The shows “Stereophonic” and “Merrily We Roll Along” which examine the tension between art and commercialism, triumphed at the 77th Tony Awards on Sunday, taking home trophies for Best Play and Best Revival of a Musical.

“The Outsiders,” an adaptation of SE Hilton’s novel, was named Best Musical, while “Appropriate,” a poignant and darkly funny story of family dysfunction, won Best Revival of a Play.

It was a night full of tributes and exhortations to follow dreams and stay true to your artistic compass, as well as an event with allusions to the rise of authoritarianism around the world and the resurgence of Trumpism in the US, reports Variety.

In one of several politically charged moments, Seina Taub, who won Tony Awards for writing the play and score for “Suffs,” a look at the women’s suffrage movement, urged the audience to remember that “ when we organize, when we come together, we are able to bring about real change in this country for equality and justice.” Later, one of the show’s producers, Hillary Clinton, took the stage to applause.

The former US first lady was there to perform an excerpt from ‘Suffs’.

For many of these shows, as Variety points out, winning a Tony Award, particularly in a major category, is still seen as one of the best ways to attract audiences, particularly at a time when the theater business hasn’t fully recovered. before COVID.