The Tonys made me cry
She's not like the other award shows
Yesterday, I almost forgot that the Tony Awards were happening. I was more focused on Father’s Day, the anticipation of really good or really bad news, and the impending heat wave in the Northeast. But a few minutes after 8 pm, I decided to turn it on and see what was happening. Many of us have mixed or mostly negative feelings about award shows. It’s often a political popularity contest, and frankly, the Tonys aren’t that different, but they also are extremely different.
I enjoy award show fashion, and I do love a good speech, but award shows are often extremely self-congratulatory. The Oscars claim to be a celebration of film, but year after year, it’s the same few A-listers getting their accolades. Sometimes it’s a fresh face and it can be thrilling to see an underdog break through. But the Tonys don’t have the same self-congratulatory tone. They feel like an earnest celebration of theater.
Every performer accepting that award is doing the damn thing eight times a week. From Daniel Radcliffe to a dancer in the ensemble, they all show up and put every last drop of energy out there. And they probably all reek by the end of the night from all the onstage lights and passion.
I haven’t seen many Broadway shows this year, but a significant number of the nominated actors are people that I’ve followed for years. I started weeping when Kara Young accepted her speech for best-featured actress. I saw her several years ago in Clydes on Broadway by veteran playwright, Lynn Nottage, and she was an exploding dynamite personified. Everyone in that theater world knows who she is, but now she is on national TV accepting her deserved award.
All the acceptance speeches were clumsily beautiful and raw, yet in many ways, they were the same. David Adjmi, playwright for Stereophonic in his acceptance speech for best play made his joke about beta blockers (a well-known topic in the performing arts.) The statement that reached me was Adjmi thanking his friends for giving him a place to live for seven years as he worked on his magnum opus and struggled to make ends meet. Broadway veteran Kecia Lewis stared us down through the camera, speaking to the souls of everyone with a dream, “Don’t give up.” We had Will Brill thanking his therapist as he accepted his award for Best Featured Role in a Play for Stereophonic. Even Daniel Radcliffe thanked his agent; the same agent he had for his entire career. And the most touching moment came from Maleah Joy Moon, winner of best actress in a musical for Hell’s Kitchen, speaking of the sacrifices that her parents made. “I can’t imagine how many dreams deferred, how many sacrifices you made to give me the life I have today. So tonight, all I hope is that you just get to celebrate, because this is for you and we did this together.”
It takes a village. It takes unrequited love for your craft. I often joke that it takes a little bit of stupidity to keep on going. So yes, I admit that I felt my tear ducts getting a little warm and watery. The Tonys aren’t about me, but they are. They are about everyone with a dream to create art that makes a difference. So I sat in my living room, watching the live stream, dreaming of a day when I get to say my thanks. I have no goals of awards or fame, but I’m dreaming of that contract, that opportunity where all the people in my life who consoled me when I was in tears or supported me when no one wanted to give me a chance, get to see me succeed. I can’t promise that day will come, but what are the Tonys for, if not for dreaming?
My favorite performance of the night from Illinoise.