The 78th Tony Awards made room for both Broadway spectacle and a slate of bold winners: Maybe Happy Ending led with six awards, while the ceremony’s most memorable moments ranged from a Hamilton reunion to powerhouse solo performances. The clearest “worst” moment is more subjective: Washington Post critic Naveen Kumar found host Cynthia Erivo’s opening number underwhelming, though he praised her singing.
What happened at the 2025 Tony Awards?
The 78th Tony Awards took place on June 8, 2025, at Radio City Music Hall, with Cynthia Erivo as host. The ceremony was originally broadcast in the United States on CBS and streamed on Paramount+, according to the Tony Awards announcement. That original distribution information does not establish where a replay may be available now.
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The night’s central awards story was the success of Maybe Happy Ending, which won six Tonys, including Best Musical. Other major wins went to Purpose for Best Play and Sunset Blvd. for Best Revival of a Musical. The Associated Press also reported that the 2024–25 Broadway season grossed $1.9 billion, describing it as the highest-grossing season ever; that figure is about Broadway season receipts, not the Tonys themselves.
Which performances stood out?
Jonathan Groff brought Bobby Darin—and Keanu Reeves—into the room
Jonathan Groff performed as Bobby Darin from Just in Time. The number’s theatrical playfulness included an interaction with Keanu Reeves in the audience, and the Washington Post named Groff among the night’s standout solo performers. Earlier, Erivo joked about the balcony seats ahead of his performance.
#1 Best Overall
Nicole Scherzinger and Audra McDonald delivered vocal showcases
Nicole Scherzinger sang “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Blvd., while Audra McDonald performed “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy. The Washington Post also singled out both singers among its performance highlights. Scherzinger’s evening included a win for leading actress in a musical for Sunset Blvd..
The original Hamilton company reunited at ten
The original Broadway cast of Hamilton reunited for a medley marking the musical’s 10th anniversary. The Associated Press listed “My Shot,” “The Schuyler Sisters,” “History Has Its Eyes on You” and “The Room Where It Happens” among the songs. It was a reunion built around a defining Broadway hit, rather than a competition entry.
Which wins made Tony history?
Two category-specific milestones gave the winners list significance beyond the evening’s leading productions:
- Kara Young became the first Black performer to win two consecutive Tony Awards in the featured actress in a play category. Her wins were for Purlie Victorious in 2024 and Purpose in 2025. Accepting the award, she said, “Theater is a sacred space that we have to honor and treasure, and it makes us united.”
- Cole Escola, star of Oh, Mary!, became the first nonbinary winner of Best Leading Actor in a Play.
Other prominent acting wins included Darren Criss for leading actor in a musical for Maybe Happy Ending and Sarah Snook for leading actress in a play for The Picture of Dorian Gray. Jak Malone won featured actor in a musical for Operation Mincemeat. The Associated Press reported that Malone hoped his win could advocate for trans rights; the Washington Post quoted him reflecting on bidding farewell to “cynicism” and “that rotten old binary” and opening up to “a world that is out there in glorious Technicolor and isn’t going away anytime soon.”
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Harvey Fierstein received a Lifetime Achievement Tony and dedicated it to theater audiences. The four-time Tony winner told the Associated Press: “There is nothing quite like bathing in the applause of a curtain call, but when I bow, I bow to the audience, with gratitude, knowing that without them I might as well be lip-syncing showtunes in my bedroom mirror,” he said. “And so I dedicate this award to the people in the dark.”
For the In Memoriam segment, Erivo and Sara Bareilles performed “Tomorrow.” The duet connected the ceremony’s spectacle to a quieter tribute, while Erivo later closed the show with a riff on “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” The Washington Post called that closing flourish a “perfect mic drop.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What was the worst moment—and was it widely agreed?
There was no objective “worst” moment. The most clearly attributed criticism came from Washington Post critic Naveen Kumar, who called Erivo’s opening number, “Sometimes All You Need Is a Song,” well sung but underwhelming. He praised her vocals but faulted the pacing, the fleeting nominee references and the projections.
That was Kumar’s critical judgment, not an established consensus: another recap described the opening enthusiastically. The distinction matters because the same performance can land differently for viewers, and the available coverage does not support presenting the negative assessment as a shared verdict.
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What else made the ceremony memorable?
The show mixed theatrical play with familiar award-show rhythms: a “Good Night, and Good Luck” mock broadcast, the “My Way” playoff song and Erivo’s closing vocal flourish. In an opening-night declaration, Erivo said, “Broadway is officially back!” The Associated Press reported Broadway’s $1.9 billion season figure, but the ceremony itself was not the source of those receipts.
For a concise verdict, the best moments were the performances that combined vocal force with a distinct theatrical idea—especially Groff’s Darin turn, Scherzinger’s and McDonald’s solos, and the Hamilton reunion. The most consequential moments were the wins that recognized Maybe Happy Ending and marked milestones for Young and Escola. The opening number belongs on a “worst” list only with Kumar’s name attached.
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