The 77th Annual Tony Awards, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing for excellence on Broadway during the 2023-24 season, aired live tonight (Sunday, June 16, 8-11 pm) from NYC’s David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the CBS television network and streamed on Paramount+ throughout the US (live and on-demand for Paramount+ and Showtime subscribers, and available on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers beginning on June 17).
Hosted by Ariana DeBose for the third consecutive year, the ceremony – preceded by The Tony Awards: Act One, a 90-minute pre-show, co-hosted by Julianne Hough and Utkarsh Ambudkar (which streamed on Pluto TV’s ET channel beginning at 6:30 pm), of live and exclusive content and the presentation of the Tonys in the categories of design, creative, and Special Awards – featured an opening song and dance by DeBose, numbers from each of the five nominated musicals (Hell’s Kitchen; Illinoise; The Outsiders; Suffs; Water for Elephants), and a musical performance from the play Stereophonic, recently added to the program after a public outcry on social media for its inclusion. There was a special tribute to Chita Rivera, and Nicole Scherzinger, set to make her Broadway debut next season in the revival of Sunset Boulevard, performed the “In Memoriam” segment, remembering the theater artists lost during the past year.
Along with the performers was a star-studded roster of presenters, including Nate Burleson, Cynthia Erivo, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Josh Gad, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sean Hayes, Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Hudson, Angelina Jolie, Nick Jonas, Idina Menzel, Ashley Park, Jim Parsons, Wendell Pierce, Ben Platt, Anthony Ramos, Andrew Rannells, Solomon Thomas, Taylor Tomlinson, Pete Townshend, Tamara Tunie, Adrienne Warren, Patrick Wilson, and Jeffrey Wright.
Out of this year’s 36 eligible Broadway shows, 28 received nominations. Leading the season’s Tony wins was Stereophonic (the most nominated play in Tony history) with five awards, followed by The Outsiders and Merrily We Roll Along with four each.
And the winners of the 2024 Tony Awards are:
BEST PLAY: Stereophonic, by David Adjmi
BEST MUSICAL: The Outsiders
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Suffs, Shaina Taub
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE: Suffs, music and lyrics Shaina Taub
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: Appropriate, by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Merrily We Roll Along
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY: Jeremy Strong, An Enemy of the People
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY: Sarah Paulson, Appropriate
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL: Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL: Maleah Joi Moon, Hell’s Kitchen
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY: Will Brill, Stereophonic
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY: Kara Young, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL: Daniel Radcliffe, Merrily We Roll Along
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL: Kecia Lewis, Hell’s Kitchen
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: David Zinn, Stereophonic
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Tom Scutt, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Dede Ayite, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Linda Cho, The Great Gatsby
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Jane Cox, Appropriate
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Brian MacDevitt and Hana S. Kim, The Outsiders
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Ryan Rumery, Stereophonic
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Cody Spencer, The Outsiders
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Daniel Aukin, Stereophonic
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Danya Taymor, The Outsiders
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Justin Peck, Illinoise
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS: Jonathan Tunick, Merrily We Roll Along.
In addition to the competitive categories, Special Tony Awards were presented to Alex Edelman, Abe Jacob, and Nikiya Mathis; Jack O’Brien and George C. Wolfe were honored for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre; Billy Porter received the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for his outstanding dedication and contributions as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ communities; Wendall K. Harrington, Colleen Jennings-Roggernsack, Judith O. Rubin, the Dramatists Guild Foundation, and the Friedman Health Center were given the 2024 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre; Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater was recognized as Outstanding Regional Theatre; and CJay Philip was the winner of the 2024 Excellence in Theatre Education Award.
Congratulations to all the winners for this prestigious honor.
