Radio City Music Hall reverberated with the talent, energy and humor of Broadway last night, during the 71st Annual Tony Awards®. Not only did the stars turn up to fete their peers, but they showed up to showcase their love for the stage and dramatic arts as a national treasure.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend attend the 2017 Tony Awards; photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
Host Kevin Spacey began the evening with a homage to the show nominees that included cameo appearances by Stephen Colbert and Whoopi Goldberg. The House of Cards star, himself a Tony-award winner (for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 1991’s Lost in Yonkers), assumed several personas throughout the night, including President Bill Clinton and television host Johnny Carson.
If there was one big winner this year, it was the musical Dear Evan Hansen, which claimed six of the evening’s awards, including those for best book, best featured actress, best actor and best musical. Its young star Ben Platt, just 23 years old, gave the night’s most moving speech in which he said, “To all young people watching at home, don’t waste any time trying to be like anybody else because the things that make you strange are the things that make you powerful.” That message of individuality applied equally to the spirited fashion adopted by those in attendance.
Josh Groban attends the 2017 Tony Awards; photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
Nominee Josh Groban’s performance of songs from Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 was one of the evening’s highlights.
Denée Benton attends the 2017 Tony Awards; photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
Groban’s co-star Denée Benton was also nominated (for Best Actress in a Musical). The Great Comet received 12 nominations this year, the most among the shows.
Host Kevin Spacey; photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
Condola Rashād, nominee for Best Featured Actress in a Play, A Doll’s House, Part Two; photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
A Doll’s House, Part Two lead actress Laurie Metcalf won for her performance in the revisitation of Henrik Ibsen’s original.
Best Lead Actress in a Play nominee, for Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes, Laura Linney in Derek Lam; photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
Laura Linney’s co-star Cynthia Nixon won Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role of Regina. In her speech, Nixon called the play “eerily prescient.”
Best Actress in a Musical winner Bette Midler; photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
The Divine Miss M won for her role as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the revival of Hello, Dolly!, her first official nomination and win.
Actress and Tony-winner Scarlett Johansson; photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
See more of our favorite fashion from the night:
See all of our coverage of the 2017 Tony Awards.
—Britt Burritt