Tony Awards were given Sunday night to several Broadway shows that were first seen or developed at Connecticut theaters.
Rebecca Taichman won for directing “Indecent,” the klezmer-scored historical drama about the Yiddish Theater that she co-created with playwright Paula Vogel. “Indecent” had its world premiere at the Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven in 2015. The play had its origin as Taichman’s thesis project for the Yale School of Drama in 2001. “Indecent” also won for best lighting for a play.
The 9/11-themed musical “Come From Away” won for best direction of a musical (Yale University graduate Christopher Ashley). The show had a significant early reading at Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists in 2013. One of the show’s producers spoke about “Come From Away” at this year’s Goodspeed festival, just prior to the Broadway production opening.
The revival of “Hello, Dolly!” won four awards: revival of a musical, actress, featured actor and costumes. The show is based on a play by Thornton Wilder, who lived in Hamden or New Haven for most of his life.
August Wilson’s “Jitney” won a Tony for best revival of a play. The majority of the 10 plays in Wilson’s “Century Cycle” (though not “Jitney”) were developed at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford and the Yale Repertory Theatre. Wilson died in 2005.
The musical that won the most awards was “Dear Evan Hansen” with six: musical, score, book, actor, featured actress and orchestrations. The show’s co-composer, co-lyricist and co-creator Justin Paul grew up in Westport.
The musical that had received the most nominations, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” won only two, for scenic design and lighting, while the play which had the most nominations, Lucas Hnath’s “A Doll’s House Part 2,” won just one, for star Laurie Metcalf.
“Anastasia,” which world-premiered at Hartford Stage last year and opened on Broadway in April, did not win either of the two awards it was up for: featured actress in a musical (Mary Beth Peil) and best costume design (Linda Cho). Since “Anastasia” was not nominated for best musical, it did not get the chance to showcase its performers in a big production number during the awards ceremony.
The Tony Awards, formally known as the Antoinette Perry Awards, have been presented by the American Theatre Wing since 1947.
