The Best After-Party Moments From the 2023 Tony Awards

With the majestic United Palace theater as its venue and “the show must go on”—even despite a writers’ strike—as its unofficial theme, the 76th Tony Awards began without missing a beat. “I’m live and unscripted,” host Ariana DeBose announced at the start of the show, moments after opening not with a traditional monologue, but a sprawling dance number instead. DeBose sat backstage, leafing through a binder of blank pages labeled “Script,” before proceeding to kick, twirl, and leap through the hallways of the theater.

This was just the first in a series of sock-it-to-’em showstoppers. Without the ceremony’s usual pre-written banter, numbers from the nominated shows (and a few additions) were firmly in the spotlight, beginning with “Cheering For Me Now” from New York, New York. Its lyrics no doubt struck a chord with this year’s Tony winners, as many likened their big moment to a dream come true during their speeches.

“I have wanted this my entire life,” gushed Alex Newell, who made history with J. Harrison Ghee on Sunday as the first openly non-binary actors to win Tonys. Both were fabulously dressed for the occasion: Newell, who plays a sultry whiskey distiller in Shucked, traded in her character’s signature bedazzled denim and cowgirl boots for a gold Christian Siriano dress that oozed Hollywood glamour. Some Like It Hot’s Ghee, meanwhile, hit a regal note in a custom blue look (complete with matching gloves) by Jérôme LaMaar, known for dressing the likes of Beyoncé and Rihanna.

Recalling their win at an after-party in the courtyard of the United Palace, Ghee said, “The first thing I thought when I won was, Wow, the moment is here, and it’s time to step into it.” With their look, Ghee was “going for Black, queer-y joy, Cinderella vibes, and belle of the ball,” they added, gesturing to their diamond-and-sapphire jewels, flown in from Beverly Hills. 

For his part, Broadway producer extraordinaire Jordan Roth had a delightfully sinister take on fairytale-worthy dressing, drawing inspiration from his theater company’s Tony-nominated production of Into the Woods. “We are doing Little Red Riding Hood meets crystal revelations,” he said. “I’ve always been captivated by the witch, the magic, the power, and the vulnerability of it all. So I put them together through the glorious mind of designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Add 150,000 Swarovski crystals, and boom!” With a gravity-defying hood sculpted by Stephen Jones, Roth sent cameras flashing and took Tonys after-party style to new heights. 

Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick

Photo: Getty Images

Tamara Tunie and J. Harrison Ghee

Photo: Getty Images

Darren Criss and Julianne Hough Hosted the After, After Party at Pebble Bar

It was Julianne Hough who deserved the award for most wardrobe quick-changes in the span of a single night; she’d reached five looks by the time she ended up at the Pebble Bar to throw an intimate soirée with Darren Criss for the second year in a row. (Hough co-hosted the Tonys pre-show in Monique Lhuillier, hit the primetime ceremony’s red carpet in Carolina Herrera florals, dazzled the audience in black fringe for a sizzling dance duet with Ariana DuBose, then presented the award for best book of a musical to Kimberly Akimbo’s David Lindsay-Abaire in Dior.) The grand finale came in the form of a red-hot Pamella Roland tulle mini that seemed very party-ready. “It has matching briefs underneath,” Hough quipped, “because I know I’m going to be kicking my shoes off and jumping on these couches and dancing.” She was joined by Alicia Silverstone, Christian Siriano, Billie Eichner, Matthew Broderick, and more, who all mingled in the clubby space overlooking Rockefeller Center. Once the Ketle One Vodka, Zacapa Rum, and Champagne was flowing, a Broadway-backed band with Criss on the drums kept the party going until the wee hours.

Nora Zehetner

Photo: Sean Zanni

Rick Miramontez and John Gore Closed Out the Night with a Fête at the Carlyle

And yet no dizzying number of costume changes can compete with the Carlyle come Tonys night, with its decades-long reputation for revelry that stretches until dawn. (Legend has it that the ritual began with the cast of 2009’s Tony-winning revival of Hair, and the tradition stuck.) Like clockwork, a crew of award winners, presenters, nominees, and, well, just about everyone who is anyone in showbiz was there. Among them was the man of the hour: Leopoldstadt’s Brandon Uranowitz, who had his Tony for best featured actor in a play in one hand and a gin martini in the other. “They go so well together,” he said with a laugh. “It’s such a surreal moment.”  After a brief hiatus during the pandemic, many saw their much-anticipated return to the Carlyle as more than just an epic end to the evening. “During the pandemic, I wasn’t sure if I would be back on Broadway, let alone be back in this room full of all these wonderful people and my partner,” Uranowitz said. “To be able to celebrate this is proof of the vitality and the necessity of theater. It’s a cornerstone of this city, our community, and culture.” Cheers to that!