The first two hours of the abridged 2020 Tony Awards, shown in September 2021, were well produced, an intimate affair with a lot of heart, if a little odd.
All of the 2020 Tony Awards from an abbreviated season were handed out except Best Musical, Play and Revival of a Play. They were left for the CBS special at 9pm. Everything else was handed out on Paramount Plus, but just on the East Coast. On the West Coast, everyone was complaining. They’ll see it later.
The big winner was not any of the nominees, but Jennifer Holliday who brought the house down and the audience to their feet singing her Tony hit from 1981, “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” from “Dreamgirls.”
The audience at the Winter Garden still isn’t over it.
Some of the awards were silly. Some wouldn’t have happened if the 2020 season had proceeded properly. All the shows nominated for Best Score were plays, not musicals. Huh? “A Christmas Carol” is a seasonal production that wouldn’t have won so many awards. But why quibble? Broadway’s back, what happened happened, and we’ll all live.
The main thing is all the main acting awards were spot on. Danny Burstein won after 7 tries, Lois Smith won after 60 years. Many congrats to both of them. Adrienne Warren finally got her award for playing Tina Turner. The universe is happy. And PS Everyone loves David Grier.
Kudos to Audra McDonald, who should host everything.
74th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS WINNERS LIST
Best Play, The Inheritance
Best Revival of a Play, A Soldier’s Story
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Lois Smith, The Inheritance
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Lois Smith, The Inheritance
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Best Costume Design of a Play
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Best Sound Design of a Play
Simon Baker, A Christmas Carol
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
A Christmas Carol
Music: Christopher Nightingale
Best Book of a Musical
Jagged Little Pill
Diablo Cody
Best Orchestrations
Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen, Matt Stine and Justin Levine, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
