Broadway wrapped its biggest night Sunday, and the 79th Annual Tony Awards delivered far more than a list of winners. From a rock musical about teenage vampires to a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about justice and liberation, the 2025-26 Broadway season brought stories to the stage that went straight to the heart.
The ceremony took place at Radio City Music Hall and aired live on CBS from 8 to 11 p.m. ET, with a free pre-show on Pluto TV hosted by Tony winner Laura Benanti and Tituss Burgess beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Grammy winner P!nk hosted for the first time, telling the Broadway community ahead of the show that it is "the honor of an entire lifetime" to emcee a night celebrating the hardest-working people in showbiz. She also performed as part of a tribute celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Chicago revival.
Leading the field going into the night were The Lost Boys and Schmigadoon!, each with 12 nominations, followed by Ragtime with 11.
Among the most-watched individual storylines was Joshua Henry, a four-time nominee who had previously been recognized for The Scottsboro Boys, Violet, and Carousel - making Ragtime his fourth shot at a first Tony win. His portrayal of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime - a man whose belief in the American dream is shattered by a racist system - drew widespread acclaim as one of the season's defining performances.
On the play side, Liberation arrived at the Tonys already carrying the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, written by Bess Wohl. Its themes of justice, resistance, and what it means to be truly free gave the evening some of its most spiritually resonant storytelling.
The night also marked milestone anniversaries, with the original cast of The Book of Mormon reuniting to celebrate 15 years on Broadway, and special tributes to A Chorus Line at 50 and Chicago at 30.
Broadway's power has always been rooted in its willingness to wrestle with the full weight of human experience - suffering, longing, reconciliation, and hope. Whatever shows took home trophies Sunday night, the 79th Tonys reminded audiences that the stage, at its best, holds up a mirror that points us toward something greater.
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