“What is it that makes this year’s Tony Awards different from other years’?” is the opening line I’d prepared for this review. The answers were going to be “Hamilton” and host James Corden, because he is new. Those answers are still correct, and we will get to that.
But what also, unfortunately, unexpectedly distinguished Sunday’s ceremony and its CBS broadcast was that it came on the heels of the shootings in Orlando, Fla., that targeted a community central to and inextricable from the life of the theater. There was a question of how this would be addressed in the ceremony. We will get to that too.
First, I find the Tonys reliably the most moving, exciting, inspirational and well paced and the least pretentious of awards shows. Not every year is equally well written or ably hosted, but it always feels sincere and real and somehow representative of the fans, who get seats in the room, as well as the people they’re fans of.
It was a banner night for “Hamilton” (yeah, we saw it coming, but still), and they performed here at the end of the night. But “The Humans,” “The Color Purple” and more enjoyed accolades amid an air of sadness for the events in Orlando.
(Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Producer Jeffrey Seller, center, accepts the Tony Award for best musical for “Hamilton.”
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Producer Scott Rudin, foreground, and the cast and crew of “A View From the Bridge” accept the award for best revival of a play.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Presenter Audra McDonald speaks.
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Cynthia Erivo accepts the award for lead actress in a musical in “The Color Purple.”
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The cast of “Hamilton” performs during the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre.
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Andrew Rannells performs onstage during the 70th Tony Awards.
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Glenn Close performs onstage during the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre.
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A quartet plays along as the ‘In Memoriam’ section of 70th Tony Awards at The Beacon Theatre plays on behind them.
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Frank Langella accepts the award for leading actor in a play for “The Father.”
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Leslie Odom Jr. accepts the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical in “Hamilton.”
(Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Playwright Stephen Karam accepts the Tony Award for best play for “The Humans.”
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Jessica Lange accepts the award for lead actress in a play for “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.”
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Jessie Mueller and the cast of “Waitress” perform onstage during the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Steve Martin and musician Edie Brickell speak onstage during the 70th Tony Awards.
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Bebe Neuwirth and the cast of “Chicago” perform onstage during the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Sheldon Harnick accepts the special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theatre at the Tony Awards.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Gloria Estefan performs with the “On Your Feet!” cast onstage during the Tonys.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Reed Birney accepts the award for featured actor in a play for “The Humans.”
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Andrew Rannells, Zachary Levi and James Corden speak onstage.
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Composer Alex Lacamoire accepts the award for best orchestrations for his work in “Hamilton.”
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Diane Lane speaks onstage with a backdrop of “Arthur Miller’s the Crucible.”
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Oprah Winfrey introduces a performance by the cast of “The Color Purple.”
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Heather Headley, standing, and the cast of “The Color Purple” perform at the Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Cynthia Erivo and the cast of “The Color Purple” perform at the Tony Awards.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Meg Ryan speaks onstage during the 70th Tony Awards.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Laura Benanti of “She Loves Me” performs onstage during the 70th Tony Awards.
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Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Lucy Liu present the award for best direction of a musical.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Steve Martin and the cast of “Bright Star” perform at the Tony Awards.
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Carmen Cusack and the cast of “Bright Star” perform during the Tonys.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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The cast of “Spring Awakening” performs at the Tony Awards.
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Nathan Lane presents the award for lead actress in a play.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of “Hamilton” perform onstage during the Tonys.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Host James Corden performs during the opening number for the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
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Tony Awards host James Corden gets into his act during the opening number.
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“Hamilton’s” Leslie Odom Jr. performs onstage during the 70th Tony Awards.
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Actor Brian Stokes Mitchell accepts the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award.
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Josh Groban wears a silver ribbon at the Tony Awards in tribute to the victims of the Orlando, Fla., shooting.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Jonathan Groff, from left, Laura Benanti, host James Corden, Jane Krakowski, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Zachary Levi and Danielle Brooks perform onstage at the Tony Awards.
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David Zinn accepts the award for best scenic design of a play.
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Andrew Lloyd Webber
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Alex Brightman and the cast of “School of Rock” perform during the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre.
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Renee Elise Goldsberry accepts the award for featured actress in a musical for “Hamilton.”
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
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“Hamilton” director Thomas Kail accepts the award for direction of a musical during the 70th Tony Awards.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Jake Gyllenhaal presents an award onstage at the Tony Awards.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Lin-Manuel Miranda accepts the award for best original score for “Hamilton.”
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Daveed Diggs accepts the award for featured actor in a musical for “Hamilton.”
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)
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Jane Krakowski and Gavin Creel of “She Loves Me” perform onstage.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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The cast of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ performs onstage.
(Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
People watch the Emmys and the Oscars to see actors and actresses, who do their jobs in bits and pieces and in private, in real time, out of character, if not out of costume. The Tonys, which turn television to theater, are a live tribute to an art that happens live, a collection of showstopping numbers from people expert in the creation of showstoppers, lined up in a row.
As to “Hamilton,” which you may know as a synonym for “valuable thing just beyond reach,” it was a presence throughout the evening -- in the opening number, in the “Carpool Karaoke” segment with creator Lin-Manuel Miranda that Corden imported from his “Late Late Show,” in its own nominated-musical slot (introduced by the POTUS and the FLOTUS), in the closing number and in the many acceptance speeches in between.
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And yet somehow it didn’t overwhelm the proceedings. Enthusiasm is spread generously and lavishly at the Tonys; to judge by the crowd, there are no wrong winners.
First-time host Corden is already under contract to CBS, sure, but he’s also a Tony winner himself, in 2012 for “One Man, Two Guvnors.” Where Neil Patrick Harris, who once seemed to have permanent first-refusal rights on the job, is a cool cat, Corden is a ball of energy, a big dog that won’t stop licking your face; but it is a style that works for him.
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Danai Gurira, Julian Fellowes and Andrea Martins attend the 70th Tony Awards at The Beacon Theatre in New York.
(Charles Sykes/Invision/AP (right and left); Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions (center))
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Vanessa Nadal and Lin-Manuel Miranda arrive at the Tony Awards.
(Charles Sykes / Invision / Associated Press)
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Lupita Nyong’o
(Charles Sykes / Invision / Associated Press)
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Host James Corden and his wife, Julia Carey, at the Tony Awards.
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Neil Patrick Harris, left, and husband David Burtka wear silver ribbons at the Tony Awards to honor the victims of the Orlando, Fla., shooting.
(Charles Sykes / Invision / Associated Press)
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Cate Blanchett
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Heather Headley, from left, Allison Williams and Danielle Brooks.
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions (from left); Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions; Charles Sykes/Invision/Associated Press)
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Common, from left, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Zainab Jah.
(Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for FIJI Water (left and center); Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Nicolette Robinson and Leslie Odom Jr.
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Saoirse Ronan
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Actor Zachary Levi takes a selfie with fans before the start of the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
(Larry Busacca / Getty Images for Tony Awards)
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Jane Krakowski and Krysta Rodriguez.
(Charles Sykes / Invision / Associated Press)
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Sophie Okonedo, from left, Michelle Williams and Sara Bareilles.
(Charles Sykes/Invision/AP (from left); Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions; Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Lighting designer Justin Townsend and Elena Araoz.
(Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Busy Philipps, Questlove and Beth Behrs
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Carole King and Lucy Liu.
(Left - Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions; right - Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Chita Rivera, from left, Laura Benanti and Judith Light.
(Charles Sykes / Invision / Associated Press)
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Christopher Jackson
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Bebe Neuwirth, Daniel Dae Kim and Uzo Aduba
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions (from left); Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions; Charles Sykes/Invision/Associated Press)
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Actress Ali Stroker attends the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre.
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Actress Nikki M. James attends the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
(Dimitrios Kambouris/ Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Actress Laura Michelle Kelly attends the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
( Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Jessica Lange
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David Zinn attends the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
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David Rockwell attends the 70th Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
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Megan Hilty, left, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
(Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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Detroit drama teacher Marilyn McCormick attends the 70th Tony Awards at The Beacon Theatre in New York City. McCormick is the recipient of the Tonys’ Excellence in Theatre Education Award.
Excellence in Theatre Education Award,
Excellence in Theatre Education Award,
(Dimitrios Kambouris/ Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
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The opening number, which related the host’s own theatrical journey to rewritten songs from a host of musicals (including, yes, “Hamilton”), could have seemed self-involved; it felt heartfelt in the end, a shout-out to any and all stagestruck outsiders looking for a place to belong.
“This is like the Super Bowl,” said Corden, “for people who don’t know what the Super Bowl is.”
Corden addressed Orlando at the top of the night, before the show proper began, with the audience behind him: “Theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, is embraced and is loved. Hate will never win. Together, we have to make sure of that. Tonight’s show stands as a symbol and celebration of that principle.
“Think of tonight as the Oscars, but with diversity.”
In the end, only a few speakers addressed the Orlando shootings. But the theater itself is a kind of rebuke to them; nothing needed to be said, because everything was on display, from minute to minute.
