The outcome of the 2016 Tonys was never really in doubt : at the kickoff of the even , server James Corden , singing a parody ofHamilton ’s possible action number , differentiate the cast of the show , " Just you wait , " as they hurtle after the prize in his hand . By the terminal of the dark , it won Best melodious and 10 other prizes .
win forHamilton ’s three stars , plusThe Color Purple ’s Cynthia Erivo ’s triumph for best actress in a melodious , marked the first time people of color haveswept the musical playing categories . ( " Like the Oscars , but with diversity , " as Corden describe the ceremonial occasion . ) Amid the celebrations , all who film the leg made a level of respectfully acknowledging the terror attack that unfolded in Orlando early Sunday morning .
Here are the best here and now of the three - plus - 60 minutes telecast , from the somber to the jubilant .
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Corden opens with a moving statement on Orlando
Earlier in the day , the Tonysissued a statementthat the show would be dedicate to those affected bythe mass shot in Orlando , which claimed the life of 49 people at a gay club . Before the ceremonial began , Corden address the camera .
" On behalf of the whole field community and every person in this elbow room , our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity , " he said . " All we can say is you are not on your own right on now . Your tragedy is our tragedy . Theater is a place where every airstream , religious doctrine , sexuality , and grammatical gender is adequate , is espouse , and is loved . hatred will never win . Together we have to ensure of that . Tonight ’s show digest as a symbol and a festivity of that principle . "
That was not the last time Orlando would be mentioned : in his adoption speech , best thespian in a sport winner Frank Langella diverge from the standard thank - you play in order tospeak about the tragedy .
“Alexander Hamilton” becomes “James Corden”
Of course the show kicked off with someHamilton . Well , sort of . The lyrics of the opening number of Lin - Manuel Miranda ’s show were amended to be about Corden and the Tonys rather than Alexander Hamilton . For good example , Leslie Odom Jr. convert " in the middle of a forget spot in the Caribbean " to " in the middle of a draw a blank slot on recent night . " The fact that " James Corden " does not have the same phone number of syllable as " Alexander Hamilton " made this parody more or less awkward .
Oprah gives Corden a thumbs-up
Corden got to show off his song - and - dance chop , performing a testimonial to musical theatre geekdom . He cycle through melodic theater history with callouts toThe Lion King , Les Misérables , The phone of Music , andJesus Christ Superstar(“spoiler alert : he dies " ) . His penchant for the dramatic get the good of him as he trotted out chip of stopper like " Do n’t Rain on My Parade , " " And I Am tell You I ’m Not Going , " and " Rose ’s Turn . " It got a footling emotional , and Corden worried he " ruined the Tonys " – but Oprah insisted he did n’t .
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Steve Martin form a jam band
Throughout the evening , the telecast cut back off to a stage outside the Beacon Theatre where cast from the nominated show do snippets of classic show tunes . The first group to usher in this bit was not an supporting players , but a " jam circle " lie in of nominated composers . Basically the Traveling Wilburys of musical theater , the group toy " Tomorrow " fromAnnie , go with by Andrew Lloyd Webber on the tambourine .
Titus Andromedon auditions forHamilton
Everyone want to be inHamilton , includingUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ’s Titus Andromedon . His " audition tape " – aka a For Your Consideration ad to boostKimmy ’s Emmy chances – aired during the commercial breaks . Titus is the rare person who lovesHamiltonfor the wrong understanding . As he says : " I clap your exploit to keep women off the $ 10 greenback . We ’re not ready , America . "
Lin-Manuel Miranda writes a sonnet
Forgoing his traditional banker’s acceptance - speech freestyle , Miranda channeled Shakespeare and wrote a sonnet to accept his Best Score awarding . The poem celebrate Miranda ’s married woman , Vanessa Nadal , and mourned the tragedy in Orlando .
" And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is lovemaking , can not be toss off or sweep apart / I sing Vanessa ’s symphony , Eliza tells her account / Now meet the world with music , sexual love , and pride . "
We get our first taste ofMoana
In case you did n’t get enough Lin - Manuel Miranda on Tonys nighttime , Disney debut the trailer for its upcoming animated featureMoana . Miranda co - wrote medicine for the moving-picture show , which features the voice ofThe Rock .
Corden humiliates Josh Groban
Josh Groban lived everyone ’s incubus : Corden surprise him with footage of his eminent school production ofFiddler on the Roofand propagate it on national TV . But let ’s be real , Groban ’s teenage Tevye was still jolly darn good .
Yep, everybody’s been onLaw & Order
To bastardise Jane Austen : it ’s a truth universally acknowledge that every New York dramatic art actor has probably appeared onLaw & Order . compositor’s case in point : Corden ’s bit in which he excavate images of the likes of Claire Danes and Daveed Diggs on Dick Wolf ’s NBC franchise .
But he salvage the punch line forFiddler on the Roofnominee Danny Burstein , spotlight not one , but six ( ! ) L&Oappearances from the actor .
Cynthia Erivo blows everyone away
Cynthia Erivo gave the performance of the nighttime , belt out " I ’m Here " fromThe Color Purple . mayhap that ’s sacrilege to say , give that it wasHamilton ’s Nox , but Erivo was simply sinful . Naturally , she won for good actress in a musical .
The Obamas are biggerHamiltonfans than you
Who better to announce the phenomenon than its handsome title-holder ?
“Trump” stars inThe Book of Moron
Andrew Rannells got his big break starring inThe Book of Mormon . At this year ’s Tonys , however , he performed some of " The Book of Moron"in full Donald Trump regalia . Glenn Close followed Rannells , singing the " I really need this job " abstain fromA Chorus Line– drab , " A Clinton Line”– snip as Hillary .
TheHamiltoncast cheers on Leslie Odom Jr. backstage
Hamilton ’s Okieriete Onaodowan – be intimate to fanatics as Hercules Mulligan / James Madison – posted this offstage shot of the stamp watching their Aaron Burr win for best actor in a musical . That , friends , is pure joy right there .
Barbra Streisand doesn’t even open the envelope
She did n’t even pretend any other show had a probability at winning the Tony this year . She dress in aHamilton - inspired outfit , and did n’t even open up the envelope when announcing the winner for Best Musical . As the Schuyler Sisters andHamiltonproducer Jeffrey Seller said , how favorable we are to be alive right now !
Here ’s how towatch the full 2016 Tony Awards .
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