Lesbian-Themed Musical Fun Home Takes Top Prize At 2015 Tony Awards

Broadway's first-ever musical with a lesbian protagonist, Fun Home, took the top musical prize tonight at the 2015 Tony Awards. Fun Home is based on the graphic novel by lesbian author Alison Bechdel, who last year was a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Award. Bechdel first came to national notice via her popular comic strip, Dykes To Watch Out For.

Best Musical
"Fun Home"
Best Play
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"
Best Revival of a Musical
"The King and I"
Best Revival of a Play
"Skylight"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Alex Sharp, "The Curious Incident of the Dog"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Helen Mirren, "The Audience"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, "Fun Home"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Kelli O'Hara, "The King and I"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Richard McCabe, "The Audience"
Best Performance by an Actress in Featured Role in a Play
Annaleigh Ashford, "You Can't Take It With You"
Best Performance by an Actor in Featured Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, "Something Rotten!"
Best Performance by an Actress in Featured Role in a Musical
Ruthie Ann Miles, "The King and I"
Best Book of a Musical
"Fun Home" (Lisa Kron)

VIDEO:  Best Actor winner for Fun Home Michael Cerveris gives a shout-out to marriage equality during his acceptance speech.

UPDATE: More from the New York Times:

“Fun Home,” a poignant and raw exploration of family, memory, sexuality and suicide, on Sunday completed a long journey from the margins to the mainstream as it won the Tony Award for best new musical. The show, adapted from the best-selling graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel, bested more traditionally entertaining nominees, propelled by rapturous reviews and, in recent weeks, sold-out crowds to an unexpected victory that is likely to mean a longer run on Broadway and a longer life around the country.

The victory came at the end of Broadway’s biggest night, and suggested Tony voters were in an artistic mood this year, choosing ambitious, sophisticated productions over more conventional and commercial fare.

The Tony for best new play went to “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” a kinetic and evocative show about a young boy with Asperger’s syndrome; the best play revival went to “Skylight,” about a couple grappling with the aftermath of their affair against a backdrop of economic inequality; and best musical revival went to “The King and I,” a sumptuous production that emphasized the complex issues of gender and colonialism that undergird the classic favorite.

2015 Tony Awards: Meet The Nominees

The show is Sunday, June 7th.

2014 Tony Awards Memorial Reel

NPH As Hedwig At The 2014 Tony Awards

Via Mediaite:

Neil Patrick Harris effectively stole the 2014 Tony Awards with his performance of “Sugar Daddy” from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. During the song, Harris ventured into the audience at Radio City Music Hall where he proceeded to take off Samuel L. Jackson’s glasses and lick them before grinding on the laps of Sting and Kevin Bacon. Harris capped thing off the show-stopping number by leaning off the front of the stage and planting a passionate kiss on his husband, David Burtka, who was seated in the first row.

NPH Wins 2014 Tony For Hedwig

Click here for the full 2014 list of winners.

2014 Tony Nominations Announced, Neil Patrick Harris Gets Hedwig Nod

Hedwig & The Angry Inch scored eight Tony nominations this morning, including a best actor in a musical revival nod for Neil Patrick Harris. Leading the tally is A Gentleman's Guide To Love & Murder, which landed ten nominations including best musical. Gay playwrights Harvey Fierstein and Terrence McNally both picked up best play nominations for Casa Valentina and Mothers & Sons, respectively.  See the full list here and give us your thoughts.

Rosie O'Donnell To Get Special Tony

Rosie O'Donnell will receive the honorary Isabella Stephenson Tony Award this year for her musical theater work with New York City school kids. Via the Hollywood Reporter:

O'Donnell was chosen for the 2014 award in recognition of her commitment to arts education for New York City public school children and her establishment of the nonprofit arts education foundation Rosie's Theater Kids (originally known as Rosie's Broadway Kids), which provides students with training in dance, music and drama, mentoring programs and exposure to professional theater. "Rosie exemplifies the spirit and the generosity of the Broadway community through her "pay it forward" mentality within the arts community and beyond," said Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, executive director of the American Theatre Wing.

Previous recipients of this honorary Tony include Larry Kramer and David Hyde Pierce. (Tipped by JMG reader Wanda)

Tweet Of The Day - Neil Patrick Harris

(Via Towleroad)

Headline Of The Day

The word, as most of you surely know, was "bigger."  NPH only sang it about 30 times during the opening number. The above screen grab is from TMZ.  Here is the report from OMG Yahoo:

A headline splashed across The Daily Mail on Monday morning questioned whether Harris said the "n-word" during his opening performance with Mike Tyson. The U.K. publication even posted the alleged lyrics: "In tandem like we planned 'em, forgive me if it's random but Mike Tyson had a one man show let's give the man a hand/ And make things bigger, like bigger/ I'm here with Iron Mike Tyson he's a heavyweight yo/We're going bigger, is I his n***a."

The Daily Mail has slunk away and deleted their post without apology but the teaser headline remains. The actual line was "the night is bigger."

Larry Kramer Accepts Special Tony Award

True to form, even getting an honorary Tony Award managed to piss off Larry Kramer. Michael Musto reports for Out Magazine:

Downstairs, I found gramps Larry Kramer, who’d been briefly seen receiving a special award for his humanitarian work. He was sitting, but not in a wicker chair. And his normal heart wasn’t smiling. “It was all fucked up,” fumed Kramer. “They kept shunting me around. I was supposed to be on in the first segment, but everybody spoke too long, so they kept putting me off. I had to go on during a commercial break. They promised me they’d show a clip on network, but I don’t think what they showed was very long.” Oh, well, at least Larry told me they stood for him in the theater. “You and Cicely Tyson,” I beamed. “Don’t say anything bitchy!” he warned. Huh? After his harangue, anything I had to say would be as peachy as that hot guy from Pippin.

Kinky Boots Leads 2013 Tony Awards With Six Wins Including Best Musical

Kinky Boots took top honors at tonight's Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall. The show won in six categories including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Leading Actor. The co-producer thanked his husband from the stage, saying, "You make me a better person every day we're together."

Best Musical: Kinky Boots
Best Revival of a Musical: Pippin
Best Actress, Musical: Patina Miller, Pippin
Best Actress,  Play: Cicely Tyson, The Trip To Bountiful
Best Actor, Play: Tracy Letts, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
Best Actor, Musical: Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Best Book of a Musical: Matilda The Musical
Best Revival of a Play: Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
Best Play: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Best Featured Actress, Musical: Andrea Martin, Pippin
Best Featured Actor, Musical: Gabriel Ebert, Matilda The Musical
Best Featured Actress, Play: Judith Light, The Assembled Parties
Best Featured Actor, Play: Courtney B. Vance, Lucky Guy
Best Choreography: Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots
Best Original Score: Cyndi Lauper, Kinky Boots
Best Director, Play: Pam MacKinnon, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
Best Director, Musical: Diane Paulus, Pippin
Best Costume Design of a Play: Ann Roth, The Nance
Best Costume Design of a Musical: William Ivey Long, Cinderella
Best Orchestrations: Stephen Oremus, Kinky Boots

Here's Cyndi Lauper's Best Score win for Kinky Boots. That puts her 75% of the way to her EGOT.

Neil Patrick Harris Opens The 2013 Tonys

This won't last long on YouTube, watch it now. Also: WOW.

Broadway Blows A Kiss To Cyndi Lauper

Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O'Donnell, Katie Couric, the cast of Kinky Boots and several other Broadway shows performed a lip-sync in tribute to the 30th anniversary of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Cyndi Lauper's first Tony nomination.  Lauper is up for Best Original Score for Kinky Boots at this Sunday's Tony Awards.

Neil Patrick Harris To Host 2013 Tonys

"I’m very excited to be back hosting the Tony Awards at the legendary Radio City Music Hall. It’ll be more impressive than ever—if my math is correct, it will be 267 times bigger than last year. Oh, wait. No, that can’t… hold on… carry the one… I’m awful at math. But rest assured, the show will rock!" - Neil Patrick Harris, who hosted the event last year to general acclaim.

2013 Tony Award Nominees Announced, Cyndi Lauper Scores Big For Kinky Boots

The 2013 Tony Award nominees were announced in NYC this morning at a press conference hosted by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Sutton Foster. Topping the list with 13 nominations is the Cyndi Lauper-scored Kinky Boots. Notably shut out was Bette Midler and we've got dueling gays in the Best Leading Actor In A Play category. Via Broadway.com:

Best Musical
A Christmas Story
Bring It On
Kinky Boots
Matilda

Best Play
Lucky Guy
The Assembled Parties
The Testament of Mary
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
 
Best Revival of a Play
Golden Boy
Orphans
The Trip to Bountiful
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best Revival of a Musical
Annie
Cinderella
Pippin
The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Best Leading Actor in a Play
Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Nathan Lane, The Nance
Tracy Letts, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Tom Sturridge, Orphans

Best Leading Actress in a Play
Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place
Amy Morton, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Holland Taylor, Ann
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Bertie Carvel, Matilda
Santino Fontana, Cinderella
Rob McClure, Chaplin
Billy Porter, Kinky Boots
Stark Sands, Kinky Boots

Best Leading Actress in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Valisia LeKae, Motown: The Musical
Patina Miller, Pippin
Laura Osnes, Cinderella

Gay authors Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots) and Douglas Carter Beane (Cinderella) are nominated for Best Book. Hit the link for the full list.

Larry Kramer To Get Special Tony Award

Larry Kramer will be honored this year with a special Tony Award.

Kramer will receive this year’s Isabelle Stevenson Award, a non-competitive Tony award given to an individual from the theater community who has made a substantial contribution on behalf of humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations. “Writers who are activists are very rarely taken seriously as artists,” Kramer said in an interview. “I look upon this recognition as acknowledgment that a serious writer can also be a serious activist, and no less an artist for it.”

This year's regular Tony Award nominees will be announced this morning.

2012 Tony Awards

Best Musical: Once
Best Actress (Musical): Audra McDonald, Porgy And Bess
Best Actor (Musical): Steve Kazee, Once
Best Featured Actress (Musical): Judy Kaye, Nice Work...
Best Featured Actor (Musical): Mike McGrath, Nice Work...
Best Direction (Musical): John Tiffany, Once
Best Revival (Musical): Porgy And Bess
Best Score: Newsies
Best Choreography: Christopher Gattelli, Newsies

Best Play: Clybourne Park
Best Actor (Play): James Cordon, One Man, Two Guvnors
Best Actress (Play): Nina Arianda, Venus In Fur
Best Featured Actress (Play): Judith Light
Best Featured Actor (Play): Christian Borle
Best Revival (Play): Death Of A Salesman
Best Direction (Play): Mike Nichols, Death Of A Salesman

VIDEO: The show opened with The Book Of Mormon.


VIDEO: Host Neil Patrick Harris' opening number.


VIDEO: HIV/AIDS activist Judith Light accepts.


VIDEO: Hugh Jackman accepts a special Tony Award.


VIDEO: Harris's closing number.

Audra McDonald For Marriage

Four-time Tony Award winner.

2012 Tony Awards Nominations

The 2012 Tony Awards nominations were announced this morning, with the musical Once leading the pack with a whopping eleven nods. As usual, The Gays are heavily represented. As quick glance at the list shows Douglas Carter Beane, Harvey Fierstein, Cynthia Nixon. Who else?

NPH To Return As Tony Awards Host

Via press release:

Golden Globe-nominated and Emmy Award-winning actor, Neil Patrick Harris, will return as host of the 2012 Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards® on Sunday, June 10th, live from the Beacon Theatre in New York City. This will be the third time that Harris has hosted the telecast, previously serving as host for both the 63rd Annual Tony Awards in 2009, and the 65th Annual Tony Awards in 2011. "I'm thrilled to be a part of this year's Tony Awards,” said Neil Patrick Harris. “Not only will I be shining a spotlight on the best that Broadway has to offer, but hopefully I'll score some free house seats to a show or 5."

Sunday, June 10th.