Broadway’s Back! A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the 2021 Tony Awards 

“We’re a little late, but we are here!” announced host Audra McDonald at Sunday’s long-awaited Tony Awards. Indeed, after more than 560 nights since New York’s theatre district went dim due to the pandemic, the lights are back on—and just in time for Boadway’s biggest night. The celebratory spirit was at an all-time high. The program kicked off with a foot-tapping opening number where McDonald’s fellow host, Leslie Odom Jr., quite literally danced his way into the Winter Garden Theater. He was backed by a glittering group of chorus girls and guys, who all leaped and twirled down the aisle before storming the stage. 

The jazzy, original song set the standard for the evening, and a new era of live theater, where everyone must be masked and vaxxed. As Odom Jr. sang in the opening: “We want to stay safe, but not in quarantine. But you can’t get a seat lest you get the vaccine.” In between many of the season’s most memorable performances, from Moulin Rouge!’s “Lady Marmalade” to The Tina Turner Musical’s “Proud Mary,” the broadcast flashed to stars lining the orchestra seats, all of whom were outfitted in black face masks emblazoned with: The 74th Annual Tony Awards. To this, presenter Darren Criss quipped: “Even though I can only see half your faces, theater people look real good.” 

The masks also went decidedly well with an award-winning wardrobe, as demonstrated by Mary Louise-Parker, who, in her Best Actress acceptance speech, revealed that her metallic cocktail number was vintage—and lovingly on loan from her mother. “The reason I’m wearing a dress older than me [is my mother]. She didn’t have as many nice dresses as she deserved.” Parker said, before addressing mom: “I would say this is for you, but it’s really because of you.” And much like Parker’s revival retro style statement, Broadway’s return was well worth the wait.