Broadway has a way of turning chaos into a masterpiece, and the 68th annual Tony awards proved that better than most. It was June 8, 2014. Radio City Music Hall was packed. Usually, these ceremonies follow a predictable rhythm, but this specific night felt like a fever dream in the best way possible.
You’ve got Hugh Jackman hopping like a rabbit through the backstage corridors. Then Neil Patrick Harris is giving a lap dance to Sting. It sounds like a strange fan-fiction, but it was just Sunday night on CBS. Honestly, looking back at the 68th annual Tony awards over a decade later, you realize it wasn't just a ceremony—it was a turning point for how Broadway presents itself to the world.
The Night Hugh Jackman Wouldn't Stop Hopping
If you watched the telecast, you remember the opening. Jackman, hosting for his fourth time, didn't just walk out and sing. He hopped. For nearly four minutes. He bounced into elevators, past performers, and down the aisles.
Most people watching at home were basically shouting at their TVs, "Why is Wolverine acting like a pogo stick?" It turns out it was an incredibly deep cut. He was paying homage to Bobby Van’s "Take Me to Broadway" number from the 1953 film Small Town Girl. It was a flex of pure physical stamina.
But the night wasn't just about athletic hosting. It was a massive year for "firsts" and "mosts."
Audra McDonald and the Record That Changed Everything
We have to talk about Audra McDonald. She won Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill. That win was her sixth Tony.
Six.
That put her past legends like Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris. She also became the first person to win in all four acting categories. It’s the kind of achievement that makes you realize you’re watching history while it happens. Her speech was raw, tearful, and grounded—a sharp contrast to the high-energy spectacle of the rest of the night.
The Showdown: Murder vs. Rock and Roll
The big awards were split between two very different vibes. On one side, you had A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. It’s a dark, Edwardian comedy where one guy tries to kill off his entire family to get an inheritance. It’s hilarious. It’s cynical. It took home Best Musical.
On the other side was Hedwig and the Angry Inch. This was the night Neil Patrick Harris officially shed his "clean-cut host" persona. He won Best Actor in a Musical for playing Hedwig, a genderqueer rock star from East Germany.
His performance of "Sugar Daddy" during the show is still legendary. He licked Samuel L. Jackson’s glasses. He jumped on Orlando Bloom. He basically brought the grit of a rock club into the polite atmosphere of Radio City. It worked. Hedwig walked away with four awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.
Bryan Cranston’s Broadway Debut
Remember, this was 2014. Breaking Bad had recently ended, and everyone wanted to see what Bryan Cranston would do next. He chose to play Lyndon B. Johnson in All the Way.
It was his Broadway debut. He won Best Actor in a Play.
During his speech, he told this great story about how he used to sneak into the second act of musicals because he couldn't afford tickets. He’d never even seen the first act of Hair until years later. It’s that kind of nuance that made the 68th annual Tony awards feel human. You had these massive stars acting like theater nerds who finally made it.
Other Notable Winners and Snubs
- Best Play: All the Way by Robert Schenkkan.
- Best Revival of a Play: A Raisin in the Sun (Kenny Leon also won for Best Direction).
- Best Leading Actress in a Musical: Jessie Mueller for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. She beat out Kelli O'Hara and Idina Menzel, which was a bit of an upset at the time.
- Best Featured Actor in a Musical: James Monroe Iglehart for Aladdin. His "Friend Like Me" performance was basically a cardio workout.
The Weird Stuff That Actually Worked
There was a moment where LL Cool J and T.I. came out and did a hip-hop version of "Rock Island" from The Music Man. People were confused. Critics were split. But the 68th annual Tony awards was trying to bridge the gap between traditional theater and modern pop culture.
Even the ratings showed a shift. About 7.02 million people tuned in. While that was a tiny bit lower than the previous year, the social media buzz was huge. This was the year the Tonys became "meme-able."
What We Can Learn From the 2014 Ceremony
The 68th annual Tony awards taught us that Broadway is at its best when it stops trying to be "prestigious" and starts being "fun." It proved that Hollywood stars—Cranston, Harris, Jackman—could bring eyes to the stage without overshadowing the theater veterans.
If you're a fan of the arts, here is how you can use the legacy of that night to fuel your own interest:
- Watch the archives: Track down the 2014 performance of Hedwig or the Aladdin medley. They are masterclasses in stage presence.
- Look at the "Gentleman's Guide" model: If you're a writer or creator, study how that show used dark humor to win over a mainstream audience. It’s a blueprint for niche success.
- Follow the winners: Many of the "featured" winners from 2014, like Lena Hall or Sophie Okonedo, have gone on to do incredible work in film and TV. Following their careers gives you a better eye for talent.
The 2014 Tonys weren't just a night of trophies. They were a reminder that theater is a living, breathing, hopping, glass-licking thing that refuses to stay in a box.