Three African Americans received Tony Awards at the 2023 ceremony. Alex Newell won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for performing “Shucked,” J. Harrison Ghee snagged Best Leading Actor in a Musical for performing in “Some Like It Hot,” and Suzan-Lori Parks earned the Best Play Revival award for her production, “Topdog/Underdog.”
In a daring departure from convention, the 2023 Tony Awards made a bold move by navigating the ongoing WGA strike without the use of writers. Remarkably, their absence went virtually unnoticed as the show unfolded flawlessly, leaving the creative community thoroughly satisfied
This year’s grand ceremony, honoring the zenith of Broadway brilliance, unfolded within the walls of the iconic United Palace. Established in 1930, this historic venue located in Washington Heights provided a magnificent backdrop for the prestigious event.
Ariana DeBose, the brilliant Oscar-winning star of “West Side Story,” showcased her extraordinary talents as the emcee for the second consecutive year. She kicked off the evening with a bold gesture, unveiling an empty script before launching into a soulful fusion of songs, such as “New York State of Mind,” accompanied by a mesmerizingly choreographed performance.
Her infectious energy captivated the audience, and she playfully warned, “I’m live and unscripted… You’re welcome. For those who deemed last year a bit unhinged, I say, ‘darlings, buckle up.’”
Similar to its Hollywood counterpart, Broadway functions as a thriving business, and like many other industries, it suffered the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The community faces an arduous struggle to regain its pre-pandemic glory. Sales for the 2022 to 2023 season hovered below $1.6 billion, surpassing the previous year but falling significantly short of the $1.8 billion grossed in the final pre-COVID season.
Embracing the coveted title of Best Musical was the delightfully eccentric comedy “Kimberly Akimbo.” This heartwarming tale revolves around a teenage girl burdened by a rare condition that accelerates her aging process, captivating audiences with its unique charm.
In a triumph of storytelling, “Leopoldstadt” took home four prestigious awards, including the highly esteemed Best Play recognition. Tom Stoppard’s sweeping multi-generational saga offers an immersive glimpse into a close-knit Jewish community navigating through a turbulent chapter in European history. This extraordinary achievement marks Stoppard’s fifth time receiving this revered honor, setting a remarkable record for playwrights.
Suzan-Lori Parks’ thought-provoking drama “Topdog/Underdog” delves deep into the struggles faced by two African-American brothers as they strive for success in an unforgiving world. Its powerful portrayal earned the well-deserved distinction of Best Play Revival, igniting important conversations and touching the hearts of audiences.
Alex Newell, renowned for their memorable role in “Glee,” electrifies audiences every night with an explosive performance in the musical “Shucked.” Their remarkable talent earned them the prestigious Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical on Sunday night, making history as the first openly nonbinary actor to receive such recognition for their performance. Newell, who identifies as both nonbinary and gender fluid, portrays a fiercely independent whiskey distiller in “Shucked.” This country-scored, pun-filled musical comedy revolves around a small farming community grappling with the mysterious demise of their corn crop.
Accepting the award, Newell expressed gratitude to the entire company and crew of “Shucked,” emphasizing their unwavering support, adding, “To my entire building and cast and crew of ‘Shucked’ — you are my rock,” Newell said, accepting the award. “I love you all. Thank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black little baby from Massachusetts. And to anyone who thinks that they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face. That you can do anything you put your mind to.”
Amidst poignant storytelling, “Parade” emerged as the recipient of the Best Musical Revival award. This compelling narrative sheds light on the imprisonment and tragic lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish American. Its poignant exploration of justice and prejudice left a lasting impact on viewers, making it a standout in the revival category.
Notable figures, including the esteemed Tom Stoppard, shared insightful perspectives on the indispensable role of writers. Stoppard eloquently expressed, “Writers are the sharp end of the pyramid; without a script, we’re all left bewildered.”
Tony Award-winning actress LaChanze adds Tony-winning producer to her accolades with the success of this year’s Best Musical, “Kimberly Akimbo!” During her visit to the press room, LaChanze shared her excitement for upcoming projects, including “Here Lies Love,” and hinted at a yet-unannounced producing endeavor.
Reflecting on her first Tony win as a producer, LaChanze expressed, “What’s truly exhilarating about being a producer and winning Tonys in this role is that it inspires countless young women and women of color to realize they belong in this space. It’s incredibly thrilling for me because I aspire to be an example to those who wonder if they can do this. The answer is yes, you can.”
The 2023 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Joel Grey.
HERE’S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY INSIDE THE WINNERS’ ROOM
Bryan Carter, who won his first Tony Award along with Charlie Rosen for Best Orchestrations, with an 18-piece orchestra, for the musical “Some Like It Hot.”
ON WORKING WITH CHARLIE ROSEN
I never thought there was room for me. I want to thank him [Charlie Rosen, Tony Award winner] for making me feel so safe, so seen, and loved.
ON THE 18-PIECE ORCHESTRA
I hope our show (“Some Like It Hot”) will inspire more companies to add more orchestras [to their show] because they are really the heartbeat of the musical.
Suzan-Lori Parks’ “Topdog/Underdog” (2023 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play). Park, who turned 60 this year, made it a point that she creates work that explores and encourages “asking the questions.”
ON INSPIRING OTHERS
Inspiring people, young Black performers, old Black performers, young White performers, Green performers, Martians, Plutonians, because Pluto is a planet. That’s my job. That’s my thing. I’m here to remind us that the spirits are real and we are all agents of the sacred. We are all scared agents… This is reminding people that the spirit exists… that we are all a family, we are all in one group, and we should love each other as much as possible.
ON THE JOURNEY
In writing this, I had hopes that it would take me out of a very sad place, where I was before I wrote this. I was feeling a lot of despair. I wasn’t seeing plays that didn’t resonate with me and not just my experience as a Black person in the world. My experiences as a human being. I wasn’t seeing enough plays that made me go ‘yeah, I’m alive—I’m alive’… When I wrote this play, I said, okay, this is an opportunity to remind people that we are alive. That we are here, that we need to love each other.
COMPLETE LIST OF TONY AWARD WINNERS 2023
Best New Play – “Leopoldstadt”
Best New Musical –“Kimberly Akimbo”
Best Play Revival – “Topdog/Underdog”
Best Musical Revival – “Parade”
Best Leading Actor in a Play – Sean Hayes, “Good Night, Oscar”
Best Leading Actress in a Play – Jodie Comer, “Prima Facie”
Best Leading Actress in a Musical – Victoria Clark, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Best Leading Actor in a Musical – J. Harrison Ghee, “Some Like It Hot”
Best Featured Actor in a Play – Brandon Uranowitz, “Leopoldstadt”
Best Featured Actress in a Play – Miriam Silverman, “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”
Best Featured Actor in a Musical – Alex Newell, “Shucked”
Best Featured Actress in a Musical – Bonnie Milligan, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Best Direction of a Play – Patrick Marber, “Leopoldstadt”
Best Direction of a Musical – Michael Arden, “Parade”
Best Book of a Musical – David Lindsay-Abaire, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Best Original Score – “Kimberly Akimbo,” music by Jeanine Tesori; lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire
Best Choreography – Casey Nicholaw, “Some Like It Hot”
Best Orchestrations – Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, “Some Like It Hot”
Best Scenic Design of a Play – Tim Hatley and Andrzej Goulding, “Life of Pi”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical – Beowulf Boritt, “New York, New York”
Best Costume Design of a Play – Brigitte Reiffenstuel, “Leopoldstadt”
Best Costume Design of a Musical – Gregg Barnes, “Some Like It Hot”
Best Sound Design of a Play – Carolyn Downing, “Life of Pi”
Best Sound Design of a Musical – Nevin Steinberg, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Best Lighting Design of a Play – Tim Lutkin, “Life of Pi”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical – Natasha Katz, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement – Joel Grey and John Kander
Isabelle Stevenson Award – Jerry Mitchell
Regional Theater Tony Award – Pasadena Playhouse
Tony Award for Excellence in Theater Education – Jason Zembuch Young
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theater – Lisa Dawn Cave, Victoria Bailey and Robert Fried
This article has been edited for length and clarity.