There was a time watching The Tony's was one of the highlights of my year. Although I love the stage, I especially love great musical theatre and was myself apart of many great musicals through High School, University and beyond. This year, the show held little interest to me. It might be a bit of award show fatigue, or it might be that the show has been on a repeat cycle the last few year. Neil Patrick Harris and Hugh Jackman have been rotating as host for the last while and although Hugh is a GOD, I am not sure he can ever do better than the year he both hosted, and won for his role in The Boy From Oz. To me, in many ways that was the last year I really enjoyed the Tony's, and they were not trying to be something they are not.
The Tony's have always had television and movie stars, but it seems to becoming more an more a focus. Not only as presenters, but for shows. Great Broadway musicals were often turned into movies. Now.. so so movies are turned into so so stage shows. I am also one of the few gay men in America who is not in love with Neil Patrick Harris. This makes it difficult, as he is always featured heavily. I know Harris is insanely talented, and a great entertainer. That, I do not argue. I have never been able to shake my feeling he can also be a smug douche. Some of this is based on things I have heard, some it, based on what I have seen. I fight hard to like him, I actively try. I listened to his recent interview with Howard Stern, but only left with my previous instinct about him confirmed multiple times. Although I hoped for a win for Bryce Pinkham in A Gentlemen's Guide To Love & Murder, Harris richly deserved his win. He put his heart, sweat and tears into each performance of Hedwig.
Favorite moments of the night; Carole King and Jessie Mueller, Jackman introducing the lead actress in a musical nominee's and the emotional win for Audra McDonald (although I was hoping for a Tyne). I also enjoyed the performance from Bullets Over Broadway, it was not great, but love the choreography in that number. My favorite performance was from Gentlemen, with Bryce and co-stars Lisa O'Hare and Lauren Worsham. If you did not see it, check it out below!