The social-media-themed musical “Dear Evan Hansen” won six Tony Awards on Sunday, including Best Musical as well as prizes for lead actor Ben Platt, featured actress Rachel Bay Jones, composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book writer Steven Levenson and orchestrator Alex Lacamoire.
“Hello, Dolly!” claimed prizes for best musical revival, costume designer Santo Loquasto and lead actress Bette Midler, who hijacked the podium and spoke well past any efforts to play her off.
Even host Kevin Spacey made light of the Divine Miss M’s persistence. “I want to get the hell out of here before Bette Midler thanks anyone else,” he quipped at the end of the show in the guise of his “House of Cards” character, Frank Underwood (accompanied by his Netflix co-stars Robin Wright and Michael Kelly).
In the play categories, the top honors went to J.T. Rogers’ “Oslo” and the August Wilson revival “Jitney.”
In the acting categories, stage veterans dominated with Kevin Kline earning his third Tony and Cynthia Nixon her second (for the revivals “Present Laughter” and “The Little Foxes,” respectively) — while four-time nominee Laurie Metcalf earned her first for her lead role in the play “A Doll’s House Part 2.”
After last year’s “Hamilton” domination, the Broadway community decided to spread the wealth among many shows this year.
The complete list of winners of this year’s Tony Awards, which are jointed presented by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing:
Best Play
“A Doll’s House, Part 2,” Author: Lucas Hnath
“Indecent,”Author: Paula Vogel
“Oslo,” Author: J.T. Rogers *WINNER
“Sweat,” Author: Lynn Nottage
Best Musical
“Come From Away”
“Dear Evan Hansen” *WINNER
“Groundhog Day The Musical”
“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Best Revival of a Play
“August Wilson’s Jitney” *WINNER
“Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
“Present Laughter”
“Six Degrees of Separation”
Best Revival of a Musical
“Falsettos”
“Hello, Dolly!” *WINNER
“Miss Saigon”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Denis Arndt, “Heisenberg”
Chris Cooper, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Corey Hawkins, “Six Degrees of Separation”
Kevin Kline, “Present Laughter” *WINNER
Jefferson Mays, “Oslo”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett, “The Present”
Jennifer Ehle, “Oslo”
Sally Field, “The Glass Menagerie”
Laura Linney, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Laurie Metcalf, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” *WINNER
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, “Falsettos”
Josh Groban, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Andy Karl, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
David Hyde Pierce, “Hello, Dolly!”
Ben Platt, “Dear Evan Hansen” *WINNER
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Denée Benton, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Christine Ebersole, “War Paint”
Patti LuPone, “War Paint”
Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!” *WINNER
Eva Noblezada, “Miss Saigon”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Michael Aronov, “Oslo” *WINNER
Danny DeVito, “Arthur Miller’s The Price”
Nathan Lane, “The Front Page”
Richard Thomas, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
John Douglas Thompson, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Johanna Day, “Sweat”
Jayne Houdyshell, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Cynthia Nixon, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes” *WINNER
Condola Rashad, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Michelle Wilson, “Sweat”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Gavin Creel, “Hello, Dolly!” *WINNER
Mike Faist, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Andrew Rannells, “Falsettos”
Lucas Steele, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Brandon Uranowitz, “Falsettos”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, “Hello, Dolly!”
Stephanie J. Block, “Falsettos”
Jenn Colella, “Come From Away”
Rachel Bay Jones, “Dear Evan Hansen” *WINNER
Mary Beth Peil, “Anastasia”
Best Direction of a Play
Sam Gold, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Bartlett Sher, “Oslo”
Daniel Sullivan, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Rebecca Taichman, “Indecent” *WINNER
Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, “Come From Away” *WINNER
Rachel Chavkin, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Michael Greif, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Matthew Warchus, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
Jerry Zaks, “Hello, Dolly!”
Best Book of a Musical
“Come From Away,” Irene Sankoff and David Hein
“Dear Evan Hansen,” Steven Levenson *WINNER
“Groundhog Day The Musical,” Danny Rubin
“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” Dave Malloy
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
“Come From Away,” Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
“Dear Evan Hansen,” Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul *WINNER
“Groundhog Day The Musical,” Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin
“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” Music & Lyrics: Dave Malloy
Best Orchestrations
Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, “Bandstand”
Larry Hochman, “Hello, Dolly!”
Alex Lacamoire, “Dear Evan Hansen” *WINNER
Dave Malloy, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, “Bandstand” *WINNER
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
Kelly Devine, “Come From Away”
Denis Jones, “Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical”
Sam Pinkleton, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812″
Best Scenic Design of a Play
David Gallo, “August Wilson’s Jitney’
Nigel Hook, “The Play That Goes Wrong” *WINNNER
Douglas W. Schmidt, “The Front Page”
Michael Yeargan, “Oslo”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rob Howell, “Groundhog Day The Musical”
David Korins, “War Paint”
Mimi Lien, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” *WINNNER
Santo Loquasto, “Hello, Dolly!”
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, ‘Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes” *WINNNER
Susan Hilferty, “Present Laughter’
Toni-Leslie James, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
David Zinn, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, “Anastasia”
Santo Loquasto, “Hello, Dolly!” *WINNNER
Paloma Young, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Catherine Zuber, “War Paint”
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Christopher Akerlind, “Indecent” *WINNNER
Jane Cox, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Donald Holder, “Oslo”
Jennifer Tipton, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, “Come From Away”
Natasha Katz, “Hello, Dolly!’
Bradley King, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” *WINNER
Japhy Weideman, “Dear Evan Hansen”
In addition, James Earl Jones will receive a special award for lifetime achievement, Dallas Theater Center will be honored as outstanding regional theater and sound designers Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin will receive a special Tony for their innovative work on the play “The Encounter” — which required audience members to wear individual headsets to experience the production.