Broadway is finally back after a year and a half hiatus! (Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
A year and a half of Broadway being dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lightscame back up finally for the 2021 Tony Awards.
Leslie Odom Jr., best known for playing Aaron Burr in the hit musical Hamilton, hosted this irreplaceable award show that was sorely missed.
The Tony’s functioned like it normally would with the addition of masks and therequirement of proof of the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to the regular streaming on CBS, thisyear the Tony’s were also streamed on the new streaming platform, Paramount+.
Leslie Odom Jr as Aaron Burr in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)The opening number, performed by Leslie Odom Jr., called attention to how Broadwaywas back and we can finally try and get to normal. The excitement that is Broadway wasfinally back. Odom Jr. used this platform to urge fans of Broadway and causal viewers to get thevaccine and join the effort to stop COVID-19.
Leslie Odom Jr. referenced classic musicals and fan favoriteslike Hairspray, Waitress, and The Lion King, performances in his musical performance. This night was also filled this star-studded night with numbers from the cast of Moulin Rouge, Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth along with a reunion ofthe original cast of Hairspray.
Now the moment we had all been waiting for since March 2020- the winners of the 74thTony Awards. The standout show of the night was Moulin Rouge, starring Aaron Tveit, swept the night by winning 10 Tony Awardsincluding Best Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, and BestChoreography.
Aaron Tveit at the 74th Tonys. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)The 74th Tony Awards was a night filled with music, lights, and community that wassorely missed. Welcome back, Broadway!