WASHINGTON — President Trump ushered in the 250th anniversary of American independence on Friday with soaring rhetoric about American exceptionalism before veering into a darkly political speech with warnings about a sinister threat of communism that evoked one of the country’s ugliest chapters.
“Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,” he said from Mt. Rushmore. “It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11.”
While the language was similar to several other speeches Trump has given in recent days, it was notable for being delivered in a national park that commemorates some of America’s most prominent presidents. And it swerved from the typically apolitical, unifying speeches past presidents like Gerald Ford or Ronald Reagan have delivered during earlier high-profile Independence Day celebrations.
Indeed, Trump’s language evoked the Red Scare of the 1950s, when purported communists were persecuted and blacklisted from jobs across America, from Washington to Hollywood.
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, delivered his own address that cast America as a nation of contradictions “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.”
The president’s speech capped an Independence Day eve that was otherwise most notable for a brutal heat wave that gripped much of the eastern portion of the country. Officials have warned those celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks as needed.
Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade Friday. The Great American State Fair in Washington shut down in the early afternoon before reopening at 5 p.m. The Capitol Fourth concert, a mainstay of the holiday in Washington, opened its gates a little later than normal but ultimately moved forward with appearances from Patti LaBelle, Trace Adkins, members of the Artemis II space mission and fireworks over George Washington’s Mount Vernon. An Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington was canceled.
Looking for a place to cool off
By early afternoon Friday in Washington, hundreds of people were roaming the grounds of the National Mall, home to the Great American State Fair. They snapped photos of the flyovers and tried to cool off inside tents that offered $9 lemonades and $23 turkey legs. Many were dressed in patriotic colors, their faces glistening with sweat.
Glenn Brooks, who was pardoned by Trump for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, said he was “thankful to be participating in this grand event.”
The activity culminates in the main event Saturday, when fireworks will erupt in communities across the U.S., along with backyard cookouts and block parties. Trump will deliver another speech at the National Mall in Washington before what is being billed as a historically massive fireworks show.
As the rest of the country struggled under stifling heat, the Pacific Northwest enjoyed temperatures in the 60s with even a few light showers.
World Cup soccer fans in Seattle were staying cool Friday as they got psyched up for Monday’s big game between the U.S. and Belgium. In the nearby suburb of Issaquah, Megan Kurowski, 31, brought her two dogs to the dog park so they could get some exercise before she went to work.
Kurowski said she was feeling positive about America’s 250th anniversary and was planning a possible paddleboard to watch the fireworks.
“Everyone’s just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating 250 years,” she said.
The holiday is unfolding at a unique time in the U.S. The anniversary has served as an opportunity for the country to reflect on its history while also reminding it of the political polarization of the moment.
On a holiday of unity, there is an undercurrent of division
In New York, Mamdani, a Democrat, did not mention Trump by name, but parts of his speech appeared aimed at the president’s divisive rhetoric.
“For generation after generation, we have been told that when the world has sent its people to our shores, it has not sent its best,” Mamdani said in an apparent reference to a common criticism from Trump. “Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them.”
Freedom 250, an organization aligned with the White House, has come to rival America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress a decade ago. Freedom 250 has organized much of the activity in Washington, including the Great American State Fair. America250 is behind the ball drops unfolding in many cities, including New York, and will host a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Ahead of the holiday, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano in Topeka, Kansas, sized up “what makes us awesome” as a people. It is clearly not the politics, in his view, but rather resilience.
“We’ve just all got to find unity somewhere, whether that’s in laughter or perseverance, and keep everybody cool,” he said from the fireworks stand where he is doing a booming business as a side hustle.
Christina Zhou, a 25-year-old research assistant from Cambridge, Mass., said she would aim to “think about just things that are happening locally.”
“It feels a little bit more like within our own personal control,” she said.
Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Wash., said he wasn’t aware that the U.S. was celebrating its 250th anniversary and planned to stay low-key around the holiday. He and his wife generally skip the fireworks and instead stay home with their fearful dogs to keep them calm.
“America’s a great place, but there are some concerns,” he said. Chin, 55, and his wife worry about healthcare and issues around staying healthy, but they also stress about politics.
“We’re Democrats, so kind of given up hope,” he said. “Just feel that it is the way it is. I don’t know if there could be change.”
At the National Archives in Washington, visitors made their way through the Rotunda to look at the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights — and to escape the heat outside.
Michael Dresdner, 60, traveled from West Orange, N.J., with his wife, Cindi, 57, and about two dozen other people to be part of the America 250 celebrations. He said their group of travelers included people on both sides of the political aisle — and that is what gave him hope for the future of American democracy.
“We are all here, and we all love America,” he said.
Sloan, Peoples and Price write for the Associated Press. Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writers Martha Bellisle in Seattle, Anthony Izaguirre in New York, John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., Michael Casey in Cambridge, Mass., and Calvin Woodward, Didi Tang, Gary Fields and Nathan Ellgren in Washington contributed to this report.
In 2016, Nakajima received psychiatric care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, diagnosed with depression, PTSD and suicidal ideation. Her doctors searched for ways to manage her stress by exposing her to various activities, including video games, serene Icelandic landscapes and an aerial silks performance. The last brought her anxiety down, revealing that the arts were the answer. Her doctor prescribed the arts, comedy specifically, so she went to the Upright Citizens Brigade for class.
She found a calling and a safe space in comedy.
“I didn’t know I was born a comedian,” Nakajima said. “Finally, I really felt I was accepted as a comedian, validated for who I am.”
Nakajima shares her healing journey to the stage in “Made in America,” which just had an encore performance at UCB on Tuesday after its award-winning run in 2022 (it is also available for streaming on UCB’s website through Tuesday). The one-woman show arrives in time for the United States’ 250th anniversary on Saturday, documenting Nakajima’s search for the American dream as a first-generation Japanese American woman. “Made in America” premiered in 2022 at the Hollywood Fringe Festival during Joe Biden’s presidency and following the Jan. 6 United States Capitol attack. In 2026, its musings on identity and belonging pierce through today’s political landscape shaped by Donald Trump’s second presidency.
“I wanted to let people know this is an American story,” she said.
“Made in America” is about Nakajima’s life. It begins in her mother’s womb. She felt so safe there, she yearned to return. Growing up, she experienced an emotionally and physically abusive life at home, recalling her father breaking furniture and her mother’s alcohol-induced belittling comments. But her name, Teruko, translates to a “shining child.” Thus, she proclaims in the show, “I’m a superstar!”
The beauty in “Made in America” is Nakajima’s ability to find the humor in her trauma. When the show transitions to her life in America, she talks about her life as a dominatrix in New York City and her struggles with romance in Los Angeles. Her comedic jabs at the American economy and humorous reflections juxtapose somber moments of stillness in the midst of her struggles. This balance puts her life into perspective, revealing a positive personality beneath a dark saga.
Nakajima performs “Made in America” at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.
(Nick Rasmussen)
“I look very happy-go-lucky and cheerful, but actually, I am a very dark person because I have a dark history,” she said. “I always wanted to leave my story behind. I wanted to leave my mark in this world before I died, so I needed to make something.”
The first class Nakajima took at UCB was John Flynn’s storytelling course. There, she started building pieces of the show without realizing it. As they added up, the idea for a show surfaced. After class one day, she asked Flynn to direct it. Flynn, who has been teaching at UCB in New York and L.A. for about 20 years, agreed.
“She disarms people,” Flynn said. “There’s something about her that is just so unique and so delightful that you won’t forget her.”
Flynn first met her at his storytelling open mic. She walked in with her emotional support dog Titi (also known as Tiny Teruko), wearing her signature red heart-framed glasses, without lenses. Soon, these glasses would make him double over in laughter when she performed and cried, dabbing her eyes with tissue through the frame.
“When you start to learn her story and the experiences she’s had, it is amazing that she is so positive,” he said. “She’s such a sort of undeniable positive energy that she just radiates all the time, which is so compelling and why people are so drawn to her.”
Revived at UCB amid Trump’s second term and the nation’s 250th birthday, Nakajima’s show doubles as a defiant immigrant love letter to America — and a refuge for audiences feeling alone.
(Nick Rasmussen)
Nakajima puts all of herself into the show. Aside from comedy, she has been a cheerleader in Japan, a salsa dancer in New York and a sculptor on the side — she loves sculpting MLB players’ butts; Derek Jeter is her favorite. In the show, she folds these aspects of her life into a single story, dancing from section to section. Comedy is more than just laughs; it’s storytelling.
“I am so good at cheering people up, since I was very little,” she said. “I had no competition with others because I’m the one and only. Nobody looks like me.”
Together, Flynn and Teruko parsed through her life stories to give the show an arc. For Flynn, it’s like carving away at what is already there to create something fun and cohesive, like a sculpture. “What’s fun about directing one-person shows like this is that it’s usually just two people in a room putting something together,” Flynn said.
Bringing the show back this year, the work gets sharper and tighter, but the biggest shift is in its conclusion. Once optimistic about the future of life in America, the show now has a stronger desire to make change. There was a sense of hope in 2022 for women like Nakajima, an immigrant who sought safety in a new country and struggled with abuse from her family and strange men. Today, as Trump’s immigration policies lean on deportation and discrimination, she simply wants to be seen.
“America, thank you for not giving up on me,” Nakajima said toward the end of the show. She is proud to be American, not just because she gets to have the same nationality as her dog Titi, but primarily because of the new life it offered her. America promised happiness. Whether it actually comes is another story, but in this one, the promise itself gave her a sense of purpose.
“After the show, people come to me in person and through messages,” she said. “A lot of people said, ‘I felt like I am not alone.’ That gives me so much hope and unity. I feel safe and like I have something to look forward to because I’m not the only one.”
Flynn realized how much he took for granted while working on the show with Nakajima. “I think, even though these are scary times and things seem to be going in directions that aren’t the best, there are still great people, and there’s something that is still there and is not dying and is still fighting,” Flynn said.
When she began her acting journey, Nakajima thought she’d turn to drama, but there’s something more unguarded in comedy.
Nakajima holding up her dog Titi during a performance of “Made in America.”
(Nick Rasmussen)
“I’m very authentic and invincible through comedy,” she said.
By the end of “Made in America,” Nakajima is no longer trying to find her way back to her mother’s womb. She is confident in her place in the world. She remembers that she is a star. She brings out her dog Titi, who was hidden on stage throughout the entire performance, and shares that UCB gave her a new outlook on life. Comedy breaks away her stresses and allows viewers to be vulnerable with her.
“I always wanted to feel safe,” she said. “I never had that. Finally, I found a safe space, and then I realized that I’m actually important. I’m actually worthy. I’m so happy right now to be able to express myself through comedy because it’s the truth.”
MAREN Morris managed to dodge questions about her friend Taylor Swift’s wedding on live TV just hours before the pop superstar is scheduled to tie the knot.
The country singer performed on Today Friday morning in front of a packed crowd in the sweltering NYC heat as part of the morning show’s summer concert series.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Maren Morris performed on Today on July 3Credit: APMaren and Taylor Swift, here at an event in 2019, have been friends for yearsCredit: Getty
After performing her hits Hard Liquor and Soft Rock and 80s Mercedes early Friday, Today’s Craig Melvin dropped a Taylor wedding question on Maren, taking her by surprise.
“It was reported yesterday by Variety that you are going to the wedding. What do you get as a gift for someone like that? Do you get a juicer?” Craig asked, as Maren nervously played with her hair and stuttered.
“I don’t know, what do you get? That would be a hard person to buy for,” she said uncomfortably.
“I’m so happy for them. This is such an incredible thing. I think she has such a close tie to New York.
Maren answered Craig Melvin’s awkward questions about Taylor’s wedding on TodayCredit: GettyMaren rehearsed with Taylor for a performance in Texas in 2018Credit: Getty
“And yeah…I’m so excited for them to celebrate their love. It’s so cool.
“There’s a lot going on this weekend. I’m happy to be here during this frenzy.”
According to Variety, Maren is attending the festivities on Friday evening, alongside fellow country stars Miranda Lambert and Kelsea Ballerini.
Taylor and Maren have been friends for years, and the latter even made a guest appearance on the pop superstar’s Eras tour in 2023.
Most read in Entertainment
Dylan Dreyer, Craig Melvin, Maren Morris, Savannah Guthrie, Carson Daly and Al Roker appeared on Today in NYC on July 3Credit: APMaren performed two of her new hitsCredit: Getty
The massive reception is expected to kick off later in the afternoon on Friday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, with other big-name guests including Zoe Kravitz, Adam Sandler, Sabrina Carpenter and Graham Norton.
WASHINGTON — Festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence from Great Britain kick into higher gear across the United States on Friday as celebrations are balanced with efforts to stay safe as much of the country bakes under extreme heat.
President Trump will travel to South Dakota to deliver a speech and watch fireworks at Mt. Rushmore. And in a novel twist, there will be a ball drop in New York City’s Times Square at midnight to usher in the July Fourth holiday with much the same revelry that is typically reserved for New Year’s Eve.
The activity culminates in the main event Saturday, when fireworks will erupt in communities across the U.S., along with backyard cookouts and block parties. Trump will deliver another speech at the National Mall in Washington before what is being billed as a historically massive fireworks show.
But for all the celebrations, there are also serious safety considerations as potentially record heat grips much of the Midwest and East Coast. Officials have warned those celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks as needed.
The heat has already affected some of the programming surrounding the holiday. In Washington, organizers of the Capitol Fourth concert banned the public from attending a Thursday rehearsal because of the heat.
The concert Friday, a staple of Washington’s Independence Day traditions, is on, but the gates will open to the public later than usual, at 7 p.m. EDT, an hour before the show. Organizers of celebrations in Washington on Saturday said they were adding water stations along with cooling resources and medical support.
From Boston to Norristown, Penn., and Gettysburg National Military Park, plans were shifting to accommodate the soaring temperatures. Amtrak canceled some trains in the Northeast due to excessive heat that could affect the tracks.
The holiday is unfolding at a unique time in the U.S. The anniversary has served as an opportunity for the country to reflect on its history while also reminding it of the political polarization of the moment.
Even the celebrations themselves have not quite escaped the divide.
Freedom 250, an organization aligned with the White House, has come to rival America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress a decade ago. Freedom 250 has organized much of the activity in Washington, including the Great American State Fair, which has gained attention for the relatively small crowds it has attracted. America250 is behind the ball drops unfolding in many cities, including New York, and will host a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Sloan writes for the Associated Press. Associated Press writers John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., Michael Casey in Cambridge, Mass., and Calvin Woodward in Washington contributed to this report.
A-LIST celebrities have begun to arrive for Taylor Swift’s rumored rehearsal dinner on Thursday ahead of her lavish wedding.
Taylor and Kansas City Chiefstight endTravis Kelce are expected to tie the knot at Madison Square Gardenon Friday in front of around 1,000 guests.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Adam Sandler was seen arriving at Madison Square Garden on Thursday afternoonCredit: Felipe Ramales for the U.S. SunTravis Kelce and Taylor Swift are reportedly getting married on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York CityCredit: GettySelena Gomez shared a video of herself in a car reportedly heading to Taylor Swift’s rehearsal dinnerCredit: Instagram / selenagomezTaylor’s close friend and main musical collaborator Jack Antonoff was also spotted in New York CityCredit: TheImageDirect.com
A few celebrities were spotted in New York ahead of the couple’s big day, where roughly 100 guests are expected to attend the rehearsal dinner on Thursday evening.
The comedian was dressed in his signature casual style, wearing shorts, a baggy shirt and sneakers and appeared to be joined by his wife, Jackie, and their daughters, Sadie and Sunny.
Travis joined the big screen alongside Adam in the sequel to the classic film Happy Gilmore and invited the movie star to his podcast, New Heights, which he hosts with his brother Jason Kelce.
On the podcast, Adam talked about taking his two daughters to the Eras Tour concert film premiere.
“What a girl … She means so much to our house,” Adam said of Taylor.
Selena Gomez shared a video on her Instagram story on Thursday of her in a floral lace black dress applying one of her Rare Beauty lip products, possibly on her way to the rehearsal dinner, although it has not yet been confirmed.
She paired the dress with a pair of Flicker earrings,featuring 1.92 carats of pear-cut diamonds totaling $29,000 and an $11,000 Flicker ring, according to Page Six.
Most read in Entertainment
Selena and Taylor met in 2008 and were first spotted together stepping out to dinner with Nick and Joe Jonas, whom they were respectively dating at the time.
In a 2020 interview withWSJ Magazine,the duo opened up about their friendship, which Taylor compared to “sisterhood.”
“I knew from when I met her I would always have her back. In my life, I have the ability to forgive people who have hurt me. But I don’t know if I can forgive someone who hurts her,” Taylor said of Selena.
Jack Antonoff, Taylor’s close friend and main musical collaborator who recently worked on The Tortured Poets Department, was also spotted in New York City, dressed in a white-collared shirt and dark blazer.
His sister Rachel was also spotted in New York City, dressed in a long pink frilly gown and a red purse.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and his wife Claire were spotted in New York City ahead of the wedding.
Jack Antonoff’s sister Rachel was also spotted in New York City ahead of the reported rehearsal dinnerCredit: TheImageDirect.comAdam Sandler’s wife and kids appeared to arrive with him at Madison Square GardenCredit: Felipe Ramales for the U.S. SunSan Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and his wife Claire were seen in New York CityCredit: Katy Forrester for the U.S. SunTaylor’s distinct gray SUV was seen outside Madison Square Garden but the bride-to-be has yet to be spottedCredit: Felipe Ramales for the U.S. Sun
The fellow NFL player will apparently not be attending the rehearsal dinner, but will attend the wedding, which he told ExtraTVhe plans to give Travis an old coin despite the couple saying “absolutely no gifts.”
Supermodel Gigi Hadid and actor Bradley Cooper were seen heading to the rehearsal dinner, with Bradley in a formal suit and vest, in photos obtained by Page Six.
The main wedding ceremony is expected to take place on Friday, although it remains unclear if it will be a legal wedding or a lavish celebration as rumors circulate that the pair are already married.
Travis’ longtime friend Reggie “Regrunt” King and his wife, Sarah, are also expected to attend in addition to several people in sports media, like sports commentator Charissa Thompson and sports reporter Erin Andrews along with her husband, former NHL player Jarret Stoll.
Celebrities close to Taylor have been spotted around New York City, including Suki Waterhouse, who opened for one of Taylor’s Eras Tour shows in London.
A tent was seen being set up outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of the rumored weddingCredit: Jessica Finn for the U.S. SunA catering truck from Sartiano’s, one of Taylor’s reported favorite New York restaurants, was seen outside of MSGCredit: BackGridPink curtains were hung up inside Madison Square GardenCredit: Jessica Finn for the U.S. SunTaylor Swift’s bodyguard was seen outside Madison Square Garden appearing to direct carsCredit: Felipe Ramales for the U.S. Sun
Suki told Variety in an interview published in May that she will be attending and hopes to gather inspiration for her wedding to her fiancé Robert Pattinson.
“I’m gonna go to Taylor’s wedding, and maybe I’ll get some inspiration It will be amazing,” she said.
Graham Norton, an Irish comedian and actor who made a cameo in Taylor’s music video for her song Opalite, touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport alongside his husband Jono McLeod.
Taylor’s pal, English actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, was also seen in New York City with her family ahead of the celebration.
Taylor and Travis’ full guest list has not yet been revealed, but some eagle-eyed fans speculated singer Katy Perrymay not be in attendance as she is set to perform in the UK on their rumored wedding day.
Some other famous faces are expected not to be attending, such as Blake Lively,Ryan Reynolds,Charli XCX andMatty Healy following past fallouts.
The 79th Tony Awards return to Radio City Music Hall on Sunday to celebrate the best of Broadway. Pop-star Pink hosts the show for the first time, and while she hasn’t been on Broadway yet herself, her songs have been featured in the musicals “Moulin Rouge!” and “& Juliet.”
The broadcast airs air live beginning at 5 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+, but don’t sleep on the annual pre-show, “The Tony Awards: Act One,” where the first round of Tonys will be presented. It will stream live on free service Pluto TV starting at 3:35 p.m. and be hosted by Tony Award nominee Laura Benanti and actor Tituss Burgess.
Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” Gina Gionfriddo, “Becky Shaw” Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, “Every Brilliant Thing” “Fallen Angels” Robert Icke, “Oedipus”
Performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical
Sara Chase, “Schmigadoon!” Stephanie Hsu, “The Rocky Horror Show” Caissie Levy, “Ragtime” Marla Mindelle, “Titaníque” Christiani Pitts, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical
Nicholas Christopher, “Chess” Luke Evans, “The Rocky Horror Show” Joshua Henry, “Ragtime” Sam Tutty, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” Brandon Uranowitz, “Ragtime”
Performance by an actress in a leading role in a play
Performance by an actor in a leading role in a play
Will Harrison, “Punch” Nathan Lane, “Death of a Salesman” John Lithgow, “Giant” Daniel Radcliffe, “Every Brilliant Thing” Mark Strong, “Oedipus”
Book of a musical
David Hornsby and Chris Hoch, “The Lost Boys” Cinco Paul, “Schmigadoon!” Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue, “Titaníque” Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Original score
Music: Caroline Shaw, “Death of a Salesman” Music: Steve Bargonetti, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” Music and lyrics: The Rescues, “The Lost Boys” Music and lyrics: Cinco Paul, “Schmigadoon!” Music and lyrics: Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Performance by an actor in a featured role in a play
Christopher Abbott, “Death of a Salesman” Danny Burstein, “Marjorie Prime” Brandon J. Dirden, “Waiting for Godot” Alden Ehrenreich, “Becky Shaw” Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” Richard Thomas, “The Balusters”
Performance by an actress in a featured role in a play
Betsy Aidem, “Liberation” Marylouise Burke, “The Balusters” Aya Cash, “Giant” Laurie Metcalf, “Death of a Salesman” June Squibb, “Marjorie Prime”
Performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical
Ali Louis Bourzgui, “The Lost Boys” André De Shields, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” Bryce Pinkham, “Chess” Ben Levi Ross, “Ragtime” Layton Williams, “Titaníque”
Performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical
Shoshana Bean, “The Lost Boys” Hannah Cruz, “Chess” Rachel Dratch, “The Rocky Horror Show” Ana Gasteyer, “Schmigadoon!” Nichelle Lewis, “Ragtime”
Scenic design of a play
Hildegard Bechtler, “Oedipus” Takeshi Kata, “Bug” David Korins, “Dog Day Afternoon” Chloe Lamford, “Death of a Salesman” David Rockwell, “Fallen Angels”
Scenic design of a musical
dots, “The Rocky Horror Show” Soutra Gilmour, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” Rachel Hauck, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” Dane Laffrey, “The Lost Boys” Scott Pask, “Schmigadoon!”
Costume design of a play
Brenda Abbandandolo, “Dog Day Afternoon” Qween Jean, “Liberation” Jeff Mahshie, “Fallen Angels” Emilio Sosa, “The Balusters” Paul Tazewell, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”
Costume design of a musical
Linda Cho, “Ragtime” Linda Cho, “Schmigadoon!” Qween Jean, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” Ryan Park, “The Lost Boys” David I. Reynoso, “The Rocky Horror Show”
Lighting design of a play
Isabella Byrd, “Dog Day Afternoon” Natasha Chivers, “Oedipus” Stacey Derosier, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” Heather Gilbert, “Bug” Heather Gilbert, “The Fear of 13” Jack Knowles, “Death of a Salesman”
Lighting design of a musical
Kevin Adams, “Chess” Jane Cox, “The Rocky Horror Show” Donald Holder, “Schmigadoon!” Adam Honoré, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” Adam Honoré and Donald Holder with 59 Studio, “Ragtime” Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, “The Lost Boys”
Sound design of a play
Justin Ellington, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” Tom Gibbons, “Oedipus” Lee Kinney, “The Fear of 13” Josh Schmidt, “Bug” Mikaal Sulaiman, “Death of a Salesman”
Sound design of a musical
Kai Harada, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” Kai Harada, “Ragtime” Adam Fisher, “The Lost Boys” Brian Ronan, “The Rocky Horror Show” Walter Trarbach, “Schmigadoon!”
Direction of a play
Nicholas Hytner, “Giant” Robert Icke, “Oedipus” Kenny Leon, “The Balusters” Joe Mantello, “Death of A Salesman” Whitney White, “Liberation”
Direction of a musical
Michael Arden, “The Lost Boys” Lear deBessonet, “Ragtime” Christopher Gattelli, “Schmigadoon!” Tim Jackson, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
Choreography
Christopher Gattelli, “Schmigadoon!” Ellenore Scott, “Ragtime” Ani Taj, “The Rocky Horror Show” Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, “The Lost Boys”
Orchestrations
Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, “Schmigadoon!” Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne “AG” Gonzalez and Gabriel Mann, “The Lost Boys” Lux Pyramid, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” Brian Usifer, “Chess” Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder and Doug Schadt, “Cats: The Jellicle Ball”
It’s Broadway’s time to shine Sunday when the 79th Tony Awards take New York City.
Broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall, the night promises plenty of onstage drama and hopefully some real-life intrigue. The number of new Broadway productions this year — 30 — shrunk from last year’s 42, but there are still some standout shows and performances to watch out for, from flashy revivals like “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” to Laurie Metcalf’s stunning turns in both “Death of a Salesman” and “Little Bear Ridge Road.”
Grammy Award winner Pink is hosting for the first time, and though the pop star lacks direct Broadway roots, her songs have been featured in the jukebox musicals “Moulin Rouge!” and “& Juliet.”
Here’s everything else you should know about this year’s ceremony, including how to tune in.
How can I watch?
The three-hour awards ceremony will air live on CBS on Sunday at 5 p.m. Paramount+ premium-level subscribers can also stream it on the app, while those with other membership tiers can watch the show on-demand after it airs.
The annual pre-show, “The Tony Awards: Act One,” will stream live on free service Pluto TV at 3:35 p.m. that same day. It is hosted by Tony Award nominee Laura Benanti and actor Tituss Burgess and includes the first round of Tony Award presentations.
Who is performing?
This year’s opening number, a show-stopping Tonys tradition, will feature more than 170 Broadway performers. It’s choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby and written by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Mark Sonnenblick.
As always, casts from the productions nominated for best musical — “The Lost Boys,” “Schmigadoon!,” “Titaníque” and “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” — and for best revival of a musical — “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” “Ragtime” and Richard O’Brien’s “The Rocky Horror Show” — will perform during the ceremony.
Rachel Zegler will pay tribute to “A Chorus Line” and Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr. will perform “Without You” from “Rent” to honor the show’s 30th anniversary as well as those in the theater community who have died this year.
The “Chicago” revival will also celebrate its 30th anniversary on Broadway with a performance from stars including Queen Latifah, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Matron Mama Morton in the show’s 2002 film adaptation, and Tony Awards host Pink. The entire original cast of “The Book of Mormon,” including Tony Award nominees Josh Gad, Andrew Rannells and Rory O’Malley and Tony winner Nikki M. James, will also perform in celebration of the show’s 15th anniversary on Broadway.
Who is presenting?
Notable stars of stage, screen and music presenting awards include Grammy Award winner Megan Thee Stallion, who made her Broadway debut this year in “Moulin Rouge!”; Nicole Scherzinger, who won a Tony last year for her performance in the revival of “Sunset Boulevard”; and Academy Award winner Adrien Brody.
You can find the star-studded presenter lineup here.
What is nominated?
“Schmigadoon!” and “The Lost Boys,” both nominated for best musical, lead the pack with 12 nominations each going into Sunday’s awards ceremony. The “Ragtime” revival trails with 11 nominations, and lauded revivals “Death of a Salesman,” “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and “The Rocky Horror Show” are each nominated for nine awards.
Mindy Kaling was in her early 30s when the first TV series she created, “The Mindy Project,” made its debut and set in motion her attempt at forging an identity as a prolific multi-hyphenate after “The Office,” where she was a writer and cast member for eight seasons. But if you ask her to reflect on that time of her life, she says, it’s a bit of a blur.
As she explained recently, “I remember it, but not all that distinctly. It was such a grind — waking up at 6 a.m. to be on camera, wrapping late. And I did that for 117 episodes.”
But ask her about her 20s, when she was living in New York City and trying to figure out how she could break into the industry as a comedy writer? “I remember incredibly vividly,” she says. “I’m like, did I feel things more intensely back then? I’m not sure. But that period of time … there was just so many highs and lows. And it felt cinematic to me.”
So she made a TV show about it.
Premiering Tuesday with three episodes, “Not Suitable for Work” follows five ambitious 20-somethings living in Manhattan who are navigating the early stages of their careers while trying to have a semblance of a life and the heightened emotions they experience during this period. Kaling calls it the third chapter in her semi-autobiographical TV trilogy, which includes “Never Have I Ever,” about a first-generation Indian American teenager coping with her father’s death while trying to be popular (or at least not super uncool), and “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” about four young women who dorm together and boldly maneuver their new, uninhibited lives on campus.
In the new Hulu series, viewers are introduced to AJ Pascarelli (Ella Hunt), a hard-working and disciplined young woman who moves to town to start a high-pressure finance job, and her roommate Abhinaya “Abby” Chilukuri (Avantika), a savvy and fashion-obsessed assistant to a celebrity stylist. They live across the hall from Josh Teitelbaum (Jack Martin), an idealistic nepo baby of a media titan — he’ll lean into his privilege when it suits him while also trying to distance himself from it — with ambitions of making it in journalism. His two roommates are Kel Washington (Nicholas Duvernay), an insecure but earnest med student who would rather be acting, and Davis Beau Bradley Barrett III (Will Angus), a high-energy, bumbling financial analyst who works at the same corporate firm as AJ and is an undercover hopeless romantic. As one might expect, there are some messy entanglements within and outside the group.
1
2
1.Abby (Avantika), left, and AJ (Ella Hunt) move in together.2.Across the hall live Davis (Will Angus), left, Josh (Jack Martin) and Kel (Nicholas Duvernay).(Gwen Capistran / Disney)
“I hope that young people will respond to the show, “ Kaling says. “We did so much research in it because at a certain point it is funny — I’m in my 40s, and I am often like, ‘I wonder if young people are suspicious about why I’m so obsessed with writing shows about young people.’”
So, why is she?
“Because I find it almost impossible to reflect on the current time I’m in,” she says. “It would be too painful to be too introspective about the time that I’m in. I need a real sense of distance to look back on it, especially since having kids. Once you have kids, it triggers these memories of your own childhood.”
Over video call from New York City, Kaling reflected on the series and her early years of trying to make it. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
How did you land on the professions that your characters would be pursuing and what did you want to say about ambition at this stage of life?
I love people who have big wants, and sometimes the audience is like, “Maybe you want the wrong thing” and they [the characters] don’t quite know that yet. I love writing about the underdog. And with their particular professions, they’re all things that I had some interest in researching. I’ve always been fascinated by investment bankers. I went to Dartmouth, so I have a lot of friends who went into that, and I swear I’ve had my friends explain their job so many times to me, and I still didn’t totally understand it. We were lucky; a very famous investment bank very generously offered to let me come for a day and meet with young bankers. I also … write about the children of immigrants. I’m very, very interested in that story, and so we got to research what it’s like being the child of Nigerian immigrants. But every single character has a journey, or there’s an aspect of them that I feel like I really relate to, and that is in almost all my shows.
What was it like observing young people in the investment banking world?
They were wary — because they’re smart — of someone from Hollywood coming in to document what they were doing and asking questions. It helped that a lot of the guys liked “The Office” and a lot of the women liked “The Mindy Project” and “Sex Lives of College Girls” because they’re all kind of young. I think that made them trust me a little bit more. For the AJ and Davis characters, so much of what I researched when I was there fed into their plot line … almost all the characters have a boss they fear and idolize, and the way that first-year bankers feel about their managing directors is not dissimilar to the way I felt about Greg Daniels when I started at “The Office.” And the hours are actually not dissimilar.
There’s a moment early on where Jay Ellis’ character, Bill, who is a managing director at this fictional investment banking firm, is asked about work-life balance. I’m curious how you thought about that at the start of your career versus now.
I didn’t care at all about anything except my job for 16 years. It was my entire personality and purpose. When I was in my 20s, the only thing that mattered was being a good comedy writer and succeeding, and one day maybe being able to create my own shows. There was no balance. I didn’t want balance. I wanted to live and breathe comedy writing for my entire life. I hated the weekends, actually. And who wouldn’t? I was a friendless transplant in Los Angeles and I just wanted to get back to working at “The Office.” Every year I was there, I got more ambitious and I wanted to go off and create my own show and have a bigger part as an actor and everything.
It wasn’t until after I did that on “The Mindy Project” … that I just felt like, “OK, I get this. I want to now try being a mom.” Once I had my daughter, Katherine [at 37], it wasn’t that the balance changed, it was my first real, legitimate interest outside of work — that I cared about more than work.
“When I was in my 20s, the only thing that mattered was being a good comedy writer and succeeding, and one day maybe being able to create my own shows,” Kaling says. “There was no balance. I didn’t want balance.”
(Ebru Yildiz / For The Times)
After college, you moved to Brooklyn with two Dartmouth friends to pursue a career in comedy. You eventually got a full-time job as a production assistant on “Crossing Over with John Edward,” a program where people would receive psychic readings. Tell me about that time in your life.
I remember feeling like I had no access and that I didn’t have any place to put my ambition. It was so far away from anything I wanted to do — scripted comedy and reality television could not be further apart. It was a fascinating time because there were such highs and lows. There was the excitement of new crushes and having fun in a new city with two friends, but there was also the crushing disappointment of feeling like I was never gonna make it. I didn’t even have a path forward to making it, but I was lucky, because I lived with my two best friends. We would go to open mic nights, and we would go to restaurant week and see how the rich people in Manhattan were living. We would take the subway uptown to Central Park and walk along Fifth Avenue and like look at these amazing homes and just dream what it was like to be like a wealthy New Yorker who could buy everything that they read about on DailyCandy — now I’m really dating myself here, back when DailyCandy was a thing. But that’s what it was like, I just I felt a lot of extreme emotions.
How did you approach that job?
My boss was a producer and would approach the families and get their information, and then we would have to do research on them, but it was mostly because they would do a little clip package on the different families. I had to get them to sign releases to be on the show and get photographs of their deceased [loved ones] and them. I actually thought it was pretty interesting work. It just had nothing to do with comedy writing, and that job was not clearly going to lead anywhere toward comedy writing, and I came to New York because of “Saturday Night Live.” When I was working there is when my friend Brenda [Withers] … and I started writing this play “Matt & Ben” [a satirical play that imagines the story of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck before “Good Will Hunting” made them famous] in the time we had off. We started writing it, then I got that job as a PA, then the show went up at the Fringe Festival, and then it was going to go off off Broadway, and when it went off-off-Broadway, and I had a steady income, that’s when I quit my job there. I was only at “Crossing Over” for three or so months.
Greg Daniels attended a performance of “Matt & Ben” and it’s what led to you getting on “The Office” at 24.What was that first meeting like?
Back then, because the internet was so different, when I looked up Greg, besides his credits, you couldn’t find a lot of biographical information about him, or even a photo. I don’t think I even knew what he looked like. When I met him, I don’t think I had seen the British “Office” yet; I wasn’t cool. At that time, I had put so much pressure on this job. I only had two interviews — it was this and there was a show that ended up getting canceled while I was waiting to meet the showrunner. It was a pilot called “Nevermind Nirvana,” about an Indian man who married a white woman, and Ajay Sahgal was the writer. I was like, “Oh my God, if anyone is going to get hired to work on the show, it has to be me.” I was pretty excited about that meeting, but when I was sitting in the waiting room at the production offices to meet with Ajay, they told them they weren’t going to pick up the pilot, so I never even got to meet him, and they just told me I could leave.
I’d only had that interview, and then I met with Greg. This is my memory: it was a high-rise building in Century City, in the offices of “King of the Hill,” so there was a lot of like “King of the Hill” cutouts and stuff there. And he’s just a very thoughtful, quiet guy who doesn’t push conversation … I’m someone who’s pathologically chatty, and so talking to Greg, who is completely fine with there being pauses in conversation, and is just a confident grown-up, it was incredibly intimidating. I was very stressed out in our meeting, but I also was blown away by him.
That first season, you were also the only female writer on staff and the youngest —
B.J.[Novak] is a month younger than me. I want to correct that because he’ll read this and go, “Hey … !”
How did that play into how you felt in the room?
I haven’t really ever had imposter syndrome. And this is my probably my personality defect — I felt that even if I hadn’t seen anyone like me in these roles, that I was just going to be the first one, and I was going to work really hard and prove it to them. The staff was super competitive, but they were smart feminist guys. It was hierarchical and stressful, but it was not because of my fellow writers, except that I wanted to impress them. I felt nervous because I wanted to be contributing, but I don’t know why — I just loved the pilot so much that Greg had made, and I loved these characters, and this world — I was like, I can’t possibly lose my job, I love it too much. Which is probably really stupid, I didn’t ever think there’s a possibility that I could get fired here.
Phyllis (Phyllis Smith), Kelly (Mindy Kaling), Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Michael (Steve Carell) in a scene from Season 2 of “The Office.”
(Paul Drinkwater / NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
We see how AJ wants to impress the boss and takes on more than she can chew and screws up some data before a big presentation. What was that first big mistake or misstep that you made in those early years that you still think about?
I remember Season 2 — because I just wanted to prove to Greg and to the cast and to the director, the cinematographer, and everyone that I was super invested — we were shooting “The Dundies” [episode]. I was an actor on the show as well, but I wasn’t acting in this scene, but it was my episode [that I wrote], and in between takes, John [Krasinski, who played Jim Halpert] and Jenna [Fischer, who played Pam Beesly] were just on set, and I remember going up to them and being like, “Guys, that take was so great!” And I walked away. Greg came up to me and was like, “You know, we really should let just the director talk to the cast between takes.” Greg, he’s my mentor, but he definitely, over the course of the eight years I lived there, had corrected me many times, as he should have, but that was one of the first times. I remember I was so embarrassed, but I didn’t understand it’s not the role of a story editor to be giving feedback to the cast between takes on a show.
The bosses on the show all have different styles and expectations that may seem demanding or annoying on the surface. How do they reflect where you’re at now?
No one trains you on how to be a good boss. And bad bosses are so prevalent. The entire premise of “The Office” hinges on this funny concept that terrible bosses exist. It wasn’t until I was on “The Mindy Project” that I was the employer for the first time. Every single year of that show, it was a battle getting a new season. One of the challenges of being a good boss is being able to put aside those personal, professional battles you’re fighting … but then also realizing that you’re a mentor to other people, and you have to start thinking about things that you never thought you needed to — overtime, maternity leave, respect in the workplace, the things that make the workplace enjoyable for everyone else who’s there working for you. And it’s not like that comes naturally.
The double blessing of having a good boss, which I did in Greg Daniels and Howard Klein [an executive producer on “The Office”], is that they modeled that for me. Even though I could not be more different than Greg. Even to this day, I’m realizing I have all the unique challenges of being a single mom, being the creator of these shows with crews and casts, but then also being able to be empathetic for all the people that work for me and making sure I make time to listen to them when they want to talk to me about an issue that they’re having; it’s a continual challenge that I’m hoping I’m getting better and better at [managing].
When Bill is asked about work-life balance, he’s also asked if he has inspirational words to impart. It’s very much about overworking and being productive. How do you tackle the question today?
I used to say “you have to write your own part.” And everyone would get annoyed because they’re like, “I’m not a writer.” I’ve had to really think about the question so I could be helpful. We all want a linear path to success. And if my career has taught me anything, it’s that the linear path just was not how I got my job. You know when you go on Google Maps and it shows you all the different paths — the fastest, one path with the toll road and one path that’s going to take seven minutes longer. I’ve only ever taken the one that’s seven minutes longer, or the toll; it’s never been the easy way. The sooner I got used to that, the better.
Before I let you go, in the show, one of the celebrity clients Abby is dealing with is Austin Blanchett, Cate Blanchett’s fictional nephew. Was it always going to be Cate? What other celebs were in the running?
It was Cate Blanchett’s nephew before we had Harry Richardson. When I worked on “Ocean’s Eight,” one of the biggest surprises on it was that Cate Blanchett was incredibly funny and did not take herself seriously at all. I suspect if anyone was going to think it was funny that in this fictional world of the show she had this useless nepo nephew that she had to help get jobs, it would be Cate. I hope she doesn’t sue me. I think she would think it was funny.
Contenders are almost lined up for the 79th Tony Awards.
Tony nominee Uzo Aduba and Tony winner Darren Criss on Tuesday morning will announce the nominees live on CBS and YouTube. Nominated productions included “The Lost Boys” and “The Balusters,” with Rose Byrne (“Fallen Angels”) and John Lithgow (“Giant”) earning acting nods.
Other headline nominees included John Lithgow (“Giant”), Lesley Manville (“Oedipus”), Nathan Lane (“Death of a Salesman”), Daniel Radcliffe (“Every Brilliant Thing”) and Stephanie Hsu (“The Rocky Horror Show”).
The 79th Tony Awards will return to New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on June 7. The ceremony, hosted by Pink, will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
Here is the complete list of nominees. (This story is being updated.)
Performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical
Sara Chase, “Schmigadoon!” Stephanie Hsu, “The Rocky Horror Show” Caissie Levy, “Ragtime” Marla Mindelle, “Titaníque” Christiani Pitts, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)”
Performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical
Nicholas Christopher, “Chess” Luke Evans, “The Rocky Horror Show” Joshua Henry, “Ragtime” Sam Tutty, “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)” Brandon Uranowitz, “Ragtime”
Performance by an actress in a leading role in a play
The stars of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” thrilled us with their bold fashion choices at the film’s world premiere in New York City on Monday night, the most recent stop in a press tour that began at the end of March. Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt brought their A game, embracing method dressing without going overboard. Even Miranda Priestly would be proud.
While the film dons Prada’s name, Schiaparelli was among the go-to designers for the promo tour. From custom numbers to archival pieces, cast members, new and old, impressed in gowns that deserved center spreads in Runway. And there were no florals in sight.
Anne Hathaway attends “The Devil Wears Prada 2” world premiere in New York.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
During the film’s New York City premiere, Hathaway wore a devilish satin red gown. Designed by Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton, Hathaway’s tea-length dress was paired with dazzling jewels from Bulgari.
Lady Gaga attends “The Devil Wears Prada 2” world premiere at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in New York.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
Styled by sisters Chloe and Chenelle Delgadillo, Lady Gaga donned a black Saint Laurent gown from the fashion house’s fall 2016 collection. But Gaga really turned heads with her sparkling 7-carat earrings designed by Tiffany & Co.
Gaga has a cameo in the film, which director David Frankel told Vanity Fair was the “the worst-kept secret in showbiz.” The entertainer also wrote and recorded “Runway” with rapper Doechii for the sequel’s soundtrack.
Meryl Streep attends “The Devil Wears Prada 2” premiere on Monday.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
Streep paired her statement sunglasses with a Givenchy by Sarah Burton caped dress at the film’s New York City premiere. The sweeping red dress included elegant black gloves that matched her Stuart Weitzman heels.
Emily Blunt attends “The Devil Wears Prada 2” world premiere in New York.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
Emily Blunt wore a dress from the Schiaparelli spring 2026 line. The dress’ structured bodice gave way into tulle skirt, with the fabric’s warm tone contrasting Blunt’s dark red lip. The bustier was covered in 25,000 silk thread feathers, which required roughly 4,000 hours of work.
Simone Ashley attends “The Devil Wears Prada 2” world premiere at David Geffen Hall in New York.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
“Bridgerton” star Simone Ashley made her “Devil Wears Prada” debut in a vintage high-low Prada dress. Styled by Rebecca Corbin-Murray, she paired the chartreuse dress with marching diamonds. Ashley plays Amari Mari, Miranda’s first assistant in the film.
Meryl Streep promotes “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in Seoul.
(Ahn Young-joon / AP)
Streep wore a custom Prada power suit and David Yurman jewels while promoting the film in Seoul.
Anne Hathaway on the red carpet to promote “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in Seoul.
(Ahn Young-joon / AP)
During the film’s premiere in Seoul, Hathaway donned a red leather Balenciaga number. Dressed by stylist Erin Walsh, the oversize jacket contrasted with her pencil skirt, and the look was tied together with Hathaway’s sleek ponytail.
Meryl Streep attends the “The Devil Wears Prada 2” premiere at Anahuacalli Museum in Mexico City.
(Angel Delgado / Getty Images for Disney)
During the press tour’s kickoff in Mexico City, Streep — styled by Micaela Erlanger — donned a long, belted navy blue Schiaparelli dress.
Anne Hathaway promotes “The Devil Wears Prada 2” on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”
(Scott Kowalchyk / CBS)
For an appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” Hathaway wore vintage Versace.
