NEW YORK — “The Outsiders,” a gritty adaptation of the classic young adult novel, won the Tony Award for best musical Sunday.
The show, which went into the night with 13 nominations, also picked up a prize for director Dayna Taymor. Angelina Jolie was among the producers of the show, and introduced a cast performance earlier in the telecast. The original book’s author, S.E. Hinton, was in the audience at the Tonys.
Taymor — whose aunt is Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for directing a musical — became the 11th woman to win the award. “Thank you to the great women who have lifted me up,” she said, naming producer Angelina Jolie among her list.
Then Shaina Taub, only the second woman in Broadway history to write, compose and star in a Broadway musical, won for best score, following such writers as Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori. Taub, the force behind “Suffs,” had already won for best book earlier in the night.
Her musical is about the heroic final years of the fight to allow women to vote, leading to the passage of the 19th Amendment.
David Adjmi’s ‘Stereophonic,’ about a rock band’s turbulent and life-changing year, was named best play.
In one of the ceremony’s musical highlights, Alicia Keys appeared at the piano on the stage of the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center as the cast of her semi-autobiographical musical, “Hell’s Kitchen,” was presenting a medley of songs. She began singing her and Jay-Z’s 2009 smash “Empire State of Mind” before leaving the stage to join the rapper on some interior steps to wild applause.
Host Ariana DeBose kicked off the telecast with an original, acrobatic number and Jeremy Strong took home the first big award of the night as Broadway’s biggest party opened its arms to hip-hop and rock fans.
Strong, the “Succession” star, landed his first Tony for his work in the revival of Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 political play “An Enemy of the People.” The theater award for best lead actor in a play will sit next to his Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe.
The play is about a public-minded doctor in a small town who discovers the water supply for the public spa is contaminated but his efforts to clean up the mess pit his ethics against political cowards.
“This play is a cry from the heart,” he said.
Kara Young, the first Black performer to be nominated for a Tony three consecutive years in a row, won this time as best featured actress in a play for “Purlie Victorious,” the story of a Black preacher’s scheme to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church from a plantation owner.
“Thank you to my ancestors,” she said, adding thanks to her mom and dad, brother, partner, cast, her co-star Leslie Odom Jr. and her director, Kenny Leon. She saved her last thanks to playwright Ossie Davis and his star Ruby Dee, who originated the role.
“Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe cemented his stage career pivot by winning a featured actor in a musical Tony, his first trophy in five Broadway shows. He won for the revival of “Merrily We Roll Along,” the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical that won the best revival award. Radcliffe’s co-star Jonathan Groff also was a winner, for best lead actor in a musical.
“This is one of the best experiences of my life,” Radcliffe said, thanking his cast and director. “I will never have it as good again.” He also thanked his parents for playing Sondheim in the car growing up.
Kecia Lewis, who plays a formidable piano teacher in “Hell’s Kitchen,” took home her first Tony. The 40-year veteran made her Broadway debut at 18 in the original company of “Dreamgirls” and endured amazing moments and heartbreak.
“This moment is the one I dreamed of for those 40 years,” she told the crowd. ”Don’t give up!”
DeBose, a three-time host, started with a nod to “Chicago” by holding up a newspaper with the headline, “She’s Back!!!” and then jumping into the original song “This Party’s for You,” which had a disco vibe with hip-hop elements and multiple acrobatic lifts.
The song was a cheer for those who sacrifice for their art and she took a gentle swipe at other entertainment types: “You’ll learn that film and TV can make you rich and make you famous. But theater will make you better.” She ended the song with a dramatic backward fall from a pillar.
The best choreography award went to Justin Peck for “Illinoise,” the dance musical based on the Midwest-themed album by Sufjan Stevens. It had a pre-Broadway run over the winter at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.