Posts Tagged ‘Fences’

Last night’s celebration of the theater both on and off Broadway was truly one for the record books as it pertained to African American star power being present and taking to the stage to accept the theater’s highest honor.  The Tony Awards, while rarely watched probably due to the small cultish following of Broadway plays, bestowed nominations on several black actors when the nominations were initially announced. 

With their revered performances in the revival of August Wilson’s Fences, Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington and Academy Award nominated actress Viola Davis scored the coveted lead actor and lead actress in a play honors.  In addition, Fences won the award for Best Revival of a Play. And while Fela! – the musical based on the life of the titular African musical legend - didn’t score the big best musical prize for its superstar producers Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, it did manage to take home three prizes, including Best Choreography.

You may have thought that the Tonys resembled the Oscars last night with all of the stars being present.  Presenters included Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter himself!), Katie Holmes, Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas and Will & Jada.  Other winners included Academy Award-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones (Actress in a Musical for A Little Night Music) and Scarlett Johansson (Featured Actress In A Play for A View from the Top).

The show featured performances from all of the nominated plays and musicals, including American Idiot and the stars of Glee stopped by for a special performance as well.  The Best Musical prize went to Memphis, a rhythm and blues type show set in the American South in the 1950’s.  The Best Play award went to Red, a two-man drama that focused on a painter who has to choose between honesty and a rich commission for the fancy Four Seasons reatuarant.