The 2019 Tony Awards sweep where “Hadestown” won 8 awards including Best Musical, with André De Shields (73) becoming the oldest Featured Actor winner and Rachel Chavkin the fourth woman to win Best Director of a Musical in Tonys history.
We Raise Our Cups
The 73rd Tony Awards (June 9, 2019) crowned “Hadestown” the season’s champion with 8 wins from 14 nominations. The folk-opera about Orpheus and Eurydice defeated “Ain’t Too Proud,” “Beetlejuice,” “Tootsie,” and “The Prom” in a competitive year.
André De Shields, 73, won Best Featured Actor, becoming the oldest winner in the category. His acceptance speech - “I have absconded with the Tony Award for hard work, passion, and a willingness to fight for the things I love” - went viral for its eloquence and defiance of ageism.
Rachel Chavkin became only the fourth woman to win Best Director of a Musical in Tony history (after Julie Taymor, Susan Stroman, and Garry Hynes), highlighting how male-dominated the category remained despite Broadway’s progressive reputation.
Anais Mitchell’s win for Best Original Score marked a triumph for folk music on Broadway, proving contemporary genres beyond hip-hop and pop could succeed. The album had existed for 9 years before Broadway - a patient creative journey earning ultimate validation.
The ceremony emphasized “Hadestown’s” themes of climate crisis (Hades’ industrialization), economic desperation (Eurydice selling her soul for security), and choosing hope despite knowing the tragic ending. Accepting Best Musical, the producers raised cups to all artists doing the essential work.