A Historic Night on Broadway: ‘Purpose’ Makes Tony Awards History and Wins Best Play

The 2025 Tony Awards delivered a night of powerful performances, heartfelt speeches, and historic milestones — none more so than Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Purpose, which won Best New Play and solidified its place in Broadway history.

‘Purpose’ Sweeps: A Historic Win for Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Kara Young

Jacobs-Jenkins’ searing family drama Purpose, set during a snowed-in gathering of an accomplished Black family, not only won Best Play, but also earned him back-to-back Tony wins following his 2024 victory for the revival of Appropriate. He also recently took home the Pulitzer Prize for Purpose, becoming the first Black playwright to win Best New Play at the Tonys since August Wilson in 1987.

In his acceptance, Jacobs-Jenkins celebrated the theater community and urged audiences to continue supporting regional theater, where so much bold work begins.

The play’s success didn’t stop there. Kara Young, who made history as the first Black actor to earn Tony nominations four years in a row, became the first Black person to win two Tonys consecutively, taking home Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Purpose. She praised director Phylicia Rashad and the entire cast, adding,

“Theater is a sacred space that we have to honor and treasure — it unites us.”

Big Wins and Bigger Moments on Broadway’s Biggest Night

Other standout wins included:

• Sarah Snook won Best Leading Actress in a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray, where she performed a staggering 26 roles. “I never feel alone out there,” she said, recognizing the cast and crew who bring the show to life each night.
• Cole Escola, a downtown cabaret icon, took home Best Actor in a Play for their wild, hilarious take on Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh Mary!. Their co-creator, Sam Pinkleton, won Best Director, thanking Escola for teaching him to “do what you love, not what you think people want to see.”
• Francis Jue won Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in the revival of Yellow Face. Wearing a tuxedo gifted to him by another Asian actor, he offered this moving message:

“To those who don’t feel seen — I see you.”

• Jak Malone, who plays a woman every night in Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, won Best Featured Actor in a Musical and used his platform to advocate for trans rights.
• Eureka Day, Jonathan Spector’s sharp satire about vaccine debates in progressive communities, took home Best Revival of a Play.

A Sparkling Opening and a Moving Tribute

First-time host Cynthia Erivo opened the show from backstage at Radio City Music Hall, unsure of her entrance — until she bumped into none other than Oprah Winfrey, who told her, “The only thing you need to do is just be yourself.”

Dressed in a stunning red and white gown, Erivo lit up the stage with a powerful original number, “Sometimes All You Need Is a Song,” joined by the Broadway Inspirational Voices choir.

Later, Erivo and Sara Bareilles delivered a touching In Memoriam duet, singing “The Sun Will Come Out” in honor of legends like Charles Strouse, Richard Chamberlain, Athol Fugard, and Gavin Creel.

Erivo also took a moment to celebrate Broadway’s record-breaking $1.9 billion season, declaring,

“Broadway is officially back — provided we don’t run out of cast members from Succession,”
a cheeky nod to stars like Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin gracing the stage this year.

Pre-Show Highlights and Backstage Gold

Several awards were handed out before the main broadcast:

• Maybe Happy Ending picked up Best Book and Best Original Score, with Hue Park and Will Aronson honored for lyrics and music, respectively. Director Michael Arden accepted with a joyful “Happy Pride!”
• Buena Vista Social Club won for Best Choreography, with Justin Peck and Patricia Delgado sharing a personal note: one of the show’s songs played at their wedding.
• Best Costumes in a Play went to Marg Hornwell for Dorian Gray, while Best Costumes in a Musical went to Paul Tazewell for Death Becomes Her. Tazewell made history this year as the first Black man to win an Oscar for costume design (Wicked).

Harvey Fierstein Honored for a Lifetime of Theater

Broadway icon Harvey Fierstein received a Lifetime Achievement Tony, reflecting on the joy of performing:

“When I bow, I bow to the audience, with gratitude. Without them, I might as well be lip-syncing showtunes in my bedroom mirror.”

A Night to Remember

From historic wins to powerful performances, the 2025 Tony Awards weren’t just a celebration of Broadway — they were a celebration of resilience, representation, and the undeniable power of storytelling on stage.