The 2016 Tony Awards were a hit. James Corden was a stupendous host. All the musical performances were wonderful. The #HamforTonys bits before commercial breaks were creative. The speeches were all heartfelt (if you haven’t seen Lin-Manuel Miranda and Frank Langella‘s speeches…what are you waiting for?!). It was an incredibly diverse group of nominees (Oscars, take note: all four actors who won for Best Leading and Supporting Male and Female Roles in Musicals were people of color). And, yes, Hamilton took home a whopping 11 awards.
In short, the Tonys were a joyous celebration of the magic of theater. Three of our writers share their favorite moments:
Parissa’s Favorite Moment: Law & Order Jokes
Every year we can count on one thing at the Tonys: seeing theater folk roast one another for their television work. (Artists gotta pay their bills, too, y’all.) For example, Neil Patrick Harris put together a hilarious song about cancelled television shows at the 2013 Tonys. This year was no exception, and James Corden delivered. He showcased some actors who appeared on Law & Order, like Claire Danes, Daveed Diggs, and Leslie Odom, Jr. Indeed, we learned that, though Danny Burstein still didn’t walk home with a Tony after his sixth nomination, he is, in fact, the King of Law & Order. It was a genuinely funny moment in a show filled with heart.
Kevin’s Favorite Moment: Musical Performances
What was my favorite moment from the Tonys? I’m glad you asked. It’s a tie for best performance. And, it’s a tie between the cast of Spring Awakening and Waitress!
Spring Awakening, revived by Deaf West Theatre, is a musical that touched my heart this Broadway season. It redefined how we imagine theater. And, the performance by the cast brought back many moments of nostalgia.
I can’t lie, Waitress, wasn’t on my list of must-sees this season. I’m not sure why. I’m crazy, right? But, after watching Jessie Mueller and cast pour their heart on stage, it’s definitely at the top of the list now. And, full credit to Sara Bareilles’s incredible songwriting. While the musical may not have won any awards, it captured the heart of the Tony viewers.
Taraneh’s Favorite Moment: James Corden’s Opening Number
James Corden’s story about dreaming of “that could be me up there, on the stage with them” was so touching. It was the perfect way to kick off an awards show in the theater industry–an industry that welcomes people of all shapes and sizes with open arms. It was also a clever way to take viewers at home through a history of recent musical theater in a fun, new way.
What was your favorite part of the Tony Awards? I think we can all agree to start campaigning for James Corden to host again next year!
Taraneh has been happily living in NYC for over a decade, but originally hails from the Midwest. Enamored with books at a young age, she grew up making stories, playing make believe, and loving the musical and performing arts. She is great at binge-watching TV shows. Some current favorites: Schitt's Creek, A Court of Mist & Fury, Prince Harry, and The Magicians.
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