The 79th Annual Tony Awards arrived at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night and delivered exactly what Broadway fans want from theatre’s biggest celebration: major wins, historic milestones, emotional speeches, and a few surprises along the way. By the end of the evening, one thing was clear: Broadway is thriving.
Hosted by P!nk, the ceremony aired live on PlutoTV and CBS and celebrated a season that saw Broadway showcase an impressive mix of new musicals, beloved revivals, and daring plays. The result was one of the most entertaining and memorable Tony broadcasts in years.
The Opening Number
P!nk kicked off the ceremony acknowledging the elephant in the room: why was someone who has never been on Broadway hosting the Tony Awards? She then launched into a star-packed rendition of “Leading Lady Marmalade,” joined by Megan Thee Stallion, Neil Patrick Harris, Marla Mindelle, Shoshana Bean, Sara Chase, and 170 cast members from all of the nominated musicals that demonstrated she might not have a Broadway credit (yet!) but has the talent to perform with the best of them. The twist on the original song, with lyrics by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Mark Sonnenblick, shouted out each leading lady nominated for acting awards. The opener has been praised by fans and critics alike, and no one will be forgetting “Gitchie, gitchie Carrie Coon” anytime soon!
A Three-Way Tie at the Top
While no single musical completely dominated the evening, three productions emerged as the night’s biggest musical winners. Schmigadoon!, The Lost Boys, and Ragtime tied for the lead among musicals with four awards each.
For Schmigadoon!, the evening culminated with the coveted Best Musical prize. The Broadway adaptation of the 2021 musical TV series also won Best Book and Best Original Score, with creator Cinco Paul winning three Tonys for his solo authorship of the show’s book, music, and lyrics, along with Best Orchestrations. Might Schmigadoon!’s success lead to season 3 of the beloved TV show on which the musical is based?
Ragtime continued its remarkable run, winning Best Revival of a Musical and reminding audiences why the epic American story remains one of the most powerful works ever written for the stage. In a funny moment, sound designer Kai Harada also won Best Sound Design of a Musical, but he only heard his name and had to ask presenter Laura Benanti which show he’d won for (he was also nominated for Cats: The Jellicle Ball.)
The Lost Boys took home design awards, including Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design of a Musical, as well as supporting acting awards for both Actress and Actor.
Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy Deliver the Night’s Most Celebrated Wins
Joshua Henry won his first Tony for Best Actor in a Musical, having been previously nominated for The Scottsboro Boys, Violet, and Carousel. His commanding performance as Coalhouse Walker Jr. anchored the revival. In his speech, Henry shouted out the “Black-don’t-crack legacy” of original Ragtime stars Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell.
Caissie Levy won Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Mother — also her first Tony, and remarkably, her first nomination. In her acceptance speech, Levy proclaimed, “Playing Mother has been one of the greatest gifts of my artistic life,” and she also honored the community surrounding her who enables her to work in the theatre: “I’m twenty years in, and the most important thing I’ve learned is that no one does it alone. Thank you to every babysitter who’s made it possible for me to be both a Broadway actor and a mother.”
Qween Jean Makes Tony History
One of the evening’s most important moments came when Qween Jean won Best Costume Design of a Musical for Cats: The Jellicle Ball, making her the first openly trans person to win a Tony Award.
Her work on the ballroom-inspired reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical involved creating around 500 costumes, including tributes to trans revolutionaries like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. But beyond the artistry, the moment represented a milestone for Broadway and the Tony Awards.
In her acceptance speech, Jean said, “We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people. We are taking up space in ways we have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm.” It was instantly one of the defining moments of the night, fans clacking in agreement.
The Plays Shared the Love
Death of a Salesman emerged as the night’s overall leader with six Tony wins, including Best Revival of a Play. Laurie Metcalf took home Best Featured Actress in a Play for her third career Tony, and Joe Mantello was honored for his direction. The production also won for lighting, scenic, and sound design.
Playwright Bess Wohl was honored for Liberation with Best Play, making her only the fourth woman in Tony history to receive the award and the first American woman playwright to win since Wendy Wasserstein in 1989, which she passionately called out during her speech.
Both Best Actress and Actor in a Play awards went to British vets who also won the Olivier for the same role. John Lithgow won Best Actor for Giant, breaking the record for the longest gap between Tony wins — 53 years after his first — and simultaneously becoming the oldest man to win a competitive acting Tony at age 80. Primarily a West End actress, Lesley Manville took home the Best Actress award for Oedipus in her Broadway debut and completed her sweep of all the major awards this season.
A Night That Celebrated Broadway’s Future
Broadway can honor its past through revivals like Ragtime and Death of a Salesman; it can reinvent classics through bold productions like Cats: The Jellicle Ball; it can push the boundaries with The Lost Boys, while remembering its roots with Schmigadoon! With hints at next season’s shows (marmalade sandwich, anyone?) and a beautiful performance by Rachel Zegler, starring in Evita next season, there’s much to look forward to.
With historic wins, recognition for beloved performers, and some incredible performances that didn’t pander to audiences but showed Broadway in all its bright, gay, fun, sometimes inappropriate self, the 2026 Tony Awards was a success.