When the Tony Awards have handed out the final award of the night and the curtain comes down at Radio City Music Hall, Broadway’s best are ready to let loose.
Immediately following the annual ceremony are the afterparties, and they typically go all night long. (Yes, some people are heading home as the sun begins to rise!)
After years at The Plaza and a stint at the Museum of Modern Art, the main 2026 Tony Awards afterparty was held at Rockefeller Center. As soon as the ceremony concludes, many people who were at the awards filter their way into the official Tonys afterparty for small bites, drinks and hellos.
Press are usually last to arrive since the Best Leading Actor and Actress in a Musical — Caissie Levy and Joshua Henry, both from Ragtime — made their way across the street to the press room after the show concludes.
Inside Rockefeller Center, the music was blasting, and the drinks were flowing. Dewar’s signature cocktails — the Showtime Spritz and the Maid for the Stage — were being passed around as guests filled up on Luke’s Lobster mini lobster rolls, Shake Shack ShackBurgers, NARO Fried Chicken and more.
Darren Criss was busy doing interviews while his wife, Mia Swier, talked to friends. Meanwhile, Ali Louis Bourzgui — who was awarded the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his work in The Lost Boys — was being flanked by photographers who were all trying to capture the joy radiating off his body as he held his trophy.
Two Strangers Tony nominee Sam Tutty was spotted deep in conversation, and his Tony-nominated costar Christiani Pitts worked the room as she made her way through Rockefeller Center in her ethereal Marchesa gown.
While the room was buzzing (and there was barely any space to elbow your way through the crowd!), it was only a matter of time before everyone started to make their way to the exit to bop around midtown Manhattan at the various parties held in celebration of the Tonys.
Lesley Manville, who won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her work in Oedipus, was being congratulated by just about everybody on the street outside of FAO Schwarz at Rockefeller Plaza as people waited for their cabs and Ubers to jet off to their next stop.
For me, it was off to the Ragtime afterparty held at Rosa Mexicano right across the street from Lincoln Center.
Lear deBessonet, who directed the Tony Award-winning Best Revival, was like the belle of the ball. She was being hugged and congratulated by everyone in the room, so it took her a while before she even made it past the stairs.
Levy, the musical’s Tony-winning leading lady, was tucked away in the back, talking to others in attendance who were all congratulating her on her big win for playing Mother.
Meanwhile, the Tony-winning Best Musical Schmigadoon! was celebrating at Ascent Lounge in Columbus Circle, where the cast and creative team rejoiced in their big win.
Then, it was off to the Carlyle, where all of Broadway inevitably ends up during the wee hours of the morning.
Over at the annual late-night bash hosted by publicist Rick Miramontez and producers John Gore and Jamie DuMont, Broadway’s best were partying until nearly 5 a.m. with music by DJ Natasha Diggs, DJ Never Dull and DJ Webz.
The party was completely packed, with nearly every Broadway star in attendance, including former Tonys host Ariana DeBose, Sarah Paulson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Dylan Mulvaney, Jessica Vosk, Adrienne Warren, Bowen Yang and many, many more.
Megan Thee Stallion was seen fangirling over Solea Pfeiffer’s impromptu performance of “If I Were a Bell” at the piano. In another room (in a totally surreal moment straight out of Harry Potter), Tom Felton could be seen grabbing Daniel Radcliffe for a personal chat over in the corner.
After being asked by Death Becomes Her songwriter Julia Mattison and her husband, actor Drew Gehling, to dance upstairs, we all made our way to another floor where a DJ was playing and guests danced the night away. A Glee reunion was simultaneously happening between Tony winner Alex Newell and Chris Colfer.
In one of the most anticipated moments of the night, Tony winners Shoshana Bean and Levy made their way through the crowd and were met with hugs and congratulations.
The party began dwindling down at around 4:30 a.m., when Ubers, Lyfts and cabs started pulling up to 76th Street — and revelers finally made their way home after another successful Tonys.
Photo Credit: Julia Khoroshilov, Laurel Hinton, Little Fang
