GLAAD, the leading LGBTQ media watchdog group, praised Broadway and last night’s Tony Awards for telling “stories about the lives of LGBTQ people…”
“With A Strange Loop, Michael R. Jackson puts Black, queer stories center stage and GLAAD was beyond proud to be an investor to help bring this incredible and groundbreaking production to Broadway,” the organization said in a statement released this morning. “A Strange Loop, Company, and Take Me Out showcase the outstanding work of multiple LGBTQ artists and tell important stories about the lives of LGBTQ people with depth, nuance, and humanity. These productions winning top honors at this year’s Tony Awards is a key reminder that our stories matter and deserve recognition. As a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills sweep the nation today, creating and awarding authentic and deeply affecting stories is more crucial than ever before.”
A Strange Loop, Company, and Take Me Out took a combined nine top awards last night, including Best Musical (A Strange Loop), Best Revival of a Musical (Company) and Best Revival of a Play (Take Me Out). The three productions also won various acting awards and creative arts awards.
Not mentioned by GLAAD but worthy of inclusion was Phylicia Rashad’s win for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in Skeleton Crew. In the drama, Rashad plays a lesbian factory worker whose loving relationship with a late female coworker becomes a significant factor in the development of the characters and the plot.