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Tony Awards: De Niro slams Trump, Parkland students perform

‘The Band’s Visit,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ win big

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Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, performing Rent’s ‘Seasons Of Love’ at the 2018 Tony Awards (Screenshot via Twitter)

The 72nd annual Tony Awards, hosted by Rachel Bloom, featured a clean sweep from “The Band’s Visit” and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two” as well as plenty of onstage antics.

“The Band’s Visit” won 10 awards including Best Musical, Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical and Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two” won six awards including Best Play and Best Director. Another notable win was “Angels in America” for Best Revival of a Play. Andrew Garfield also won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for “Angels in America.”

The ceremony included many memorable moments but Robert De Niro’s not so subtle dig at President Donald Trump appeared to be a crowd favorite.

“First, I wanna say, ‘f**k Trump,'” De Niro said before introducing Bruce Springsteen. “It’s no longer ‘Down with Trump,’ it’s ‘f**k Trump.”

His bleeped out statement was met with wild applause.

Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Drama Club performed the classic song “Seasons of Love” from the musical “Rent.” Their rendition earned them a standing ovation from the crowd.

Also that night, their drama teacher Melody Herzfeld was honored with a Tony Award for excellence in theater education.

Herzfeld hid 65 of her students in her office for two hours during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting.

“I’m overwhelmed. But I hope that this award will remind everyone of how vital and important arts education is to our kids. Drama, music, art, creative writing that’s how you make good citizens,” Herzfeld said in her acceptance speech.

Offstage, Neil Patrick Harris and Bloom got into an awkward Twitter interaction when Harris didn’t recognize the “My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star.

“Who is the woman in the top hat backstage at @TheTonyAwards? Gideon remarked that she says ‘like’ and ‘oh my god’ a lot. I’m confused,” Harris tweeted during the ceremony.

Bloom responded that she did, in fact, know Harris.

“I’m a big fan of yours,” Bloom replied. “We’ve met numerous times and my husband, Dan Gregor, wrote for ‘How I Met Your Mother’ for 5 years. Notably, he wrote the episode where your character finally meets his father.”

Harris didn’t apologize for the slip but tweeted, “Indeed! Well said. Thanks for the reminder. How was backstage?”

See the complete list of winners below.

Best Book of a Musical
“The Band’s Visit” 
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
“Angels in America”
“The Band’s Visit”
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Andrew Garfield, “Angels in America”
Tom Hollander, “Travesties”
Jamie Parker, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Mark Rylance, “Farinelli and The King”
Denzel Washington, “Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Glenda Jackson, “Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women”
Condola Rashad, “Saint Joan”
Lauren Ridloff, “Children of a Lesser God”
Amy Schumer, “Meteor Shower”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Harry Hadden-Paton, “My Fair Lady”
Joshua Henry, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Tony Shalhoub, “The Band’s Visit”
Ethan Slater, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Lauren Ambrose, “My Fair Lady”
Hailey Kilgore, “Once On This Island”
LaChanze, Summer: “The Donna Summer Musical”
Katrina Lenk, “The Band’s Visit”
Taylor Louderman, “Mean Girls”
Jessie Mueller, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Anthony Boyle, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Michael Cera, “Lobby Hero”
Brian Tyree Henry, “Lobby Hero”
Nathan Lane, “Angels in America”
David Morse, Eugene O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Susan Brown, “Angels in America”
Noma Dumezweni, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
Deborah Findlay, “The Children”
Denise Gough, “Angels in America”
Laurie Metcalf, Edward Albee’s “Three Tall Women”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz, “My Fair Lady”
Alexander Gemignani, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Grey Henson, “Mean Girls”
Gavin Lee, “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”
Ari’el Stachel, “The Band’s Visit”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Ariana DeBose, “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”
Renée Fleming, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Lindsay Mendez, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel”
Ashley Park, “Mean Girls Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady”

Best Direction of a Play
Angels in America
Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Travesties
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh

Best Direction of a Musical
Once On This Island
The Band’s Visit
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Mean Girls
My Fair Lady

Best Play
“The Children”
“Farinelli and The King”
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two”
“Junk”
“Latin History for Morons”

Best Revival of a Play
“Angels in America”
Edward Albee’s, “Three Tall Women”
Eugene O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh”
“Lobby Hero”
“Travesties”

Best Musical
“The Band’s Visit”
“Frozen”
“Mean Girls”
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical”

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Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates 45 years at annual gala

‘Sapphire & Sparkle’ Spring Affair held at the Ritz Carlton

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17th Street Dance performs at the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington's Spring Affair 'Sapphire & Sparkle' gala at the Ritz Carlton Washington, D.C. on Saturday, May 16. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington held the annual Spring Affair gala at the Ritz Carlton Washington, D.C. on Saturday. The theme for this year’s fete was “Sapphire & Sparkle.” The chorus celebrated 45 years in D.C. with musical performances, food, entertainment, and an awards ceremony.

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Executive Director Justin Fyala and Artistic Director Thea Kano gave welcoming speeches. Opening remarks were delivered by Spring Affair co-chairs Tracy Barlow and Tomeika Bowden. Uproariously funny comedian Murray Hill performed a stand-up set and served as the emcee.

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Anjali Murthy speaks at the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s Spring Affair on Saturday, May 16. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Anjali Murthy, a member of the chorus and a graduate of the GenOUT Youth Chorus, addressed the attendees of the gala.

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The event concluded with the presentation of the annual Harmony Awards. This year’s awardees included local drag artist and activist Tara Hoot, the human rights organization Rainbow Railroad as well as Rocky Mountain Arts Association Executive Director, Dr. Chipper Dean.

(Washington Blade photos and videos by Michael Key)

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Mayor of Manassas Michelle Davis-Younger, center, cuts the ribbon to open Equality Prince William Pride at Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 16. (Washington Blade photo by Landon Shackelford)

Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 16.

(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)

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PHOTOS: Blade Summer Kickoff Party

Ashley Biden accepts award for Beau Biden at annual Rehoboth fundraiser

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Ashley Biden accepts an award on behalf of her brother, Beau Biden, at the Washington Blade's Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

The 19th annual Blade Foundation Summer Kickoff Party was held on Friday, May 15 at Diego’s in Rehoboth Beach, Del. An award presentation was held for former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. Ashley Biden accepted the award on her brother’s behalf and gave remarks. Other speakers included Delaware state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff. The event was a fundraiser for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism.

(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)

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