Oscar winner Ariana DeBose returned for the second year in a row to host the Tony Awards, albeit with a caveat that was cheekily alluded to in the show’s cold open where the “West Side Story” and “Hamilton” actress opened up a script containing pages with no written words. (DeBose would later explain the significance in her opening monologue, where she highlighted the importance of supporting the ongoing WGA Strike and that in lieu of a script follow, the participants would be winging it.) Did it still make for a surprising show? Were there any show queens with broken hearts?
TheWrap looks at the biggest surprises and snubs of the evening. See the complete winners list here.
SURPRISE: Washington Heights’ United Palace
Radio City…where? Even pre-show host Julianne Hough couldn’t hold back her affection during the Pluto TV opener for just how stunning this new space is for the Tony Awards. From the gorgeous lobby shown off in the choreographic opener to the appealing far-recesses of the rear balcony in wide shots, United Palace should absolutely be this telecast’s new permanent home.
SURPRISE: Suzan Lori-Parks’ “Topdog/Underdog” wins Best Revival of a Play
The 2001 Broadway production went 0 for 2 back in the day (even though it was a Pulitzer Prize-winning property) for Tonys. But in 2023, a much different story unfolded, as the galvanizing reissue starring Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ruled a very competitive roost that included productions starring the likes of Jessica Chastain, Oscar Isaac, Wendell Pierce, John David Washington, Rachel Brosnahan and nominee Samuel L. Jackson. (Who says movie and TV stars are just for movies and TV?)
SNUB: Actors who sang in their nominated performances
One of the weirder flexes the Tonys put forth this year: actors doing straight text scenes from their nominated musicals. We get it, we’ll see many of them perform on the telecast, but maybe those clips could be, oh I don’t know, a little musical?
SNUB: The State of Florida
In a lacerating off-the-cuff category intro, “The Gilded Age” star (and Broadway regular) Denée Benton called current Florida governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis “the Grand Wizard” of her home state to huzzahs and rapturous applause. They said they’d make it up as they go along, folks!
SNUB: Jessica Chastain
Some thought the Oscar winner might pull out a Tony win for her massively acclaimed turn in “A Doll’s House” and get even closer to that EGOT. But she’s still got a shot at an Emmy for her first-rate turn as Tammy Wynette in Showtime’s “George & Tammy”. (But look sharp for winner Jodie Comer, who now has an ET—Emmy and Tony.)
SURPRISE: Sean Hayes
Okay, not really a surprise given he got massive plaudits ever since the Chicago run of “Good Night, Oscar,” but any of the other men in the Leading Actor in a Play category could have easily taken this: Wendell Pierce, Corey Hawkins, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and veteran actor Stephen McKinley Henderson. Thankfully, history was made or #TonysSoWhite might have been the hashtag of the evening.
SNUB: “& Juliet”
The pop music-fueled happy-time reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy was the only nominated musical not to emerge with a Tony statuette, despite strong reviews, boffo box office and even an Emmy-winning book writer (“Schitt’s Creek” scribe David West Read). You’re gonna hear fans…roar.
