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‘Dear Evan Hansen’ and Bette Midler win big at Tony Awards

Kevin Spacey also joked about coming out during his opening bit

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9 years ago

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(Screenshot via Twitter.)

“Dear Evan Hansen” and Bette Midler reigned over the 71st annual Tony Awards on Sunday raking in wins, and in Midler’s case, giving an unconventional acceptance speech.

Lin-Manuel Miranda presented the award for Best Musical to the breakout production about teen suicide. “Dear Evan Hansen” received awards for Best Score, Book, Orchestrations, Featured Actress in a Musical and Leading Actor in a Musical, totaling six awards for the night.

Midler received Best Actress in a Musical, her first acting Tony Award, for her performance in “Hello, Dolly!,” which also won for Best Revival.

“I’m so privileged, I’m so honored,” Midler told the crowd. “I hope I don’t cry. Thank you to the Tony voters, many of whom I’ve actually dated. I’m so grateful for the outpouring of love and affection — I can’t remember the last time I had so much smoke blown up my a-, but there’s no more room.”

The actress continued on to thank a long list of names before the orchestra attempted to play her off stage.

“Shut that crap off,” Midler said while the audience cheered.

Kevin Spacey hosted the ceremony and joked about the speculation around his sexuality. The “House of Cards” star put on a dress to mimic Norma Desmond, played by Glenn Close in the “Sunset Boulevard” revival. He starts to sing, “I’m coming out,” and then stops to say “No, wait, no” to the laughter of the crowd.

Other big award wins of the night included Cynthia Nixon for her role in “Little Foxes,” and “Oslo” for Best Play.

The complete list of winners is below.

Best Musical
“Dear Evan Hansen”

Best Revival of a Musical
“Hello, Dolly!”

Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, “Come From Away”

Best Book of a Musical
Steven Levenson, “Dear Evan Hansen”

Best Original Score
Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, “Dear Evan Hansen”

Best Orchestrations
Alex Lacamoire, “Dear Evan Hansen”

Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, “Bandstand”

Best Scenic Design in a Musical
Mimi Lien, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”

Best Costume Design in a Musical
Santo Loquasto

Best Lighting Design in a Musical
Bradley King, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!”

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Rachel Boy Jones, “Dear Evan Hansen”

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Ben Platt, “Dear Evan Hansen”

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Gavin Creel, “Hello Dolly”

Best Play
“Oslo”

Best Revival of a Play
“Jitney”

Best Direction of a Play
Rebecca Taichman, “Indecent”

Best Scenic Design in a Play
Nigel Hook, “The Play That Goes Wrong”

Best Costume Design in a Play
Jane Greenwood, “The Little Foxes”

Best Lighting Design in a Play
Christopher Ackerland, “Indecent”

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Kevin Kline, “Present Laughter”

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Michael Aronov, “Oslo”

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Laurie Metcalf, “A Doll’s House Part 2”

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Cynthia Nixon, “The Little Foxes”

 

 

 

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PHOTOS: Freddie’s Follies

Queens perform at weekly Arlington show

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7 hours ago

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January 6, 2026

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The Freddie's Follies drag show was held at Freddie's Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more

Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’

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1 day ago

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January 5, 2026

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From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.

Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”

The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.

“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”

Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.

Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.

As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.

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The year in photos

Top LGBTQ news photos of 2025

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3 days ago

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January 3, 2026

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(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The 40th annual Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather competition is held on Jan. 12 at the Hyatt Regency Washington.
A drag dance protest is held outside the Kennedy Center on Jan. 13.
Activists gather for The People’s March on the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 18.
The Transgender Unity Rally and March is held on March 1. Activists march from the U.S. Capitol to the White House.
President Donald Trump addresses the Joint Session of Congress on March 4.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington performs “Passports” at Lincoln Theatre on March 14.
The American Civil Liberties Union displays a ‘Freedom to Be’ trans flag on the Mall on May 17.
Actress Ts Madison speaks at the Black Pride Opening Reception on May 23.
The WorldPride Parade moves through the streets of Washington, D.C. on June 7.
Doechii performs at the main stage of the WorldPride Festival on June 8.
Activist/performer Tara Hoot speaks at the D.C. Drag Awards at Trade on July 20.
Cast members from ‘Queer Eye’ speak at a CAA event at Crush Dance Bar on Aug. 4.
The National Guard is controversially deployed by President Trump into Washington, D.C. Military-style vehicles are parked in front of Union Station on Aug.14.
Activists march in a ‘Trump Must Go’ protest ending at the White House on Aug. 16.
Supporters of trans students attend a meeting of the Arlington School Board on Aug. 21 to counter a speech by anti-trans Virginia gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears.
Local governmental officials as well as volunteers and staff of MoCo Pride Center attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new LGBTQ community center in Bethesda, Md. on Aug. 30.
Activists protest cuts to PEPFAR funding outside of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Sept. 2.
Ivanna Rights is crowned Miss Gay Maryland America 2025 at The Lodge in Boonsboro, Md. on Sept. 6.
Thousands join the We Are All D.C. March on Sept. 6.
A scene from the We Are All D.C. March on Sept. 6.
Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson speaks at the U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS on Sept. 7.
Cake Pop! performs at the Washington Blade’s Best of LGBTQ D.C. party at Crush Dance Bar on Oct. 16.
A participant poses for the camera at the High Heel Race on 17th Street, N.W. on Oct. 28.
President Joe Biden speaks at the International LGBTQ Leaders Conference at the JW Marriott on Dec. 5.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington perform ‘The Holiday Show’ at the Lincoln Theatre on Dec. 12.
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