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Tony Awards How Did Critics Rate the 71st Annual Tony Awards? How did the evening stack up to past ceremonies, and what was the consensus of host Kevin Spacey’s efforts?

By Olivia Clement

June 12, 2017

Kevin Spacey Joseph Marzullo/WENN

How did theatre and television critics rate the 71st Annual Tony Awards? On June 11, Radio City Music Hall transformed once again for Broadway’s biggest night, an epic evening of musical numbers, surprise guest appearances, and colorful speeches.

Read what critics thought of host Kevin Spacey’s efforts—including his epic 11-minute opening musical number—and how they rated the event compared to previous years below:

Deadline (Jeremy Gerard)

The Guardian (Alexis Soloski)

The Hollywood Reporter (David Rooney)

L.A. Times (Robert Lloyd)

The New York Times (Neil Genzlinger)

Rolling Stone (Sarah Grant)

Variety (Cynthia Littleton)

Playbill will continue to update with reviews as they’re published.

Missed Spacey’s opening number? Watch it below:

Dear Evan Hansen was the most-awarded production of the 71st Annual Tony Awards; for the complete list of winners, click here.

Flip through photos from the evening below:

Follow the Red Carpet Arrivals on Broadway’s Biggest Night

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Bette Midler_HR — Follow the Red Carpet Arrivals on Broadway’s Biggest Night

The stars arrive to the 2017 Tony Awards.
126 PHOTOS

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Bette Midler_HR — Bette Midler

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Bette Midler_HR — Bette Midler

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Ben Platt_HR.jpg — Ben Platt

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Ben Platt_HR.jpg — Ben Platt

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Rachel Bay Jones_HR — Rachel Bay Jones

Next Slide

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Laurie Metcalf_HR.jpg — Laurie Metcalf

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Phoebe Cates_Kevin Kline_HR — Phoebe Cates and Kevin Kline

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Cynthia Nixon_HR.jpg — Cynthia Nixon

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Cynthia Erivo_HR — Cynthia Erivo

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Patti LuPone_HR — Patti LuPone

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jonathan Groff_HR.jpg — Jonathan Groff

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Patina Miller_HR.jpg — Patina Miller

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Darren Criss_HR.jpg — Darren Criss

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Denis Jones_HR.jpg — Denis Jones

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Megan Briones and Jon Jon Briones_HR.jpg — Megan Briones and Jon Jon Briones

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_John Legend_HR — John Legend

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_4Rebecca Taichman_HR — Rebecca Taichman

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Alex Lacamoire and Ileana Ferreras_HR.jpg — Alex Lacamoire and Ileana Ferreras

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Georgiana Bischoff_Richard Thomas _HR — Georgiana Bischoff and Richard Thomas

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Bradley King_HR.jpg — Bradley King and guest

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Johanna Day_HR — Johanna Day

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Paula Vogel and Anne Fausto-Sterling_HR.jpg — Paula Vogel and Anne Fausto-Sterling

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Sam Gold_HR — Sam Gold

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Danny Rubin_HR — Danny Rubin

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Eliza Bent and Dave Malloy_HR.jpg — Eliza Bent and Dave Malloy

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Sally Field_HR — Sally Field

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Alex Sharp_HR — Alex Sharp

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Paloma Young_HR.jpg — Paloma Young

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Katrina Lenk_HR — Katrina Lenk

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Corey Hawkins_HR — Corey Hawkins

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Susan Hilferty_HR.jpg — Susan Hilferty

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Corey Hawkins_HR — Corey Hawkins

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Sam Pinkleton_HR.jpg — Sam Pinkleton

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Alison Wright_HR — Alison Wright

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Condola Rashad_HR — Condola Rashad

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Mimi Lien_HR.jpg — Mimi Lien

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Chris Cooper_Marianne Leone Cooper _HR — Chris Cooper and Marianne Leone Cooper

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Justin Guarini_HR.jpg — Justin Guarini

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Michelle Wilson_HR — Michelle Wilson

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Stephanie J. Block_HR.jpg — Stephanie J. Block

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus_HR.jpg — Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Ben Vereen_HR — Ben Vereen

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_John Douglas Thompson_HR.jpg — John Douglas Thompson

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Irene Sankoff and David Hein_HR.jpg — Irene Sankoff and David Hein

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Orfeh and Andy Karl_HR.jpg — Orfeh and Andy Karl

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Andy Karl_HR.jpg — Andy Karl

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Orfeh

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Kate Baldwin_HR — Kate Baldwin

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Ron Duguay_HR.jpg — Ron Duguay

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Anna Kendrick_HR — Anna Kendrick

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Natasha Katz_HR.jpg — Natasha Katz

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_David Korins_HR.jpg — David Korins

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Anna Kendrick _HR — Anna Kendrick

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jeannie Santiago and Ruben Santiago-Hudson_HR.jpg — Jeannie Santiago and Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Veronica Vazquez-Jackson_Christopher Jackson_HR — Veronica Vazquez-Jackson and Christopher Jackson

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jenna Lyons _HR — Jenna Lyons

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Denée Benton_HR — Denée Benton

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_John Mulaney and Annamarie Tendler_HR.jpg — John Mulaney and Annamarie Tendler

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_David Hyde Pierce_HR — David Hyde Pierce

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_23_John Mulaney and Nick Kroll.jpg — John Mulaney and Nick Kroll

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Taye Diggs Amanza Smith Brown_HR.jpg — Taye Diggs and Amanza Smith Brown

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Leslie Odom Jr._Nicolette Robinson _HR — Leslie Odom Jr. and Nicolette Robinson

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Amanza Smith Brown_HR.jpg — Amanza Smith Brown

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Tony Gerber_Lynn Nottage_Ruby Gerber_HR — Tony Gerber, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Gerber

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jenn Colella_HR.jpg — Jenn Colella

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Allison Janney_HR — Allison Janney

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Lucy DeVito_Danny DeVito _HR — Lucy DeVito and Danny DeVito

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Justin Paul and Benj Pasek_HR.jpg — Justin Paul and Benj Pasek

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Andrew Rannells_HR.jpg — Andrew Rannells

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Christian Borle_HR.jpg — Christian Borle

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Andy Blankenbuehler_HR.jpg — Andy Blankenbuehler

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Laura Linney_HR — Laura Linney

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Linda Cho_HR.jpg — Linda Cho

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jayne Houdyshell_HR.jpg — Jayne Houdyshell

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Sara Bareilles_HR — Sara Bareilles

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Joe Tippett_Sara Bareilles_HR — Joe Tippett and Sara Bareilles

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Kevin Spacey_HR.jpg — Kevin Spacey

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Kevin Spacey_HR.jpg — Kevin Spacey

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Tina Fey_HR.jpg — Tina Fey

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Sutton Foster_HR — Sutton Foster

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jason Sudeikis_HR — Jason Sudeikis

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Josh Gad_HR.jpg — Josh Gad

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Scarlett Johansson_HR — Scarlett Johansson

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_David Gallo_HR — David Gallo

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Mary Beth Peil_HR.jpg — Mary Beth Peil

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_John Lithgow_HR.jpg — John Lithgow

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Chrissy Teigen_ John Legend_HR — Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Chrissy Teigen _HR — Chrissy Teigen

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Margo Nederlander_ James L. Nederlander_HR — Margo Nederlander and James L. Nederlander

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Gianna Palminteri_Chazz Palminteri _HR — Gianna Palminteri and Chazz Palminteri

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Norah O’Donnell_HR — Norah O’Donnell

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Susan Lyons_Jefferson Mays_HR — Susan Lyons and Jefferson Mays

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Olivia Wilde_HR — Olivia Wilde

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Olivia Wilde_HR — Olivia Wilde

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Laura Osnes_HR.jpg — Laura Osnes

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Sarah Paulson_HR.jpg — Sarah Paulson

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jennifer Ehle_HR — Jennifer Ehle

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Orlando Bloom_HR.jpg — Orlando Bloom

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Lucas Steele_HR — Lucas Steele

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Glenn Close_HR — Glenn Close

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Michael Xavier_Glenn Close_HR — Michael Xavier and Glenn Close

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Josh Groban_HR.jpg — Josh Groban

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Tim Minchin_HR.jpg — Tim Minchin

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Tommy Tune_HR — Tommy Tune

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Christine Ebersole_HR — Christine Ebersole

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Mark Hamill_HR — Mark Hamill

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Brandon Uranowitz_HR.jpg — Brandon Uranowitz

Cobie Smulders and Taran Killam

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Cobie Smulders_HR. — Cobie Smulders

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Rachel Bloom_HR.jpg — Rachel Bloom

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Cristina Ottaviano_HR.jpg — Cristina Ottaviano

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Eva Noblezada_HR.jpg — Eva Noblezada

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Santo Loquasto_HR.jpg — Santo Loquasto

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Lea Salonga_HR — Lea Salonga

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Kelly Devine_Christopher Ashley_HR — Kelly Devine and Christopher Ashley

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Steven Roth Daryl Roth_HR.jpg — Steven Roth and Daryl Roth

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Daryl Roth_HR.jpg — Daryl Roth

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jordan Roth_HR.jpg — Jordan Roth

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jordan Roth_HR — Jordan Roth

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Dancers_HR — The Rockettes

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Jennifer Tipton_HR. — Jennifer Tipton

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_David Henry Hwang_HR — David Henry Hwang and guest

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Michael Greif_HR.jpg — Michael Greif with daughter Hannah

David Zinn

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Steven Levenson _HR.jpg — Steven Levenson and guest

Tony_Awards_2017_Red_Carpet_Erich Bergen_HR — Erich Bergen

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Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Bette Midler_HR — Bette Midler

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Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Rachel Bay Jones_HR — Rachel Bay Jones

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Cynthia Nixon_Tony Awards_2017_HR — Cynthia Nixon, 2017

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Michael Aronov_Tony Awards_2017_HR — Michael Aronov, 2017

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Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Steven Levenson_HR — Steven Levenson

Benj Pasek & Justin Paul_Tony Awards_2017_HR — Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, 2017

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Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Rebecca Taichman_HR — Rebecca Taichman

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Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Rebecca Taichman_HR — Rebecca Taichman

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Christopher Ashley_HR — Christopher Ashley

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Alex Lacamoire_HR — Alex Lacamoire

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Alex Lacamoire_HR — Alex Lacamoire

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Jitney_HR — Jitney creatives

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Bradley King_HR — Bradley King

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Bradley King_HR — Bradley King

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Christopher Akerland_HR — Christopher Akerlind

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Gareth Fry_Pete Malkin_HR — Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_Oslo_HR — Oslo team

Tony_Awards_2017_Press_Room_J.T. Rogers_HR — J.T. Rogers

Joseph Marzullo/WENN

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