Guilty pleasures
By NewsPress Now
‘The Outsiders’
wins best musical
at Tony Awards
NEW YORK | “The Outsiders,” a gritty adaptation of the classic young adult novel, became the essence of a Broadway insider on Sunday, winning the Tony Award for best new musical on a night when women made strides.
The musical based on the beloved S. E. Hinton book is about rival gangs of haves and have-nots in 1960s Oklahoma. The win meant Angelina Jolie, a producer, landed her first Tony, too.
Producer Matthew Rego, in his acceptance speech, thanked Hinton, in the audience at Manhattan’s Lincoln Center: “Susie, I’m here to tell you that your story and its eternal message of love and family and staying gold has forever changed all of our lives.”
“Stereophonic,” the play about a Fleetwood Mac-like band recording an album over a turbulent and life-changing year, won best new play and had the night’s most total awards at five. It was written by David Adjmi, with songs by former Arcade Fire member Will Butler.
“Oh, no. My agent gave me a beta blocker, but it’s not working,” Adjmi said. He added the play took 11 years to manifest.
“This was a very hard journey to get up here,” he said. “We need to fund the arts in America.”
Two special guests electrified the crowd — Jay-Z and Hillary Rodham Clinton. The latter, a producer of a musical about suffragettes, presented “Suffs.”
“I have stood on a lot of stages, but this is very special,” Clinton said. “I know a little bit about how hard it is to make change.”
In the first musical presentation, Alicia Keys appeared at a piano as the cast of her semi-autobiographical musical, “Hell’s Kitchen,” presented a medley of songs. She sang her and Jay-Z’s 2009 smash “Empire State of Mind,” joining the rapper on interior steps to wild applause.
Later, newcomer Maleah Joi Moon won best leading actress for “Hell’s Kitchen,” brushing aside a challenge from veteran Kelli O’Hara. The 21-year-old, who plays a role loosely based on Keys’ life, dedicated her award to her parents.
Danya Taymor — whose aunt is Julie Taymor, the first woman to win a Tony Award for directing a musical — became the sixth woman to win the same award for “The Outsiders.”
Then Shaina Taub, only the second woman in Broadway history to write, compose and star in a Broadway musical, won for best score, the ninth woman to do so. The “Suffs” creator had already won for best book earlier in the night.
“If you are inspired by the story of ‘Suffs,’ please make sure you and everyone you know have registered to vote and vote, vote, vote!” she said. Taub said the win was for all the loud girls out there: “Go for it.”
Jeremy Strong took home the first big award of the night. The “Succession” star landed his first Tony for his work in the revival of Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 political play “An Enemy of the People.” The award for best lead actor in a play will sit next to his Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe.
Kara Young, the first Black performer to be nominated for a Tony three consecutive years in a row, won this time as best featured actress in a play for “Purlie Victorious,” the story of a Black preacher’s plan to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church from a plantation owner.
“Thank you to my ancestors,” she said, giving thanks to a list that included playwright Ossie Davis and co-star Ruby Dee, who originated her role.
“Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe cemented his stage career pivot by winning featured actor in a musical, his first trophy in five Broadway shows. He won for the revival of “Merrily We Roll Along,” the Stephen Sondheim- George Furth musical that goes backward in time.
“This is one of the best experiences of my life,” Radcliffe said. “I will never have it as good again.” He also thanked his parents for playing Sondheim in the car growing up.
“Merrily” was also named best musical revival and earned Jonathan Groff his first Tony, for leading actor in a musical. Groff — previously nominated for “Spring Awakening” and “Hamilton” — thanked co-stars Lindsay Mendez and Radcliffe, both emotional in the audience.
Groff, who said he used to watch the Tonys in Pennsylvania as a kid, also thanked his parents and brother for letting him act out scenes from “I Love Lucy” as a child.
“Thank you for always allowing my freak flag to fly without ever making me feel weird about it,” he said.
Kecia Lewis, who plays a formidable piano teacher in “Hell’s Kitchen,” took home her first Tony, too. The 40-year veteran made her Broadway debut at 18 in the original company of “Dreamgirls.”
“This moment is the one I dreamed of for those 40 years,” she said. “Don’t give up!”
“Appropriate,” Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ show centered on a family reunion in Arkansas, was named best play revival. Jacobs-Jenkins also thanked Davis, saying there would be no “Appropriate” without “Purlie Victorious.”
“Appropriate” star Sarah Paulson added a best leading actress in a play Tony to her awards cabinet. Paulson said she was thrilled to be able to interrogate the human condition: “This is the heart and soul of what we do and I am so honored to be amongst you.”
Three-time Tony-honored Chita Rivera got a special tribute from Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Bebe Neuwirth. Images of her work in “Chicago,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and “West Side Story” were projected while dancers performed her hit numbers. Host Ariana DeBose, who won an Oscar in Rivera’s “West Side Story” role of Anita, joined in.
DeBose, a three-time host, also co-choreographed the opening original number, “This Party’s for You.” The song cheered those who sacrifice for their art and took a gentle swipe at other entertainment types: “You’ll learn that film and TV can make you rich and make you famous. But theater will make you better.”
The performances also included an intense, creepy version of “Willkommen” from the “Cabaret” revival led by Eddie Redmayne, Pete Townshend playing guitar for “The Who’s Tommy” and a messy rumble from “The Outsiders” that included falling water, buckets of dirt, various carpets and an onstage truck.
The telecast teased upcoming shows, inviting Nicole Scherzinger — slated to star in a “Sunset Boulevard” revival — to sing the “In Memoriam” section. Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren — announced today as stars of 2025’s “The Last Five Years” — presented.
Scherzinger sang “What I Did for Love” as the names appeared, including playwright Christopher Durang and actors Alan Arkin,Glenda Jackson,Louis Gossett Jr., and Treat Williams.
Scooter Braun says he’s no longer a music manager
NEW YORK | Scooter Braun, one of the most recognizable names in the music business known for representing artists like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, will no longer work as a music manager.
On Monday, the executive and entrepreneur announced the news on his Instagram page. Instead, he will focus his attention on his current roles: As a board member of Hybe, and CEO of Hybe America, the South Korea entertainment company.
The announcement comes nearly a year after Braun’s direct management of his superstar roster was subject of intense speculation.
“After 23 years this chapter as a music manager has come to an end,” he wrote in a lengthy statement. “I was really just 19 years old when I started. So for my entire adult life I played the role of an artist manager on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And for 20 years I loved it. It’s all I had known. But as my children got older, and my personal life took some hits.”
“Every client I have had the privilege of working with has changed my life, and I know many of them are just beginning to see the success they deserve,” he continued. “I will cheer for every single one of them.”
In his statement, Braun mentioned a number of his clients from over the years: Grande, Bieber, Andrew Watt, Lil Dicky, Tori Kelly, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, Zac Brown Band, Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Steve Angello, Carly Rae Jepsen, PSY and Quavo among them.
Last week, representatives from Hybe said Braun was no longer managing Grande, but that she was still working with him. “ Ariana Grande and Hybe, led by CEO Scooter Braun, look forward to continuing their long-standing business partnership and pursuing creative opportunities in Weverse and REM Beauty,” a statement read.
In August, rumors circulated online that Bieber was leaving Braun, his longtime manager — and the man credited with discovering him. In the days that followed, media outlets began reporting that some of Braun’s other hype-profile clients like Grande and Lovato were also parting ways with him.
A person familiar with SB Projects’ business dealings, who was not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press at the time that the artists on the company’s roster have day-to-day managers who are not Braun, and he consults with them. The person noted that no single person would be able to manage his roster of some of the biggest names in music on their own.
Representatives for Carly Rae Jepsen, BabyJake, and Asher Roth confirmed to AP last summer that those artists no longer work with Braun and haven’t for quite some time. And a person close to Idina Menzel told AP the singer is no longer managed by Braun but was not authorized to speak publicly.
At the time, there was speculation that Braun’s artists were leaving SB Projects management because he was placing his focus on HYBE America instead of acting as an artist manager, but there was no official confirmation, until Monday.
Braun said in his statement that his silence was his attempt to take “the high road.”
“But for the last 3 years I have begun to feel that taking the high road has created confusion and ambiguity as to who we are,” Braun said, citing members of his team that are now handling artist management responsibilities.
AP’s request for additional comments were directed back to Braun’s Instagram statement, which addressed multiple aspects of his business interests.
“We at Hybe will continue to grow,” Braun detailed some of his future goals. “With… our existing business at Big Machine, we will continue to add amazing execs and artists to the roster.”
In 2019, Braun bought Big Machine Records, the label that originally signed Taylor Swift and released her first six records. Its CEO Scott Borchetta stayed in place. With the purchase, Braun purchased ownership to Swift’s master recordings, which he sold to an investment fund the following year. As a result, Swift announced that she would re-record her albums to own her new masters in a project called “Taylor’s Version.”
Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ will hit theaters in September
NEW YORK | After months of conjecture about the fate of Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed epic, “Megalopolis” has finally found a home.
Lionsgate will distribute “Megalopolis” in U.S. and Canadian theaters, the studio announced Monday, ending one of the biggest acquisition dramas of the year. Coppola’s $120-million Roman epic set in a futuristic New York will land in theaters, including IMAX screens, on Sept. 27.
Coppola first privately screened “Megalopolis,” his first film in 13 years, for potential buyers late March in Los Angeles. Word quickly filtered out about the unique nature of “Megalopolis,” along with some skepticism over its financial potential. Last month, it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival where the film was met with mixed reviews but broad admiration for its daring.
Coppola has previously collaborated with Lionsgate on several home movie releases, including “Apocalypse Now Final Cut.”
“One rule of business I’ve always followed and prioritized (to my benefit) is to continue working with companies and teams who over time have proven to be good friends as well as great collaborators,” Coppola said in a statement. “This is why I am thrilled to have (Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair) Adam Fogelson and Lionsgate Studios release ‘Megalopolis.’ I am confident they will apply the same tender love and care given to ‘Apocalypse Now,’ which is currently in its 45th year of astounding revenue and appreciation.”
In the film, Adam Driver stars as Cesar, an artist-inventor with dreams of a utopian metropolis at odds with the city’s mayor (Giancarlo Esposito). It co-stars Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman.
Coppola has spent decades pondering “Megalopolis” and ultimately sold off pieces of his considerable wine empire to largely finance it himself. The film, which previously landed distribution deals for many international territories, has experimental aspects to it. Screenings thus far have included a live moment when an actor walks on stage and addresses a question to the screen.
“Francis is a legend,” said Fogelson in a statement. “For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one of the inspirations to devote our own careers to film. It is a true privilege to work with him, and to bring this incredible, audacious, and utterly unique movie to theatrical audiences. At Lionsgate, we strive to be a home for bold and daring artists, and Megalopolis proves there is no one more bold or daring than the maestro, Francis Ford Coppola.”
—From AP reports
