79th Tony Awards Celebrate Broadway's Best as 'Death of a Salesman' and 'Schmigadoon!' Take Top Honors

The 79th Annual Tony Awards brought Broadway's brightest stars to Radio City Music Hall on Sunday night, celebrating a vibrant theatrical season marked by audacious revivals and inventive new musicals. Broadcast live coast-to-coast on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, the ceremony balanced high-energy spectacle with historic wins, officially closing the books on the highly successful 2025-2026 Broadway season.[1][2]

Global pop icon P!nk made her debut as the evening's host, injecting a fresh, dynamic energy into the telecast. Though the three-time Grammy winner has never performed on Broadway herself, her songwriting credits on jukebox hits like "& Juliet" and "Moulin Rouge!" gave her theatrical credibility. During her opening remarks, she joked that she only took the gig to impress her theater-loving daughter, while earnestly calling the Broadway community "the literal hardest working people in showbiz."[5]

When it came to the awards, Arthur Miller's classic tragedy "Death of a Salesman" dominated the play categories. Directed by Joe Mantello, the critically acclaimed Winter Garden Theatre production took home the coveted prize for Best Revival of a Play. The production's success underscored the enduring power of Miller's work when placed in the hands of visionary directors and powerhouse casts.[1][3][4]

The "Salesman" revival also secured a major acting victory, with stage veteran Laurie Metcalf winning Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for her heartbreaking portrayal of Linda Loman. Metcalf, already a multiple Tony winner, was celebrated for bringing new depth to one of the American theater's most iconic matriarchs.[3][4]

Beyond acting and directing, "Death of a Salesman" swept the technical play categories. The production picked up trophies for Chloe Lamford's scenic design, Mikaal Sulaiman's sound design, and Jack Knowles's lighting design, cementing its status as the season's definitive dramatic achievement.[3]

On the musical side, the stage adaptation of the hit Apple TV+ series "Schmigadoon!" and the dark new musical "The Lost Boys" entered the night tied for the most nominations, with 12 apiece. Both shows walked away with significant hardware, effectively splitting the major musical categories and highlighting the diverse tastes of this year's Tony voters.[1][2]

"Schmigadoon!" creator Cinco Paul took home the Tony Awards for both Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. The show's loving, satirical homage to Golden Age musicals resonated deeply with the Broadway community, also earning the award for Best Orchestrations for Doug Besterman and Mike Morris.[1][2][3]

Meanwhile, "The Lost Boys" saw major triumphs in the musical acting categories. Shoshana Bean won Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical, while Ali Louis Bourzgui took home the award for Best Featured Actor. The production was also recognized for Dane Laffrey's evocative scenic design.[2][3]

The acclaimed revival of "Ragtime," which came into the ceremony with 11 nominations, won the highly competitive award for Best Revival of a Musical. The sweeping epic about turn-of-the-century America remains a favorite among theatergoers, and this latest iteration was praised for its lush orchestrations and timely resonance.[2]

One of the season's most radical reimaginings, "Cats: The Jellicle Ball," also made waves. The production, which reimagines Andrew Lloyd Webber's feline musical within the context of underground ballroom culture, earned Best Direction of a Musical for Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch. Additionally, Qween Jean made history with a win for Best Costume Design of a Musical, bringing avant-garde club-kid aesthetics to the Broadway stage.[3]

In the leading play categories, stage and screen veteran John Lithgow won Best Actor for his commanding performance in "Giant," beating out heavyweights like Nathan Lane and Daniel Radcliffe. Lesley Manville took home Best Actress for her gripping role in "Oedipus," while Alden Ehrenreich won Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work in "Becky Shaw."[2][3]

The evening also took time to honor theatrical legends with Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement, presented to André Bishop, Jules Fisher, and James Lapine. As the curtain fell on the 79th Tony Awards, the strong showing for both risky new works and reimagined classics signaled a robust, creatively thrilling era for live theater.[1]