 |
| Nicole Scherzinger gave an emotional speech while accepting her Tony. |
It was a big night at Radio City Music Hall for Asian American performers but especially for Filipino Amerians.
Filipino Amercans Darren Criss and Nicole Scherzinger, each won their first-ever Tony Awards for their performances in the musicals Maybe Happy Ending and Sunset B.vd, respectively. Criss won Best Lead Actor in a Musical, while Scherzinger won Best Lead Actress in a Musical.
Additionally, another Filipino American, Marco Paguia, won Best Orchestrations for Buena Vista Social Club.
Scherzinger, 46, won for her performance of fading Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd., a revival based on the 1950 film noir of the same name by Billy Wilder.
"Growing up I always felt like I didn't belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home at last," she sobbed while accepting the award.
"I'm so honored to be recognized alongside these exceptional warrior women in this category. I want to thank you all so much for making this little Hawaiian/ Ukrainian/ Filipino girl's dream come true. So proud to represent."
In the Best Leading Actor in a Musical category, Criss beat out Andrew Durand for Dead Outlaw, Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard, Jonathan Groff for Just in Time, Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins, and James Monroe Iglehart for A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical.
In his acceptance his Tony, Criss gave a shout out to his costar. "I share this with one of the best leading actresses is in a Broadway msical the season, Helen J. Shen,' he said. "I am so proud of you and your Broadway debut is for the books. This is where you belong."
The musical's South Korean lyricist Hue Park and American composer Will Aronson took home the Tony for best original score and best book of a musical.
Another Asian American winning an award Sunday was Francis Jue, a Broaddway veteran who accepted a Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play in Yellowface, a timely revival about representation for Asian Americansin the performing arts written by David Henry Hwang. The play also earned a Tony nomination for lead actor Daniel Dae Kim.
Scherzinger, 46, won for her performance of fading Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd., a revival based on the 1950 film noir of the same name by Billy Wilder.
"Growing up I always felt like I didn't belong, but you all have made me feel like I belong, and I have come home at last," she sobbed while accepting the award.
"I'm so honored to be recognized alongside these exceptional warrior women in this category. I want to thank you all so much for making this little Hawaiian/ Ukrainian/ Filipino girl's dream come true. So proud to represent."
FYI: Record number of Asian American Tony nominees
She also thanked her family, including her mom, stating she 'had me at 18 and gave everything up for me.'
Nicole wrapped up her inspiring speech, sharing, 'If there's anyone out there who feels like they don't belong, or your time hasn't come, don't give up.'
'"ust keep on giving and giving, because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever.'
'This is a testament that love always wins. Thank you so much. God Bess you," concluded Scherzinger, who started her musical journey as a member of the all-women Pussycat Dolls.
She also thanked her family, including her mom, stating she 'had me at 18 and gave everything up for me.'
Nicole wrapped up her inspiring speech, sharing, 'If there's anyone out there who feels like they don't belong, or your time hasn't come, don't give up.'
'"ust keep on giving and giving, because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever.'
'This is a testament that love always wins. Thank you so much. God Bess you," concluded Scherzinger, who started her musical journey as a member of the all-women Pussycat Dolls.
 |
| Darren Criss is the first Asian American man to win a lead role Tony. |
In the Best Leading Actor in a Musical category, Criss beat out Andrew Durand for Dead Outlaw, Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard, Jonathan Groff for Just in Time, Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins, and James Monroe Iglehart for A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical.
In his acceptance his Tony, Criss gave a shout out to his costar. "I share this with one of the best leading actresses is in a Broadway msical the season, Helen J. Shen,' he said. "I am so proud of you and your Broadway debut is for the books. This is where you belong."
Criss and Shen performed a number from their musical after being introduced by Broadway legend Lea Salonga, the first Asian woman to win a Best Actress in a Musical Tony for her role in the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon.
"The real hero for this remarkable journey is my wife, Mia," he continued, "who took a massive swing on allowing me to do this and to allow this crazy upheaval in our life to make this logistically possible, and for bearing the brunt of raising two tiny friends under three so that I could raise a singing robot at the theater eight times a week."
"I have such immense pride to get to be part of this notably diverse exquisite Broadway season this year," Criss told the star-studded audience.
"The real hero for this remarkable journey is my wife, Mia," he continued, "who took a massive swing on allowing me to do this and to allow this crazy upheaval in our life to make this logistically possible, and for bearing the brunt of raising two tiny friends under three so that I could raise a singing robot at the theater eight times a week."
"I have such immense pride to get to be part of this notably diverse exquisite Broadway season this year," Criss told the star-studded audience.
It was a big night for Maybe Happy Ending which wound up with six Tony's including Best Musical and Best Direction for a Musical for director Michael Arden.
The musical's South Korean lyricist Hue Park and American composer Will Aronson took home the Tony for best original score and best book of a musical.
In addition to the Tony for Best Orchestration, Marco Paguia also won a second Tony as a musician for the Buena Vista Social Club. Besides being the show's music direcor and conductor, he is also on stage playing piano.
Another Asian American winning an award Sunday was Francis Jue, a Broaddway veteran who accepted a Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play in Yellowface, a timely revival about representation for Asian Americansin the performing arts written by David Henry Hwang. The play also earned a Tony nomination for lead actor Daniel Dae Kim.
Unknown to most of the audience, another Filipino American, Tatiana Cordoba, sang and danced Sunday in her lead role as Ana Garcia, the Mexican American teenager seeking to break away from a life as a garment worker in the musical Real Women Have Curves.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.
No comments:
Post a Comment