Two weeks ago, the 72nd annual Tony Awards aired, celebrating Broadway's best new shows. As a theatre geek, I of course watched it intently with a group of my friends. Nearly all of my predictions came true, including "The Band's Visit" doing a thorough sweep of the night's top awards. The musical won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, making it one of the most celebrated musicals of all time. I was thrilled, feeling it totally deserved all of the trophies it took home that Sunday night.
I was lucky enough to see "The Band's Visit" on Broadway back in January. It totally wowed me. I laughed, I cried, I stood on my feet and cheered until my voice was hoarse. Seeing it win so many awards made my heart soar. Part of that is because it is a show about Arabs from Israel and Egypt getting along, which is strangely timely today.
The musical is based on a 2007 film of the same name, which until now was relatively unknown. Now, it is at the center of attention in the theatre community. Last year, the Tonys were a bit of a letdown for me personally. "Dear Evan Hansen", a musical about a teenage boy caught in a lie involving a classmate's suicide, took home the biggest awards while the experimental, diverse electropop opera "The Great Comet" was snubbed. While this is a matter of personal preference, the lack of acknowledgment for "The Great Comet" also lacked acknowledgment for new art and different ideas. That is why outcry on social media after the awards was frustrating.
Many viewers voiced their outrage over the sweep on social media. People felt that it wasn't fair to the other shows that were nominated. However, it is important to note that the past two years saw a similar pattern with "Hamilton" and "Dear Evan Hansen". So what's different about this?
"The Band's Visit" is a triumph for art and representation. Israelis are shown not as stereotypes or sidekicks, but as central characters with compelling stories. It is a character-driven piece that relies on its musical storytelling more than it's plot, create a subtle drama that is unparalleled. So is it a dislike for cultural representation? Do audiences not feel like it's good? I can't answer that. But the recognition received by this show is a step forward in the theatre community and representation in the art as a whole, and that's something to be thankful for.
