June 08, 2004
Tony’s Triumph
Diversity scored big at the 2004 Tony Awards. Three of the four acting categories for women were won by black women, the strongest showing in Tony history:
Phylicia Rashad, Best Leading Actress in a Play, A Raisin in the Sun
Audra McDonald, Best Featured Actress in a Play, A Raisin in the Sun
Anika Noni Rose, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Caroline, or Change.
Incidentally, Ms. Rashad became the first African American woman to take the leading prize for a dramatic role. She attributed her victory to “tremendous self-effort” and “amazing grace.”
It was a big day for gay folks as well. The winner for Best Play was “I Am My own Wife,” a groundbreaking play about transvestites. Avenue Q, a sarcastic spoof of Sesame Street featuring two gay puppets who fall in love, won for Best Musical. And out artist Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins," which told the story of nine people who shot U.S. presidents, earned the win for best musical revival.
Too bad no one was watching. 2004 set another Tony record. It was the least watched Tony Awards in history.