Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee have made LGBTQ+ history with their first-ever Tony wins. On 11 June, West Side Story star Ariana DeBose took to New York City’s United Palace stage to host the 76th annual Tony Awards – which featured appearances from Jessica Chastain, Sara Bareilles, Josh Groban, Stephanie Hsu, and more.
While the evening was full of showstopping performances from the casts of & Juliet and Kimberly Akimbo, it also featured history-making moments from Broadway stars like Ghee and Newell – who became the first openly non-binary talents to win acting prizes at the Tony Awards.
During the ceremony, Newell won “Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical” for their portrayal of whiskey distiller Lulu in Schucked the Musical. “I have wanted this my entire life.
Mommy, I love you. Thank you for loving me unconditionally, thank you for teaching me what strength is,” Newell tearfully exclaimed during their acceptance speech. “To my entire building and cast and crew of Shucked, you are my rock.