Stage veteran Brandon J. Dirden is also a first Tony nominee this year—vying for the trophy for his portrayal of hypomanic Pozzo alongside Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in the revival of Waiting for Godot. As he makes his Tony Awards debut on Sunday, he’s most looking forward to the parties. “It’s a fantastic evening to bring awareness to all the great work that’s happened on Broadway, and it’s time to let loose and celebrate,” Dirden said. “All of us work so hard and it’s the one day of the year where we forget about the eight-show weeks and celebrate our community. We need these moments of appreciation. I’m going to break my curfew and stay out past 10 p.m.!”
Past Tony winners—including LaChanze, Anika Noni Rose, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, nominated once again for his work in the revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and Kenny Leon, who was honored for best direction of a play for A Raisin in the Sun in 2014—were also in attendance. “Hi, sweetie pie,” Angela Bassett said to Leon as she greeted him with a warm hug. The veteran actress then connected with Lena Waithe, a nominee for co-producing Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Bassett is no stranger to the Tony Awards; she received a nomination in 2012 for her role in The Mountaintop. “It’s like a family reunion here. I’m seeing so many friends like Lena and Lamar. He has been such a wonderful friend to me over the years,” Bassett told Vogue.“It’s a very special moment and we know that Black performers, creatives on stage and in the wings have been making the Broadway light shine for a long time. But, it’s important for us to all come together and support each other. The stage is truly my first love and it’s my dream to return to Broadway.”
Richardson is an industry stalwart who made history in 2024 as the youngest Black producer to win two Tony Awards in a single season—taking home best revival of a play for Appropriate and best revival of a musical for Merrily We Roll Along. At Sunday’s ceremony, his production of Ragtime, which nabbed 11 nominations, is the leading favorite to win the statuette for best musical revival. “This is my first season as a lead producer and I’m excited to be a part of the production that’s so integral to the current moment that we are in as a society,” he said. “I’m a son of immigrants, so I’m at the intersection of Black culture and immigrant culture. I’m first generation and for me that story is everything.”
As guests sat down at two long tables decorated with vibrant roses and daisies for dinner, Richardson gave an enthusiastic toast and reminded guests to “Eat, drink if you can, dance, mix, mingle and take pictures. Please have fun!”
Fun was definitely had by many like Kara Young, who could not indulge in a cocktail since she had to be on stage at Booth Theatre a mere few hours later to perform in the revival of Proof, co-produced by Richardson. In 2024 and 2025, Young made Broadway history for her back-to-back wins for featured actress in a play. She shared some tips for the first time Tony-goers: “Make sure that you eat before you go and pack snacks because the show is long,” she advised. “And remember it’s a celebration of the work and not all about entering the space to take home a trophy, but the acknowledgement is the trophy at the end of the day.”
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