Harvey Fierstein, 1983. Photo by Gotfryd, Bernard, via Wikipedia Commons
The 78th Annual Tony Awards, held on June 8, 2025, celebrated a significant number of LGBTQ+ individuals and their contributions to Broadway. Here are some of the notable LGBTQ+ winners:
- Cole Escola made history as the first openly non-binary actor to win Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for their work as Mary Todd Lincoln in “Oh, Mary!”
- Harvey Fierstein received the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. A legendary playwright and actor, Fierstein has been a groundbreaking figure in the LGBTQ+ community, with iconic works like “Torch Song Trilogy” and “La Cage aux Folles.” He dedicated his award to the LGBTQ+ community.
- Paul Tazewell won for Best Costume Design for “Death Becomes Her.” Tazewell is a highly acclaimed designer with a long history of dressing Broadway productions, and is celebrated as a Black, queer artist shaping the visual landscape of theater.
- Francis Jue won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for “Yellowface.”In his acceptance speech, Jue spoke directly to those feeling targeted in authoritarian times, stating, “To those feeling targeted during these authoritarian times, I see you.”
- Michael Arden won Best Direction of a Musical for “Maybe Happy Ending.”Arden is an openly gay director who has previously won a Tony for directing “Parade.”
- Sam Pinkleton won for Best Direction of a Play for “Oh, Mary!”. Pinkleton is an openly gay director.
The ceremony also featured strong LGBTQ+ visibility, including Cynthia Erivo as host, and performances with overt queer themes and imagery, such as Megan Hilty‘s “Do It For the Gaze” from “Death Becomes Her” featuring rainbow flags.
