Tony Award Winners 2024: The Outsiders and Stereophonic Take the Top Prizes

Broadway’s biggest night is over, and no one show dominated. Stereophonic won five awards, including Best Play, and Merrily We Roll Along snagged four prizes, including Best Musical Revival and Best Leading and Featured Actor. But in the new musical category, the winners were spread among The Outsiders, which took home four statuettes, including Best Musical and Best Director; Suffs, which snagged Best Score and Score Book, and Hell’s Kitchen, which won Best Actress and Featured Actor.

Below is a complete list of winners along with some of our favorite moments and quotes.

Shaina Taub, a longtime favorite beyond Broadway, picked up the night’s first Tony Award for Best Book for Suffs. She thanked her longtime artistic home, The Public Theater, and urged everyone to vote, of course.

Thrilled TDF/Kitty Leech Ascending Artist Award winner Dede Ayite received her first Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Play for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding! Here’s a fabulous interview we did with her back in 2022. Loved her Ghana shout-out! Would you believe she’s the first Black costume designer to win this prize? Unacceptable. 

Another TDF/Kitty Leech Ascending Artist Award winner, Linda Cho, won her second Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical for The Great Gatsby. Her story about her immigrant mother telling her a life in the arts was not possible for her was heartbreaking, even though it was meant to protect her. Mothers don’t always do the right thing… just look at all the terrible mother characters on Broadway this season!

Such a fitting tribute to Stephen Sondheim, having Jonathan Tunick finally win a Tony for orchestrating one of the late genius’ scores!

Clearly the Best Scenic Design of a Musical was going to go to one of the two nominees who reconfigured their entire theatres. Tom Scutt won for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club over David Korins for Here Lies Love.

And another TDF/Kitty Leech Ascending Artist Award winner, David Zinn, won for Best Scenic Design of a Play for Stereophonic. This will be the first of many prizes for that play tonight.

Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald presented the Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Award to George C. Wolfe, who will be directing her in a revival of Gypsy this fall. There’s an excellent chance they’ll be back at the Tony Awards next year as nominees.

Ballet star turned choreographer, Justin Peck, won for Best Choreography for Illinoise. This is his second Tony Award after the 2018 revival of Carousel, and we spoke to him back then about his creative process.

Hana S. Kim, who won for Best Lighting Design of a Musical for The Outsiders, made us laugh with, “I did not expect to have this much flesh out in the world,” and made us cry with her story of immigrating here to pursue her dream.

Jane Cox, who won for Best Lighting Design of a Play for Appropriate, thanked all the associates on all the shows.

Jack O’Brien is such a character. “No one in this room answered an ad saying, ‘Glittering theatrical types needed to save a moribund industry.'” His tribute to the power of theatre to change lives was beautiful.

Apparently, Sarah Paulson has been staying at Julianne Hough’s house! How do I get on that house swap list?!

Ryan Rumery won for Best Sound Design of a Play for Stereophonic, a play set in a sound studio. That’s two Awards for Stereophonic, with more to come.

First curse! “I can’t believe I’m crying in front of so many f’ing people,” exclaimed Cody Spencer, who won the Best Sound Design of a Musical for The Outsiders. My entire feed cut out for about a minute. How perfect that the sound designer unwittingly messed up the sound.

Love everything about Billy Porter. “Where’s my speech babies! I’m a producer so I know what time it is.” He could have just kept singing! But his speech was so rousing: his Toni Morrison quote, his John Lewis impression, his tribute to his late mother, all gorgeous.

Ariana DeBose championing the power of theatre to unite people and change the world. It is so time for her to come back to Broadway.

Jeremy Strong thanking the ushers and front-of-house staff during his acceptance speech for Best Leading Actor in a Play was a class act.

Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and the cast of Hell’s Kitchen brought down the house. Hopefully ticket buyers know the first two aren’t IN the show!

Will Brill making the rest of the Stereophonic cast stand to be recognized during his acceptance speech for Best Featured Actor was awesome. “I wouldn’t be here without my therapist.”

“Introducing children to the arts ensures the future of theatre,” said Wendell Pierce. He’s right!

Danya Taymor is now a Tony-winning director, just like her aunt Julie Taymor. Her speech for The Outsiders was beautiful, especially this sentiment: “What some may perceive as a liability or weakness in you may be a superpower. Artistic risk yields rewards.” It certainly worked out for her!

Daniel Radcliffe to his dad, “Thank you for playing Sondheim in the car.” Great parenting!

“People stop texting me, Jesus!” – Kecia Lewis

Shaina Taub name-checked the amazingly talented women who came before her, including the late Elizabeth Swados, Jeanine Tesori and Lynn Ahrens.

“We need to fund the arts in America. It is the hallmark of a civilized society.” – David Adjmi in his acceptance speech for Best Play for Stereophonic

“Musical theatre is saving my soul.”-Jonathan Groff in his acceptance speech for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Merrily We Roll Along

Best Musical

WINNER The Outsiders

Hell’s Kitchen


Illinoise

Suffs

Water for Elephants

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

WINNER Jonathan Groff in Merrily We Roll Along

Brody Grant in The Outsiders

Dorian Harewood in The Notebook – read our interview with Harewood on TDF Stages

Brian d’Arcy James in Days of Wine and Roses

Eddie Redmayne in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

WINNER Maleah Joi Moon in Hell’s Kitchen

Eden Espinosa in Lempicka

Kelli O’Hara in Days of Wine and Roses

Maryann Plunkett in The Notebook – read our interview with Plunkett on TDF Stages

Gayle Rankin in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

WINNER Sarah Paulson in Appropriate

Betsy Aidem in Prayer for the French Republic

Jessica Lange in Mother Play

Rachel McAdams in Mary Jane

Amy Ryan in Doubt: A Parable

Best Revival of a Musical

WINNER Merrily We Roll Along

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Gutenberg! The Musical

The Who’s Tommy

Best Play

WINNER Stereophonic by David Adjmi

Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
by Jocelyn Bioh

Mary Janeby Amy Herzog

Mother Playby Paula Vogel

Prayer for the French Republicby Joshua Harmon

Best Revival of a Play

WINNER Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

An Enemy of the Peopleadapted by Amy Herzog

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patchby Ossie Davis

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

WINNER Suffs by Shaina Taub

Days of Wine and Roses
by Adam Guettel

Here Lies Loveby David Byrne and Fatboy Slim

The Outsidersby Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine

Stereophonicby Will Butler

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

WINNER Kecia Lewis for Hell’s Kitchen

Shoshana Bean for Hell’s Kitchen

Amber Iman for Lempicka – read an interview with Iman on TDF Stages

Nikki M. James for Suffs

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer for Spamalot – read an interview with Kritzer on TDF Stages

Lindsay Mendez for Merrily We Roll Along

Bebe Neuwirth for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

WINNER Daniel Radcliffe for Merrily We Roll Along

Roger Bart for Back to the Future: The Musical

Joshua Boone for The Outsiders

Brandon Victor Dixon for Hell’s Kitchen

Sky Lakota-Lynch for The Outsiders

Steven Skybell for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Best Direction of a Musical

WINNER Danya Taymor for The Outsiders

Maria Friedman for Merrily We Roll Along

Michael Greif for Hell’s Kitchen

Leigh Silverman for Suffs

Jessica Stone for Water for Elephants

Best Direction of a Play

WINNER Daniel Aukin for Stereophonic

Anne Kauffman for Mary Jane

Kenny Leon for Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Lila Neugebauer for Appropriate – read an interview with Lila Neugebauer on TDF Stages

Whitney White for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

WINNER Kara Young for Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Quincy Tyler Bernstine for Doubt: A Parable

Juliana Canfield for Stereophonic

Celia Keenan-Bolger for Mother Play

Sarah Pidgeon for Stereophonic

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

WINNER Will Brill for Stereophonic – read an interview with Brill on TDF Stages

Eli Gelb for Stereophonic

Jim Parsons for Mother Play

Tom Pecinka for Stereophonic

Corey Stoll for Appropriate

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

WINNER Jeremy Strong in An Enemy of the People

William Jackson Harper in Uncle Vanya

Leslie Odom, Jr. in Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

Liev Schreiber in Doubt: A Parable

Michael Stuhlbarg in Patriots

Best Book of a Musical

WINNER Suffs by Shaina Taub

Hell’s Kitchen
by Kristoffer Diaz

The Notebookby Bekah Brunstetter

The Outsidersby Adam Rapp and Justin Levine

Water for Elephantsby Rick Elice

Best Choreography

WINNER Justin Peck for Illinoise

Camille A. Brown for Hell’s Kitchen

Annie-B Parson for Here Lies Love

Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman for The Outsiders

Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll for Water for Elephants

Best Orchestrations

WINNER Jonathan Tunick for Merrily We Roll Along

Timo Andres for Illinoise

Will Butler and Justin Craig for Stereophonic

Justin Levine, Matt Hinkley and Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) for The Outsiders

Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone for Hell’s Kitchen

Best Costume Design of a Play

WINNER Dede Ayite for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding

Dede Ayite for Appropriate

Enver Chakartash for Stereophonic

Emilio Sosa for Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

David Zinn for An Enemy of the People

Best Costume Design of a Musical

WINNER Linda Cho for The Great Gatsby

Dede Ayite for Hell’s Kitchen

David Israel Reynoso for Water for Elephants

Tom Scutt for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Paul Tazewell for Suffs

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

WINNER Tom Scutt for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian for The Outsiders

Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini for Hell’s Kitchen

Takeshi Kata for Water for Elephants

David Korins for Here Lies Love

Riccardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini for Lempicka

Tim Hatley and Finn Ross for Back to the Future: The Musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play

WINNER David Zinn for Stereophonic

dots for Appropriate

dots for An Enemy of the People

Derek McLane for Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch

David Zinn for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding

Best Sound Design of a Play

WINNER Ryan Rumery for Stereophonic

Justin Ellington and Stefania Bulbarella for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding

Leah Gelpe for Mary Jane

Tom Gibbons for Grey House

Bray Poor and Will Pickets for Appropriate

Best Sound Design of a Musical

WINNER Cody Spencer for The Outsiders

M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer for Here Lies Love

Kai Harada for Merrily We Roll Along

Nick Lidster for Autograph for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Gareth Owen for Hell’s Kitchen

Best Lighting Design of a Play

WINNER Jane Cox for Appropriate

Isabella Byrd for An Enemy of the People

Amith Chandrashaker for Prayer for the French Republic

Jiyoun Chang for Stereophonic

Natasha Katz for Grey House

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

WINNER Brian MacDevitt and Hana S. Kim for The Outsiders

Brandon Stirling Baker for Illinoise

Isabella Byrd for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Natasha Katz for Hell’s Kitchen

Bradley King and David Bengali for Water for Elephants

Special Prizes

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre

Wendall K. Harrington, projection designer

Colleen Jennings-Roggernsack, arts leader

Judith O. Rubin, arts organization board member

Dramatists Guild Foundation

Samuel J. Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts

Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

Jack O’Brien, director, writer and producer

George C. Wolfe, director, writer and producer

Special Tony Awards

Alex Edelman, writer-performer of Just for Us

Abe Jacob, sound designer

Nikiya Mathis, hair and wig designer for Jaja’s African Hair Braiding as well as an actor

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award

Billy Porter

Tonys by the Numbers

Stereophonic: 5

Merrily We Roll Along: 4

The Outsiders: 4

Appropriate: 3

Hell’s Kitchen: 2

Suffs:2

Cabaret:1

An Enemy of the People:1

The Great Gatsby:1

Illinoise:1

Jaja’s African Hair Braiding:1

Purlie Victorious:1