HOW THE 2018 TONY AWARDS SOCIALLY SPARKED OUR LIVES

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hopes, dreams and The Band’s Visit were the biggest winners of the 72nd Annual Tony Awards. The brightest moments of Broadway’s biggest night came from the presenters, performers, and winning speeches — all touching on hope, dreams and some of society’s most pressing issues as Equality, Diversity, LGBTQ, Immigration and Bullying. Tony co-hosts Josh Groban and Sarah Bareilles set the tone for the evening with a musical number saluting the non-winners and stressing the power of the theatre to heal and contribute to the cure of society’s ills.

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“…in a world that is scary and hard to endure, if you make art at all, you are part of the cure.” — Tony Award co-hosts Josh Groban and Sarah Bareilles

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”THEATRE’S POWER TO HEAL” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The most powerful moment was the surprise performance by the theatre students of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. Just a few months after that tragic fateful shooting at their school, these talented, courageous and resilient teens sang their hearts out with smiles and grace.

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Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, perform Rent’s “Seasons Of Love” in honor of their theatre teacher, Melody Herzfeld, who was named the recipient of the 2018 Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented by Carnegie Mellon.

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“When I moved to New York, I was told to change my last name from Mendez to Matthews, or I wouldn’t work. I’m so proud to be part of a community that celebrates diversity and individuality … Be your true self and the world will take note.” — Lindsay Mendez, accepting the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel

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“It is a spirit that says we are all made perfectly. And we all belong. So I dedicate this award to the countless LGBTQ people who have fought and died to protect that spirit, to protect that message for the right to live and love as we are created to.” – Tony Award-winner Andrew Garfield, Angels in America

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“May we, their descendants, never lose sight of what they taught us.” — Tony Shalhoub, (referencing his immigrant father from Lebanon in his acceptance speech for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for The Band’s Visit

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“…the vicious gifts of teenage girls and how we have to stop emulating them.” – Tony-nominee Tina Fey, Mean Girls introducing the company of Mean Girls for their musical performance

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“Your biggest obstacle may turn into your purpose” – Ari’el Stachel, Tony Award-winner The Band’s Visit for best featured actor in a musical

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”5747″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dreams can come true and hope can spring eternal. As the 2018 theatre award season comes to a close, we congratulate all the nominees and winners of The 72nd Annual Tony Awards. For a complete list of winners visit: www.tonyawards.com. — Abbe is Socially Sparked! Tweet @sosparkednews & @asparks01

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