Andrew Garfield wins best actor in a play
8:11 p.m.: Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban opened the show on adjacent pianos and sing, “So it begins, these are the Tonys, a theater tournament, find out who wins, who gets to go home with that sang ornament. We are your hosts, and we’re perfectly suited to be because — did you know, neither one of us has ever won anything?”
Groban paused the song and asked, “That can’t be right, Sara, no Grammys for you?”
“No, nothing, nothing,” responded Bareilles.
“Lest you forget: About 90 percent of us leave empty-handed tonight,” they reminded the audience.
The backdrop opened to reveal an orchestra, and Groban and Bareilles informed their audience that their opening number was an ode to Tony losers.
“This one’s for the loser inside of you,” they sang. They continued, “The lack of top honor won’t make you a goner, it might even make you a host.”
The two then listed famous shows that have never won a Tony and were later joined by ensemble members by all of the night’s nominated musicals, in costume.
Bareilles and Groban introduced Kerry Washington to the stage. Washington is joining the cast of “American Son” in October. Washington presented the award for best actor in a play, which went to Andrew Garfield for his role in “Angels in America.”
“The most important thing we remember right now is the sanctity of the human spirit,” Garfield said. He said he felt honored to play Prior Walter and talked about the spirit of the LGBTQ community: “It is a spirit that says no to oppression. It is a spirit that says no to bigotry, no to exclusion.” Garfield said he felt it was his life’s privilege to play Walter.
“Let’s just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked,” he said as he closed off his speech.
