The 77th Tony Awards gave those of us cuckoo for kudos the thing that we love most about show biz celebrations.
Surprises.
Throughout the course of the evening, the envelopes revealed a number of out-of-left-field selections. (See the Tony Awards winners list.) That made watching the reactions of the recipients all the more fun. So who were the most visibly shocked Tony winners? Here the Top 5, along with their corresponding “shockmeter” rating.
1. Danya Taymor, Best Director of a Musical for “The Outsiders.”
Most Broadway insiders were expecting Maria Friedman to roll away with the prize for “Merrily We Roll Along.” So it’s no wonder that the dazed Danya literally jumped out of her seat and jolted to the stage. The untamed Taymor did clearly write her speech in advance — but preparation is the hallmark of any good director. Shockmeter rating: 9.5.
SEE 2024 Tony Awards: Every winner (and nominee) in all 26 competitive categories
2. Kecia Lewis, Best Featured Actress in a Musical for “Hell’s Kitchen.”
The “Hell’s Kitchen” contender was caught in a hot seven-way race. She managed to overcome Lindsay Mendez in “Merrily We Roll Along” to merrily make off with the trophy for her role as Miss Liza Jane in “Hell’s Kitchen.” After decades of work on the New York stage, Lewis can thank “Hell” for leading her to Tony Awards heaven. Shockmeter rating: 9.
3. Jeremy Strong, Best Actor in a Play for “An Enemy of the People.”
This was curiously the first award of the evening. Many expected that Leslie Odom Jr. would be victorious for “Purlie Victorious.” However, “Succession’s” Strong as Dr. Thomas Stockmann was clearly stronger than most observers realized. The actor sat stunned when his name was called. A century and a half after being penned by Henrik Ibsen, “An Enemy of the People” remains a loyal friend of the theater. Shockmeter rating: 9.
4. Shaina Taub, Best Original Score for “Suffs.”
Taub was excited beyond words to score for “Suffs,” candidly acknowledging her rapid rate of speech as she accepted. At least she managed to finish before the music cut her off, and “Suffs” co-producer Hillary Clinton even gave Taub a shout-out when she later introduced a number from the musical. For Shaina, “Suffs” is the stuff that dreams are made of. Shockmeter rating: 9.
5. Will Brill, Best Featured Actor in a Play for “Stereophonic.”
Brill was one of a trio of “Stereophonic” actors in the lineup, probably thinking that vote-splitting with his cast mates Eli Gelb and Tom Pecinka would appropriately allow Corey Stoll in “Appropriate” to triumph. Still, where there’s a Brill-iant Will (as Reg) there’s a way. And that’s how Brill stole the statuette from Stoll. (Nothing inappropriate about that.) Shockmeter rating: 9.
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