No script? No problem!

There was plenty of uncertainty in the run-up to this year含羞草研究社檚 Tony Awards, which at one point seemed unlikely to happen at all because of the ongoing Hollywood writer含羞草研究社檚 strike.

But the ceremony went off without a hitch on Sunday night. The event was scriptless, to honor a compromise with striking writers, but chock-full of high-spirited Broadway performances drawing raucous cheers from an audience clearly thrilled just to be there at all.

It was a night of triumph for the small-scale but huge-hearted musical 含羞草研究社淜imberly Akimbo,含羞草研究社� about a teenager with a rare aging disease, but also a night notable for inclusion: Two nonbinary performers, Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee, made history by winning their respective acting categories.

The ceremony also touched on the specter of antisemitism in very different places: World War II Europe, with best play winner 含羞草研究社淟eopoldstadt,含羞草研究社� and early 20th-century America, with 含羞草研究社淧arade,含羞草研究社� winner for best musical revival.

In the end, the lack of scripted banter didn含羞草研究社檛 much dampen the proceedings, and little wonder: Broadway folks are trained in improv. And of course there was more room for singing and dancing 含羞草研究社� including from current shows not in competition 含羞草研究社� and nobody was complaining about that.

Oh, and the show ended right on time. Oscars, are you listening?

Some key moments of the night:

BROADWAY HEADS UPTOWN

It wasn含羞草研究社檛 just the writers strike that made for a different evening. The venue was new, too. It was on Broadway, yes, but miles from the theater district. The ceremony took place uptown in Washington Heights, in the ornate, gilded United Palace, a former movie theater filled with chandeliers and carpets and majestic columns.

含羞草研究社淭hank you for coming uptown 含羞草研究社� never in my wildest dreams,含羞草研究社� quipped Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has helped bring events to the venue in the neighborhood where he set his 含羞草研究社淚n the Heights.含羞草研究社� The afterparty was held in tents outside the building instead of the usual festivities in the fancy food halls of the Plaza Hotel near Central Park.

A BLANK PAGE, BUT A FULL NIGHT

Oscar winner and Broadway luminary Ariana DeBose, hosting for the second year running, immediately addressed the elephant in the room. Speaking to the audience before the pre-show telecast began, she explained nothing would be scripted and told winners the only words they含羞草研究社檇 see on teleprompters would be 含羞草研究社渨rap up please.含羞草研究社� When the main telecast began, she appeared on camera reading a Tony script, but the pages were blank.

Instead of words, DeBose and others spoke with their dance moves, doing a brassy number in the theater含羞草研究社檚 grand lobby, staircases and aisles, complete with gravity-defying leaps. Afterward, DeBose warned anyone who may have thought last year was 含羞草研究社渦nhinged含羞草研究社�: 含羞草研究社淏uckle up!含羞草研究社�

DeBose, who performed in the original cast of 含羞草研究社淗amilton含羞草研究社� and won an Oscar for 含羞草研究社淲est Side Story,含羞草研究社� also passionately explained why the Tonys are so crucial to the economic survival of Broadway, and to touring productions around the country.

A TIMELY REMINDER OF ANTISEMITISM IN EUROPE 含羞草研究社�

An early award brought a sobering reminder of the horrors of antisemitism. Brandon Uranowitz of 含羞草研究社淟eopoldstadt,含羞草研究社� Tom Stoppard含羞草研究社檚 sweeping play about a Jewish family in Vienna, thanked the celebrated playwright 含羞草研究社渇or writing a play about Jewish identity and antisemitism and the false promise of assimilation,含羞草研究社� and noted his ancestors, 含羞草研究社渕any of whom did not make it out of Poland, also thank you.含羞草研究社�

Uranowitz, who won for featured actor in a play, also joked that the thing he wanted most in life was to repay his parents for the sacrifices they made 含羞草研究社� only he couldn含羞草研究社檛, because he works in the theater.

含羞草研究社� AND IN AMERICA

含羞草研究社淟eopoldstadt含羞草研究社� went on to win best play, while best musical revival went to another searing work about antisemitism: 含羞草研究社淧arade,含羞草研究社� starring Ben Platt as Leo Frank, a Jewish man lynched in 1915 in Georgia. In his acceptance speech for best director, Michael Arden echoed the play含羞草研究社檚 somber themes: 含羞草研究社淲e must battle this. It is so, so important, or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.含羞草研究社�

He added his own story of how, growing up, he often had been called the 含羞草研究社渇-word,含羞草研究社� referring to a homophobic slur. He then earned some of the night含羞草研究社檚 loudest cheers when he triumphantly reclaimed the slur while pointing out that he now had a Tony.

`I SHOULD NOT BE UP HERE含羞草研究社�

It was an emotional moment when Alex Newell of 含羞草研究社淪hucked含羞草研究社� became the first out nonbinary person to win an acting Tony, taking the prize for best featured actor in a musical. Newell, also known for 含羞草研究社淭he Glee Project含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淕lee,含羞草研究社� thanked close family for their love and support and then addressed the outside world.

含羞草研究社淭hank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black, little baby from Massachusetts,含羞草研究社� they said. 含羞草研究社淎nd to anyone that thinks that they can含羞草研究社檛 do it, I含羞草研究社檓 going to look you dead in your face and tell you that you can do anything you put your mind to.含羞草研究社�

Like the Oscars, the Tonys have only gendered categories for performers.

`THIS IS FOR YOU含羞草研究社�

J. Harrison Ghee was the second nonbinary actor of the night to make history, winning best actor in a musical for their role in 含羞草研究社淪ome Like It Hot,含羞草研究社� based on the classic 1959 film. They play a male musician on the run who disguises as a woman in what becomes a voyage of discovery about gender (the movie role involved disguise, but no discovery). Ghee said they had been raised to use their gifts not for themselves, but to help others.

含羞草研究社淔or every trans, non-gender-conforming, nonbinary human who ever was told you couldn含羞草研究社檛 be seen, this is for you,含羞草研究社� Ghee said, tapping the Tony for emphasis.

LEA MICHELE GETS HER TONY MOMENT

Not to mix show metaphors or anything, but Lea Michele was not about to throw away her shot. The 含羞草研究社淔unny Girl含羞草研究社� lead was not eligible for a Tony because she didn含羞草研究社檛 originate the role last year (that would be Beanie Feldstein, who Michele replaced in a matter of months).

But the former 含羞草研究社淕lee含羞草研究社� star, who has turned around the fortunes of the revival production, is seen by many as the ultimate Fanny Brice, and her gorgeously belted rendition of 含羞草研究社淒on含羞草研究社檛 Rain On My Parade含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� 13 years after she first performed it at the Tonys 含羞草研究社� definitely did not disappoint.

PARTY TIME

Most Tony attendees spent a good five hours in the United Palace, and the room got pretty warm. So folks were happy to step outside to the afterparty, where guests munched on ceviche, mangoes on sticks and mini-Cuban sandwiches, and sipped specially designed cocktails.

Ghee was a clear star of the party, towering over most guests 含羞草研究社� literally and figuratively 含羞草研究社� as they clutched their Tony and accepted well wishes or agreed to selfies. Ghee also chatted with last year含羞草研究社檚 winner of the same award, Myles Frost, who played Michael Jackson in 含羞草研究社淢J.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淥ur industry is shifting forward! We are erasing labels and boundaries and limits,含羞草研究社� Ghee said when asked their main takeaway of the night. The actor wore a bright blue custom ensemble by Bronx designer Jerome LaMaar, with a choker of glistening jewels.

含羞草研究社淲hen you含羞草研究社檙e getting it custom made, you can really do something,含羞草研究社� they quipped.

含羞草研究社斺赌斺赌�

For more on the 2023 Tony Awards, visit https://apnews.com/hub/tony-awards

By Jocelyn Noveck

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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