Tony Awards Show Honors Florida Victims; 'Hamilton' Wins 11 Categories

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Amid the darkness looming over the nation following Sunday's shootings at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., Broadway's brightest stars shone at the 70th annual Tony Awards at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

Host James Corden and the night's biggest winners paid emotional tribute to the 49 people killed in the attack and the more than 50 people wounded.

Earlier in the day, organizers had released a statement saying that the show would go on and be dedicated to the families and friends of those affected by the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

"Our hearts are heavy for the unimaginable tragedy that happened last night in Orlando," the organizers said.

Corden, host of The Late Late Show, opened the ceremony with a brief message about the mass shooting:

"Good evening. All around the world, people are trying to come to terms with the horrific events that took place in Orlando this morning. On behalf of the whole theater community and every person in this room, our hearts go out to all of those affected by that atrocity. All we can say is you are not on your own right now. Your tragedy is our tragedy. Theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, is embraced and is loved. Hate will never win. Together, we have to make sure of that. Tonight's show stands as a symbol and a celebration of that principle. This is the Tony Awards."

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Leading up to theater's biggest night, the buzz had been all about Hamilton, a hip hop musical about Alexander Hamilton that had received a record 16 nominations. The smash hit play, which casts people of color as the nation's Founding Fathers, won 11 awards, falling short of a record haul by two.

Among its wins were the coveted best musical award for creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, presented by the iconic Barbra Streisand, who was making her first Tony appearance in 46 years. One of the musical's stars, Leslie Odom Jr., also took a top prize, capturing best actor in a Leading Role. It was his first Tony.

Also winning her first Tony was Cynthia Erivo, taking the nod for best leading actress in a musical for her performance in The Color Purple.

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Jessica Lange won leading actress in a play for Long Day's Journey Into Night, while Frank Langella copped his fourth Tony in a career that spans 50 years on Broadway, for best leading actor in a play for his role in The Father. In accepting his award, Langella said he'd forgo "thank you's," and focused instead on Orlando, Fla.

"When something bad happens, we have three choices. We let it define us, we let it destroy us or we let it strengthen us. Today in Orlando, we had a dose of reality. ... I urge you, Orlando, to be strong," Langella said.

Another winner of note was Stephen Karam's The Humans for best play, the pre-show fan favorite for that award. A View From the Bridge won Best Revival of a Play, while The Color Purple took the Tony for best revival of a musical.

The event featured its customary performances from nominated musicals by cast members, including master composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on tambourine and a bellyful of laughter thanks to host Corden. But amid all celebration, there were constant reminders of broken hearts across the U.S. in the wake of Sunday's bloodshed.

Perhaps, the most powerful tribute came from Broadway's man of the year, Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose musical clearly dominated. During his acceptance of the Tony for best original score for Hamilton, Miranda delivered his thank you in "sonnet-style."

In it, he honored victims of the mass shooting, reciting in part, "And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside. ... Now fill the world with music, love and pride."

Here's the list of nominees, with the winners highlighted:

Best Musical

Bright Star

Hamilton

School of Rock

Shuffle Along

Waitress

Best Play

Eclipsed

The Father

The Humans

King Charles III

Leading Actress in a Musical

Laura Benanti, She Loves Me

Carmen Cusack, Bright Star

Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple

Jessie Mueller, Waitress

Phillipa Soo, Hamilton

Leading Actor in a Musical

Alex Brightman, School of Rock

Danny Burnstein, Fiddler on the Roof

Zachary Levi, She Loves Me

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

Leading Actress in a Play

Jessica Lange, Long Day's Journey into Night

Laurie Metcalfe, Misery

Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed

Sophie Okonedo, The Crucible

Michelle Williams, Blackbird

Leading Actor in a Play

Gabriel Byrne, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Jeff Daniels, Blackbird

Frank Langella, The Father

Tim Pigott Smith, King Charles III

Mark Strong, A View from the Bridge

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, Spring Awakening

John Doyle, The Color Purple

Scott Ellis, She Loves Me

Thomas Kail, Hamilton

George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along

Best Direction of a Play

Rupert Gold, King Charles III

Jonathan Kent, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Joe Mantello, The Humans

Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed

Ivo Van Hove, A View from the Bridge

Featured Actress in a Play

Pascale Armand, Eclipsed

Megan Hilty, Noises Off

Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans

Andrea Martin, Noises Off

Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed

Featured Actor in a Musical

Daveed Diggs, Hamilton

Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along

Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress

Jonathan Groff, Hamilton

Christopher Jackson, Hamilton

Featured Actress in a Musical

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton

Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me

Jennifer Simard, Disaster!

Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along

Featured Actor in a Play

Reed Birney, The Humans

Bill Camp, The Crucible

David Furr, Noises Off

Richard Goulding, King Charles III

Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey into Night

Best Revival of a Play

The Crucible

A View From the Bridge

Blackbird

Long Days Journey into Night

Noises Off

Best Revival of a Musical

The Color Purple

Fiddler on the Roof

She Loves Me

Spring Awakening

Best Book of a Musical

Steve Martin, Bright Star

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Julian Fellowes, School of Rock

George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton

Savion Glover, Shuffle Along

Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof

Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea

Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet

Best Original Score

Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, Bright Star

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Glenn Sltater, Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock

Sara Bareilles, Waitress

Best Orchestrations

August Eriksmoen, Bright Star

Larry Hochman, She Loves Me

Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton

Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along

Scenic Design of a Musical

Es Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho

David Korins, Hamilton

Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along

David Rockwell, She Loves Me

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin

Christopher Oram, Hughie

Jan Versweyveld, A View from the Bridge

David Zinn, The Humans

Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting

Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me

Ann Roth, Shuffle Along

Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jane Greenwood, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Michael Krass, Noises Off

Clint Ramos, Eclipsed

Tom Scutt, King Charles III

Lighting Design of a Musical

Howell Binkley, Hamilton

Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along

Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening

Justin Townsend, American Psycho

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Justin Townsend, The Humans

Jan Versweyveld, The Crucible

Jan Versweyveld, A View from the Bridge

Editor's note: We've updated the text to reflect that the Orlando attack represents the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, rather than in all of U.S. history. You can read more about our thinking here.