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Broadway's Returns Are up and the Tonys Are Proof It's as Diverse as Ever
Broadway's Returns Are up and the Tonys Are Proof It's as Diverse as Ever

Newsweek

time28-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Newsweek

Broadway's Returns Are up and the Tonys Are Proof It's as Diverse as Ever

Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. "In this day and age, where the arts seem to be a little bit under attack right now, I, more than I already did, understand the importance of the arts," says Audra McDonald, who recently picked up her 11th Tony Award nomination for her take on Mama Rose in Gypsy. "The importance of telling stories and audiences coming together and experiencing our own humanity." The COVID-19 pandemic hit the arts hard, but particularly New York City's iconic Broadway. Theaters were dark for 18 months, the longest shutdown in history, with a loss of billions of dollars. The climb back from that has been slow. But the energetic vibe of the 2024-2025 season has box office data to reinforce the sense of optimism. What's also notable about Broadway bouncing back is the range of shows that are box office hits. While politicians and institutions target diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the recipe for success on Broadway and at the Tonys in 2025 seems to be all-out diversification. Audra McDonald and Joy Woods in "Gypsy." Audra McDonald and Joy Woods in "Gypsy." Julieta Cervantes "People are just hungry to be surprised," Conrad Ricamora, Tony-nominated for Oh, Mary! says. "I'm just happy that we're finally telling the truth about our first Filipino gay president, which was Abraham Lincoln." [laughs] Oh, Mary!, Cole Escola's send up of Mary Todd Lincoln and her path to cabaret stardom, is just one example of a Tony-nominated show proving it can be diverse and financially successful. There's Maybe Happy Ending, the South Korean musical starring Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen as two futuristic robots in love; Purpose, the Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a prominent Black political family in Chicago; Yellow Face, the semi-autobiographical play by David Henry Hwang starring Daniel Dae Kim; the campy musical take on the film Death Becomes Her; and, of course, the revival of Gypsy, what many consider the best musical of all time, now with an all-Black cast, helmed by the most awarded performer in Tony history, six-time winner McDonald. Buena Vista Social Club performs on stage. Buena Vista Social Club performs on stage. Matthew Murphy 'Fever Pitch' Broadway's 2024-2025 season hit $1.8 billion in box office revenues, surpassing its previous record from the same week in May during the 2018-2019 season—for the first time since the pandemic. "The grosses have not overall exceeded 2018-2019, which had been our high-water mark," Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, tells Newsweek. "Season to are ahead of where we were in 2018-2019, which is wonderful. John Pirruccello and Kieran Culkin in "Glengarry Glen Ross." John Pirruccello and Kieran Culkin in "Glengarry Glen Ross." Emilio Madrid "It is worth noting that 20 percent or so of our box office is reflected by those three star-driven plays. So those numbers are really buoyed by Good Night, and Good Luck; Glengarry Glen Ross and Othello." These revenue numbers were hard fought for an industry battered by the pandemic, and the impact of this success can be felt by the talent. "It's so exciting, especially bouncing back from the COVID of it all," Jonathan Groff, Tony-nominated for his performance in Just in Time, says. "I know that the theater community and the city is still coming back from that. So, the fact that this wave of this year is reaching that fever pitch is really, really exciting." Broadway's "Death Becomes Her." Broadway's "Death Becomes Her." Franz Szony "It feels like Broadway's really back," Megan Hilty, Tony-nominated for her performance in Death Becomes Her, says. "The audiences are really back." But Laks is quick to caution being overly optimistic. "I don't think we are all the way back. I don't think we can say that. We're out of the proverbial woods, as it were, I think we are returning as New York City is returning." The cast of "BOOP!" The cast of "BOOP!" Matthew Murphy That said, Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, notes that shows like Oh, Mary!—which is unconventional and doesn't have household-known Hollywood talent—has proven to be a hit. "Oh, Mary! is not a star-driven thing, and it is a hard ticket to get. And that was built, I think, completely by word of mouth, starting off-Broadway, coming to Broadway and then got extended, extended, extended. So I think we are seeing a success story." "It's a really interesting celebration of how so many rivers can lead here," says Jacobs-Jenkins, Tony-nominated author of Purpose, which first opened in Chicago. "Not everything starts on Broadway. But Broadway gets to benefit from the kind of hearts and minds of so many pockets of this broader field." Christine Cornish, Jonathan Groff and Julia Grondin of "Just In Time." Christine Cornish, Jonathan Groff and Julia Grondin of "Just In Time." Matthew Murphy/Evan Zimmerman Diversity Equals Bank "If you look back in the history of the Tony Awards, anytime there was diverse content, for the most part, it recognized it," Hitchens says. "Jason [Laks] and I talked about this a lot; when you do the right thing over a long period of time, and you make people feel welcome, then we get bigger and broader. "People talk about diversity and inclusion, and they say it's not a program, it's a principle; it's been a principle of this entity for a long time." Left to right: Jon Michael Hill (Naz), Kara Young (Aziza), and Harry Lennix (Solomon) in "Purpose." Left to right: Jon Michael Hill (Naz), Kara Young (Aziza), and Harry Lennix (Solomon) in "Purpose." Marc J. Franklin From Kim becoming the first Asian American to be nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for Yellow Face to Oh, Mary!'s gender-fluid portrayal of history, this year's Tony nominees represent a year that will not only be remembered for its box office successes, but also the principle of diversity Hitchens is referring to. "I didn't know that there was a space for a show like this [Oh, Mary!] on Broadway," Ricamora says. "But I think the thing it's teaching me is that people are hungry for authenticity." For Kim, the celebration of diversity leads to a greater understanding of the moment we're living in politically. Daniel Dae Kim, left, in "Yellow Face." Daniel Dae Kim, left, in "Yellow Face." Joan Marcus "These are stories that we're hearing in the news right now. We're hearing of stories of American citizens being deported, and these are things that Asian Americans have faced since we've been in this country." He's also very aware of what his historic nomination means. What some of the stars up for a Tony Award have to say about their nomination. What some of the stars up for a Tony Award have to say about their nomination. Theo Wargo, Bruce Glikas/WireImage via Getty Images "It's part of the story of being Asian American. Traditionally, we have been overlooked, and we have been made to feel invisible at times.... I look forward to the day when it's not just a nomination, that there's an Asian American who actually wins this category." Real Women Have Curves' Justina Machado can relate. "People that are used to seeing themselves do not understand how important and powerful it is," Machado says. "You just don't get it. And then when somebody does, it affects them." Tony Macht, Cole Escola, Conrad Ricamora and Bianca Leigh in "Oh, Mary!". Tony Macht, Cole Escola, Conrad Ricamora and Bianca Leigh in "Oh, Mary!". Emilio Madrid But that change isn't just felt on stage, it's also having an impact in the audience, says Celia Keenan-Bolger, Tony-award winning actress and recipient of the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for her advocacy work. "Wherever you live, you could come to New York City and you could see something that's for you, and you could sit next to somebody from a different state who might not have the same set of beliefs as you, and you could share an experience together. And these days, that is something." And for many, like Will Aronson, co-writer of Maybe Happy Ending with Hue Park, the very essence of live theater is rooted in diversity. Danny Burstein with McDonald in "Gypsy." Danny Burstein with McDonald in "Gypsy." Julieta Cervantes "One of the things that I think drew us to writing for musical theater in general was that it seemed like this really big tent, for lack of a better word, where you could have Sweeney Todd, Hairspray—you can have these vastly different things that are all great and all really different. This year is like a perfect example of that." 'Thrilled' To Be a Part of It "I am not the queen. There is no queen of the Tony," says the most Tony nominated and the most awarded performer in Broadway history, McDonald, when praised for her domination. That sense of humbleness is felt among this year's nominees. "All of this talent, all these different shows all happening at the same time in one city. It's so special to be in this city at this time," says Groff, who won the Tony last year for Merrily We Roll Along. He's a longtime fan of the awards. "I watched the Tonys as a kid. Recorded them on VHS." Jonathan Groff at the opening night after-party for Bobby Darin musical "Just in Time" on Broadway on April 23, 2025, in New York City. Jonathan Groff at the opening night after-party for Bobby Darin musical "Just in Time" on Broadway on April 23, 2025, in New York City. Bruce Glikas/WireImage And it's the power and impact of a nomination that matters the most to first-time nominee Kim. "It gives me goosebumps, literally, because I think that's the power of what we do as storytellers. We get to speak truth to power in a way that is not in a classroom, is not in a way that tells you about the experience of America, it actually shows you, and I think that's a really effective way of spotlighting and increasing our understanding of the world around us." Similarly, Death Becomes Her's Hilty says she's just hoping to give audiences a break from whatever is going on outside the walls of the theater. Daniel Dae Kim attends the "Yellow Face" screening at Whitby Hotel on April 14, 2025, in New York City. Daniel Dae Kim attends the "Yellow Face" screening at Whitby Hotel on April 14, 2025, in New York City. Theo Wargo/Getty "We don't require anything of the audience, other than to check your troubles at the door and come laugh with us and at us for a couple of hours." Time will tell whether Broadway will be able sustain these successes in both the box office tallies and who gets to tell their stories on the big stage. "We are going to enter some difficult times," Hitchens says. "But at the end of the day, what I believe in is that this should not be partisan, because everything that theater touches, it makes better. It makes the economy better. It makes education better. Nobody's been able to come up with something that it doesn't make better. Megan Hilty receives her caricature in honor of her performance in "Death Becomes Her" on Broadway, at Sardi's on April 24, 2025, in New York City. Megan Hilty receives her caricature in honor of her performance in "Death Becomes Her" on Broadway, at Sardi's on April 24, 2025, in New York City. Bruce Glikas/Getty "Sadly, we learned what it was like to have a day without art and theater, which is that [COVID] affected all of our local businesses, the economies.... I think this is a moment for us to own that we entertain the hell out of people." And for the relucent queen of the Tonys, McDonald, she's most focused on the present state of theater and how the Tony Awards reflect that. "It's an incredible, incredible group of nominees, in all the categories, and not just the nominees. Everybody who is doing work on Broadway and off-Broadway and in any theater anywhere is a special soul, and so I'm just thrilled to be a part of that community."

‘Gypsy' Tony nominee Joy Woods takes Louise from ‘apologetic' to ‘powerful'
‘Gypsy' Tony nominee Joy Woods takes Louise from ‘apologetic' to ‘powerful'

Yahoo

time14-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

‘Gypsy' Tony nominee Joy Woods takes Louise from ‘apologetic' to ‘powerful'

"I'm new to this," says an excited Joy Woods when asked about what she's looking forward to at the upcoming Tony Awards ceremony. "I will just be taking in everything." The actress earned her first career Tony nomination for the Broadway revival of Gypsy in Best Featured Actress (Musical). She portrays Louise, the girl who evolves into the glamorous Gypsy Rose Lee, opposite Audra McDonald as Louise's mother, Rose. In our exclusive interview, Woods discusses reuniting with old costars and why she doesn't describe her Louise as timid. More from GoldDerby Jeremy Allen White and Austin Butler team up for 'Enemies,' Maya Hawke joins 'Hunger Games' prequel, 'Smurfs' trailer drops, and more top news Tony Talk: Predicting the tricky musical acting categories including Audra McDonald vs. Nicole Scherzinger Expect the biggest 'Big Brother' yet: Season 27 gets premiere date, extended episodes, and new Friday installments Gold Derby: In just under five years, you've performed in , , , and now you're a Tony nominee for . Have you had time to let the impact of all of these moments sink in? Joy Woods: No, not one bit! But I know I will at some point. I think it's been nice to just be on the ride and on the journey and sort of focused on learning. Things have happened so quickly and so loudly that all I can do is just take it in and make sure that I'm learning and growing from the experiences that I'm having. It's a wonderful coincidence that you and Jordan Tyson went directly from starring in together, to playing sisters in . How did that time help you in your new roles? We didn't actually spend any time together on stage [in The Notebook], but we did share a room. And we did the out of town tryout together in Chicago. So there was a lot of time spent together before the run on Broadway. But I think just the time spent sharing the room and having a shared decompression safe space to just exist in whatever state … it allowed us to get to know each other really, really well. I think she knows more things about me than she would rather know, and same for me! But that's allowed us to become actual sisters and fiercely protective of each other's happiness and safety. It's nice having you two finally share the stage because your duet 'If Mama Was Married' is the secret killer bop of ! What is it like getting to harmonize with her every night? We know each other's voices very well. We did have the duet in The Notebook and learning how we sing, how we breathe, our tonal qualities and how we blend throughout those years together prepared us for being able to play with each other in the moment in Gypsy. She's my safe person. When we get to doing that song, it's really my main thought is how can I make her laugh today? I love that girl so much. It is really about doing tennis and lifting each other up. We know each other so well that we know exactly the parameters of which to play in. Louise has a tricky arc to navigate because she starts out timid and transitions into the ultimate star. What do you feel like is your most important moment that propels you through that transition? Well, I want to say first that I don't think this Louise is timid. As I've gotten to know Audra's Rose, I've learned exactly what kind of Louise she raised. It's one that's more apologetic rather than timid. Apologetic of her existence, or I want to say she's protective of keeping the peace. She's protective of keeping her place in the family and making sure that she can earn her keep. And I think the moment where that becomes less important for her is the moment that she sees herself in the mirror and says, 'I'm a pretty girl, Mama,' because she's never felt like she had any worth in that department. And the moment that she saw herself and suddenly … there is a possibility that [Rose] might not be right about everything. That I've been holding her on too high of a pedestal. There's a possibility that there's more for me beyond what my mother says. And then of course, being thrown onto the stage and reverting back to the version of yourself that truly believes that you're not a star. And then seeing the change in the audience when you start to just exist and perhaps take a glove off. Oh, you like me? Oh, I can exist up here and be received well, and perhaps even get some attention, maybe even adoration? That is the turning point. She can earn her own keep in her own life, and not be tied to her mother. That entire strip sequence culminates in this big Josephine Baker-inspired dance number. What was it like performing that style of choreography? It was definitely my first time really dancing like that on stage. I'm someone that grew up dancing first and then went to school for theater and had fully, truly believed without the shadow of a doubt that my breakout into the business would be dancing in an ensemble of a show. But this is to be a centerpiece, going full out naked. I was very, very scared. And to do Camille A. Brown's choreography, who is someone I've looked up to for many years, just making sure that I want to honor her and honor Josephine and honor all of the versions of women that I am sharing parts of their story in this moment in the show. I hadn't danced in so long, and boy oh boy, am I so grateful to be doing it with that ensemble. I have the most fun. I can't worry about being scared, about how I look. Louise wouldn't be, she's just shaking her tail feather for a bunch of people that paid to see her. And the ensemble and I, we're growling at each other, we're laughing, we're saying things, we're having fun. And that's what we want to see Louise doing. We want to see her having fun in a space that Rose isn't around. We want to see her feeling powerful without anyone to bring her down. Speaking of Rose, you really go toe-to-toe with Audra McDonald in that last dressing room scene where Louise is certainly not apologetic anymore. Was that scene ever intimidating to get through? Up until about a month ago? Yes. Very much so. It's such an iconic monologue for Gypsy just in the moment in the dressing room scene when she stands up to Rose. And to be making sure that you're affecting Audra McDonald enough to propel her into 'Rose's Turn' is a task. It's a challenge. And I was so scared of what people were thinking or if I was saying the right words or how I looked or how I felt … and there was so much noise surrounding that I wasn't able to hear what was happening [in my body]. I finally got to shed that. Especially after knowing Audra's Rose, now I know what weapons to use to affect her. Every Rose is different, so every Gypsy will be different because of the Rose that raised her. This is the first time on Broadway that all three main female roles in are played by Black actresses. When you think of your version of Louise, which aspect makes her distinct from the iterations that have come before you? As a Black person, we've all heard that story of going over to a white friend's house when you're a child and hearing the way that they speak to their parents. And being like, oh, you guys have a different relationship. So I think that level of awareness of how you come off to your parent is what services Louise's perceived timidness or apologetic behavior. And that is why the dressing room scene is so powerful. You don't yell at your parents. You don't talk back to your parents. Especially back then before gentle parenting, long before gentle parenting was a thing. So I think the rigidity of the way they were raised, paired with the time period, it being the Depression, being Jim Crow … you have to be pristine, quiet, and speak when spoken to. Which is why the dressing room scene is the way it is. And so I don't think that's very different from the other Louises, but it comes from a different place, which might be why it translates differently to audiences depending on who's watching. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Sadie Sink on her character's 'emotional rage' in 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and her reaction to 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' 'Death Becomes Her' star Jennifer Simard is ready to be a leading lady: 'I don't feel pressure, I feel joy' Click here to read the full article.

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