Tony Awards Dedicate Tonight's Ceremony To Orlando Shooting Victims
Posted on Sun Jun 12th, 2016 8:40pm PDT By X17 Staff
The 2016 Tony Awards have been dedicated to the victims of the tragic Orlando nightclub shooting.
Just before the ceremony, Tony Award Productions announced that the annual ceremony will honor the victims, as there is a close relationship between Broadway and the LGBT community. “Our hearts are heavy for the unimaginable tragedy that happened last night in Orlando,†the statement read. “Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected. The Tony Awards dedicate tonight’s ceremony to them.â€
50 people were killed and at least 50 more were injured when Omar Mateen opened fire inside of Pulse nightclub in Orlando on Saturday night. It is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, and police have labeled it as an "act of terrorism."
Tonys host James Corden honored the victims when he opened the show. "People all around the world are trying to come to terms with the horrific events that took place in Orlando this morning," he began. "On behalf of the whole theater community and every person in this room, our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity. All we can say is you are not on your own right now. Your tragedy is our tragedy. Theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, is embraced and is loved. Hate will never win. Together, we have to make sure of that. Tonight's show stands as a symbol and a celebration of that principle. This is the Tony Awards."
A number of celebrities have taken to social media to express their feelings of outrage and sadness, and at the show, Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda broke down into tears as he read a sonnet he wrote honoring the victims. After accepting the award for Best Original Score, Miranda read:
- "My wife's the reason anything gets done / She nudges me towards promise by degrees / She is a perfect symphony of one / Our son is her most beautiful reprise / We chase the melodies that seem to find us / Until they're finished songs and start to play / When senseless acts of tragedy remind us / That nothing here is promised, not one day / This show is proof that history remembers / We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger / We rise and fall and light from dying embers / Remembrances that hope and love last longer / And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love / Cannot be killed or swept aside / I sing Vanessa's symphony, Eliza tells her story / Now fill the world with music, love and pride."
Click thru for the complete list of Tonys winners.
Best Musical
Hamilton
Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple
Best Play
The Humans
Best Revival of a Play
A View from the Bridge
Best Score of a Musical
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Best Book of a Musical
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple for Celie
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton for Aaron Burr
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey Into Night as Mary Tyrone
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Frank Langella, The Father as Andre
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans as Deirdre Blake
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton as Angelica Schuyler
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton as Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans as Erik Blake
Best Direction of a Play
Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Katz, Long Day’s Journey into Night
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
David Rockwell, She Loves Me
Best Scenic Design of a Play
David Zinns, The Humans
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Best Costume Design of a Play
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Best Choreography of a Musical
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Best Orchestrations
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Sheldon Harnick
Marshall W. Mason
Excellence in Theatre Education
Marilyn McCormick
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Paper Mill Playhouse