Tony Awards: ‘A Strange Loop’ Takes Best Musical as ‘The Lehman Trilogy,’ ‘Company’ Dominate With Five Wins Each

A Strange Loop, The Lehman Trilogy, Take Me Out and Company won the top prizes at the 2022 Tony Awards.

While the Pulitzer Prize-winning Strange Loop, which went into the night with a leading 11 nominations, took home only two awards, those two prizes were for best musical and best book of a musical.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

• Feinberg Forecast: Updated Projections on Eve of Nomination Voting

• Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Corey Hawkins to Star in 'Topdog/Underdog' on Broadway This Fall

• BET Awards: Sean "Diddy" Combs to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

With the former award, the last one presented in a four-hour celebration of the best of Broadway from the 2021-22 season, A Strange Loop’s star-studded producers — including RuPaul Charles, Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter — also won. With the Tony, Jennifer Hudson has achieved EGOT status.

The Lehman Trilogy won for best play and took home another four awards, with director Sam Mendes, another Hollywood Tony winner Sunday night, winning for best direction of a play and actor Simon Russell Beale winning for his leading role in the production about the rise and fall of Lehman Brothers.

The gender-swapped revival of Company also took home five Tonys on a night when late composer Stephen Sondheim was also celebrated. Company won for best revival of a musical, with Patti LuPone and Matt Doyle winning for their featured roles. Director Marianne Elliott thanked Sondheim “for trusting me to tell his story in a different way and putting a woman front and center.”

Take Me Out won for best revival of a play, while Jesse Tyler Ferguson won for his featured role in the production.

Michael Jackson musical MJ was also a big winner, with the 10-time nominee taking home four awards, including lead actor in a musical for Myles Frost, who plays the late King of Pop.

After a powerful performance of “Let It Burn” that earned a standing ovation and stunned expressions from stars assembled in the audience at Radio City Music Hall, Paradise Square’s Joaquina Kalukango won best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical.

And Phylicia Rashad won best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play for her work in Skeleton Crew.

The awards kicked off with Darren Criss and Julianne Hough hosting Tony Awards: Act One on Paramount+, where trophies were presented to creative and design team members. Criss and Hough opened that hourlong show by singing and dancing to “Set the Stage,” a song penned by Criss, paying tribute to the behind-the-scenes figures who make sure the shows go off without a hitch.

In Act One, Len Cariou presented this year’s special award for lifetime achievement in theater to five-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury. While Lansbury wasn’t in attendance, The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus performed a special tribute to her.

Ariana DeBose kicked off the main Tony Awards ceremony Sunday with a high-energy musical number that celebrated the past 75 years on Broadway.

Singing, “This is your round of applause,” to those who worked on those productions, DeBose highlighted a number of well-known musicals, including Cabaret, The Wiz, Aladdin, Pippin, Chicago, Sound of Music, Rent, Hamilton, A Chorus Line, Company and West Side Story, even dancing to a short portion of “America,” which she performed in her Oscar-winning role in the film adaptation of West Side Story. DeBose sported a white bodysuit as she sang and danced across the stage, opening her performance with an MJ-inspired silver vest and white hat and ending it wrapped in a white tuxedo coat.

She then delivered a monologue that celebrated “steps toward inclusion” being taken on Broadway.

“I am so proud that the theater is becoming more reflective of the community who adores it, and in doing so, has gained new performers, new creatives, new fans,” DeBose said. “It has shown us stories that have broadened our world and opened our hearts and our minds. And while we have not solved all of our problems, I feel like the phrase ‘Great White Way’ is becoming more of a nickname as opposed to a how-to guide.”

DeBose also highlighted this year’s diverse nominees, including Lynn Nottage, L. Morgan Lee and Toby Marlow.

Returning to the stage a few minutes later, DeBose also highlighted the role of swings, understudies and other stand-by performers who “played a vital role in keeping Broadway shows open these past few months.”

“I could go on and on because a show is put on by many people, not just the faces you know and love,” she said. “I’m really passionate about this because I was an understudy.”

With this year’s ceremony serving as the first large-scale in-person Tony Awards since the pandemic (a smaller awards show took place last fall honoring the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season as theaters were just reopening after being dark for over a year), a number of winners and presenters took time to reflect on the uncertain past two years.

Elliott dedicated her best direction of a musical award to people fighting for the survival of live theater, which she said seemed to be in jeopardy.

The ceremony also honored Sondheim with a performance of “Children Will Listen” by Bernadette Peters.

The 75th annual Tony Awards featured performances from nominated musicals A Strange Loop, Company, Girl From the North Country, MJ, Mr. Saturday Night, The Music Man, Paradise Square and SIX. Additionally, there was a reunion performance by the original castmembers of the 2007 Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening, including Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele.

Billy Porter sang “On the Street Where You Live” during the In Memoriam segment.

A complete list of this year’s winners and nominees follows.

Best Play

The Lehman Trilogy (WINNER)
Author: Stefano Massini, Ben Power
Producers: National Theatre, Neal Street Productions, Barry Diller, David Geffen, Kash Bennett, Lisa Burger, Caro Newling, Ambassador Theatre Group, Stephanie P. McClelland, Annapurna Theatre, Delman Whitney, Craig Balsam/Heni Koenigsberg/John Yonover, Fiery Angel/Seth A. Goldstein, Starry Night Entertainment, Gavin Kalin Productions, Paul & Selina Burdell/Bill Damaschke, 42nd.club/Phil & Claire Kenny, CatWenJam Productions, Amanda Dubois, Glass Half Full Productions, Dede Harris/Linda B. Rubin, Kallish Weinstein Creative, Kors Le Pere Theatricals LLC, James L. Nederlander, No Guarantees, Mark Pigott KBE, KStJ, Playing Field, Catherine Schreiber/Adam Zell, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Richard Winkler/Alan Shorr/Dawn Smalberg, The Shubert Organization, Independent Presenters Network, John Gore Organization, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jillian Robbins

Clyde’s
Author: Lynn Nottage
Producers: Second Stage Theater, Carole Rothman, Khady Kamara

Hangmen
Author: Martin McDonagh
Producers: Robert Fox, Jean Doumanian, Elizabeth I. McCann, Craig Balsam, Atlantic Theater Company, Jon B. Platt, Len Blavatnik, Richard Fishman, John Gore Organization, Stephanie P. McClelland, David Mirvish, The Shubert Organization, Jamie deRoy/Sandy Robertson, Patrick Myles/Alexander ‘Sandy’ Marshall, M. Kilburg Reedy/Excelsior Entertainment, Playful Productions, The Royal Court Theatre

The Minutes
Author: Tracy Letts
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Rebecca Gold, Carl Moellenberg, Spencer Ross, Louise Gund, Elizabeth Armstrong, Blakeman Entertainment, HornosBerger, Across the River Productions, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley/Leah Lane, Jayne Baron Sherman, Kathleen K. Johnson, Emily Dobbs, Robert Flicker, Jacob Soroken Porter, The Shubert Organization, Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Skeleton Crew
Author: Dominique Morisseau
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

Best Musical

A Strange Loop (WINNER)
Producers: Barbara Whitman, Pasek, Paul & Stafford, Hunter Arnold, Marcia Goldberg, Alex Levy & James Achilles, Osh Ashruf, A Choir Full Productions, Don Cheadle & Bridgid Coulter Cheadle, Paul Oakley Stovall, Jimmy Wilson, Annapurna Theatre, Robyn Coles, Creative Partners Productions, Robyn Gottesdiener, Kayla Greenspan, Grove Entertainment, Kuhn, Lewis & Scott, Frank Marshall, Maximum Effort Productions Inc., Joey Monda, Richard Mumby, Phenomenal Media & Meena Harris, Marc Platt & Debra Martin Chase, Laurie Tisch, Yonge Street Theatricals, Dodge Hall Productions/JJ Malley, Cody Renard Richard, John Gore Organization, James L. Nederlander, The Shubert Organization, RuPaul Charles, Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling, Billy Porter, Page 73 Productions, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons

Girl From the North Country
Producers: Tristan Baker & Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Steven Lappin, Sony Music Entertainment/Sony ATV, David Mirvish, Len Blavatnik, The Dodgers, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Dianne Roberts, John Gore Organization, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Tommy Mottola, Independent Presenters Network, Rod Kaats, Diana DiMenna, Mary Beth O’Connor, Barbara H. Freitag, Patrick Catullo, Aaron Lustbader, The Old Vic, Matthew Warchus, Kate Varah, Georgia Gatti, The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham, Mandy Hackett

MJ
Producers: Lia Vollack, John Branca, John McClain, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music Entertaiment, Roy Furman, Cue to Cue Productions, James L. Nederlander, Kumiko Yoshii, Naoya Kinoshita, Latitude Link, Candy Spelling, Stephen C. Byrd, John Gore Organization, Sandy Robertson, Ed Walson, Peter W. May, CJ ENM, Martin Bandier, Michael Cassel Group, Albert Nocciolino, Playful Productions, Ken Schur, Willette & Manny Klausner, Doug Morris, Michael David, Estate of Michael Jackson

Mr. Saturday Night
Producers: James L. Nederlander, Face Productions, Inc., Hunter Arnold, Michael Cohl, TEG Dainty, Candy Spelling, Steve Traxler, Marc David Levine, Caiola Productions, Crossroads Live, Jamie deRoy, Roy Furman, Arny Granat, Grove Entertainment, John Gore Organization, Wolf Gutterman, Van Kaplan, Larry Magid, Peter May, Carl Moellenberg, Beth W. Newburger, Albert Nocciolino, Eva Price, Iris Smith, The Shubert Organization, Howard Tenenbaum, Barry and Fran Weissler

Paradise Square
Producers: Garth H. Drabinsky, Peter LeDonne, Jeffrey A. Sine, Matthew C. Blank, Joe Crowley, RSR Finance LLC, Hunter & Mariana Milborne, Len Blavatnik, Joseph Coffey, Sherry Wright & Craig Haffner, Bernard Abrams, James Scrivanich, Rick Chad, Arthur M. Kraus, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, Brian Luborsky, Gilbert & Elisa Palter, The Shubert Organization, Terry Schnuck, Urban One, Inc., Robert Wolf, Richard Stursberg, Mark W. Everson, Sanjay Govil, Jeremiah J. Harris, Amabel James, Sheila C. Johnson, Dennis Mehiel, Louise H. & John G. Beard, Henry R. Muñoz, III & Kyle Ferari Muñoz, Walter Swett, Zachary Florence, Berkeley Repertory Theatre

SIX: The Musical
Producers: Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes, George Stiles, Kevin McCollum, Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Best Revival of a Play

Take Me Out (WINNER)
Producers: Second Stage Theater, Carole Rothman, Khady Kamara

American Buffalo
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Steve Traxler, Stephanie P. McClelland, GFour Productions, Spencer Ross, Gemini Theatrical, Chris and Ashlee Clarke, Suna Said Maslin, Ted & Richard Liebowitz/Cue to Cue Productions, Patty Baker/Good Productions, Brad Blume, Caiola Productions, Joanna Carson, Arthur Kern, Willette Klausner, Jeremiah J. Harris and Darren P. Deverna, Van Kaplan, Patrick Myles/David Luff, Alexander Marshall, Ambassador Theatre Group, Kathleen K. Johnson, Diego Kolankowsky, Steve and Jacob Levy, Morwin Schmookler, Brian Moreland, Jacob Soroken Porter, The Shubert Organization

for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
Producers: Nelle Nugent, Ron Simons, Kenneth Teaton, Ellen Ferguson and Vivian Phillips, Willette and Manny Klausner, Hunter Arnold, Dale Franzen, Valencia Yearwood, One Community, Audible, Dennis Grimaldi, Terry Nardozzi and Tracey Knight Narang, Grace Nordhoff/Mickalene Thomas, Angelina Fiordellisi/Caiola Productions, The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham, Mandy Hackett

How I Learned to Drive
Author: Paula Vogel
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Daryl Roth, Cody Lassen, Vineyard Theatre

Trouble in Mind
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers, Steve Dow

Best Revival of a Musical

Company (WINNER)
Producers: Elliott & Harper Productions, The Shubert Organization, Catherine Schreiber, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Crossroads Live, Anapurna Theatre, Hunter Arnold, No Guarantees, Jon B. Platt, Michael Watt, John Gore Organization, Tim Levy, Grove – REG, Hornos – Mollenberg, Levine – Federman – Adler, Beard – Merrie – Robbins, LD Entertainment/Madison Wells Live, Benjamin Lowy/Roben Alive, Daryl Roth/Tom Tuft, Salmira Productions/Caiola Productions, Aged in Wood/Lee – Sachs, Berinstein – Lane/42nd.club, Boyett – Miller/Hodges – Kukieiski, Finn – DeVito/Independent Presenters Network, Armstrong – Ross/Gilad – Rogowsky, Boardman – Koenigsberg/Zell – Seriff, Concord Theatricals – Scott Sanders Productions/Abrams – May, deRoy – Brunish/Jenen – Rubin, Fakston Productions/Sabi – Lerner – Ketner, Maggio – Abrams/Hopkins – Tackel, Levy & Chauviere, Jujamcyn Theaters

Caroline, or Change
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Julia C. Levy, Sydney Beers, Steve Dow, Lot’s Wife, Hunter Arnold, Caiola Productions/Willette & Manny Klausner, Chambers -D’Angora/Joseph & Alyson Graci

The Music Man
Producers: Barry Diller, David Geffen, Kate Horton, Fictionhouse

Best Book of a Musical

A Strange Loop (WINNER)
Michael R. Jackson

Girl From the North Country
Conor McPherson

MJ
Lynn Nottage

Mr. Saturday Night
Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel

Paradise Square
Christina Anderson, Craig Lucas & Larry Kirwan

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

SIX: The Musical (WINNER)
Music and Lyrics: Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss

Flying Over Sunset
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics: Michael Korie

Mr. Saturday Night
Music: Jason Robert Brown Lyrics: Amanda Green

Paradise Square
Music: Jason Howland
Lyrics: Nathan Tysen & Masi Asare

A Strange Loop
Music & Lyrics: Michael R. Jackson

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Simon Russell Beale, The Lehman Trilogy (WINNER)

Adam Godley, The Lehman Trilogy

Adrian Lester, The Lehman Trilogy

David Morse, How I Learned to Drive

Sam Rockwell, American Buffalo

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Lackawanna Blues

David Threlfall, Hangmen

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Deirdre O’Connell, Dana H. (WINNER)

Gabby Beans, The Skin of Our Teeth

LaChanze, Trouble in Mind

Ruth Negga, Macbeth

Mary-Louise Parker, How I Learned to Drive

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Myles Frost, MJ (WINNER)

Billy Crystal, Mr. Saturday Night

Hugh Jackman, The Music Man

Rob McClure, Mrs. Doubtfire

Jaquel Spivey, A Strange Loop

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Joaquina Kalukango, Paradise Square (WINNER)

Sharon D Clarke, Caroline, or Change

Carmen Cusack, Flying Over Sunset

Sutton Foster, The Music Man

Mare Winningham, Girl From the North Country

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Take Me Out (WINNER)

Alfie Allen, Hangmen

Chuck Cooper, Trouble in Mind

Ron Cephas Jones, Clyde’s

Michael Oberholtzer, Take Me Out

Jesse Williams, Take Me Out

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Phylicia Rashad, Skeleton Crew (WINNER)

Uzo Aduba, Clyde’s

Rachel Dratch, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

Kenita R. Miller, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

Julie White, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

Kara Young, Clyde’s

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Matt Doyle, Company (WINNER)

Sidney DuPont, Paradise Square

Jared Grimes, Funny Girl

John-Andrew Morrison, A Strange Loop

A.J. Shively, Paradise Square

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Patti LuPone, Company (WINNER)

Jeannette Bayardelle, Girl From the North Country

Shoshana Bean, Mr. Saturday Night

Jayne Houdyshell, The Music Man

L Morgan Lee, A Strange Loop

Jennifer Simard, Company

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Es Devlin, The Lehman Trilogy (WINNER)

Beowulf Boritt, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive

Michael Carnahan and Nicholas Hussong, Skeleton Crew

Anna Fleischle, Hangmen

Scott Pask, American Buffalo

Adam Rigg, The Skin of Our Teeth

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Bunny Christie, Company (WINNER)

Beowulf Boritt and 59 Productions, Flying Over Sunset

Arnulfo Maldonado, A Strange Loop

Derek McLane and Peter Nigrini, MJ

Allen Moyer, Paradise Square

Best Costume Design of a Play

Montana Levi Blanco, The Skin of Our Teeth (WINNER)

Sarafina Bush, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

Emilio Sosa, Trouble in Mind

Jane Greenwood, Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite

Jennifer Moeller, Clyde’s

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gabriella Slade, SIX: The Musical (WINNER)

Fly Davis, Caroline, or Change

Toni-Leslie James, Paradise Square

William Ivey Long, Diana, The Musical

Santo Loquasto, The Music Man

Paul Tazewell, MJ

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Jon Clark, The Lehman Trilogy (WINNER)

Joshua Carr, Hangmen

Jiyoun Chang, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

Jane Cox, Macbeth

Yi Zhao, The Skin of Our Teeth

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Natasha Katz, MJ (WINNER)

Neil Austin, Company

Tim Deiling, SIX: The Musical

Donald Holder, Paradise Square

Bradley King, Flying Over Sunset

Jen Schriever, A Strange Loop

Best Sound Design of a Play

Mikhail Fiksel, Dana H. (WINNER)

Justin Ellington, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

Palmer Hefferan, The Skin of Our Teeth

Nick Powell and Dominic Bilkey, The Lehman Trilogy

Mikaal Sulaiman, Macbeth

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Gareth Owen, MJ (WINNER)

Simon Baker, Girl From the North Country

Paul Gatehouse, SIX: The Musical

Ian Dickinson for Autograph, Company

Drew Levy, A Strange Loop

Best Direction of a Play

Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy (WINNER)

Lileana Blain-Cruz, The Skin of Our Teeth

Camille A. Brown, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

Neil Pepe, American Buffalo

Les Waters, Dana H.

Best Direction of a Musical

Marianne Elliott, Company (WINNER)

Stephen Brackett, A Strange Loop

Conor McPherson, Girl From the North Country

Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage, SIX: The Musical

Christopher Wheeldon, MJ

Best Choreography

Christopher Wheeldon, MJ (WINNER)

Camille A. Brown, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

Warren Carlyle, The Music Man

Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, SIX: The Musical

Bill T. Jones, Paradise Square

Best Orchestrations

Simon Hale, Girl From the North Country (WINNER)

David Cullen, Company

Tom Curran, SIX: The Musical

Jason Michael Webb and David Holcenberg, MJ

Charlie Rosen, A Strange Loop

This story was first published on June 12, 2022 at 4:01 p.m. PT

Click here to read the full article.