Schmigadoon! Wins Best Musical at 79th Annual Tony Awards
The 79th Annual Tony Awards were held Sunday at Radio City Music Hall, with 'Schmigadoon!' taking Best Musical and 'Death of a Salesman' leading all shows with six wins. Singer Pink, making her Tony hosting debut, drew widespread acclaim for an opening number featuring roughly 170 Broadway performers in a reworked 'Lady Marmalade.' The ceremony also made history when Bess Wohl became the first American woman to win Best Play in 37 years and Qween Jean became the first openly transgender woman to win a Tony in any category.
The 79th Tony Awards celebrated Broadway's best on Sunday evening at Radio City Music Hall in New York, with 'Schmigadoon!' — a stage musical adapted from an Apple TV+ series that was canceled before a third season — winning Best Musical along with three additional awards including Best Book and Best Original Score. 'Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman' led all productions with six wins, including Best Revival of a Play, Best Direction of a Play for Joe Mantello, and acting awards for John Lithgow, Nathan Lane, and Laurie Metcalf. Pop star Pink hosted the ceremony for the first time, opening with a large-scale ensemble performance of 'Lady Marmalade' rewritten by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Mark Sonnenblick as a tribute to the Broadway season. Joshua Henry won Best Actor in a Musical for 'Ragtime' after four prior nominations, while his co-star Caissie Levy won Best Actress in a Musical and memorably thanked her family's babysitters in her acceptance speech. Playwright Bess Wohl's 'Liberation,' which also won the Pulitzer Prize, claimed Best New Play — the first such win by an American woman since Wendy Wasserstein in 1989 — and costume designer Qween Jean made history as the first openly transgender woman to win a Tony Award in any category. The evening also featured a 15th-anniversary performance by the original cast of 'The Book of Mormon' and audience participation segments teaching fans dances from 'The Rocky Horror Show' and 'CATS: The Jellicle Ball.'
What's missing
Neither source details total viewership figures for the CBS broadcast or how ratings compared to prior years, context that would indicate the ceremony's broader cultural reach.
How coverage differed
AP News offered a warmer, narrative-driven recap emphasizing memorable moments and emotional speeches, while NPR led with a comprehensive winners list and foregrounded historic milestones such as Qween Jean's transgender barrier-breaking win, which AP did not mention. NPR also noted the spread of awards across multiple shows rather than a dominant winner, framing the night more analytically.
What different sources said
- NPR CultureLeft
Tony Award winners list: 'Schmigadoon!' wins best musical, 'Death of a Salesman' lives on
- AP NewsCenter
Tony winners thank voice teachers and babysitters as Broadway crowns ‘Schmigadoon!’
Related
David Hockney, Celebrated British Artist, Dies at 88
British artist David Hockney has died at the age of 88, prompting reflection on his prolific career and his final creative years spent in Normandy, France. Known for his iconic California swimming pool paintings, Hockney spent the Covid-19 lockdowns in rural France, producing 220 iPad drawings that were exhibited as a 91-metre-long frieze at the Musée de L'Orangerie in Paris. His death marks the loss of one of the most influential and technically adventurous artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
America at 250: Conservative Voices Debate the State of Higher Education and Shared Culture
Two opinion pieces published ahead of America's 250th anniversary argue that foundational American ideals are under threat — one focusing on the ideological drift of universities away from merit and civic education, the other on the erosion of a common national culture that once bridged class divides. Both pieces are written from a conservative perspective and appear in right-leaning outlets. The arguments reflect a broader debate about what American institutions should preserve or restore as the nation marks a major milestone.
North Melbourne Holds On for One-Point Win Over West Coast as Waterman Hits the Post in Final Seconds
North Melbourne defeated West Coast Eagles 10.14 (74) to 10.13 (73) at Optus Stadium on Saturday, with Eagles forward Jake Waterman hitting the post from a set shot with 42 seconds remaining. The Kangaroos led by 20 points early in the final quarter before West Coast kicked the last three goals in a dramatic fightback driven by Jobe Shanahan. The result leaves West Coast at 4-10 heading into the bye, while North Melbourne improves to 6-7 and remains in the wildcard race.