Broadway’s biggest night was defined by the profound and the playful, as the victors of the 79th Tony Awards took center stage. This year’s acceptance speeches moved seamlessly between heartfelt gratitude and sharp wit, captivating both the crowd at Radio City Music Hall and the viewers tuning in from afar. Read on to discover the most memorable remarks from this year’s winning speeches.
Qween Jean, Best Costume Design of a Musical, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
“This experience has been monumental. We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people. We are taking up space, in ways...we have to take up space, we have to shift the paradigm. So I just want to say thank you so much for this incredible honor.”
Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Best Director of a Musical, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Levingston: “We honor the Black and brown trans women and gay men who were ballroom’s pioneers as well as today’s icons.”
Rauch: “As well as a cast of astonishing triple threats, including people from their 20s to their 80s and every decade in between.”
Levingston: “Ballroom welcomes everyone.”
Rauch: “To the 12-year-old kid who doesn’t fit in, who may be watching this on a television in their bedroom with the volume turned down low.”
Levingston: “Come find your home at ‘The Jellicle Ball.’ ... And that, my friends, is what we call tag team performance!”
Bess Wohl, Best Play, “Liberation”
“I want to say that it has been almost 40 years since an American woman playwright won this award. That was Wendy Wasserstein for her brilliant play ‘Heidi Chronicles.’ Tonight I want to honor her. I want to honor women everywhere who have the courage to use their voice. And to all the girls out there, may you speak your truth and may the world be wise enough to listen.”
Caissie Levy, Best Leading Actress in a Musical, “Ragtime”
“Thank you to Gail Abrams, Brian Davidson, Gary Gersh, everyone at Innovative, my brothers, Josh and Robi, Liz Kaplan and every babysitter who’s made it possible for me to be both a Broadway actor and a mother. Thank you to my ‘Ragtime’ family: Lear DeBessonet, our producers, our cast crew and orchestra and Fran and Danny, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and the late, great Terrence McNally. Thank you for your masterpiece. Playing Mother has been one of the greatest gifts of my artistic life and being mother to my kids has been the greatest joy of my life. Izaiah and Talulah, I love you and although I’m not there to tuck you in each night, you have to know that a part of my heart stays home with you.”
Joshua Henry, Best Leading Actor in a Musical, “Ragtime”
“I want to dedicate this to Bigit Ferrante-Vonte, my first voice teacher. She’s here today. She gave me free voice lessons and told me I could do this, but I didn’t even know what she was talking about. I love you so much.”
Lesley Manville, Best Leading Actress in a Play, “Oedipus”
“My formidable competition: Carrie [Coon], Kelli [O’Hara], Susanna [Flood], Rose [Byrne], I salute you formidable wonderful actresses. I don’t know you. I just met Rose briefly...but would somebody like to write a play for five women? We are quite bankable.”
Shoshana Bean, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, “The Lost Boys”
“This is for the mamas. This is for the single mamas. This is for my single mama. You are the wild heroes. This is for the incredible army of women that surround and uplift me. This is for every woman who ever felt like she was too much or not enough. I beg you not to wait for permission to be all of who you are.”
