鈥淭he Outsiders,鈥� a gritty adaptation of the classic young adult novel, became the essence of a Broadway insider on Sunday, winning for best new musical on a night when women made strides.
The musical based on the beloved S. E. Hinton book is about rival gangs of haves and have-nots in 1960s Oklahoma. The win meant a producer, landed her first Tony, too.
Producer Matthew Rego, in his acceptance speech, thanked Hinton, in the audience at Manhattan鈥檚 Lincoln Center: 鈥淪usie, I鈥檓 here to tell you that your story and its eternal message of love and family and staying gold has forever changed all of our lives.鈥�
the play about a Fleetwood Mac-like band recording an album over a turbulent and life-changing year, won best new play and had the night鈥檚 most total awards at five. It was written by David Adjmi, with songs by former
鈥淥h, no. My agent gave me a beta blocker, but it鈥檚 not working,鈥� Adjmi said. He added the play took 11 years to manifest.
鈥淭his was a very hard journey to get up here,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to fund the arts in America.鈥�
Two special guests electrified the crowd 鈥� Jay-Z and Hillary Rodham Clinton. The latter, a producer of , presented 鈥淪uffs.鈥�
鈥淚 have stood on a lot of stages, but this is very special,鈥� Clinton said. 鈥淚 know a little bit about how hard it is to make change.鈥�
appeared at a piano as the cast of her semi-autobiographical musical, presented a medley of songs. She sang her and Jay-Z鈥檚 2009 smash 鈥淓mpire State of Mind,鈥� joining the rapper on interior steps to wild applause.
Later, newcomer Maleah Joi Moon won best leading actress for 鈥淗ell鈥檚 Kitchen,鈥� brushing aside a challenge from veteran Kelli O鈥橦ara. The 21-year-old, who plays a role loosely based on Keys鈥� life, dedicated her award to her parents.
Danya Taymor 鈥� whose aunt is Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for directing a musical 鈥� became the sixth woman to win the same award for 鈥淭he Outsiders.鈥�
Then Shaina Taub, only the second woman in Broadway history to write, compose and star in a Broadway musical, won for best score, the ninth woman to do so. The 鈥淪uffs鈥� creator had already won for best book earlier in the night.
鈥淚f you are inspired by the story of 鈥楽uffs,鈥� please make sure you and everyone you know have registered to vote and vote, vote, vote!鈥� she said. Taub said the win was for all the loud girls out there: 鈥淕o for it.鈥�
took home the first big award of the night. The 鈥淪uccession鈥� star landed his first Tony for his work in the revival of Henrik Ibsen鈥檚 1882 political play 鈥淎n Enemy of the People.鈥� The award for best lead actor in a play will sit next to his Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe.
Kara Young, the first Black performer to be nominated for a Tony three consecutive years in a row, won this time as best featured actress in a play for 鈥淧urlie Victorious,鈥� the story of a Black preacher鈥檚 plan to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church from a plantation owner.
鈥淭hank you to my ancestors,鈥� she said, giving thanks to a list that included playwright Ossie Davis and co-star Ruby Dee, who originated her role.
鈥淗arry Potter鈥� star cemented his stage career pivot by winning featured actor in a musical, his first trophy in five Broadway shows. He won for the revival of 鈥淢errily We Roll Along,鈥� the George Furth musical that goes backward in time.
鈥淭his is one of the best experiences of my life,鈥� Radcliffe said. 鈥淚 will never have it as good again.鈥� He also thanked his parents for playing Sondheim in the car growing up.
鈥淢errily鈥� was also named best musical revival and earned his first Tony, for leading actor in a musical. Groff 鈥� previously nominated for 鈥淪pring Awakening鈥� and 鈥淗amilton鈥� 鈥� thanked co-stars Lindsay Mendez and Radcliffe, both emotional in the audience.
Groff, who said he used to watch the Tonys in Pennsylvania as a kid, also thanked his parents and brother for letting him act out scenes from 鈥淚 Love Lucy鈥� as a child.
鈥淭hank you for always allowing my freak flag to fly without ever making me feel weird about it,鈥� he said.
who plays a formidable piano teacher in 鈥淗ell鈥檚 Kitchen,鈥� took home her first Tony, too. The 40-year veteran made her Broadway debut at 18 in the original company of 鈥淒reamgirls.鈥�
鈥淭his moment is the one I dreamed of for those 40 years,鈥� she said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 give up!鈥�
鈥淎ppropriate,鈥� Branden Jacobs-Jenkins鈥� show centered on a family reunion in Arkansas, was named best play revival. Jacobs-Jenkins also thanked Davis, saying there would be no 鈥淎ppropriate鈥� without 鈥淧urlie Victorious.鈥�
鈥淎ppropriate鈥� star Sarah Paulson added a best leading actress in a play Tony to her awards cabinet. Paulson said she was thrilled to be able to interrogate the human condition: 鈥淭his is the heart and soul of what we do and I am so honored to be amongst you.鈥�
Three-time Tony-honored got a special tribute from Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Bebe Neuwirth. Images of her work in 鈥淐hicago,鈥� 鈥淜iss of the Spider Woman鈥� and 鈥淲est Side Story鈥� were projected while dancers performed her hit numbers. who won an Oscar in Rivera鈥檚 鈥淲est Side Story鈥� role of Anita, joined in.
DeBose, a three-time host, also co-choreographed the opening original number, 鈥淭his Party鈥檚 for You.鈥� The song cheered those who sacrifice for their art and took a gentle swipe at other entertainment types: 鈥淵ou鈥檒l learn that film and TV can make you rich and make you famous. But theater will make you better.鈥�
The performances also included an intense, creepy version of 鈥淲illkommen鈥� from the 鈥淐abaret鈥� revival led by Eddie Redmayne, Pete Townshend playing guitar for 鈥淭he Who鈥檚 Tommy鈥� and a messy rumble from 鈥淭he Outsiders鈥� that included falling water, buckets of dirt, various carpets and an onstage truck.
The telecast teased upcoming shows, inviting Nicole Scherzinger 鈥� slated to star in a 鈥淪unset Boulevard鈥� revival 鈥� to sing the 鈥淚n Memoriam鈥� section. Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren 鈥� announced today as stars of 2025鈥檚 鈥淭he Last Five Years鈥� 鈥� presented.
Scherzinger sang 鈥淲hat I Did for Love鈥� as the names appeared, including and actors and
READ ALSO:
