On June 7th, 2026, the greatest tradition in theater returned to television screens. From those behind the curtain to the ones in the spotlight, the Tony Awards were created in 1947 to honor artistic excellence in theater. The 2026 ceremony marked the 79th year of celebration, and the event was hosted by “F*ckin Perfect” singer P!NK. Despite never performing on Broadway herself, P!NK dialed up the theatrics for this special night, serving star power in the opening number. She nailed her goal of proving she could be “as Broadway as possible” by paying tribute to Lady Marmalade, but the moment that really took the internet by storm was when she belted the Elphaba riff while holding How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris with her legs….and hit it no problem. P!NK’s appreciation and enthusiasm for the magic that is live theater set the perfect mood for the evening.
A Hat-Trick for Lithgow
The first award presented at this year’s Tony’s was for Lead Actor in a Play. The nominees included Nathan Lane for his “brilliant” performance as “Willy Loman” in the revival of Death of a Salesmen, Daniel Radcliffe delivering a stunning variety of roles in his solo play Every Brilliant Thing, Will Harrison for his role as “Jacob Dunne” in Punch, Mark Strong who portrayed “Oedipus” in the tragic Greek tale, and finally John Lithgow, who critics say is “giving one of the finest performances currently on a New York stage” for his role as the controversial children’s author “Road Dahl” in Giant. Predictions were a tossup between Lane and Lithgow for who would take home the hardware, but this Tony season John Lithgow won the Tony for Lead Actor in a Play, marking his third Tony win of his career, and setting a few Broadway records as a result.
At 80 years old, John Lithgow won his third Tony award, becoming the oldest actor ever to win a Tony for acting. For a man of his age, this accomplishment is incredibly impressive, and shows that Lithgow has much more starpower left in his career. Giant is a play written by Mark Roseblatt, and it centers around the famous children’s author of Road Dahl, portrayed by Lithgow, and emphasizes the scandals surrounding Dahl and his antisemitic views that he had published in a 1983 book review. This powerful play portrays themes including prejudice, accountability, and exposing the hurt that Dahl’s comments cause towards the Jewish community. I was able to see this play in March of 2026 at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway, and Lithgow’s performance left me speechless. It is one of a kind, and truly mindblowing from a legendary actor like him. Set up in a single room for the play’s entirety, the small cast with powerhouses including Lithgow, Aya Cash, Elliot Leavy, and several more is an emotionally moving performance worth seeing.
Big Wins for ithaca
When there’s an event showcasing recognition, an Ithaca College Alum always finds themselves in the running. This was the case yet again at the 2026 Tony Awards, where two Ithaca grads were handed their respective trophies for Theatre Excellence. Larry Hirschhorn ‘80, was recognized as co-producer for Liberation which took home the Tony Award for Best Play. Ali Louis Bourzgui, won his first Tony Award, being recognized for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, for his role as David in hit musical The Lost Boys. Bourzgui, just 26 years old, is the most recent Ithaca grad in the school’s extensive alumni network to win an award for outstanding work. The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance along with Ithaca College as a whole were ecstatic about his win, highlighting this massive accomplishment on the college’s instagram. Bourzgui’s work on Broadway is a yet another motivator for students aspiring to work in performance careers, and it shows college students altogether that working towards your dreams, no matter the obstacles along the way, can pay off immensely. Her Campus at Ithaca College congratulates Ali on this incredible accomplishment!
And everything was ragtime
While the Tony’s are meant to uplift various productions and highlight many different performances, there was one show that certainly swept all the categories. Taking home Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, and Best Revival, Ragtime proved its prowess not just as a star-studded cast but an incredible production. The performances began with an abbreviated version of the opening number, which vocally showcased a powerful ensemble as well as the three Tony nominated leads. The simplistic nature of the choreography in this number emphasizes the fraught dynamic between the three groups at play in 1920s New York, perfectly capturing the tension that precedes every event within the story. The performance also began with two adorable child actors, reprising their role in narration with Tony’s specific rewrites. The original production of Ragtime from 1998 housed Broadway legends such as Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell, and the newer production’s recognition through Best Revival marks newer performers at the same caliber as these revered legends. In specific, Ragtime’s sweep of both Best Leading Actor and Actress proves not only the excellence of the show itself, but rather the rising starpower of Caissie Levy and Joshua Henry. Levy, who is best known for her roles in Frozen and Next to Normal, touched on the emotional journey that led to her first Tony win. She thanked all the babysitters who made her career possible, claiming that both of her roles as “Mother” were equally important in her life. Henry, her co-star and a fellow parent on Broadway, utilized his time on stage to shout out his family and send a message to his sons, “…remember it’s the practice you do when no one is looking.” Additionally, he thanked the original Sarah and Coalhouse actors for their excellence and inspiration to the Black community. Overall, Ragtime’s immense success proves its durability, an impressive feat for a show about connection despite wealth, race, and status barriers in a nation so divided.