Lin-Manuel Miranda of ‘Hamilton’ reads moving sonnet at Tonys

“Hamilton” creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda chalks it up to theater being “one of the last entertainment mediums” where writers of projects still maintain creative control.

This year’s Tony Awards was slated to be something of a love fest for Broadway sensation “Hamilton”, but instead it was a testament to love and acceptance in the wake of the shooting at an Orlando nightclub that killed 49 people and injured dozens more.

His own tears over the Orlando tragedy were infectious, as he spoke of “when senseless acts of tragedy remind us that nothing is promised, not one day”. Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love can not be killed or swept aside I sing Vanessa’s symphony. “Fill the world with music, love and pride”.

Check out the speech below.

Before announcing Hamilton as the victor for Best Musical, Barbra Streisand told the audience, “Tonight our joy is tinged with sorrow, but we’re here to celebrate Broadway and the beauty that artistry can bring into this world”.

HAMILTON’S creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical In the Heights, which is now enjoying a very successful run at London’s Kings Cross Theatre. “We live in times when hate and fear seem stronger”.

“The Humans” actor Reed Birney won the award for Best Featured Actor in a Play; his co-star Jayne Houdyshell won for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the same show.

“Growing up I felt that there was no place for me here”, said Daveed Diggs, who took home the statuette for Featured Actor in a Musical for his part in Hamilton. Cynthia Erivo won best lead actress for her performance in “The Color Purple”. Thomas Kail won the award for Best Director of a Musical.

But there was a major watershed moment last night: All four Tonys for acting in musicals went to people of color.

Jessica Lange won her first Tony for playing a drug-addled mother in the revival of the monumental “Long Day’s Journey Into Night“.

Speaking of singalongs, Corden adopted the “Hamilton” practice of performing for a streetside crowd, actual putting on brief shows outside the Beacon Theater.