Hadestown came out on top at the 2019 Tony Awards on Sunday night (9 June), being named Best Musical and grabbing up another seven acclimations as well.
It was a strong showing for this mythic musical, but not a landslide. The Tony voters also spread their love pretty evenly among a trio of other musicals, Tootsie, The Cher Show and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Each of those productions garnered two of the coveted awards, including wins in some major categories.
In addition to Best Musical, Hadestown was a winner in musical categories for original score, with music and lyrics by Anaïs Mitchell; director Rachel Chavkin; actor in a featured role, Andre De Shields; and scenic design by Rachel Hauck. Its other wins were for Bradley King’s lighting design; sound design by Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz; and orchestrations by Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose.
Oklahoma! was named Best Musical Revival, winning out over its only competition, Kiss Me Kate. It also made theatrical history with its award for featured actress, Ali Stroker. Stroker, who plays Ado Annie, is the first wheelchair-bound performer to either be nominated for or win a Tony. It was a landmark event for the participation of the disabled in the performing arts.
The Tootsie honours went to lead actor Santino Fontana and to book writer Robert Horn. The Cher Show was cited for lead actress Stephanie J. Block and for Bob Mackie’s costumes.
Rounding out the musical category was the single win taken by Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations for its choreography by Sergio Trujillo.
While King Kong won no competitive awards, it did take home an earlier announced special award for its puppetry marvels by Sonny Tilders and Creative Technology Company. Other special awards, as previously noted, included lifetime achievements going to playwright and librettist Terrence McNally, orchestrator and conductor Harold Wheeler and actress Rosemary Harris.
Among other special awards was one for the late Marin Mazzie, the three-time Tony-nominated actress who died last September, for her advocacy as she fought ovarian cancer. Another went to Jason Michael Webb for his gospel arrangements for the play with music Choir Boy.
James Corden hosted the nationally-televised end-of-the-season Broadway love fest, held at Radio City Music Hall.
Ron Cohen
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