The 77th Annual Tony Awards weren’t short on noteworthy moments, nor did they skimp on fashion. (I’m as obsessed with Jocelyn Bioh’s purple look as I am with Jeremy Strong’s little mustache, albeit in entirely different ways.) Not only were fan-favorite shows including Appropriate, Stereophonic, Suffs, Merrily We Roll Along, and Hell’s Kitchen honored, but there were plenty of celebrity sightings and surprise guests in the mix, too, as well as more than a few memorable musical numbers. Find all the best and biggest moments from the 2024 Tony Awards below.
Ariana DeBose slyly referencing her infamous Angela Bassett rap
DeBose nodded to Alicia Keys’s Hell’s Kitchen by telling the audience that she had also tried her hand at writing a musical, saying: “Here is the pitch. It’s three hours, no intermission, and it’s based on my BAFTA rap.” Angela Bassett may have done the thing, but DeBose is responsible for making said thing into a meme with genuine staying power. (That award show was a full year ago, and yet I still laughed at this joke!)
Alicia Keys and Jay-Z hitting the stage in duelling logos
With Keys in a monogrammed Gucci top and pants and Jay-Z in a Louis Vuitton jacket, the pair’s Tonys performance of “Empire State of Mind” created a fashion moment for the ages. Among the other delightful surprise appearances? Hillary Clinton, presenting a performance of “Keep Marching” from Suffs; Idina Menzel and Cynthia Erivo (“Green girl power!”) presenting the Tony for best new musical to The Outsiders; and future The Last Five Years co-stars Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren presenting the Tony for best lead actress in a musical to Hell’s Kitchen’s Maleah Joi Moon.
The dedicated tribute to Chita Rivera
I could have watched DeBose talk about (and dance in honor of) trailblazing West Side Story actor, singer, and dancer all night, to be honest. I know the show tends to run long, and I appreciate the producers were trying to move things along, but to my mind, this particular segment could have gone a lot longer!
The many sweet family moments
Angelina and Vivienne! Alicia Keys and her mom! Kara Young and her dad! The powerhouse sisters that are Sonia and Maria Friedman! Tonys Sunday was filled with charming family moments—which was only fitting, considering that the ceremony landed on Father’s Day.
Jeremy Strong making it halfway to an EGOT
Strong’s Tony for best lead actor in a play for his performance in An Enemy of the People means only one thing: we’re almost there, Kendall Roy stans! Stay strong! (See what I did there?)
See all the looks from the 2024 Tony Awards red carpet here:
