__twocolumncontent.jpg)
In the wake of the horrific nightclub shooting in Orlando, Fla, ratings for the Tony Awards spiked as producers dedicated the 70th ceremony to those killed and injured in the attack.
The CBS telecast drew its highest ratings in 15 years with 8.73 million viewers — a 35 percent increase over the 2015 ceremony, according to early Nielsen data. The surge in viewership was a welcome change for the theater award show, which has suffered in recent years.
“Our hearts are heavy for the unimaginable tragedy that happened last night in Orlando,” Tony Award producers said in a statement Sunday. “Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected. The Tony Awards dedicate tonight’s ceremony to them.”
The cast of Broadway musical Hamilton, which received 11 wins including Best Musical, also dropped the use of muskets from their performance at the event out of respect for those killed.
Jessica Lange, Frank Langella, Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and others gave emotional speeches that paid tribute to the Orlando victims.
Langella tore up his planned speech to speak to the tragedy.
“I’m now a 78-year-old man and I react to things a lot more profoundly than I did when I was 60, when I was 50 or 40,” Langella said. “This constant violence and sense of madness that seems to be pervading this country is terrifying.”
Miranda also read a tear-jerking sonnet when accepting the award for Best Original Score.
“Love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside,” Miranda said.
Host James Corden began the evening with a message to the victims and their families.
“Your tragedy is our tragedy,” he said. “Theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, embraced and loved. Hate will never win.”
President Barack Obama called the 2 a.m. Sunday shooting of 50 people at the Pulse nightclub, a venue popular among members of the LGBTQ community, the worst mass slaughter in U.S. history.
The gunman, identified as American-born citizen Omar Mateen, 29, was shot and killed by police after the terror attack, which also wounded 53 patrons. Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS during a 911 call before opening fire.
In response to the attack, the cast of Hamilton removed the use of muskets from a planned performance that included the Battle of Yorktown in the American Revolution.
TNT also decided to push the season-three premiere of The Last Ship, which contains a scene involving a shooting at a Vietnamese nightclub. A new premiere date has not been released.
Tags: