Leave it to Lin-Manuel Miranda to find a powerful, unique way to honors those killed in the Orlando shooting early Sunday morning.
The creator and star of Hamilton, which dominated the 2016 Tony Awards last night, made a powerful statement while accepting the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre category.
It was written in sonnet form and it opened by thanking his wife, before Miranda moved on to paying tribute to the 50 victims who were killed inside a gay nightclub.
“We chase the melodies that seem to find us until they’re finished songs and start to play,” Miranda said. “When senseless acts of tragedy remind us that nothing here is promised, not one day.”
He later added:
Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside.
“I hadn’t written anything going into today. I hadn’t heard about the day’s events until after our Tony rehearsal,” Miranda said backstage after the ceremony, during which Hamilton won 11 awards including best musical.
“I’d always had this time between rehearsal and tonight to think about what I’d say if I was lucky enough to be called up, and it sort of informed all of it…
"We live in this world where beautiful and horrible things exist at the same time and often on the same day. … Theater doesn’t exist without the LGBTQ community. It’s the cornerstone of our industry."
Earlier in the Tony Awards, host James Corden also honored the victims of the Orlando shooting.
“Hate will never win,” he remarked in pre-taped remarks before the event began.
Take a look at Miranda"s full sonnet below and join us in honoring those who died in this senseless act of ignorance, hate and cowardice in Orlando.
