On Sunday, June 7, history was made in Radio City Music Hall, where at the 79th Annual Tony Awards, Act 1, it was announced that Qween Jean, the first openly transgender award recipient, won the Tony for Best Costume Design of a Musical for “CATS: The Jellicle Ball.” An emotional Qween Jean proclaimed “Happy Pride,” and thanked the Tony nominating committee and the entire crew and cast.
“We are here for the legacy of Queer people, trans people; we are taking up space. … We know as a society that when we come together we can make real permanent change,” Qween Jean declared. In the press room, she shared what it means to receive the Tony as a trans woman. “This award has such incredible significance. I am a spiritual daughter of Marsha P. Johnson … and many more incredible matriarchs that have galvanized for Queer liberation in 1969 and beyond. … So to be able to receive this recognition as I continue that work on stage and off stage, I am deeply committed to the collective liberation of our people. And as a storyteller, that’s embedded in the work that I do. Arriving at authentic profound truth that illuminates and reveals that people indeed are magical and beautiful and their stories deserve to be told.”
Regarding the costumes in “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” and what she wants audiences to see on stage, Qween Jean shared, “This … resonates deeply. What I hope and what we have seen as an audience member and as a contributor to the incredible production is that people are constantly in awe of the beauty of the community. … We have truly adorned each performer in their body. We pride ourselves with that; I do it as a costume designer. My goal is that when they step on stage, they know that what they’re wearing allows their character to be unstoppable, and that conviction is something that I achieve in my own personal life as a proud transwoman that has journeyed and stepped up. … People are seeing the creativity in this community. [The] New York City Ballroom is the pinnacle of innovation, fashion, and, most importantly, love. So those elements have all been woven into this tapestry for the design for ‘CATS: The Jellicle Ball’, and it’s something that I’m immensely proud of, deeply grateful to be able to share with many more people that will come to see ‘CATS: The Jellicle Ball.’”
Linda Armstrong photos
It was an absolutely purrrfect evening for “CATS: The Jellicle Ball” — Best Direction of a Musical was won by co-directors Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch. Levingston declared on stage, “Ballroom is about audacity and disruption. Ballroom is about authenticity. … We honor the Black and Brown transwomen who are pioneers. … [The] Ballroom welcomes everyone. … To the 12-year-old kid who is watching this with the TV down low, there is a place for you here.”
In the press room, the joy continued. Levingston happily shared, “What’s happening every night at the Broadhurst is that the conversation, around how can we be together different[ly], is starting for people who maybe are trying to figure out how to reignite that hope in humanity again.” Rauch said, “There’s proof that there’s always a third way. Everybody wants to divide us. ‘The Jellicle Ball’ is living proof that we can come together through inclusion.”
Levingston continued, “There are literally states that are trying to erase Pride Month, so I hope that this show is a refuge if you can’t find this Queer, Black joy where you come from. This is an invitation for you to come to Broadway, get a dose of it for two and a half hours, and then bring it back to where you come from.”
Talking about their song or their purpose in life Levingston said, “I think the most important thing that an artist can do is to expand the collective imagination. … I think that art is not a reflection of life, but art is a correction of life and [if] it is something that can happen in our theater, then we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing right now.
“My entire career has been devoted to trying to bring people together to do theater, and ‘CATS: The Jellicle Ball’ is a room for people of every age, every possible belief system, and any possible human difference [to] come together and celebrate and feel good about being alive and being in community together,” Rauch shared.
“CATS: The Jellicle Ball” was definitely hailed throughout the evening as co-choreographers Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons won Best Choreography. The production showcases a combination of dance styles including Ballroom, voguing, ballet, and jazz. Discussing what it means to bring something to Broadway that has never been represented before, Wiles remarked, “It means we’re changing culture. We’re shifting the boundaries of everything we thought the world could be. We’re breaking down walls and we’re letting in all kinds of people. All different shapes, sizes, races, genres, genders, it’s coming.”
“CATS: The Jellicle Ball” receiving nominations made Wiles and Lyons feel seen, but now to win took things to another level. Addressing how this felt to have the LGBTQIA community embraced and what that means for the next generation, the two were glad to share their thoughts.
“If you are a young person and you look at us and you want to follow in our footsteps, learn from us. We both teach classes, we both are mentors, we both have houses full of youth. Be consistent and be true to who you are,” Wiles said.
“Stay on top of your craft and understand that your craft, you’re always sculpting…it. My mom is a West African Dance teacher and to this day she goes back to Senegal every year to learn from her elders, her nieces, and nephews to further her education. No matter how hard it is, you have to constantly keep sculpting at what we do and what we do great,” Lyons shared.
Joshua Henry, who plays Coalhouse Walker Jr. in “Ragtime” at Lincoln Center, won a very well-deserved Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. Anyone who’s seen “Ragtime” can attest to the fact that he puts his heart and soul into his performance. “These moments are incredible, but you learn the most when you’ve fallen down, and you think ‘well, what’s going to happen next?’ I was supposed to go to Broadway with ‘Hamilton,’ and I didn’t. I’ve auditioned for so many things that broke my heart, and I’ve been involved with so many different projects that just didn’t pan out, and so as an artist, as a human, it’s like, then what? What do you know? What I know is that there’s a place for me. And that’s what I want my boys (sons) to know. … What I want everyone to know is that what is for you cannot pass you by if you have the patience to wait it out and to walk into it. This moment feels like I’m walking into something very natural and it wouldn’t have happened unless I fell down and had to reassess again.”
About winning for playing a father — Coalhouse Walker Jr. — Henry shared, “As an artist and as a father doing Coalhouse right now, who is all about furious dreaming, he’s a musician, he went through certain trials, and now it just feels like the perfect marriage for me. It was amazing to step into this role and I can’t wait to get back to the theater and do it again.”
Mikaal Sulaiman won the Tony for Best Sound Design of a play for “Death of a Salesman.” He was very excited to win. Speaking of Justin Ellington, who was also nominated for sound design for “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” Sulaiman said, “I hope my win and Justin and my nominations are encouraging to other kids who look like us or don’t look like us, but feel connected to this kind of journey, so they can find a way to this place.”
This year the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University presented the Theatre Education Award to Freddie Hendricks, theatre teacher at Utopian Academy for the Arts in Ellenwood, Georgia. He has been an arts educator for over 30 years.
There are so many fabulous productions on Broadway right now. There’s something for everyone. Plan to go see what’s being offered — “CATS: The Jellicle Ball,” “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” “Death of a Salesman,” “Ragtime” … the possibilities are endless.
