'Hamilton' ditching muskets for Tony's performance in light of Orlando shooting
Sunday night's performance of selections from the musical Hamilton at the Tony Awards will now be done without muskets, a response to the deadly shootings at a gay Orlando, Florida night club.
The New York Times' Michael Paulson broke the news on Twitter on Sunday afternoon.
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The show was due to include the performance of the musical's "History Has Its Eyes on You" and "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)," which depicts the Battle of Yorktown in which the United States cemented victory over British forces to conclude the American Revolution.
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For reference, here's the show's official performance of "Yorktown," including muskets.
The award show's organizers said in a statement that the show will be dedicated to the victims of the Orlando shooting: "Our hearts are heavy for the unimaginable tragedy that happened last night in Orlando. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected. The Tony Awards dedicate tonight's ceremony to them."
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As the Hollywood Reporter notes:
The Tonys have deep ties to the LGBT community. Long before gay marriage entered the national conversation, Tony winners regularly were thanking their same-sex partners, reflecting the greater level of acceptance and visibility among the theater community compared to other branches of the entertainment industry.
Later Sunday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Theresa Jacobs, and Kathy Ramsberger, President and CEO, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, released a video thanking Broadway for its support.
Sunday night's Tony Awards was to be a victory lap for Hamilton, the musical about Alexander Hamilton that has piled up awards, including Grammys and a Pulitzer Prize, over the last year.
Earlier Sunday, Hamilton star and co-creator Lin-Manuel Miranda posted a tweet of solidarity for the Orlando victims.
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Hamilton is nominated for 16 Tony Awards and is expected to dominate the winner's category.
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Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.
