The star-studded Tony Awards ceremony featured notable attendees such as Jennifer Hudson, Idina Menzel, and Cynthia Erivo, with a surprise performance by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.
Daniel Radcliffe won his first Tony Award and expressed that it was "one of the best experiences" of his life at the New York event, which also saw significant wins for *The Outsiders* and *Stereophonic*.
The 34-year-old *Harry Potter* star received the award for his role in the revival of *Merrily We Roll Along* at the 77th annual event, celebrating excellence in Broadway theatre.
After performing with the cast at the Lincoln Centre's David H. Koch Theatre, Radcliffe was shocked to win the award for best actor in a featured role in a musical. "This has been one of the best experiences of my life," Radcliffe said. He thanked the late George Furth and Stephen Sondheim for writing the show in 1981 and praised the songs as "a gift to get to sing every night." He also expressed it was an "honor" to share the stage with co-stars Lindsay Mendez and Jonathan Groff in the musical, which explores the turbulent relationships between three lifelong friends.
*The Outsiders*, based on S.E. Hinton's book about rival gangs in 1960s Oklahoma, won three awards, including best new musical, securing producer Angelina Jolie her first Tony.
*Stereophonic*, a play about a Fleetwood Mac-like band recording an album over a turbulent year, won best new play and took home the most awards of the night with five.
The ceremony also saw appearances from Nick Jonas, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Hudson, Idina Menzel, and Cynthia Erivo, with a surprise performance by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.
Radcliffe’s co-star Jonathan Groff won best actor in a musical, while British director Maria Friedman, along with her producer sister Sonia, received the award for best revival of a musical.
The event began with Jeremy Strong of *Succession* winning best actor in a play for *An Enemy Of The People*. Sarah Paulson won best actress in a play for her role in *Appropriate*, a dark family drama-turned-comedy by playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.
Theatre veteran Kecia Lewis won her first Tony for best featured actress in a musical for *Hell’s Kitchen*. In an emotional speech, Lewis shared how she began her Broadway career at 18 years old and urged everyone to "not give up."
Winning a Tony, short for Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, brings recipients closer to achieving the EGOT, the grand slam of American show business, which includes winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.
The West End's equivalent awards, the Olivier Awards, were presented this year in April.
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