Last Sunday was the Tony Awards, otherwise known as the World Series for theater geeks. As an avid Broadway fan, watching these awards have always been a nostalgic experience. There is a certain feeling of pride and sincerity that is unique to the Tonys. Everyone in that room or watching live has a mutual love and respect for the art of theater. Although I understand my own bias, I can't help but feel proud of my theater background. Theater is and always will be one of the biggest parts of who I am and this year's awards provided me with an even bigger sense of pride than I've ever experienced due to the impressive diversity of the winners.
After the controversy sparked by the recent #OscarsSoWhite debate, it was refreshing to see all four musical acting awards this year go to people of color for the first time in the 70-year history of the Tonys, but this should come as no surprise. This season was fueled by the success of Lin Manuel Miranda's smash hit "Hamilton." The musical is a fresh take on the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton. With a hip-hop score and racially diverse cast including a Latin American lead, the show has been met with with critical acclaim for its groundbreaking ideas about what makes a Broadway musical. Nominated for a record breaking 19 Tonys and tickets being harder to come by than a parking spot at Rhode Island College, "Hamilton's" success has been unprecedented. This, in turn, has paved the way for other actors of color to take their spot on a Broadway stage.
Apart from "Hamilton," this season has also seen the success of the revival of the musical adaptation of "The Color Purple." Starring Cynthia Erivo and "Orange is the New Black's" Danielle Brooks, it tells the story of African-American women living in the south during the 1930s. It is a story of bravery and perseverance that can not be matched. Although it is not a new show, it is has seen great success and won the Tony for Best Musical Revival, once again making way for more actors of color.
Acting is in no way an easy profession to get into, particularly on Broadway and after the very prominent racial discussion that has been taking place over the past few years, it is wonderful to see so many people of color getting the recognition they deserve for their amazing work on the stage. I thoroughly believe that Broadway will always be a social trailblazer. Theater has a reputation of being very stiff and wrapped in tradition which I never understood. In my experience, theater people are among the most kind, open-minded human beings in the world. There is so much love and respect in the theater community and it deserves more recognition for all the good it does.
#TonysSoDiverse #SupportTheaterKids
For a complete list of the winners, visit the Tony Awards website.
