1. P!nk brings down the house with star-studded opening number
P!nk proved she was more than ready to host the Tonys on Sunday night, coming out of the gate with a high-flying aerial entrance dressed as Peter Pan. Singing as she spun towards the stage, former Tonys host Neil Patrick Harris interrupted the song and dance number to offer some advice to the first-time Tonys emcee.
After testing out a few tunes, including channeling her inner Cynthia Erivo to belt out the the big “Defying Gravity” note from “Wicked,” P!nk ultimately ditched her Peter Pan outfit for a top hat and hot pink outfit for a performance of “Lady Marmalade.” With help from Broadway stars, dozens of performers, and big names like Lea Michele and Megan Thee Stallion, P!nk led the charge with a version of the “Moulin Rouge!” hit that paid tribute to the night’s nominees with a cameo-filled, powerhouse opening number.
2. ‘Schmigadoon!’ cast takes Tonys on a journey
The cast of one of Broadway’s hottest musicals brought viewers and the Tonys audience on a journey to “Schmigadoon!” during one of the evening’s more humorous and surreal performances. Stopping for a little back and forth with Bernadette Peters as they made their way to the stage, stars Alex Brightman and Sara Chase joined their “Schmigadoon!” cast members, including “Saturday Night Live” alum Ana Gasteyer, for an impressive rendition of the their hit show’s title number.
3. A big night for musical revival ’Ragtime’
There were a lot of reasons for “Ragtime” to celebrate on Sunday night. Adrien Brody introduced the production’s cast to the stage, which turned in a powerful performance of the show’s prologue number. Later in the evening, “Ragtime” won big, taking home the Tony for best revival of a musical, beating out “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and “Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show.”
4. ‘Titaníque’ cast hits all the right notes
“SNL” alum Bowen Yang introduced the wacky and wild Celine Dion musical “Titaníque” to the stage for a showstopping and hilarious performance. Star Marla Mindelle channeled the Canadian singer as she brought the laughs and the singing pipes while belting out songs like “My Heart Will Go On.” Co-stars Melissa Barrera and Jim Parsons also got in on the fun.
5. ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ brings out the stars
Bringing ballroom culture to the Tonys stage, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” the reimagining of the famed Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, turned in another of the night’s top performances. After an introduction from Law Roach, Lena Waithe, Jeremy Pope, and the show’s company took the stage for a rousing “Jellicle Cats” rendition. A number of notable faces popped up too, including cameos from actor Paul Rudd, with Webber and Anna Wintour waving cat-themed signs as the fun wrapped up. The show picked up a few awards as well on Sunday, winning best direction in a musical, best choreography, and best costume design of a musical.
6. Rachel Dratch, ‘Rocky Horror’ cast has the Tonys doing the ‘Time Warp’
While Rachel Dratch came up short in the best featured actress in a musical category, the Lexington native helped steal the show on Sunday night. Currently serving as the narrator in “Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show‚” the “SNL” alum joined her castmates for rocking renditions of the numbers “Sweet Transvestite” and, the classic, “Time Warp.” Luke Evans was in peak form as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, with the star earning a best actor in a musical nomination for the role.
7. Leslie Odom Jr. delivers somber ‘Without You’ performance during in memoriam tribute
Tony winner and former “Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr. was tapped to perform during the in memoriam tribute. The acclaimed singer delivered a somber and stripped down performance of the song “Without You” from “Rent.” The beloved musical celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.
8. Joshua Henry delivers emotional acceptance speech
Capping off a huge night for the “Ragtime” cast and crew, star Joshua Henry took home the prize for best actor in a musical, his first Tony win. During his acceptance speech, Henry delivered a heartfelt thank you to his wife, fellow cast members, and those who had supported him along his artistic journey, including his first voice teacher. “She’s here today,” he said during his speech. “She gave me free voice lessons and told me I could do this when I didn’t even know what she was talking about. I love you so much.”
Matt Juul can be reached at matthew.juul@globe.com.
