Podcast: Tres Gay Tony Awards, Trump Says No To Pride Flags, Restaurant Cancels Lesbian Couple's Wedding Dinner, ROZES Drops New Single "Call Me"

In this week's podcast:

• The Tony Awards were a tres gay affair

• The Trump administration is rejecting requests from US embassies around the world to fly Pride flags

• A gun scare involving a straight couple was the apparent cause for a panicked stampede at DC Pride

• A Missouri restaurant cancelled a wedding rehearsal dinner reservation after finding out the couple were of the same sex

• Out artist ROZES drops her new single “Call Me” in time for Pride Month

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report podcast

Highlights From The 2019 Tony Awards

'The Boys in the Band' was honored as the Best Revival of a Play
at the 2019 Tony Awards

The theater world celebrated the best of this year’s Broadway season at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards Sunday night, and the festivities were - no surprise - très gay.

At one point in the telecast, presenter Ben Platt told the viewing audience, “For anyone at home who is a latecomer who is just now tuning in, yes, these are the Tony Awards, and you are, in fact, gay.”

The evening began with Pose star Billy Porter once again slaying on the red carpet wearing a red and pink Celestino Couture design in front of a Pride-inspired floral background. The dress was fashioned from the actual show curtain that hung at the Al Hirschfeld Theater where Porter earned his Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in Kinky Boots.

View this post on Instagram

Hunties, the Tony Awards just got gayer! 🏳️‍🌈 Thank you to @kinkybootsbway and @scenerybags for hooking me up with this curtain. #pride #broadway. ⠀ ⠀ Style: @sammyratelle for @rrrcreative Agency Styling Assistants: @ashleymarienyc & @theetanishawilliams ⠀ Grooming: @lasonyagunter⠀ Manicurist: @courtneyfosterbeauty⠀ Custom Dress: @celestinocouture ⠀ Fine Jewelry: @oscarheyman ⠀ Custom Shoes: @orelbrodtdesigns⠀ Custom Bag: @emmkuony Custom Eyewear: @mercuranyc

A post shared by Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) on Jun 9, 2019 at 7:35pm PDT

Porter, who presented during ceremony, was also called on by host James Corden to entertain during a commercial break. Choosing from a list of songs to sing, Porter chose - what else? - “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from Gypsy.

Just to give a sense of what’s happening while all of us regular folks are watching commercials, hit the play button below. You’ll be very glad you did.

During the break, @theebillyporter was enlisted by @JKCorden to do karaoke — and brought down the house! pic.twitter.com/2jd3vjkH6m

— Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) June 10, 2019

Yes. @theebillyporter is Gypsy. You didnt see this on #cbs! 🙌 I think Billy just got the part of the 2020 revival! #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/PLtYHLPGij

— 𝐉𝐢𝐦 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐛 (@jimglaub) June 10, 2019

Back to the awards handed out, perhaps the biggest gay victory was the acclaimed revival of the iconic 1968 play, The Boys in the Band, snatching up the award for Best Revival of a Play.

The limited-run production had an all-star cast that included Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús (also nominated for his performance in the play), Michael Benjamin Washington, Brian Hutchison, and Tuc Watkins.

The win makes 83-year-old Mort Crowley the oldest playwright to win the award.

Openly bisexual Ali Stroker took home the Tony for Best Featured Acress in a Musical for her scene-stealing take on “Ado Annie” in the new revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! The GLEE Project alum becomes the first person in a wheelchair to win a Tony Award.

In her acceptance speech, she told the audience, “This award is for every kid who is watching tonight who has a disability, who has a limitation or a challenge, who has been waiting to see themselves represented in this arena, you are.”

She later joined her cast mates in a performance from the reimagined take on the classic musical which went on to win the award for Best Revival.

The Prom, a musical about a high school senior whose prom is cancelled after she’s told she can’t bring her girlfriend, was nominated in several categories but didn’t win any.

But, the cast did perform during the show with a same-sex lip-lock between female leads Isabelle McCalla and Caitlin Kinnunen.

The Cher Show, based on the life and career of the Oscar winning superstar, saw gay fashion designer Bob Mackie win his first Tony at the age of 80 for his brilliant costume designs.

And Stephanie J. Block, one of the three actresses who play Cher during the production, won the Best Actress in a Musical honor for her work.

Other openly gay artists honored for their work included:

• Much-beloved Broadway veteran André DeShields (Ain’t Misbehavin’) won his first Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Hadestown.

In his acceptance speech, Shields offered this wisdom for success in life: "Surround yourself with people whose eyes light up when they see you coming; slowly is the fastest way to where you want to be; the top of one mountain is the bottom of the next … so keep climbing”

• Choreographer Sergio Trujillo won Best Choreography for Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations.

• Legendary playwright Terrence McNally, whose body of work (Love! Valor! Compassion!, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, The Ritz) has explored several aspects of the LGBTQ community, was honored for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

And while they didn’t win, non-binary playwright Taylor Mac introduced their play Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus wearing a wildly creative design.

LGBTQ ally (and two-time Tony Award winner) Judith Light received the Isabelle Stevenson Award for her tireless advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ community and the fight against AIDS.

At the end of the evening, Hadestown (a contemporary take on Ancient Greek myth) won Best Musical, and The Ferryman (the story of the family of a former IRA activist living in rural Northern Ireland) took home the trophy for Best Play.

Watch André DeShields lead the cast of Hadestown in their Tony performance, “Wait For Me.”

Here is the full list of winners:

Best Musical: “Hadestown”
Best Play: “The Ferryman”
Best Revival of a Musical: “Oklahoma!”
Best Revival of a Play: “The Boys in the Band”
Best Book of a Musical: “Tootsie,” Robert Horn
Best Original Score: “Hadestown,” music and lyrics: Anaïs Mitchell
Best Direction of a Play: Sam Mendes, “The Ferryman”
Best Direction of a Musical: Rachel Chavkin, “Hadestown”
Best Leading Actor in a Play: Bryan Cranston, “Network”
Best Leading Actress in a Play: Elaine May, “The Waverly Gallery”
Best Leading Actor in a Musical: Santino Fontana, “Tootsie”
Best Leading Actress in a Musical: Stephanie J. Block, “The Cher Show”
Best Featured Actor in a Play: Bertie Carvel, “Ink”
Best Featured Actress in a Play: Celia Keenan-Bolger, “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: André De Shields, “Hadestown”
Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Ali Stroker, “Oklahoma!”
Best Scenic Design of a Play: Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Rachel Hauck, “Hadestown”
Best Costume Design of a Play: Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”
Best Costume Design of a Musical: Bob Mackie, “The Cher Show”
Best Lighting Design of a Play: Neil Austin, “Ink”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Bradley King, “Hadestown”
Best Sound Design of a Play: Fitz Patton, “Choir Boy”
Best Sound Design of a Musical: Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, “Hadestown”
Best Choreography: Sergio Trujillo, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Best Orchestrations: Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, “Hadestown”
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater: Rosemary Harris, Terrence McNally, Harold Wheeler
Isabelle Stevenson Award: Judith Light
Regional Theater Tony Award: TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

The 73rd Annual Tony Awards Tonight On CBS

I was a member of the theater community years before I realized I was also part of the LGBTQ community.

As a young kid, I found the theater to be a safe space. Wondering, pretending, working hard to acquire skills I would eventually take pride in – these were all things that helped me become the man I am today. 

Hey hey - check that word 'pride'

And it was in that community that I discovered an extended family that became even closer to me than my birth family.

I was fortunate to spend decades working professionally in the theater, and specifically on ‘the Broad Way.’

I think it’s awesome that the Tony Awards, theater’s biggest night, falls during Pride Month. My two worlds celebrating at the same time, and both with a sense of pride and community.

I’m looking forward to watching the telecast on CBS tonight for several reasons.

Having appeared in Broadway productions (Chicago the Musical, Follies, Hello, Dolly!) I can tell you when you’re working on a show that’s nominated – and especially when your show wins – there is a sense of pride in the work you’ve accomplished that always gave me a lump in my throat and my heart beat a bit faster.

Tonight, as theater hands out its highest honor, I’ll be cheering as so many of my friends and extended family are recognized for the incredible work they bring to the Great White Way.

And there are several LGBTQ-themed productions and out actors in the mix to take home Tonys tonight.

The Prom, a ground-breaking musical comedy about a midwestern high school student who is told she can’t bring her lesbian girlfriend to the prom received 7 nominations including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Director as well as Best Leading Actor/Musical for Brooks Ashmanskas and two Best Leading Actress/Musical noms for Beth Leavel and Caitlin Kinnunen.

The production already won the Drama Desk Award for “Best Musical” so you can bet it’s in the hunt for the top trophy.

Choir Boy, a coming-of-age story that follows a gay choir leader at a boarding school for black men by Moonlight’s Tarell Alvin McCraney, received 5 nominations including Best Play and Best Leading Actor/Play (Jeremy Pope).

Two acclaimed LGBTQ-themed revivals of plays – The Boys in the Band and Torch Song – were nominated for Best Revival of a Play. Even though Boys had an all-star cast, only Robin De Jesús scored a nomination for his performance.

The Cher Show, which chronicles the life and music of the one and only Cher, was shut out of the Best Musical category but received 3 nominations (Best Actress/Musical, Best Costumes/Musical and Best Lighting Design/Musical). Stephanie J. Block scored the Drama Desk Award for “Outstanding Actress in a Musical.”

Additionally, Judith Light will be honored with the Isabelle Stevenson Award, which is given “to an individual from the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations, regardless of whether such organizations relate to the theatre.”

Two-time Tony Award winner Judith Light

Already a two-time Tony Award winner for Other Desert Cities and The Assembled Parties, Light will receive the honorary award for her decades of work on behalf of the LGBTQ community and HIV/AIDS advocacy.

“The HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ communities are inspirations and demonstrations of how to be and live in the world; courageous, honorable, and uplifting,” said Light in a statement.

“They inspire me and it is my privilege to be of service to them,” she added. “I am humbled by this recognition from my theater family, whom I so respect, honor, and love.”

I stopped making predictions long ago, but it does seem the artsy Hadestown has found many fans in the race for “Best Musical,” although the show was not nominated in that category at the Drama Desk Awards.

And ok, I lied - I’ll make one prediction for Stephanie J. Block to take home a Tony for her impressive turn as ‘Star’ Cher in The Cher Show. (Three actresses play the Oscar winner at different stages of her life/career).

Block has a huge body of work the already includes two Tony nominations, her performance was easily one of the best on Broadway this season, and she’s very well liked by the theater community.

Note – The New York Times reports this interesting factoid about tonight’s proceedings:

“This year, for the first time, voters are receiving personalized electronic ballots based on their self-reported attendance, meaning that they cannot vote in categories in which they have not confirmed seeing all the nominees. As a result, the number of ballots cast, particularly in play categories, is likely to be smaller than in past years.”

So, keep that in mind when you enjoy the telecast.

The 73rd Annual Tony Awards will be broadcast on CBS beginning at 8pm EST hosted by The Late Late Show’s James Corden.

Podcast: Trolls Bungle Fake Buttigieg Smear, Mormon Valedictorian Comes Out At Graduation; 2019 Tony Award Nominations

In this week's podcast:

• GOP trolls attempt to smear Mayor Pete Buttigieg

• A valedictorian at Brigham Young University comes out during his graduation speech

• The president of Brazil told gays not to come to his country

• Disney cancelled its award-winning LGBTQ-inclusive series Andi Mack

• The 2019 Tony Awards nominations are out including a Special Tony Award for Judith Light for her LGBTQ advocacy

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report podcast.

The 2019 Tony Award Nominations Announced

The nominations for the 73rd annual Tony Awards, celebrating excellence in live Broadway theatre, were announced Tuesday morning with Anaïs Mitchell’s Greek myth-inspired musical, Hadestown, leads the pack with 14 nominations.

The jukebox musical inspired by the music of the Temptations, Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations, scored 12 nods; and the musical adaptation of Tootsie garnered 11 nominations.

The Prom, a ground-breaking musical comedy about a midwestern high school student who is told she can’t bring her lesbian girlfriend to the prom received 7 nominations including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Director as well as Best Leading Actor/Musical for Brooks Ashmanskas and two Best Leading Actress/Musical noms for Beth Leavel and Caitlin Kinnunen.

The musical stage adaptation of the hit film Beetlejuice rounds out the Best Musical category.

The Cher Show, which chronicles the life and music of the one and only Cher, was shut out of the Best Musical category but received 3 nominations (Best Actress/Musical, Best Costumes/Musical and Best Lighting Design/Musical).

Choir Boy, a coming-of-age story that follows a gay choir leader at a boarding school for black men by Moonlight’s Tarell Alvin McCraney, received 5 nominations including Best Play and Best Leading Actor/Play (Jeremy Pope).

Also nominated for Best Play are The Ferryman, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus, Ink and What the Constitution Means to Me.

Two acclaimed LGBTQ-themed revivals of plays - The Boys in the Band and Torch Song - were nominated for Best Revival of a Play. Even though Boyshad an all-star cast, only Robin De Jesús scored a nomination for his performance.

Additionally, Judith Light will be honored with the Isabelle Stevenson Award, which is given “to an individual from the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations, regardless of whether such organizations relate to the theatre.”

Already a two-time Tony Award winner for Other Desert Cities and The Assembled Parties, Light will receive the honorary award for her decades of work on behalf of the LGBTQ community and HIV/AIDS advocacy.

“The HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ communities are inspirations and demonstrations of how to be and live in the world; courageous, honorable, and uplifting,” said Light in a statement.

“They inspire me and it is my privilege to be of service to them,” she added. “I am humbled by this recognition from my theater family, whom I so respect, honor, and love.”

The 73rd Annual Tony Awards will be broadcast on CBS June 9, hosted by The Late Late Show’s James Corden.

Here’s the full list of nominations:

Best Play
Choir Boy
The Ferryman
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ink
What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Musical
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie

Best Revival of a Play
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
The Boys in the Band
Burn This
Torch Song
The Waverly Gallery

Best Revival of a Musical
Kiss Me, Kate
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!

Best Book of a Musical
Dominique Morisseau, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations
Scott Brown & Anthony King, Beetlejuice
Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown
Bob Martin & Chad Beguelin,The Prom
Robert Horn, Tootsie

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Joe Iconis, Be More Chill
Eddie Perfect, Beetlejuice
Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown
Matthew Sklar & Chad Beguelin, The Prom
Adam Guettel, To Kill a Mockingbird
David Yazbek,Tootsie

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Paddy Considine,The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Annette Bening, Arthur Miller's All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer,Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O'Hara, Kiss Me, Kate

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Bertie Carvel, Ink
Robin De Jesús, The Boys in the Band
Gideon Glick, To Kill a Mockingbird
Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
Benjamin Walker, Arthur Miller's All My Sons

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman
Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ruth Wilson, King Lear

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
André De Shields, Hadestown
Andy Grotelueschen, Tootsie
Patrick Page, Hadestown
Jeremy Pope, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations
Ephraim Sykes, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Lilli Cooper, Tootsie
Amber Gray, Hadestown
Sarah Stiles, Tootsie
Ali Stroker, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
Mary Testa, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, To Kill a Mockingbird
Bunny Christie, Ink
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Santo Loquasto, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Jan Versweyveld, Network

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations
Peter England, King Kong
Rachel Hauck, Hadestown
Laura Jellinek, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
David Korins, Beetlejuice

Best Costume Design of a Play
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Toni-Leslie James, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Clint Ramos, Torch Song
Ann Roth, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ann Roth, To Kill a Mockingbird

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Michael Krass, Hadestown
William Ivey Long, Beetlejuice
William Ivey Long, Tootsie
Bob Mackie,The Cher Show
Paul Tazewell, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, Ink
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Peter Mumford, The Ferryman
Jennifer Tipton, To Kill a Mockingbird
Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, Network

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, The Cher Show
Howell Binkley, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations
Bradley King, Hadestown
Peter Mumford, King Kong
Kenneth Posner and Peter Nigrini, Beetlejuice

Best Sound Design of a Play
Adam Cork, Ink
Scott Lehrer, To Kill a Mockingbird
Fitz Patton, Choir Boy
Nick Powell, The Ferryman
Eric Sleichim, Network

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, Beetlejuice
Peter Hylenski, King Kong
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations
Drew Levy,Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, Hadestown

Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, Ink
Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
Bartlett Sher, To Kill a Mockingbird
Ivo van Hove, Network
George C. Wolfe,Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

Best Direction of a Musical
Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Scott Ellis, Tootsie
Daniel Fish, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
Des McAnuff, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations
Casey Nicholaw, The Prom

Best Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy
Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate
Denis Jones, Tootsie
David Neumann, Hadestown
Sergio Trujillo, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

Best Orchestrations
Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown
Simon Hale, Tootsie
Larry Hochman, Kiss Me, Kate
Daniel Kluger, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!
Harold Wheeler, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Rosemary Harris
Terrence McNally
Harold Wheeler

Special Tony Awards
Marin Mazzie
Sonny Tilders and Creature Technology Company
Jason Michael Webb

Regional Theatre Tony Award
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Palo Alto, CA

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Judith Light

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Broadway Inspirational Voices - Michael McElroy, Founder
Peter Entin
FDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9
Joseph Blakely Forbess

Review: The Joy That Is 'Once On This Island'

I didn't realize it had been a nearly a year since I'd visited New York City until I planned a recent trip back east.

My bestie for life, Carlye, was being installed as the new Episcopal Bishop for the Diocese of Newark. So I made sure I built in a day to catch up on some Broadway :)

And man, am I glad I did.

It took me a year to get to Circle in the Square on Broadway to see the Tony Award winning revival of Once On This Island, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Wow.

It would be easy to run out of superlatives that describe this gorgeous, delightful and supremely creative masterpiece running strong nearly a year after opening on Broadway.

But it’s also just as easy to pick one word to describe this theatrical experience: Joy.

In a world that seems turned upside-down at times, director Michael Arden’s grounded new staging of this musical fable about a boy and girl named Daniel and Ti Moune set in the French Antilles is a testament to the belief that that which lifts us up can conquer darkness.

In that this is theater-in-the-round, the entire show is an environmental experience from the moment you enter the space.

The show begins with the citizens of this island intermittently entering the sandy beach to begin their day. Along the way, there’s trash to pick up (guess where the cast’s props come from?), greetings to make, and goats (live ones) to walk.

But then, a storm frightens a small girl and the denizens of the island take on different roles to tell the story of Ti Moune, sharing the lesson that love can “withstand the storm, and cross the earth, and survive, even in the face of death.”

The winning score by musical theater veterans Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Anatasia) is easily one of the most melodic currently on Broadway. Kudos to music supervisor Chris Fenwick for the undeniably artful singing throughout the show. From lead vocals to the sung sounds of birds and frogs, this is high-end musicality.

And speaking of leads, the casting here is perfection as each actor steps forward to take their turn in the spotlight.

From Alex Newell’s “Asaka – goddess of the earth,” who brings down the house with an exuberant and effervescent “Mama Will Provide;” to Quentin Earl Darrington’s “Agwe – god of the ocean,” who sets the stage for Ti Moune and Daniel to meet with vocal power that’s truly a force of nature (“Rain”); Darlesia Cearcy’s “Erzulie, goddess of love” is delicious bringing the two young lovers together in “Human Heart;” and American Idol alum Tamyra Gray is stunning as “Papa Ge, god of death.”

Tamyra Gray as "Papa Ge" (all photos - Joan Marcus)

Oh yes, you’ll note Newell and Gray take on their roles through gender-blind casting, which works flawlessly.

In Michael Arden’s island world, the temperamental gods are gender fluid.

The beauty here is that once the story begins, the commitment to storytelling is such that we don’t think about gender, just the tale being told – to spectacular effect.

Alex Newell (L) as "Asaka" and Hailey Kilgore as "Ti Moune"

While gods have their power, Kenita R. Miller and Boise Holmes, who play “Mama Euralie” and “Tonton Julian” respectively, bring grounding, vulnerable humanity as the couple that adopts young Ti Moune.

Their goodbye to Ti Moune as she leaves them to journey to her destiny is a heartfelt, emotional highpoint.

Other intimate moments, like the lilting “Some Girls,” sung with charming warmth by “Daniel” (Isaac Powell), allows romantic respite from larger numbers.

And then there’s the fire and grace of Hailey Kilgore, whose Broadway debut as Ti Moune was fittingly honored with a Tony Award nomination for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” and a Theatre World Award.

Her vocal range and artistry, front and center in the joyful “Waiting for Life,” is only equaled by her earthy, ebullient passion on display in “Ti Moune’s Dance.”

And speaking of dance, choreographer Camille A. Brown (Drama Desk nomination) brings a physical vocabulary that provides a visual, human heartbeat throughout the evening in moments big and small.

You may remember the sexy, richly organic staging she brought to the Emmy Award-winning Jesus Christ Superstar Live! earlier this year on NBC.

This isn’t “TV dance competition high kicks and spins.” From storyteller to storyteller, every movement throughout the evening is borne out of characters living in the moment.

Quentin Earl Darrington as "Agwe"

I’m not the only one who’s smitten. The critics fell over themselves when the production debuted:

“A big, bold, ravishing delight! After seeing this imaginative and dynamic musical, you may feel once is not enough!”– New York Times

“Bewitching and beautiful!” – New York Daily News

“A place where magic is possible and beauty is apparent for all to see!” - The Huffington Post

“Impossible to resist!” – NY1

Go see this gorgeous revival of Once On This Island at Circle in the Square on Broadway to feel your spirit refilled.

Once On This Island is intimate, romantic, inspiring, creative, uplifting.

Once On This Island is joy.

Podcast: A Gay Royal Wedding, New Poll On LGBTQ Politics & Sexual Behavior, New Music From Starley

You have checked out The Randy Report podcast, haven't you?

Catch up on LGBTQ political and entertainment news in about 15 minutes via podcast.

In this week's episode:

• A new poll by Buzzfeed takes a deep dive into the LGBTQ community’s sexual and political behavior

• Ricky Martin wishes he could come out again

• Out singer/songwriter Starley drops her new track “Love Is Love” just in time for Pride

• Perez Hilton set to be the next celebrity host at Chippendales in Las Vegas

• And I share my thoughts on this year’s Tony Awards

All that and more on this episode of The Randy Report - Hit the play button below!

Oh, and if you like, please share the podcast on social media :)

The 2018 Tony Awards Recap

And a good time was had by all.

Last night's Tony Awards held in New York City was a terrific celebration of all things Broadway with several high points for the LGBTQ community.

The Band's Visit, something of an underdog against big brand-name musicals Mean Girls, Spongebob Squarepants and Frozen, won an amazing 10 trophies including "Best Musical."

Mean Girls went home empty-handed and Spongebob only snagged a Tony for "Best Scenic Design of a Musical." The two productions were the most-nominated of the evening.

The smash hit play Harry Potter & The Cursed Child, a live follow-up to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels took home 6 Tonys including "Best Play" and "Best Direction of a Play."

The acclaimed revival of gay-centric Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes starring Andrew Garfield and Nathan Lane (both winners) won the Tony for "Best Revival of a Play." Garfield's acceptance speech for his work in the play was totally a win for the LGBTQ community:

Alex Newell, in spectacular, non-traditional casting as "Asaka," led the cast of Once On This Island in a performance of "We Dance/Mama Will Provide" before winning the statue for "Best Revival of a Musical." Watch Newell throw-down in life-giving style below:

Hosts Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban did a good job with their hosting duties mainly staying out of the way (in a good way) as well as offering a hilarious riff on the trials and tribulations of performing 8 times a week on a Broadway schedule.

The students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School performed "Seasons of Love" from RENT in honor of their drama teacher Melody Harzfeld who received this year's Theatre Education Award as well as a $10,000 donation to the school's theatre program.

And there was that little political bon mot from Robert DeNiro.

Introducing Bruce Springsteen (who was honored with a Special Tony Award )for a musical performance, the Oscar winner shared a few choice thoughts to the audience regarding Donald Trump.

CBS may have censored the statement but the packed house at Radio City Music Hall roared to a standing ovation after De Niro succinctly offered, "Fuck Trump. It’s no longer ‘Down with Trump!’ It’s just ‘Fuck Trump!’”

The Australian feed didn't cut anything:

Here's video of DeNiro swearing at Trump on #TonyAwards
Australian feed didnt censor it. pic.twitter.com/KZNrT8UIyH

— Rhett Bartlett (@dialmformovies) June 11, 2018

Check out all the performances and acceptance speeches on YouTube.

Here's a complete list of those who took home Tony Awards last night:

Best Musical: “The Band’s Visit”

Best Play: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Best Revival of a Musical: “Once on This Island”

Best Revival of a Play: “Angels in America”

Best Book of a Musical: “The Band’s Visit,” Itamar Moses

Best Original Score: “The Band’s Visit,” Music and Lyrics: David Yazbek

Best Leading Actor in a Play: Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”

Best Leading Actress in a Play: Glenda Jackson, “Three Tall Women”

Best Leading Actor in a Musical: Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Leading Actress in a Musical: Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Featured Actor in a Play: Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”

Best Featured Actress in a Play: Laurie Metcalf, “Three Tall Women”

Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Lindsay Mendez, “Carousel”

Best Scenic Design of a Play: Christine Jones, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical: David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Best Costume Design of a Play: Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Best Costume Design of a Musical: Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”

Best Lighting Design of a Play: Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Direction of a Play: John Tiffany, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Best Direction of a Musical: David Cromer, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Choreography: Justin Peck, "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel"

Best Orchestrations: Jamshied Sharifi, "The Band's Visit"

Best Sound Design of a Play: Gareth Fry, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"

Best Sound Design of a Musical: Kal Harada, "The Band's Visit"


Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories:

Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Chita Rivera
Andrew Lloyd Webber

Special Tony Awards
John Leguizamo
Bruce Springsteen

Regional Theatre Tony Award
La MaMa E.T.C.
New York City

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Nick Scandalios

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Sara Krulwich
Bessie Nelson
Ernest Winzer Cleaners

My Special Pride/Tony Awards Playlist

Folks, don't forget The 2018 Tony Awards are tonight on CBS at 8PM ET hosted by Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles.

My fellow LGBT blogger Larry over at The OUTFront asked me to come up with a special "Sounds of Pride" Tony Awards playlist as a guest post, and I figure why not share it here as well?

My goal was to share some magical moments from The Great White Way that also have a connection to the ideas of Pride Month for different reasons.

Let’s begin with the 1979 Tony Awards and “The Aggie Song” from Carol Hall’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. My dear friend Thommie Walsh (the original “Bobby” in A Chorus Line) was among the six nominations for the show at the Tony Awards that year, his for Best Choreography with Tommy Tune. While he didn't win that year, his choreography was honored with Tony Awards twice - for A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine and My One and Only.

A sexy, naughty topic with hunky football players, the performance on the Tony Awards that year had to be edited for the national telecast ;)

In 2001, Thommie directed and choreographed a national tour of the show starring the on-and-only Ann-Margret.

Thommie passed away on June 16, 2007. I miss him every day. What an unbelievable spirit. Watch his work in action below.

Since the title of the post is “Sounds of Pride,” I'm going to go a little out-of-the-box and to include Paul’s monologue from the Pulitzer Prize-winning A Chorus Line.

Originated by Sammy Williams, who won a Tony Award for his performance, standing in a single spotlight for seven minutes, “Paul” shared his journey from bullied gay student to drag queen to aspiring Broadway dancer.

For the record-breaking “longest on Broadway” performance at the Shubert Theater in NYC, genius director/choreographer included past and present cast members in the ultimate celebration of the show.

For this moment, Bennett utilized a Greek chorus of “Pauls” chiming in with Sammy Williams as he re-created his Tony Award winning performance.

As I wrote earlier this year when Sammy passed away at 69, never before had a Broadway audience experienced such a raw, unfiltered version of our experiences in life as gay men. I remember seeing Sammy in the role in NYC and he was heart-stopping.

I wish I had the full monologue by Sammy but this gives you a sense of the incredible power of his performance.

Idina Menzel’s awesome performance of “Defying Gravity” from Wicked at the 2004 Tony Awards might seem like an unlikely choice for a Pride playlist, but her fearless rendition reveals much about the awesome sense of power we discover within ourselves.

Like countless audience members, I’ve enjoyed the show several times. But in this performance, check Idina’s expression at the :23 mark - she’s almost in awe as she realizes her own power.

“Something has changed within me, something is not the same.”

I never saw another “Elphaba” embody that specific thought.

And coupled with the blond, totally mainstream “Glinda” (by a perfect Kristin Chenoweth) who stands in admiration of her friend (check that 3:14 mark), I feel like this is such a metaphor for those who feel "other" and our allies.

“Unlimited - together, we’re unlimited.”

The message, at least to this gay writer, is clear. Our mission every day is to realize our own power. Even in the face of our haters.

“Look at her, she’s wicked. So we’ve got to bring her down.”

And of course, they do not.

From the ground-breaking RENT, the reprise of “I’ll Cover You” delivers in wide-ranging depth the sense of loss felt during the height of the AIDS epidemic.

Early in the show, this song is a flirty, fun moment of discovery between "Collins" and new boyfriend "Angel." But in the aftermath of Angel's passing, the same song takes on an entirely new meaning.

I wish I could find a great video of original “Tom Collins” Jesse L. Martin bringing this to life. But my friend Michael McElroy, veteran of 9 Broadway productions and who in 1999 became the founder and director of the Broadway Inspirational Voices definitely has the goodsin this clip from the official live-from-Broadway recorded version of the show.

“Live in my house - I’ll be your shelter. Just pay me back with 1,000 kisses. Be my lover and I’ll cover you.”

And finally, the gayest of the gay - the Tony Award performance by the original Broadway cast of the 1984 smash hit, La Cage Aux Folles.

I mean, seriously. Not only was this the first time Broadway musical audiences were presented with a loving same-sex romance, the indomitable Jerry Herman handed us our own anthem - “I Am What I Am.”

Plus - tap-dancing drag queens! Do I need to elaborate further?

Check out this performance from the 1984 Tony Awards where La Cage won 6 Tonys including “Best Musical as well as acceptance speeches from Jerry Herman, Harvey Fierstein, Arthur Laurents, and George Hearn.

“And now, I beg you - open your eyes…”

Podcast: Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Discrimination In Kansas & Oklahoma; Adam Rippon Slays On DWTS; 2018 Tony Award Nominations; Pride Nights At Major League Baseball

In this week's LGBTQ headlines:

• Oklahoma and Kansas state legislatures pass anti-LGBTQ adoption laws

• A new survey of over 40,000 Americans shows acceptance for same-sex marriage has hit 61%

• Ireland moves to ban so-called "conversion therapy"

• The 'boys of summer' are back and most Major League Baseball teams have scheduled special LGBT Pride Nights (head over to Outsports.com for a complete list of MLB Pride Nights)

• Drag queen Ada Vox exits American Idol with her head held high

• Tony Kushner’s Angels In America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes became the most Tony-nominated play in history as the 2018 Tony Award nominations were announced

• Adam Rippon came to slay on the premiere of the all-athletes season of Dancing with the Stars

All that and more on this episode of The Randy Report

News Round-Up: May 1, 2018

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Joel Green is giving me the summertime blues. We are thisclose to summer weather. Can't we just pretend it's here?

• America's top pro squash player, Todd Harrity, comes out as gay

• With 11 Tony Award nominations for the current revival, Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning Angels in America is now the most Tony-nominated play in Broadway history.

• A new study shows gay men often deepen their voices during initial meetings to appear more masculine due to fears of discrimination. Another study, published last year, indicated that job applicants who "sound gay" may be less likely to be hired.

• Sexual health and wellness company, Tenga, found in a new survey that men who masturbate weekly are 10% more confident in the bedroom than those who rarely touch themselves. There are guys who indulge in self-love only once a week?

• Matthew Olshefski, "The Shirtless Violinist," recently shared his cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” retold as a gay, long-distance love story.

I've previously written about Olshefski's videos here.

2018 Tony Award Nominations Announced

The 2018 Tony Award nominations were announced today by Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. and "Waitress" star Katharine McPhee.

Here's my observations and thoughts:


• Two big brand-name musicals, Mean Girls and Spongebob Squarepants, lead the nominations with 12 nods each.

• Critically acclaimed new musical The Band's Visit, as well as revivals of Angels in America and Carousel, each garnered 11 nominations.

• The new two-part play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Lincoln Center's highly-praised revival of My Fair Lady each received 10 nominations.

• The Harry Potter plays are the only nominee in the Best Play category still running on Broadway.

• Disney darling Frozen only received 3 nods (Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score).

• The Jimmy Buffett jukebox musical, Escape to Margaritaville, was shut out of the nominations completely as it continues to struggle at the box office.

• Of the seven new musicals on the Great White Way this year, Margaritaville, Summer and Prince of Broadway didn't make the cut for the Best Musical category.

• Two plays garnered nominations in categories usually reserved for musicals. Composer Adrian Sutton was recognized for his work on Angels in America in Best Original Score, and choreographer Steven Hoggett received a nomination for his work on the Harry Potter plays.

• Bruce Springsteen will receive a special Tony Award for his huge hit, Springsteen on Broadway.

• Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and Broadway icon Chita Rivera will receive lifetime achievement awards at this year's ceremony.

• All four nominees in the Best Book of a Musical category made their Broadway debut this season.

• Personal congrats to my longtime pal Chris Gattelli for his TWO nominations for choreography this season for My Fair Lady and Spongebob Squarepants.

• This season had the smallest number of productions eligible for nominations in a decade.


The 72nd annual Tony Awards will air June 10 on CBS hosted by Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban.

Here's the full list of nominations:

Best Musical

“The Band’s Visit”

“Frozen”

“Mean Girls”

“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical”


Best Play

“The Children”

“Farinelli and the King”

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

“Junk”

“Latin History for Morons”


Best Revival of a Musical

“Carousel”

“My Fair Lady”

“Once on This Island”


Best Revival of a Play

“Angels in America”

“Lobby Hero”

“Three Tall Women”

“The Iceman Cometh”

“Travesties”


Best Book of a Musical

“The Band’s Visit,” Itamar Moses

“Frozen,” Jennifer Lee

“Mean Girls,” Tina Fey

“SpongeBob SquarePants,” Kyle Jarrow


Best Original Score

“Angels in America,” Adrian Sutton

“The Band’s Visit,” Music and Lyrics: David Yazbek

“Frozen,” Music and Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

“Mean Girls,” Music: Jeff Richmond; Lyrics: Nell Benjamin

“SpongeBob SquarePants,” Various contributors


Best Leading Actor in a Play

Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”

Tom Hollander, “Travesties”

Jamie Parker, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Mark Rylance, “Farinelli and the King”

Denzel Washington, “The Iceman Cometh”


Best Leading Actress in a Play

Glenda Jackson, “Three Tall Women”

Condola Rashad, “Saint Joan”

Lauren Ridloff, “Children of a Lesser God”

Amy Schumer, “Meteor Shower”


Best Leading Actor in a Musical

Harry Hadden-Paton, “My Fair Lady”

Joshua Henry, “Carousel”

Ethan Slater, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”


Best Leading Actress in a Musical

Lauren Ambrose, “My Fair Lady”

Hailey Kilgore, “Once on This Island”

LaChanze, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”

Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”

Taylor Louderman, “Mean Girls”

Jessie Mueller, “Carousel”


Best Featured Actor in a Play

Anthony Boyle, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Michael Cera, “Lobby Hero”

Brian Tyree Henry, “Lobby Hero”

Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”

David Morse, “The Iceman Cometh”


Best Featured Actress in a Play

Susan Brown, “Angels in America”

Noma Dumezweni, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Deborah Findlay, “The Children”

Denise Gough, “Angels in America”

Laurie Metcalf, “Three Tall Women”


Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Norbert Leo Butz, “My Fair Lady”

Alexander Gemignani, “Carousel”

Grey Henson, “Mean Girls”

Gavin Lee, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”


Best Featured Actress in a Musical

Ariana DeBose, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”

Renée Fleming, “Carousel”

Lindsay Mendez, “Carousel”

Ashley Park, “Mean Girls”

Diana Rigg, “My Fair Lady”


Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, “Three Tall Women”

Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and the King”

Santo Loquasto, “The Iceman Cometh”

Christine Jones, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce, “Angels in America”


Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Dane Laffrey, “Once on this Island”

Scott Pask, “The Band’s Visit”

Scott Pask, Finn Ross and Adam Young, “Mean Girls”

Michael Yeargan, “My Fair Lady”

David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”


Best Costume Design of a Play

Jonathan Fensom, “Farinelli and the King”

Nicky Gillibrand, “Angels in America”

Katrina Lindsay, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Ann Roth, “Three Tall Women”

Ann Roth, “The Iceman Cometh”


Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, “Mean Girls”

Clint Ramos, “Once on This Island”

Ann Roth, “Carousel”

David Zinn, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Catherine Zuber, “My Fair Lady”


Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Paule Constable, “Angels in America”

Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “The Iceman Cometh”

Paul Russell, “Farinelli and the King”

Ben Stanton, “Junk”


Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Once on This Island”

Donald Holder, “My Fair Lady”

Brian MacDevitt, “Carousel”

Tyler Micoleau, “The Band’s Visit”


Best Direction of a Play

Marianne Elliott, “Angels in America”

Joe Mantello, “Three Tall Women”

Patrick Marber, “Travesties”

John Tiffany, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

George C. Wolfe, “The Iceman Cometh”


Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, “Once on This Island”

David Cromer, “The Band’s Visit”

Tina Landau, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”

Bartlett Sher, “My Fair Lady”


Best Choreography

Christopher Gattelli, “My Fair Lady”

Christopher Gattelli, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Steven Hoggett, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Casey Nicholaw, “Mean Girls”

Justin Peck, “Carousel”


Best Orchestrations

John Clancy, “Mean Girls”

Tom Kitt, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

AnnMarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin, “Once on This Island”

Jamshied Sharifi, “The Band’s Visit”

Jonathan Tunick, “Carousel”


Sound Design in a Play

Adam Cork, “Travesties”

Ian Dickinson for Autograph, “Angels in America”

Gareth Fry, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”

Tom Gibbons, “1984”

Dan Moses Schreier, “The Iceman Cometh”


Sound Design in a Musical

Kai Harada, “The Band’s Visit”

Peter Hylenski, “Once on This Island”

Scott Lehrer, “Carousel”

Brian Ronan, “Mean Girls”

Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson, “SpongeBob SquarePants”


Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater

Chita Rivera

Andrew Lloyd Webber


Special Tony Award

John Leguizamo

Bruce Springsteen


Regional Theater Tony Award

La MaMa E.T.C.

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

Nick Scandalios


Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theater

Sara Krulwich

Bessie Nelson

Ernest Winzer Cleaners

My 2017 Tony Awards Recap

I enjoyed last night's Tony Awards broadcast muchly.

For one thing, rather than one of those year's where one show dominates heavily (Hamilton, Chicago, The Producers), for the most part the Tony voters seemed happy to share the wealth among several productions. And I like that. The Tonys are, in great part, a marketing tool to help shows run, and when everyone is acknowledged for excellent work, the entire theater community wins.

All in all, I agreed with just about every winner (I hate using that word) in each category.

Other random thoughts:

• It's ridiculous that the Choreographer category isn't presented during the telecast. I won't qualify artistic contributions among team mates, but the choreographer (the most physically demanding position on a creative team) creates highly complex storytelling without the use of spoken language. The number from Andy Blankenbuehler's Bandstand was easily a standout among all the numbers featured last night. Also, look at the popularity of dance today across the country (So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With The Stars). There's intense interest in the art form.

For those who didn't see Andy's acceptance speech:

Check out Dr. Jill Biden (huge standing ovation) introducing "Nobody" from Bandstand. This is excellent choreography :)

• Whether it was Bette Midler demurring or producer Scott Rudin not wanting to "give away the goods," it was a shame there was no production number from this year's biggest hit,  Hello, Dolly!

• While I miss seeing excerpts from the nominated plays, I did enjoy seeing the playwrights introduced and being allowed to speak about their shows.

• The In Memoriam was handled with taste and grace. Thank you.

• The two most memorable speeches (vastly different in tone) were:

Ben Platt winning "Best Actor in a Musical" for Dear Evan Hansen - "To all young people watching at home, don't waste any time trying to be like anybody but yourself. The things that make you strange are the things that make you powerful."

And Bette Midler's four minute filibuster ("Shut that crap off!") for "Best Actress in a Musical" for Hello, Dolly!:

• Kevin Spacey did a good job as host. Brilliant? Maybe not, but he was solid and brings aesthetic weight to the stage. I wasn't a huge fan of the impersonation schtick, but I know there were producers and writers making a lot of those decisions, so... Much is being made about his "in the closet" jokes. On one hand folks seem to be of the opinion he's basically out to everyone but the masses, so he should be be out; on the other hand, he's dealt with the rumors for years and if he wants to joke about them, whatever.

Ratings? From BroadwayWorld.com:

According to The Hollywood Reporter, ratings for this year's telecast were down 31 percent from last year's show. According to Nielsen overnight returns, the telecast averaged a 4.7 rating among metered market households, almost tying for the Tony broadcast from five years ago. The numbers appear to be strong enough to top NBC's coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals, although they may fall short of winning in the Adult 18-49 demo.

In comparison, the 2016 TONY AWARDS reached a 15-year viewership high, averaging a 6.8 rating among households in overnight returns, ultimately delivering 8.7 million viewers and a 1.6 rating among adults 18-49.

Click here to see many of the performances and acceptance speeches.

Here's the full list of the artists who took home awards last night:

Best musical: "Dear Evan Hansen"

Best play: "Oslo"

Best revival of a play: "August Wilson's Jitney"

Best revival of a musical: "Hello, Dolly!"

Best book of a musical: "Dear Evan Hansen," Steven Levenson

Best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theater: "Dear Evan Hansen," Music and lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul

Tony Awards 2017: Highlights, winners and best moments
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical: Ben Platt, "Dear Evan Hansen"

Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical: Bette Midler, "Hello, Dolly!"

Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play: Kevin Kline, "Present Laughter"

Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play: Laurie Metcalf, "A Doll's House, Part 2"

Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play: Michael Aronov, "Oslo"

Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play: Cynthia Nixon, "Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes"

Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical: Gavin Creel, "Hello, Dolly!"

Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical: Rachel Bay Jones, "Dear Evan Hansen"

Best scenic design of a play: Nigel Hook, "The Play That Goes Wrong"

Best scenic design of a musical: Mimi Lien, "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812"

Best costume design of a play: Jane Greenwood, "Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes"

Best costume design of a musical: Santo Loquasto, "Hello, Dolly!"

Best lighting design of a play: Christopher Akerlind, "Indecent"

Best lighting design of a musical: Bradley King, "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812"

Best direction of a play: Rebecca Taichman, "Indecent"

Best direction of a musical: Christopher Ashley, "Come From Away"

Best choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler, "Bandstand"

Best orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire, "Dear Evan Hansen"

Special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theatre: James Earl Jones

Special Tony Award: Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin, sound designers for "The Encounter"

Regional theatre Tony Award: Dallas Theater Center in Dallas, Texas

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award: Baayork Lee

Tony honors for excellence in theater: Nina Lannan and Alan Wasser

Podcast: Texas' Bathroom Bill, FDA Approves Generic Truvada, Tony Award Predictions & More

On this week's The Randy Report podcast, I look at these LGBT headlines:

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling a special session of the Texas legislature to try an pass an anti-transgender “bathroom bill”

• The FDA has approved a generic version of Truvada

• Transgender leaker Chelsea Manning gave her first interview since being released from prison

• "Guardians of the Galaxy" star Dave Bautista has a message for homophobes

• Just a few predictions of who might win at this year's Tony Awards

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.

You can subscribe to The Randy Report podcast (for free!) on iTunes here.

Tony Award Preview: "War Paint" Starring Patti LuPone & Christine Ebersole

Tony Award winners Christine Ebersole (L) and Patti LuPone (R)

Via BroadwayWorld:

War Paint, the new Broadway musical about cosmetic doyennes Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, earned four Tony nominations, including for its stars, Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone.

Today, CBS SUNDAY MORNING's Richard Schlesinger sat down with the actresses, along with author Lindy Woodhead, in a behind-the-scenes story.

War Paint tells the remarkable story of cosmetics titans Helena Rubinstein (Patti LuPone) and Elizabeth Arden (Christine Ebersole), who defined beauty standards for the first half of the 20th Century.

Brilliant innovators with humble roots, both women were masters of self-invention who sacrificed everything to become the country's first major female entrepreneurs. They were also fierce competitors, whose 50-year tug-of-war would give birth to an industry that would forever change the face of America.

News Round-Up: May 4, 2017

Some news items you may have missed:

• If I can't start my day looking LIKE Alex Abramov, at least I can start my day looking AT Alex Abramov.

• Pulse Nightclub, the site of the largest mass murder of LGBTQ people in the history of the United States, will become a permanent national memorial.

• Two 16 year old high school students pretended to be a 35 year old man on a dating app to get a North Carolina teacher to send a naked pic to them, and then they sent the pic to classmates.

• After Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi said that those who dress outside of traditional gender norms are asking for violence, citizens of the Equality State began protesting his comments by wearing tutus and tweeting the hashtag #LiveandLetTutu.

• The Tony Award nominations are out, and lots of folks are thrilled to be on the list. There were, however, some rather egregious oversights. Check out who got overlooked here.

• Team Trump is furious that CNN refused to air his new campaign ad, which included a graphic calling CNN "fake news." Check out CNN's response below:

In response to the Donald J. Trump for President campaign’s accusations of ad censorship: pic.twitter.com/0Rbanpf0dn

— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) May 2, 2017