Winner’s Circle: Audra McDonald Makes History at the Tony Awards

It was a big night on Broadway for Audra McDonald. The Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill star took home the award for Best Actress in a Lead Role in a Play at Sunday night’s Tony Awards, marking her sixth win—the most of any actress in history. The record-setting accolade also put McDonald in a league of her own: she’s the first person to win a Tony in four different performance categories.

“I want to thank all the shoulders—the strong, and brave, and courageous women—that I am standing on,” McDonald said during a tearful acceptance speech. “I am standing on Lena Horne’s shoulders. I’m standing on Maya Angelou’s shoulders. I’m standing on Diahann Carroll, and Ruby Dee, and most of all, Billie Holiday. You deserved so much more than you were given when you were on this planet. This is for you, Billie.”

There were other awards on hand for Neil Patrick Harris, Bryan Cranston, and Jesse Mueller, who earned acting nods for their respective work on The Great White Way. As for the biggest wins of the night, most-nominated productionA Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder won Best Musical, while Cranston’s All the Way won Best Play.

Of course, host Hugh Jackman won our honorary emcee award, thanks in large part to an unexpected cameo from rappers T.I. and LL Cool J. We’re still petitioning for the Tonys to make it official.

And the Tony goes to…

Best Musical: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Best Lead Actor in a Musical: Neil Patrick Harris, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Best Lead Actress in a Musical: Jesse Mueller, Beautiful—The Carole King Musical
Best Revival of a Musical: Hedwig and the Angry Itch
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: James M. Iglehart, Aladdin
Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Lena Hall, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Best Direction of a Musical: Darko Tresnjak, A Gentleman's Guide
Best Book of a Musical: Darko Tresnjak, A Gentleman's Guide
Best Original Score: The Bridges of Madison County
Best Choreography: Warren Carlyle, After Midnight
Best Costume Design of a Musical: Linda Cho, A Gentleman’s Guide
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Kevin Adams, Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Best Play: All the Way
Best Lead Actor in a Play: Bryan Cranston, All the Way
Best Lead Actress in a Play: Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s
Best Revival of a Play: A Raisin in the Sun
Best Featured Actor in a Play: Mark Rylance, Twelfth Night
Best Featured Actress in a Play: Sophie Okonedo, A Raisin in the Sun
Best Costume Design of a Play: Jenny Tiramani, Twelfth Night
Best Lighting Design of a Play: Natasha Katz, The Glass Menagerie

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Jane Greenwood
Regional Theatre Award: Signature Theatre
Isabelle Stevenson Award: Rosie O'Donnell
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre: Joseph P. Benincasa, Joan Marcus, Charlotte Wilcox