The 2019 Tony Awards were handed out on Sunday evening and one of the most competitive Best Musical races in years found the late arriving, but critically acclaimed “Hadestown” taking the top prize. The radical reinterpretation of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice took eight Tonys overall including Best Direction of a Musical (Rachel Chavkin) and Best Original Score.
“The Ferryman” took Best Play, “Oklahoma!” lassoed up Best Revival of a Musical while “The Boys in The Band” won Best Revival of Play giving Ryan Murphy his first Tony Award. Oscar winner Sam Mendes won his first Tony for directing with “The Ferryman” while 80-year-old Bob Mackie was a surprise first-timer in Costume Design for a Musical for “The Cher Show.” Bryan Cranston also won his second Tony for his highly lauded performance in the smash hit “Network” (beating stiff competition in Adam Driver and Jeff Daniels) while Stephanie J. Block was a surprise winner in the Lead Actress in a Musical category for “The Cher Show.”
One of the other big wins of the night was legendary Elaine May winning Lead Actress in a Play for “The Waverly Gallery” over Annette Bening, Laurie Metcalf and Janet McTeer. The 87-year-old actress and screenwriter had not appeared on stage in 60 years.
“Tootsie” lost out for Best Musical, but the adaptation of the 1982 movie took home Best Book and Santino Fontana won Lead Actor in a Musical. Despite positive reviews and eight nominations, “Beetlejuice” went home completely empty-handed.
A list of all of this year’s nominees and winners are as follows.
Best Musical
“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
“Beetlejuice”
“Hadestown” – WINNER
“The Prom”
“Tootsie”
Best Play
“Choir Boy”
“The Ferryman” – WINNER
“Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
“Ink”
“What the Constitution Means to Me”
Best Revival of a Musical
“Kiss Me, Kate”
“Oklahoma!” – WINNER
Best Revival of a Play
“All My Sons”
“The Boys in the Band” – WINNER
“Burn This”
“Torch Song”
“The Waverly Gallery”
Best Book of a Musical
“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”: Dominique Morisseau
“Beetlejuice”: Scott Brown and Anthony King
“Hadestown”: Anaïs Mitchell
“The Prom”: Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
“Tootsie”: Robert Horn – WINNER
Best Original Score
“Beetlejuice,” music and lyrics: Eddie Perfect
“Be More Chill,” music and lyrics: Joe Iconis
“Hadestown,” music and lyrics: Anaïs Mitchell – WINNER
“The Prom,” music by Matthew Sklar; lyrics by Chad Beguelin
“Tootsie,” music and lyrics: David Yazbek
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” music by Adam Guettel
Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, “Ink”
Sam Mendes, “The Ferryman” – WINNER
Bartlett Sher, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Ivo van Hove, “Network”
George C. Wolfe, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Best Direction of a Musical
Rachel Chavkin, “Hadestown” – WINNER
Scott Ellis, “Tootsie”
Daniel Fish, “Oklahoma!”
Des McAnuff, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Casey Nicholaw, “The Prom”
Best Leading Actor in a Play
Bryan Cranston, “Network” – WINNER
Paddy Considine, “The Ferryman”
Jeff Daniels, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Adam Driver, “Burn This”
Jeremy Pope, “Choir Boy”
Best Leading Actress in a Play
Annette Bening, “All My Sons”
Laura Donnelly, “The Ferryman”
Elaine May, “The Waverly Gallery” – WINNER
Janet McTeer, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”
Laurie Metcalf, “Hillary and Clinton”
Heidi Schreck, “What the Constitution Means to Me”
Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, “The Prom”
Derrick Baskin, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Alex Brightman, “Beetlejuice”
Damon Daunno, “Oklahoma!”
Santino Fontana, “Tootsie” – WINNER
Best Leading Actress in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, “The Cher Show” – WINNER
Caitlin Kinnunen, “The Prom”
Beth Leavel, “The Prom”
Eva Noblezada, “Hadestown”
Kelli O’Hara, “Kiss Me, Kate”
Best Featured Actor in a Play
Bertie Carvel, “Ink” – WINNER
Robin de Jesús, “The Boys in the Band”
Gideon Glick, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Brandon Uranowitz, “Burn This”
Benjamin Walker, “All My Sons”
Best Featured Actress in a Play
Fionnula Flanagan, “The Ferryman”
Celia Keenan-Bolger, “To Kill a Mockingbird” – WINNER
Kristine Nielsen, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Julie White, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Ruth Wilson, “King Lear”
Best Featured Actor in a Musical
André De Shields, “Hadestown” – WINNER
Andy Grotelueschen, “Tootsie”
Patrick Page, “Hadestown”
Jeremy Pope, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Ephraim Sykes, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Lilli Cooper, “Tootsie”
Amber Gray, “Hadestown”
Sarah Stiles, “Tootsie”
Ali Stroker, “Oklahoma!” – WINNER
Mary Testa, “Oklahoma!”
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Bunny Christie, “Ink”
Rob Howell, “The Ferryman” – WINNER
Santo Loquasto, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Jan Versweyveld, “Network”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Peter England, “King Kong”
Rachel Hauck, “Hadestown” – WINNER
Laura Jellinek, “Oklahoma!”
David Korins, “Beetlejuice”
Best Costume Design of a Play
Rob Howell, “The Ferryman” – WINNER
Toni-Leslie James, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”
Clint Ramos, “Torch Song”
Ann Roth, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Ann Roth, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Michael Krass, “Hadestown”
William Ivey Long, “Tootsie”
William Ivey Long, “Beetlejuice”
Bob Mackie, “The Cher Show” – WINNER
Paul Tazewell, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, “Ink” – WINNER
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”
Peter Mumford, “The Ferryman”
Jennifer Tipton, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, “Network”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, “The Cher Show”
Howell Binkley, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Bradley King, “Hadestown” – WINNER
Peter Mumford, “King Kong”
Kenneth Posner and Peter Negrini, “Beetlejuice”
Best Sound Design in a Play
Adam Cork, “Ink”
Scott Lehrer, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Fitz Patton, “Choir Boy” – WINNER
Nick Powell, “The Ferryman”
Eric Sleichim, “Network”
Best Sound Design in a Musical
Peter Hylenski, “King Kong”
Peter Hylenski, “Beetlejuice”
Steve Canyon Kennedy, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Drew Levy, “Oklahoma!”
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, “Hadestown” – WINNER
Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, “Choir Boy”
Warren Carlyle, “Kiss Me, Kate”
Denis Jones, “Tootsie”
David Neumann, “Hadestown”
Sergio Trujillo, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” – WINNER
Best Orchestrations
Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, “Hadestown” – WINNER
Simon Hale, “Tootsie”
Larry Hochman, “Kiss Me, Kate”
Daniel Kluger, “Oklahoma!”
Harold Wheeler, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater
Rosemary Harris
Terrence McNally
Harold Wheeler
Isabelle Stevenson Award
Judith Light
Regional Theater Tony Award
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Special Tony Award
Marin Mazzie
Sonny Tilders and Creature Technology Company
Jason Michael Webb
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theater
Broadway Inspirational Voices – Michael McElroy, Founder
Peter Entin
FDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9
Joseph Blakely Forbes