Special Reports

2013 Tony Awards Live Blog

Beginning at 8pm, this will be your up-to-the-minute source for ceremony updates, behind-the-scenes news, and more.

Check back here starting at 8pm tonight and all throughout the ceremony for commentary, news from the press room, and all the oh-my-god-it’s-really-happening excitement that only the Tony Awards can provide.

8:15

Here we are in the Tonys Press Room!


8:16

The first three awards were announced pre-telecast. They were: costume designer Ann Roth for The Nance, William Ivey Long for Cinderella ‘s costume design, and Kinky Boots orchestrator Stephen Oremus.


8:23

We’ve also had The Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role go to Courtney B. Vance for Lucky Guy.


8:25

We got Judith Light for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play!


8:32

Sound design for a play goes to Leon Rothenberg for The Nance.


8:36

Courtney B. Vance is coming to visit us in the press room!


8:38

Featured Actor in a Musical goes to Gabriel Ebert!


8:41

VANCE: “My wife, she’s the queen.” Awwwh!


8:47

Dennis Kelly wins for book of Matilda. Cheers!


8:52

Leon Rothenberg is in the press room! He’s chatting about not using mics for The Nance ‘s burlesque scenes. Pretty crazy.


8:55

To the surprise of no one but the delight of everyone Diane Paulus wins for Director of a Musical!


8:57

Gabriel Ebert is here and he says to the kids at home, “Avoid trying to be poignant.” Also, “Do several plays before you decide to give up.”


9:02

While Ebert was here Pam MacKinnon won Best Director for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Two female directors in a row!


9:04

DENNIS KELLY: “I couldn’t really make [Matilda] about a girl who loves musicals, so I made it about a girl who loves books.”


9:11

Cyndi Lauper wins for Kinky Boots! I hope we get to see her in the press room soon!


9:14

Pam MacKinnon is here now. She says of women directors on Broadway, “We’re out there and we’re coming up.”


9:17

Judith Light is in the press room, with that stunning white dress! with a train!


9:18

Someone just commented that she looks like she’s getting married to the Tony. “Well, maybe I am,” she responds.


9:20

Scenic Design of a play goes to John Lee Beatty, The Nance.


9:22

Side note, the best thing about the press room is not having to watch the commercials.


9:26

This “you gotta have a tv show” song is kind of great. Also, today I learned that Laura Benanti is actually that funny.


9:31

Featured Actress in a Musical goes to Andrea Martin!


9:32

Jerry Mitchell, who recently won Best Choreography for Kinky Boots, is in the press room now.


9:43

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike wins best play!


9:45

JOHN LEE BEATTY: “[The Nance Director] Jack O’Brien is a very family oriented director, in terms of theater family”


9:54

Hugh Vanstone wins Best Lighting Design for Matilda, beating out Kenneth Posner, who was nominated three times over.


9:57

Simba presents Pippin, one prince to another. I mean, cute.


10:02

Aaand Sigourney Weaver is a full head taller than Mayor Bloomberg. (They’re presenting Best Revival.)


10:04

It’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? !


10:07

Best Lighting Design of a Play just went to Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer for Lucky Guy.


10:16

Holy Phantom, amiright? Check out our interview with phantom Peter Jöback.


10:18

Billy Porter wins Best Actor for Kinky Boots!


10:21

The multi-talented Tracy Letts wins Best Actor in a Play for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.


10:24

Cyndi Lauper performs “True Colors” to remember the people Broadway lost this year. Lovely.


10:34

Lucky Guy ‘s Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer are visiting the press room!


10:35

Beautiful Cicely Tyson wins Best Actress in a Play for The Trip to Bountiful.


10:37

How wonderful. A standing ovation for Cicely.


10:38

Patina Miller wins Best Actress for her role in Pippin. And what a dress!


10:43

Andrea Martin is here!


10:45

MARTIN on her role in Pippin: “I thought 66 looks different now. Why can’t I play a grandmother that looks like me?”


10:47

Tracy Letts in the press room.


10:49

LETTS: “[Chicago] is where I learned my craft… New York has always been good to me, but I feel like an ambassador from Chicago.”


10:53

Chris Durang (Vanya and Sonia… playwright) is here now. He’s discussing the wonderful instincts and impulses of the actors in his play – he’s even put some moments in the script.


11:03

Kinky Boots wins Best Musical! Say yeah!


11:05

Nice closing number. Audra singing “Empire State of Mind” and NPH doing what has to be an on-the-fly Lin-Manuel Miranda rap.