Tonys 2024 Best and Worst Moments

'Suffs' Writer Shaina Taub Urges People to Organize to Create Change

The Tony Awards telecast on CBS was largely free of political commentary, apart from an impassioned speech by best score winner Shaina Taub, accepting for her musical Suffs, the Hillary Clinton-backed production about women getting the right to vote.

“This is a hard year in our country, and I just hope that we can remember that when we organize, when we come together, we are capable of making real change and progress in this country for equality and justice,” Taub said. “And so I hope we can all do that together.”

Clinton also spoke about the importance of voting when she introduced a performance from Suffs.

In the Act One preshow, Taub, accepting for best book of a musical, offered similar exhortations, “If you’re inspired by the story of Suffs, make sure everyone you know is registered to vote, and vote, vote, vote like your life depends on it.”

In the press room, she elaborated on her frustrations around the current political environment and why she was calling on people to take action.

“I think, right now, it’s a hard year in the country, people are feeling a lot of cynicism and despair, myself included, often especially seeing women’s rights being rolled back, and see reproductive rights, including the right to abortion, being threatened on the state level and the state level and the federal level, and not being able to count on Supreme Court to protect our right anymore,” she said. “And what I hope us can do is remind us that when ordinary American citizens come together to coalition build and organize for justice and equality and our rights, we get things done.”

In Act One, accepting the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for his work as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ communities, Billy Porter said the U.S. was at a “crossroads,” and more specifically at a “moment that will decide whether democracy lives or dies.” He then invoked the late John Lewis, saying, “Never give up hope, never give into hate … go out there and get into some good trouble. Love always wins. … When we fight, we always win.”

Also in Act One, George C. Wolfe, receiving a lifetime achievement award, said, “As we go through this incredibly complicated time, it’s very important that we approach it not with fear and not with trepidation, but with knowing that we work with the dynamic of celebrating, exploring the powerful, fragile dynamic that is the human heart.” — Hilary Lewis

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