Tony Awards Show Honors Florida Victims; 'Hamilton' Wins 11 Categories

Amid the darkness looming over the nation following Sunday's shootings at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., Broadway's brightest stars shone at the 70th annual Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

Host James Corden and the night's biggest winners paid emotional tribute to the 49 people killed in the attack and the more than 50 people wounded.

Earlier in the day, organizers had released a statement saying that the show would go on and be dedicated to the families and friends of those affected by the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

"Our hearts are heavy for the unimaginable tragedy that happened last night in Orlando," the organizers said.

Corden, host of The Late Late Show, opened the ceremony with a brief message about the mass shooting:

"Good evening. All around the world, people are trying to come to terms with the horrific events that took place in Orlando this morning. On behalf of the whole theater community and every person in this room, our hearts go out to all of those affected by that atrocity. All we can say is you are not on your own right now. Your tragedy is our tragedy. Theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, is embraced and is loved. Hate will never win. Together, we have to make sure of that. Tonight's show stands as a symbol and a celebration of that principle. This is the Tony Awards."

Leading up to theater's biggest night, the buzz had been all about Hamilton, a hip hop musical about Alexander Hamilton that had received a record 16 nominations. The smash hit play, which casts people of color as the nation's Founding Fathers, won 11 awards, falling short of a record haul by two.

Among its wins were the coveted best musical award for creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, presented by the iconic Barbra Streisand, who was making her first Tony appearance in 46 years. One of the musical's stars, Leslie Odom Jr., also took a top prize, capturing best actor in a Leading Role. It was his first Tony.

Also winning her first Tony was Cynthia Erivo, taking the nod for best leading actress in a musical for her performance in The Color Purple.

Jessica Lange won leading actress in a play for Long Day's Journey Into Night, while Frank Langella copped his fourth Tony in a career that spans 50 years on Broadway, for best leading actor in a play for his role in The Father.In accepting his award, Langella said he'd forgo "thank you's," and focused instead on Orlando, Fla.

"When something bad happens, we have three choices. We let it define us, we let it destroy us or we let it strengthen us. Today in Orlando, we had a dose of reality. ... I urge you, Orlando, to be strong," Langella said.

Another winner of note was Stephen Karam's The Humans for best play, the pre-show fan favorite for that award. A View From the Bridge won Best Revival of a Play, while The Color Purple took the Tony for best revival of a musical.

The event featured its customary performances from nominated musicals by cast members, including master composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on tambourine and a bellyful of laughter thanks to host Corden. But amid all celebration, there were constant reminders of broken hearts across the U.S. in the wake of Sunday's bloodshed.

Perhaps, the most powerful tribute came from Broadway's man of the year, Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose musical clearly dominated. During his acceptance of the Tony for best original score for Hamilton, Miranda delivered his thank you in "sonnet-style."

In it, he honored victims of the mass shooting, reciting in part, "And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside. ... Now fill the world with music, love and pride."

Here's the list of nominees, with the winners highlighted:

Best Musical
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock
Shuffle Along
Waitress

Best Play
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans
King Charles III

Leading Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton

Leading Actor in a Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock
Danny Burnstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

Leading Actress in a Play
Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey into Night
Laurie Metcalfe, Misery
Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird

Leading Actor in a Play
Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father
Tim Pigott Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, A View from the Bridge

Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along

Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Gold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo Van Hove, A View from the Bridge

Featured Actress in a Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed

Featured Actor in a Musical
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton

Featured Actress in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along

Featured Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans
Bill Camp, The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey into Night

Best Revival of a Play
The Crucible
A View From the Bridge
Blackbird
Long Days Journey into Night
Noises Off

Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening

Best Book of a Musical
Steve Martin, Bright Star
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Julian Fellowes, School of Rock
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along

Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet

Best Original Score
Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, Bright Star
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Glenn Sltater, Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock
Sara Bareilles, Waitress

Best Orchestrations
August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along

Scenic Design of a Musical
Es Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton
Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along
David Rockwell, She Loves Me

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, A View from the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans

Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Michael Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Tom Scutt, King Charles III

Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, The Crucible
Jan Versweyveld, A View from the Bridge

Editor's note: We've updated the text to reflect that the Orlando attack represents the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, rather than in all of U.S. history. You can read more about our thinking here.

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