Kecia Lewis tells viewers 'don't give up'
Veteran Broadway actor Kecia Lewis delivered a powerful speech while accepting her first Tony for "Hell's Kitchen."
"Forty years ago yesterday, I walked into the Imperial Theatre to begin my Broadway career at 18 years old," Lewis said. “This moment is the one I dreamed of for most of those 40 years."
"I say to everyone who can hear my voice: Don’t give up,” she said.
Tony Award winners keep reading speeches from their phones
Between Kecia Lewis swatting away text messages to get to her speech and Billy Porter calling for someone to bring him his phone so he could read his acceptance speech, tonight may have presented the argument for going analog and not having a speech on your phone.
Daniel Radcliffe gets emotional accepting his first Tony
"The Boy Who Lived" is now the boy with a Tony.
“I’m going to talk fast and try not to cry," the actor said while accepting his award for best featured actor in a musical.
Radcliffe, who rose to fame as the lead in the "Harry Potter" movie franchise, called his experience on "Merrily We Roll Along" one of the best experiences of his life.
"I don't even have to act in this show," Radcliffe said, referring to his close friendship with his co-stars. "I will never have it this good again."
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical
Kecia Lewis wins the best featured actress in a musical Tony for “Hell’s Kitchen.”
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical
Daniel Radcliffe wins the best featured actor in a musical Tony for “Merrily We Roll Along.”
Danya Taymor ditches heels to accept Tony
Upon taking the stage, Taymor removed her high heels. "I can't walk in heels, so there's that," she said in her speech.
She also shouted out the other women directors nominated in the category, a record-breaking number.
Best direction of a musical
Danya Taymor wins the best direction of a musical Tony for “The Outsiders.”
Best direction of a play
Daniel Aukin wins the best direction of a play Tony for “Stereophonic.”
All-star 'Merrily We Roll Along' trio performs
Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe performed "Old Friends" from “Merrily We Roll Along." The revival has become a critical and commercial success over four decades after the original 1981 Broadway production became a famous flop.
All three actors are nominated in their respective categories.
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play
Kara Young wins the best featured actress in a play Tony for “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch.”