Maybe Happy Ending, a romantic-comedy about a pair of androids falling in love, has won six Tony Awards, including best new musical.
The story charts the relationship between two decommissioned robots, becoming a commentary on human themes and the passage of time.
Starring Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, Maybe Happy Ending enjoyed huge success at the 78th annual ceremony held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York on Sunday.
The acclaimed Broadway production’s awards also included Criss winning best leading actor in a musical, alongside prizes for best direction of a musical, best original theatre score, best book of a musical, and best scenic design of a musical.
In other awards, Purpose, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ drawing room drama about an accomplished black family exposing hypocrisy and pressures during a snowed-in gathering, won best new play.
Darren Criss and Helen J Shen perform a number from Maybe Happy Ending at the Tony Awards. Pic: Reuters
Jacobs-Jenkins becomes the first black playwright to win the award since August Wilson took home the accolade in 1987 for Fences.
It underlines a triumphant year for Jacobs-Jenkins after scooping the Pulitzer Prize for Purpose – and winning back-to-back Tonys after his Appropriate won best play revival in 2024.
Kara Young – the first black female actor to be nominated for a Tony in four consecutive years – became the first black person to win two awards consecutively, picking up the trophy for featured actress in a play for her work in Purpose.
Kara Young made history at the ceremony in New York. Pic: Reuters
Sunset Blvd won best musical revival, handing composer Andrew Lloyd Webber his first competitive Tony since 1995, when the original show won.
The current version is a stripped-down, minimalist production.
Sarah Snook took home the trophy for leading actress in a play for her tireless work in The Picture Of Dorian Gray, where she plays all 26 roles.
“I don’t feel alone any night that I do this show,” Snook said, dismissing the idea of her play as a one-woman show.
“There are so many people onstage making it work and behind the stage making it work.”
Oh Mary! saw Sam Pinkleton win best director and Cole Escola landing best actor in a play.
A delighted Sam Pinkleton after winning an award at the Tonys. Pic: Reuters
Francis Jue won best actor in a featured role in a play for his work in a revival of Yellow Face.
Jak Malone won best actor in a featured role in a musical for the British import, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.
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Eureka Day, Jonathan Spector’s social satire about well-meaning liberals debating a school’s vaccine policy, won the best play revival trophy.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow – based on the 12-time Emmy-winning Netflix hit sci-fi series, won best scenic design, lighting design and sound design of a play.
The production, which has been running in London’s West End, also picked up a special award for its illusions and technical effects.