Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Tony winners for ‘Dear Evan Hansen’


The Dallas Theater Center was already a winner long before the curtain rose on Kevin Spacey’s opening number marking the season’s crop of Tony Award. DTC was already announced as winner of the Tony for outstanding regional theater. Artistic director Kevin Moriarty accepted the award, although his moment during the broadcast were fleeting. Still, it was a highlight for local theater lovers.
It was a gay night from the start. Out actor Gavin Creel beat tough competition for Hello, Dolly! as best featured actor in a musical, and his win was followed immediately by out actress Cynthia Nixon for featured actress in a play for The Little Foxes. Then the third live award went to recent Oscar winners (La La Land) Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for best score for Dear Evan Hansen; Pasek is gay. Hello, Dolly! also took best actress for gay icon Bette Midler (whose speech went on so long they cut to commercial) and best revival of a musical for out producer Scott Rudin, who thanked his husband.
The big winners of the night, in fact, were Dolly with four (revival, actress in a musical, featured actor in a musical, costumes); and Dear Evan Hansen with six (best actor in a musical, featured actress in a musical, score, book and orchestrations).
Here’s a complete list of honorees, in the order presented:
Featured Actor/Play: Michael Aronov, Oslo
Costume Design/Play: The Little Foxes (Jane Greenwood)
Costume Design/Musical: Hello, Dolly! (Santo Loquasto)
Featured Actor/Musical: Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Featured Actress/Play: Cynthia Nixon, The Little Foxes
Scenic Design/Play: The Play That Goes Wrong (Nigel Hook)
Scenic Design/Musical: Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Mimi Lien)
Lifetime Achievement: James Earl Jones
Score: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen
Actor/Play: Kevin Kline, Present Laughter

Glenn Close presented best actress to Bette Midler


Lighting Design/Play: Indecent (Christopher Akerlind)
Lighting Design/Musical: The Great Comet (Bradley King)
Actress/Play: Lauri Metcalfe, A Doll’s House Part 2
Featured Actress/Musical: Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Director/Play: Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
Director/Musical: Christopher Ashley, Come from Away
Book: Steven Levenson, Dear Evan Hansen
Revival/Play: Jitney
Orchestrations: Dear Evan Hansen (Alex Lacamoire)
Choreography: Andy Blakenbuehler, Bandstand
Play: Oslo by J.T. Rogers
Special Award for sound designers Gareth Fay and Pete Malkin
Isabelle Stevenson Award: Baayork Lee
Regional Theater: Dallas Theater Center
Revival/Musical: Hello, Dolly!
Actor/Musical: Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Actress/Musical: Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Musical: Dear Evan Hansen