said inher acceptance speech. "It's wonderful to present humanity to people and to feel it."
Jennifer Hudson, who has producing credits for "A Strange Loop" became and EGOT winner. (Hudson is only the second Black woman with EGOT status. (Whoopi Goldber was first.)
The 4-hour show took a commenorative look at the Tony's 75 year history.
WATCH: MJ TONY AWARD PERFORMANCE
The children of the late Michael Jackson, Prince and Paris, gave a tribute to their father. “A lot of people seem to think our dad Michael Jackson changed popular music forever,” Prince said. “And who are we to disagree? But what people may not know is he loved musicals, on film and on the stage.” MJ was also the subject of another successful musical, "Thriller - Live." It was special to have the siblings of the music legend present when the person who played him, won for embodying his spirit. "MJ" also won for Best sound design, lighting and choreography. To top it off the dance ensemble gave the stand out performance of the night at Radio City Music Hall.
During this year’s Tony Awards, "The Lehman Trilogy" earned the prize for Best Play. Meanwhile, "Company" won Best Revival of a Musical, and "Take Me Out" got the trophy for Best Revival of a Play.
Honarable mention
"for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" was nominated for 7 Tonys which althouh it did not win, speaks to the impressive of the work.
Who was there. . .
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson attend 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Michael James Scott attends 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Kara Young (2nd L) and guests attend the 75th Annual Tony Awards Gala After Party at the Plaza Hotel on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Gabriella Slade poses in the press room during the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: Matt Doyle poses in the press room during the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Glikas/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 12: (L-R) Danielle Brooks, Joaquina Kalukango and Kenny Leon attend the 75th Annual Tony Awards Gala After Party at the Plaza Hotel on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
2022 Tony Award Winners
Best Play
"Clyde's," Lynn Nottage
"Hangmen," Martin McDonagh "The Lehman Trilogy," Stefano Massini and Ben Power *WINNER "The Minutes," Tracy Letts "Skeleton Crew," Dominique Morrisseau
Best Musical "Girl From the North Country" "MJ" "Mr. Saturday Night" "Paradise Square" "SIX: The Musical" "A Strange Loop" *WINNER
The cast of "A Strange Loop" perform at Radio City Music Hall at the 7th Tony Awards on June 12, 2022.
Best Revival of a Play "American Buffalo" "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" "How I Learned to Drive" "Take Me Out" *WINNER "Trouble in Mind"
Best Revival of a Musical "Caroline, or Change" "Company" *WINNER "The Music Man"
Best Book of a Musical "Girl From The North Country," Conor McPherson "MJ," Lynn Nottage "Mr. Saturday Night," Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel "Paradise Square," Christina Anderson, Craig Lucas & Larry Kirwan "A Strange Loop," Michael R. Jackson *WINNER
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre "Flying Over Sunset," Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Michael Korie "Mr. Saturday Night," Music: Jason Robert Brown, Lyrics: Amanda Green "Paradise Square," Music: Jason Howland, Lyrics: Nathan Tysen & Masi Asare "SIX: The Musical," Music and Lyrics: Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss *WINNER "A Strange Loop," Music and Lyrics: Michael R. Jackson
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play Simon Russell Beale, "The Lehman Trilogy" *WINNER Adam Godley, "The Lehman Trilogy" Adrian Lester, "The Lehman Trilogy" David Morse, "How I Learned to Drive" Sam Rockwell, "American Buffalo" Ruben Santiago-Hudson, "Lackawanna Blues" David Threlfall, "Hangmen"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play Gabby Beans, "The Skin of Our Teeth" LaChanze, "Trouble in Mind" Ruth Negga, "Macbeth" Deirdre O'Connell, "Dana H." *WINNER Mary-Louise Parker, "How I Learned to Drive"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical Billy Crystal, "Mr. Saturday Night" Myles Frost, "MJ" *WINNER Hugh Jackman, "The Music Man" Rob McClure, "Mrs. Doubtfire" Jaquel Spivey, "A Strange Loop"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Sharon D Clarke, "Caroline, or Change" Carmen Cusack, "Flying Over Sunset" Sutton Foster, "The Music Man" Joaquina Kalukango, "Paradise Square" *WINNER Mare Winningham, "Girl From The North Country"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play Alfie Allen, "Hangmen" Chuck Cooper, "Trouble in Mind" Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Take Me Out" *WINNER Ron Cephas Jones, "Clyde's" Michael Oberholtzer, "Take Me Out" Jesse Williams, "Take Me Out"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Uzo Aduba, "Clyde's" Rachel Dratch, "POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive" Kenita R. Miller, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" Phylicia Rashad, "Skeleton Crew" *WINNER Julie White, "POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive" Kara Young, "Clyde's"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical Matt Doyle, "Company" *WINNER Sidney DuPont, "Paradise Square" Jared Grimes, "Funny Girl" John-Andrew Morrison, "A Strange Loop" A.J. Shively, "Paradise Square"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical Jeannette Bayardelle, "Girl From The North Country" Shoshana Bean, "Mr. Saturday Night" Jayne Houdyshell, "The Music Man" L Morgan Lee, "A Strange Loop" Patti LuPone, "Company" *WINNER Jennifer Simard, "Company"
Best Scenic Design of a Play Beowulf Boritt, "POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive" Michael Carnahan and Nicholas Hussong, "Skeleton Crew" Es Devlin, "The Lehman Trilogy" *WINNER Anna Fleischle, "Hangmen" Scott Pask, "American Buffalo" Adam Rigg, "The Skin of Our Teeth"
Best Scenic Design of a Musical Beowulf Boritt and 59 Productions, "Flying Over Sunset" Bunny Christie, "Company" *WINNER Arnulfo Maldonado, "A Strange Loop" Derek McLane and Peter Nigrini, "MJ" Allen Moyer, "Paradise Square"
Best Costume Design of a Play Montana Levi Blanco, "The Skin of Our Teeth" *WINNER Sarafina Bush, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" Emilio Sosa, "Trouble in Mind" Jane Greenwood, "Neil Simon's Plaza Suite" Jennifer Moeller, "Clyde's"
Best Costume Design of a Musical Fly Davis, "Caroline, or Change" Toni-Leslie James, "Paradise Square" William Ivey Long, "Diana, The Musical" Santo Loquasto, "The Music Man" Gabriella Slade, "SIX: The Musical" *WINNER Paul Tazewell, "MJ"
Best Lighting Design of a Play Joshua Carr, "Hangmen" Jiyoun Chang, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" Jon Clark, "The Lehman Trilogy" *WINNER Jane Cox, "Macbeth" Yi Zhao, "The Skin of Our Teeth"
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Neil Austin, "Company" Tim Deiling, "SIX: The Musical"l Donald Holder, "Paradise Square" Natasha Katz, "MJ" *WINNER Bradley King, "Flying Over Sunset" Jen Schriever, "A Strange Loop"
Best Sound Design of a Play Justin Ellington, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" Mikhail Fiksel, "Dana H." *WINNER Palmer Hefferan, "The Skin of Our Teeth" Nick Powell and Dominic Bilkey, "The Lehman Trilogy" Mikaal Sulaiman, "Macbeth"
Best Sound Design of a Musical Simon Baker, "Girl From The North Country" Paul Gatehouse, "SIX: The Musical" Ian Dickinson for Autograph, "Company" Drew Levy, "A Strange Loop" Gareth Owen, "MJ" *WINNER
Best Direction of a Play Lileana Blain-Cruz, "The Skin of Our Teeth" Camille A. Brown, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" Sam Mendes, "The Lehman Trilogy" *WINNER Neil Pepe, "American Buffalo" Les Waters, "Dana H."
Best Direction of a Musical Stephen Brackett, "A Strange Loop" Marianne Elliott, "Company" *WINNER Conor McPherson, "Girl From The North Country" Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage, "SIX: The Musical" Christopher Wheeldon, "MJ"
Best Choreography Camille A. Brown, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" Warren Carlyle, "The Music Man" Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, "SIX: The Musical" Bill T. Jones, "Paradise Square" Christopher Wheeldon, "MJ" *WINNER
Best Orchestrations David Cullen, "Company" Tom Curran, "SIX: The Musical" Simon Hale, "Girl From The North Country" *WINNER Jason Michael Webb and David Holcenberg, "MJ" Charlie Rosen, "A Strange Loop"
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