Alex Newell and J Harrison Ghee became the first openly non-binary actors to win a Tony Award on Sunday. Newell won Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for their role in the 2022 musical Shucked.
“Thank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer nonbinary fat Black lil baby from Massachusetts,” 30-year-old Newell said in their speech, adding that they were grateful to their mother “for loving me unconditionally”.
“To anyone that thinks they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face [and say] that you can do anything you put your mind to.” Ghee won Best Lead Actor in a Musical following their performance in Some Like It Hot, the adaptation of the classic cross-dressing comedy film.
“For every trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming human who was ever told you couldn’t be seen, this is for you,” 33-year-old Ghee said amid tears. Both Newell and Ghee chose to compete in the best actor categories rather than best actress.
This year’s awards, which honor excellence in live Broadway theatre, were handed out at the United Palace in Washington Heights. Ahead of the event, there were fears that the Tonys might not be held following a strike by the Writers Guild of America that almost ruined the show. However, the members of the union concluded that they will not picket the event when its producers agreed to have an unscripted ceremony, Variety reported.
Here is the full list of winners:
Best musical& JulietKimberly Akimbo – WINNER!New York, New YorkShuckedSome Like It Hot
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a playYahya Abdul-Mateen II, Topdog/UnderdogCorey Hawkins, Topdog/UnderdogSean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar – WINNER!Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and CrazyWendell Pierce, Death of a Salesman
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musicalAnnaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetSara Bareilles, Into the WoodsVictoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo – WINNER!Lorna Courtney, & JulietMicaela Diamond, Parade
Best playAin’t No Mo’ by Jordan E CooperBetween Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly GuirgisCost of Living by Martyna MajokFat Ham by James IjamesLeopoldstadt by Tom Stoppard – WINNER!
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a playJessica Chastain, A Doll’s HouseJodie Comer, Prima Facie – WINNER!Jessica Hecht, Summer, 1976Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musicalChristian Borle, Some Like It HotJ Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot – WINNER!Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetBrian d’Arcy James, Into the WoodsBen Platt, ParadeColton Ryan, New York, New York
Best revival of a musicalInto the WoodsCamelotParade – WINNER!Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best book of a musical& Juliet – David West ReadKimberly Akimbo – David Lindsay-Abaire – WINNER!New York, New York – David Thompson and Sharon WashingtonShucked – Robert HornSome Like It Hot – Matthew López and Amber Ruffin
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musicalKevin Cahoon, ShuckedJustin Cooley, Kimberly AkimboKevin Del Aguila, Some Like It HotJordan Donica, CamelotAlex Newell, Shucked – WINNER!
Best revival of a playThe Piano LessonA Doll’s HouseThe Sign in Sidney Brustein’s WindowTopdog/Underdog – WINNER!
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a playNikki Crawford, Fat HamCrystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window – WINNER!Katy Sullivan, Cost of LivingKara Young, Cost of Living
Best direction of a musicalMichael Arden, Parade – WINNER!Lear deBessonet, Into the WoodsCasey Nicholaw, Some Like It HotJack O’Brien, ShuckedJessica Stone, Kimberly Akimbo
Best direction of a playSaheem Ali, Fat HamJo Bonney, Cost of LivingJamie Lloyd, A Doll’s HousePatrick Marber, Leopoldstadt – WINNER!Stevie Walker-Webb, Ain’t No Mo’Max Webster, Life of Pi
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musicalJulia Lester, Into the WoodsRuthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetBonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo – WINNER!NaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It HotBetsy Wolfe, & Juliet
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a playJordan E Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’Samuel L Jackson, The Piano LessonArian Moayed, A Doll’s HouseBrandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt – WINNER!David Zayas, Cost of Living
Best scenic design of a playMiriam Buether, Prima FacieTim Hatley and Andrzej Goulding, Life of Pi – WINNER!Rachel Hauck, Good Night, OscarRichard Hudson, LeopoldstadtDane Laffrey and Lucy Mackinnon, A Christmas Carol
Best scenic design of a musicalBeowulf Boritt, New York, New York – WINNER!Mimi Lien, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetMichael Yeargan and 59 Productions, CamelotScott Pask, ShuckedScott Pask, Some Like It Hot
Best orchestrationsBill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro, & JulietJohn Clancy, Kimberly AkimboJason Howland, ShuckedCharlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, Some Like It Hot – WINNER!Daryl Waters and Sam Davis, New York, New York
Best costume design of a musicalGregg Barnes, Some Like It Hot – WINNER!Susan Hilferty, ParadeJennifer Moeller, CamelotClint Ramos and Sophia Choi, KPOPPaloma Young, & JulietDonna Zakowska, New York, New York
Best costume design of a playTim Hatley, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Life of PiDominique Fawn Hill, Fat HamBrigitte Reiffenstuel, Leopoldstadt – WINNER!Emilio Sosa, Ain’t No Mo’Emilio Sosa, Good Night, Oscar
Best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theatreAlmost Famous – music: Tom Kitt, lyrics: Cameron Crowe and Tom KittKimberly Akimbo – music: Jeanine Tesori, lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire – WINNER!KPOP – music and lyrics: Helen Park and Max VernonShucked – music and lyrics: Shane McAnally and Brandy ClarkSome Like It Hot – music and lyrics: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Best choreographySteven Hoggett, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetCasey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot – WINNER!Susan Stroman, New York, New YorkJennifer Weber, & JulietJennifer Weber, KPOP
Best lighting design of a playNeil Austin, LeopoldstadtNatasha Chivers, Prima FacieJon Clark, A Doll’s HouseBradley King, Fat HamTim Lutkin, Life of Pi – WINNER!Jen Schriever, Death of a SalesmanBen Stanton, A Christmas Carol
Best lighting design of a musicalKen Billington, New York, New YorkLap Chi Chu, CamelotHeather Gilbert, ParadeHoward Hudson, & JulietNatasha Katz, Some Like It HotNatasha Katz, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – WINNER!
Best sound design of a playJonathan Deans and Taylor Williams, Ain’t No Mo’Carolyn Downing, Life of Pi – WINNER!Joshua D Reid, A Christmas CarolBen and Max Ringham, A Doll’s HouseBen and Max Ringham, Prima Facie
Best sound design of a musicalKai Harada, New York, New YorkJohn Shivers, ShuckedScott Lehrer and Alex Neumann, Into the WoodsGareth Owen, & JulietNevin Steinberg, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – WINNER!