Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
“Kimberly Akimbo,” about a teenager who ages in reverse, and Tom Stoppard’s autobiographical “Leopoldstadt” were among the winners Sunday as the Tony Awards went on despite the Writers Guild of America strike.
The three-hour telecast on CBS was hosted by Tony- and Academy Award-winner Ariana DeBose. Held for the first time at the United Palace in Washington Heights in northern Manhattan, it leaned heavily on musical performances from the nominated shows, and other numbers including a dance performance in tribute to the recipients of the 2023 lifetime achievement awards, Joel Grey and John Kander.
Patrick Marber, who won best director of a play for “Leopoldstadt,” was among several winners who used their acceptance speeches to express support for the strike.
Marber added the evening was going well without writers because “actors are great improvisers and yeah, it’s fun. I wouldn’t like it to become a trend, but I’m not surprised.”
“Kimberly Akimbo” won best musical, beating out splashier, higher-budget productions such as “New York, New York” and “Some Like It Hot.” Victoria Clark picked up her second Tony Award for her role as the title character in “Kimberly Akimbo.” Clark won a Tony in 2005 for “The Light in the Piazza.”
Best play “Leopoldstadt,” which also won the 2020 Olivier Award in London for best new play, follows the experiences of a Jewish Viennese family over 50 years.
Sean Hayes won best lead actor in a play for his role as Oscar Levant in “Goodnight, Oscar.”
