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eNCA
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- eNCA
'Maybe Happy Ending' tops Broadway's Tony Awards
US - "Maybe Happy Ending," a South Korean musical adapted for Broadway about two robots who find connection, won big at Sunday's Tony Awards, scooping up six prizes at the gala celebrating the best in American theater. Stars of the season Cole Escola and Nicole Scherzinger also won their first Tonys, on a night that celebrated Broadway's revival after a years-long pandemic slump. AFP | kena betancur Cynthia Erivo - the Oscar-nominated "Wicked" star who herself boasts a Tony - hosted the ceremony at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall honouring this year's buzzy, diverse competitive slate . It was Broadway's most financially lucrative year ever, she told the crowd. "Broadway is officially back - provided we don't run out of cast members from 'Succession,'" she joked, referring to the decorated TV dramedy about a family's media empire. AFP | kena betancur Sarah Snook - who scored an Emmy for her role in "Succession" - won the Tony for best leading actress in a play, taking on all 26 roles in the stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray." A host of new shows and stars drew 14.7 million people to the Broadway performances this season, grossing $1.89 billion at the box office. Some of showbiz's biggest names graced New York's stages, including George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal - and Snook's "Succession" co-stars Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong. "Please go to the theater, whether it's a Broadway show or a school play," said Michael Arden, who won a Tony for best direction of a musical for "Maybe Happy Ending." AFP | kena betancur Darren Criss of "Glee" fame - already an Emmy winner for portraying killer Andrew Cunanan in "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" - won the Tony for lead actor in that musical. "I have such immense pride to get to be part of this notably diverse exquisite Broadway season this year," he told the audience as he accepted his award. AFP | kena betancur Scherzinger bested a packed field including the legendary Audra McDonald - the performer with the most Tonys in history - for best actress in a musical for her role as faded star Norma Desmond in "Sunset Boulevard," which also won for best revival of a musical. "If there's anyone out there who feels like they don't belong or your time hasn't come, don't give up," said an emotional Scherzinger, who once fronted the pop girl group The Pussycat Dolls. "Just keep on giving and giving because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever. This is a testament that love always wins." - 'Oh, Mary!' - AFP | kena betancur Even though Escola's hit dark comedy "Oh, Mary!" was the favorite for best new play, the award went to intense family portrait "Purpose" by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, which also won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. But Escola still won big for their unhinged performance in the one-act reimagining of Abraham Lincoln's assassination through the eyes of his wife - a raging alcoholic who dreams of life as a cabaret star. Escola bested a stacked field that included Clooney. "Oh, Mary!" also snagged the prize for best direction, won by Sam Pinkleton. "You have taught me to make what you love and not what you think people want to see," Pinkleton said in his speech, speaking directly to a tearful Escola. "We can bring joy to people at the end of a crappy day and that feels like a big deal to me," Pinkleton added to ardent applause. AFP | KENA BETANCUR The night's rollicking performances included a gripping rendition of "Rose's Turn" from McDonald, and a captivating performance of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Scherzinger. The gala also featured a much-touted reunion of the original cast of "Hamilton," as that groundbreaking smash musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda celebrates its 10th anniversary. A heartfelt segment honored those the theater community lost over the past year, with Erivo and Sara Bareilles delivering the classic "Tomorrow" from "Annie." The song's composer, Charles Strouse, died last month. Some acceptance speeches made oblique references to ongoing political turmoil across the United States, as President Donald Trump's immigration raids trigger protests. But Trump was not explicitly mentioned. By Maggy Donaldson
New Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Nicole Scherzinger wins Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, says 'I have come home, at last'
WASHINGTON: Singer-songwriter and actress Nicole Scherzinger won the Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical after making her Broadway debut portraying Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. "Growing up, I always felt like I didn't belong. But you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home, at last," Scherzinger said during her acceptance speech, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Scherzinger, who rose to prominence as the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls, brought the character to Broadway after playing the ageing, silent film star with delusions of grandeur on London's West End. She won the 2024 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal in both shows, which Jamie Lloyd directed. "Jamie Lloyd you saw in me what know one else did. You gave us all new ways to dream and you've changed my life together," Scherzinger said in her speech, as per the outlet.
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Musical Maybe Happy Ending wins six Tony awards
The triumph of a show with a puzzling title and tough-to-explain themes was a vote of confidence in originality. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK – Maybe Happy Ending, a stirring Broadway musical about two discarded robots who go on a road trip and forge a relationship, won the coveted Tony for best musical on June 8, capping a remarkable journey for a show that faced long odds but won over both critics and fans. The triumph of a show with a puzzling title and tough-to-explain themes was a vote of confidence in originality by an industry often dominated by big-brand intellectual property and big-name Hollywood stars. The musical's prize capped a night in which Broadway rewarded adventurous newcomers: Sarah Snook, the Succession (2018 to 2023) star who played 26 roles in a technologically complicated adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray (2025); Nicole Scherzinger, the former member of The Pussycat Dolls who, barefoot and bloodied, delivered a scorching performance in a revival of Sunset Boulevard (2024 to 2025); and Cole Escola, an alt-cabaret performer who imagined Mary Todd Lincoln as an alcoholic who longs to be a chanteuse and turned that zany idea into the hit play Oh, Mary! (2024). The awards were spread out among a diverse array of shows. Maybe Happy Ending, set in a futuristic South Korea, won a night-leading six awards, and Buena Vista Social Club (2025), a musical set in Cuba, finished with four competitive prizes. The awards show took place as Broadway seems finally to be rebounding after a damaging pandemic shutdown. The season that just ended was the highest grossing on record when the figures are not adjusted for inflation. But attendance remains slightly below pre-pandemic levels and very few musicals are achieving profitability. The season's success was attributable in large part to three starry plays whose runs are now ending: Good Night, and Good Luck (2025), Othello (2025) and Glengarry Glen Ross (2025). NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Mint
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Nicole Scherzinger wins Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, says 'I have come home, at last'
Washington, DC [US], June 9 (ANI): Singer-songwriter and actress Nicole Scherzinger won the Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical after making her Broadway debut portraying Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. "Growing up, I always felt like I didn't belong. But you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home, at last," Scherzinger said during her acceptance speech, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Scherzinger, who rose to prominence as the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls, brought the character to Broadway after playing the ageing, silent film star with delusions of grandeur on London's West End. She won the 2024 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal in both shows, which Jamie Lloyd directed. "Jamie Lloyd you saw in me what know one else did. You gave us all new ways to dream and you've changed my life together," Scherzinger said in her speech, as per the outlet. The race for the starring actress in a musical was one of the most avidly monitored in the industry. Nicole Scherzinger's captivating portrayal of Desmond and her masterful vocals, which consistently resulted in two standing ovations per show, were closely followed by McDonald's nuanced portrayal of Rose in Gipsy and powerhouse performance of "Rose's Turn," which also brought the audience to their feet. Jennifer Simard, Megan Hilty from Death Becomes Her, and Jasmine Amy Rodgers from Boop! The Musical were also nominated in the category. Tony voters were weighing Scherzinger's strong Broadway debut against McDonald's long Broadway career and six previous Tonys. Scherzinger also had a moment of controversy early in her run, when she liked and commented on a MAGA-style hat, which read "Make Jesus First Again," while McDonald saw a recent surge of community support after facing negative comments from Patti LuPone, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Scherzinger stars in Sunset Blvd., through July 12, alongside Tom Francis, who was also Tony-nominated for his portrayal of Joe Gillis.(ANI)
The Star
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
'Maybe Happy Ending' tops Broadway's Tony Awards
Maybe Happy Ending, a South Korean musical adapted for Broadway about two robots who find connection, won big at Sunday's Tony Awards, scooping up six prizes at the gala celebrating the best in American theatre. Stars of the season Cole Escola and Nicole Scherzinger also won their first Tonys, on a night that celebrated Broadway's revival after a years-long pandemic slump. Cynthia Erivo - the Oscar-nominated Wicked star who herself boasts a Tony - hosted the ceremony at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall honoring this year's buzzy, diverse competitive slate . It was Broadway's most financially lucrative year ever, she told the crowd. "Broadway is officially back - provided we don't run out of cast members from Succession ," she joked, referring to the decorated TV dramedy about a family's media empire. Sarah Snook - who scored an Emmy for her role in Succession - won the Tony for best leading actress in a play, taking on all 26 roles in the stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture Of Dorian Gray. A host of new shows and stars drew 14.7 million people to the Broadway performances this season, grossing US$1.89bil (RM8.88bil) at the box office. Some of showbiz's biggest names graced New York's stages, including George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal - and Snook's Succession co-stars Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong. "Please go to the theatre, whether it's a Broadway show or a school play," said Michael Arden, who won a Tony for best direction of a musical for Maybe Happy Ending. Darren Criss of Glee fame - already an Emmy winner for portraying killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story - won the Tony for lead actor in that musical. "I have such immense pride to get to be part of this notably diverse exquisite Broadway season this year," he told the audience as he accepted his award. Scherzinger bested a packed field including the legendary Audra McDonald - the performer with the most Tonys in history - for best actress in a musical for her role as faded star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, which also won for best revival of a musical. "If there's anyone out there who feels like they don't belong or your time hasn't come, don't give up," said an emotional Scherzinger, who once fronted the pop girl group The Pussycat Dolls. "Just keep on giving and giving because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever. This is a testament that love always wins." 'Oh, Mary!' Even though Escola's hit dark comedy Oh, Mary! was the favorite for best new play, the award went to intense family portrait Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, which also won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. But Escola still won big for their unhinged performance in the one-act reimagining of Abraham Lincoln's assassination through the eyes of his wife - a raging alcoholic who dreams of life as a cabaret star. Escola bested a stacked field that included Clooney. Oh, Mary! also snagged the prize for best direction, won by Sam Pinkleton. "You have taught me to make what you love and not what you think people want to see," Pinkleton said in his speech, speaking directly to a tearful Escola. "We can bring joy to people at the end of a crappy day and that feels like a big deal to me," Pinkleton added to ardent applause. The night's rollicking performances included a gripping rendition of Rose's Turn from McDonald, and a captivating performance of As If We Never Said Goodbye from Scherzinger. The gala also featured a much-touted reunion of the original cast of Hamilton, as that groundbreaking smash musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda celebrates its 10th anniversary. A heartfelt segment honoured those the theatre community lost over the past year, with Erivo and Sara Bareilles delivering the classic Tomorrow from Annie. The song's composer, Charles Strouse, died last month. Some acceptance speeches made oblique references to ongoing political turmoil across the United States, as President Donald Trump's immigration raids trigger protests. But Trump was not explicitly mentioned. - AFP
