When you mix Sutton Foster, Patti Lupone, and enough Stephen Sondheim references for a boozy drinking game at Radio City Music Hall during Pride Month, what do you get? Of course, we're talking about the 75th Annual Tony Awards. Broadway had a lot to celebrate after a difficult few years of COVID-related closures, and it did so in style with a star-studded gala hosted by West Side Story star Ariana DeBose.Hugh Jackman (The Music Man), Sam Rockwell (American Buffalo), Ruth Negga (Macbeth), Uzo Aduba (Clyde's) and Billy Crystal (Mr. Saturday Night) were not only vying for acting prizes, but the entire world was watching for a "EGOT." Jennifer Hudson was nominated for her role as a producer on the hit Broadway production A Strange Loop, which may put her among an exclusive group of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners.
The following is a rundown of what happened during the 75th Annual Tony Awards:
Best Nod to History: With host Ariana DeBose in the lead, the opening routine featured shows from Tony Awards history, weaving in crucial pieces of songs from the musical past in what felt like some sort of theatrical fever dream.
Worst Decision: For some inexplicable reason, the Tony producers opted to present Angela Lansbury with her Lifetime Achievement Award during the pre-show, which isn't broadcast on television. To be clear, the 96-year-old superstar was not present to accept the award personally, but her achievements deserved to be recognized.Best Back-Handed Compliment: In her introduction, DeBose praised Broadway's increased diversity, saying, "The Great White Way is becoming more of a moniker than a how-to book."
Patti Lupone's Most Patti Lupone Moment: After winning Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for her role in Company, Patti Lupone joked about the time she raged at an audience member who refused to wear a mask. In relation to that…
Imagine being so disrespectful to Patti Lupone that you become a meme. That's what the Worst Audience Member Award is for. That's what happened when a member of the crowd failed to wear a mask properly at a post-performance Q&A at Company, and Patti Lupone despises fools. "Chris Harper pays my salary!" she snarled back when he dared to respond by saying he paid her wage. That scene is now a t-shirt meme, and it was cited at least three times during the Tony Awards, including by Chris Harper himself.
Best Family Affair: The nominated play MJ was introduced by Prince and Paris Jackson.
Most Deserved Shout Out: Marcia Gay Harden took a moment to thank the 150 COVID safety managers who were present as Tony Awards guests. The show must go on, but only under their supervision.
Best Cross-Cultural Moment: During a Mr. Saturday Night performance, Billy Crystal placed a microphone in Samuel L Jackson's face and forced him to spit in Yiddish.
Laurence Fishburne, the American Buffalo candidate (and Matrix legend) turns out to be a brilliant Daffy Duck impersonator.
Best Enunciation: Phylicia Rashad won her second Tony Award for her performance in Skeleton Crew, and she used her time on stage to provide a master class in slow, deliberate enunciation, extending her time on stage even further.Anthony Edwards introduced a musical number from The Girl From The North Country, which stars his wife, Mare Winningham, as the most self-deprecating moment. During his introduction, he casually revealed that, with COVID still ravaging the country, he was asked to step in when the production ran out of those all-important swings and understudy. As if Goose wasn't already a fantastic addition to any cast!
The most of Sondheim's works Bernadette Peters, a Broadway great, performed a Stephen Sondheim song (particularly, "Children Will Listen" from Into the Woods) as a tribute to the Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim. Is there anything more Sondheim than that?
Most Memorable Speech: Michael R. Jackson of A Strange Loop (a play about a Black gay writer writing a play about a Black gay writer) swooped on stage to accept his Best Book award and told everyone cheering to "shut up, shut up," before launching into a speech about building "a life raft for myself as a Black gay man," wanting to see more of his own experience on stage, before concluding with the exhortation "Never settle." "Give it your all."
The original cast of Spring Awakening returned for a melancholy performance dressed in muted tones of black and grey. Best Costume Choice: Then Skylar Astin, dressed in a glittery tuxedo, onto the stage.
Best Free Casting Tip: Former Angels in America co-stars Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield could be considered the next time a buddy comedy is needed. Lane's spiel about shooting Jello shots with Chita Rivera, his affinity for men in velvet, and his musical about an exotic dancer with an eye twitch, a direct-to-video film called, yeah, Boom, Boom…Tick! had even Garfield struggling to keep a straight smile. Put these two in a buddy comedy as soon as possible!
"Please let me standing here be a tiny hint from the universe to do the crazy art," said Deirdre O'Connell, a first-time Tony Award contender and now winner for her performance in Dana H.
Most Emotional Moment: First, Joaquina Kalukango made everyone feel their emotions by performing "Let It Burn" from Paradise Square with tears streaming down her cheeks. Then Billy Porter took the stage and sang a tribute to those who had died during the year. In a five-minute piece, it had all the intensity and drama we've come to expect from Broadway.
Most Sportsmanlike Conduct: When Myles Frost won the award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his depiction of Michael Jackson in MJ, the first person on his feet was Jaquel Spivey, the actor of A Strange Loop, who Frost had just beaten out for the award. I really appreciate the help!
While accepting his prize, Frost said, "I really need to pee right now, so I'm going to keep it fast."
Jennifer Hudson won the EGOT! Hudson became an EGOT winner when A Strange Loop took up the top medal for Best Musical.
Worst Mic Cut-off: When Michael R. Jackson, author of A Strange Loop, approached the microphone for his acceptance speech, even with ten seconds left on the prompter, he was cut off, and he only managed to get out, "ok bye!" Allow the man to speak; he has earned it!
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