The Beacon Theatre in New York City hosted the 70th edition of the Tony Awards last night and ‘Hamilton’ turned out to be the star of the evening, taking home no less than 11 awards.
‘Hamilton,’ a hip hop musical play about Alexander Hamilton that casts people of color as the nation’s Founding Fathers, had a record 16 nominations and managed to win in 11 categories, including the top accolade of the event, best musical for creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Other categories in which the critically-acclaimed musical won include best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical for Leslie Odom Jr., best featured actor in a musical for Daveed Diggs, and best featured actress in a musical for Renee Elise Goldsberry.
Among the other winners of the night were ‘The Color Purple,’ which received the award for best revival of a musical, and ‘The Humans,’ which scooped four accolades, including for best play. Moreover, Frank Langella won his fourth Tony for his role in ‘The Father,’ while Jessica Lange took home her first Tony award for the role in ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night.’
In the light of the tragic events in Orlando, Florida, where 50 people lost their lives and more than 53 were left wounded in a mass shooting, organisers decided to dedicate the show to the families and friends of the victims. James Corden, the show’s host, and the night’s winners paid an emotional tribute to those affected by the tragedy, which is considered the deadliest shooting in US history. Attendees also wore silver ribbons to show their support for the victims.
However, despite the grim overtones of the evening, the ceremony was sprinkled with happy moments, as it featured its usual performances by nominated best musicals, song-and-dance routines, and a beautiful rendition by Gloria Estefan and the cast of ‘On Your Feet.’
