Photo by Billy McEntee
This is the first time the Tony Awards have taken place in the Washington Heights at the United Palace Theater, and the opulent, gold-drenched space, a stylistic potpourri that combines Byzantine, Moorish, and other aesthetic features, was a feast for the eyes. And while the telecast showed many lovely elements at theater’s biggest night, there are some things a camera just can’t catch.
Most notably, Michael Arden’s speech was ironically bleeped when he used the F-word slur: “Growing up, I was called the F-word more times than I could remember. And all I can say now is I’m a faggot with a Tony!” the director of Parade, which also won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, said.
It seems odd for, as Arden celebrated his identity, to have bleeped out the word. However, it does protect LGBTQ+ folks if someone other than a queer person uses the term offensively.
Also a difficult to capture was the heat at the venue. While the day was rather pleasant, mostly in the 70s, the theater interior was quite warm with many people visibly sweating. There seemed to be no or little air circulation or AC inside the United, and while water fountains were present they were not functioning, which may be due to the building’s age and maintenance.
The al fresco after party offered some reprieve. An elegant block party that paid homage to the uptown neighborhood’s culture, the Tony’s after party featured various bars and vendors handing out sliced fruit, desserts, and even Shake Shack burgers. Lining up for the ceremony and party later on felt a bit like a royal wedding with neighbors placing chairs in the street to camp out and take a gander at the celebrities and attendees arriving in their awards show best. It augmented the experience and lent the event a humbling sweetness, which, with the uplifting Kimberly Akimbo taking the top prize, only felt right.
