“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Hello, Dolly!” Win Big At The 2017 Tony Awards

Host Kevin Spacey almost sort of came out during the telecast
From: NewNowNext

 Last year’s Tony Awards telecast opened with a dedication to the victims of that morning’s Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. Despite the current political climate, this year’s ceremony largely kept current events out of the spotlight.

Hosted by master impressionist Kevin Spacey, the 71st Annual Tony Awards jumped straight to the chuckles with an opening number lampooning this year’s biggest musicals—and poking fun at the fact that the House of Cards star was far from the first choice to host the ceremony.

 “I’m coming out,” sang Spacey, in drag as Sunset Boulevard’s Norma Desmond, before pausing—”no, wait, no”—and switching gears. He also aimed an ironic “closet” joke at Whoopi Goldberg, who appeared in the opening number with Stephen Colbert and Billy Crystal.

Speaking of closets, Spacey later jokingly called out American Beauty co-star Chris Cooper, nominated for his performance in A Doll’s House, Part 2. “The last time I saw Chris, he kissed me in the garage and shot me in the kitchen. And then we did American Beauty together.”

 In one of the night’s most memorable political jabs, Colbert compared the White House to a theatrical revival with “huge production values” and a main character who’s “totally unbelievable. And the hair and makeup? Yeesh.” He roused the audience by suggesting it “could close early.”

Among those honored from Broadway’s 2016–2017 season, Bette Midler took home the award for Best Actress in a Musical and delivered one of the longest acceptance speeches in recent memory—loud play-off music be damned. “Shut that crap off,” she snapped.

Out Hello, Dolly! actor Gavin Creel also won Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical.

Accepting his award for Best Actor in a Musical for Dear Evan Hansen, which explores bullying and teen suicide, Ben Platt said, “To all the young people watching at home, don’t waste any time trying to be like anybody but yourself. Because the things that make you strange are the things that make you powerful.”

 Dear Evan Hansen, which won Best Musical, also earned gay-straight super-duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul the award for Best Score.

Cynthia Nixon, who won Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for her performance in The Little Foxes, thanked her wife in her speech, which included a shout-out to the resistance movement.

Walking away with a total of six awards, Dear Evan Hansen was the evening’s biggest winner. In comparison, Hamilton, last year’s biggest winner, snagged 11 Tonys. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 led this year’s race with 12 nominations but only won two awards.

See the full list of winners and watch Spacey’s opening number below.

Best Musical

Dear Evan Hansen

Best Play

Oslo

Best Book of a Musical

Steven Levenson

Dear Evan Hansen

Best Original Score

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Dear Evan Hansen

Best Revival of a Play

Jitney

Best Revival of a Musical

Hello, Dolly!

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Kevin Kline

Present Laughter

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Laurie Metcalf

A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Ben Platt

Dear Evan Hansen

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Bette Midler

Hello, Dolly!

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Michael Aranov

Oslo

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Cynthia Nixon

The Little Foxes

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Gavin Creel

Hello, Dolly!

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Rachel Bay Jones

Dear Evan Hansen

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Nigel Hook

The Play That Goes Wrong

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Mimi Lien

The Great Comet

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jane Greenwood

The Little Foxes

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Santo Loquasto

Hello, Dolly!

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Christopher Akerlind

Indecent

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Bradley King

The Great Comet

Best Direction of a Play

Rebecca Taichman

Indecent

Best Direction of a Musical

Christopher Ashley

Come From Away

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler

 Bandstand

Best Orchestrations

Alex Lacamoire

Dear Evan Hansen

Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre

James Earl Jones

Special Tony Award

Nina Lannan and Alan Wasser

Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin

Regional Theatre Tony Award

Dallas Theater Center

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award: Baayork Lee