Ariana DeBose (00:01):
Maybe you had to fight. (00:03) But you're here tonight. (00:04) You made it through. (00:06) Learned to get back from each set back. (00:08) And made your dreams come true.
Nate Burleson (00:12): That's three-time host Ariana DeBose kicking off Broadway's biggest night, the 77th Annual Tony Awards here in New York City. Among the big winners, some familiar names from your favorite movies and TV shows. But all eyes were on Alicia Keys' semi-autobiographical Hell's Kitchen and Stereophonic, a play based on a fictional band in the 70s. They had 13 nominations each. The very dapper Jamie Wax has a wrap of the winners and the performances. Jamie, good morning.
Jamie Wax (00:40): Nate, to be called dapper by you, I don't know that I've ever gotten a better compliment, but good morning. Broadway's had a busy spring season this year with more than a dozen new musicals and five new plays opening to audiences here in New York City, which is so important for this city. Last night's Tony Awards reflected a booming time on Broadway and there to celebrate last night were some familiar faces. (01:05) The Outsiders are back in, the young adult novel adapted to the screen in 1983 and now the stage ...
Cynthia Erivo and Idina Menzel (01:12): The Outsiders.
Jamie Wax (01:13): ... Just won the Tony for Best Musical.
Maleah Joi Moon (01:16): We are born on our own.
Jamie Wax (01:19): Maleah Joi Moon won the Tony for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, performing with the rest of the cast of Hell's Kitchen.
Alicia Keys (01:26): If I can make it here.
Jamie Wax (01:27): As well as Alicia Keys, whose life the musical is loosely based on.
Alicia Keys (01:31): Everybody say yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Jamie Wax (01:34): Keys brought out an empire-sized surprise, fellow New York native Jay-Z.
Jay-Z (01:41): I be spiked out, I could trip a referee. (01:43) Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from ...
Alicia Keys (01:43): New York.
Jamie Wax (01:50): Jonathan Groff earned his first Tony for Merrily We Roll Along, thanking his family and former castmates during an emotional speech.
Jonathan Groff (01:58): My family knew the life-saving power of fanning the flame of a young person's passions without judgment.
Ben Platt (02:05): Daniel Radcliffe.
Jamie Wax (02:06): Actors known for their screen work also picked up their first Tonys, including Daniel Radcliffe, Jeremy Strong, and Sarah Paulson.
Sarah Paulson (02:15): Wow.
Jamie Wax (02:20): Stereophonic, which is about a rock band trying to make an album in the 70s, had more nominations than any play in Tony's history with 13.
Speaker 11 (02:30): And the Tony Award goes to Stereophonic.
Jamie Wax (02:32): They came away with five, including Best Play.
Speaker 12 (02:37): Kara Young.
Jamie Wax (02:38): Kara Young, the first black performer to be nominated for a Tony three consecutive years in a row, proved a third time's a charm as she won Best Featured Actress in a play for Purlie Victorious.
Kecha Lewis (02:51): People stop texting me, Jesus.
Jamie Wax (02:54): Kecha Lewis, who plays the piano teacher in Hell's Kitchen, took home her first Tony after decades in the business.
Kecha Lewis (03:01): So I say to everyone who can hear my voice, don't give up.
Jamie Wax (03:10): Some of Broadway's brightest honored one of its best, Chita Rivera, who died in January. Past winners and host Ariana DeBose highlighted Rivera's iconic roles.
Ariana DeBose (03:26): Chita, from all of us, we will always love you.
Jamie Wax (03:29): Yep. Ariana DeBose definitely did the thing. She was working hard last night as the host. She's a wonderful host.
Gayle King (03:35): Yes, she is.
Nate Burleson (03:35): Yeah.
Jamie Wax (03:35): Yeah. She choreographed her opening number, as well as producing the award show itself. This was her third time hosting. And after last year's writers strike prevented us from having a traditional show, it was nice to see her in peak form with great writers and collaborating.
Gayle King (03:52): She was with us on Friday, remember? And she was so ready and so excited and she delivered.
Nate Burleson (03:53): So ready.
Jamie Wax (03:54): Yeah.
Gayle King (03:55): I thought it had some of the best speeches, though, Jamie.
Jamie Wax (03:57): I thought so too.
Gayle King (03:58): Jonathan's speech was great.
Jamie Wax (03:58): I thought the speeches were the highlights. Yeah. Yeah.
Gayle King (04:00): Kara's speech was great. Sarah Paulson, I was really excited for her.
Jamie Wax (04:04): It's something, Gayle. As someone who works in the theater, I will say that you do movies, you do television. But when you go eight times a week and you are with real people telling them stories in the dark, which is something as important as eating or drinking water to us as humans, it is a powerful, powerful thing and these people are having their moment.
Tony Dokoupil (04:28): [inaudible 00:04:28]. I mean, given that you're wearing what you wore to the Tony's last night, if you had a little cat nap and then you came right to the studio ... Nate, you were there.
Nate Burleson (04:34): I was there. It was a show. It was amazing. But for people who have never been to a musical or live outside of New York, how important is Broadway to New York City?
Jamie Wax (04:45): It is the cultural tourism engine of this city.
Nate Burleson (04:49): It is.
Jamie Wax (04:49): I mean, it is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Nate Burleson (04:53): Yeah.
Jamie Wax (04:53): It's why people come to New York more than anything else.
Nate Burleson (04:56): Yeah.
Gayle King (04:57): I now want to see Outsiders. I was pulling for Hell's Kitchen.
Nate Burleson (04:59): Yeah, me too, Gayle.
Gayle King (05:00): I love Hell's Kitchen.
Nate Burleson (05:03): Yeah.
Gayle King (05:03): It's The Outsiders now.
Jamie Wax (05:03): Listen, Outsiders is beautiful. It's real, original music and it's a great story. Susie Hinton, S.E. Hinton, who most people think is a man, is the author of a wonderful book.
Nate Burleson (05:12): The author. And was there last night.
Jamie Wax (05:12): Yep. She was there last night.
Nate Burleson (05:14): Jamie, we appreciate you. Thank you so much.