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Orlando Shooting: How the 2016 Tony Awards paid tribute to the victims

The theatre community paid moving tributes to the victims.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda (L) performs with cast of 'Hamilton' during the 70th annual Tony Awards.
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On Sunday, in wake of the deadliest mass shooting in the history of US at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, the Tony Awards dedicated its 70th annual ceremony to the victims. They announced this through their Twitter handle.  

Before the show began, the cast of Hamilton said that out of respect for the Orlando Shooting victims, they would not be using prop muskets for their Revolutionary War number 'The World Turned Upside Down'. Silver ribbons were distributed and worn by every attendee in the remembrance of the victims. 

A lot of stars addressed the Orlando shooting in their speeches.

The host of the evening, James Corden on the Orlando shoot: ''Your tragedy is our tragedy. Theatre is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, embraced and loved. Hate will never win.''

Jeffrey Seller on the Orlando tragedy :  “I think we all have dealt with tragedy in a personal way — as a gay man, as a part of that community, as a citizen of this country. It has reminded me yet again of how all of our lives are intersections of joy, and tragedy.  The tragedy has dampened [the Tonys] a little bit, made it tougher. I’ve lost my good friend [composer] Jonathan Larson on the day of our first preview of 'Rent.' [Seller chokes up and then goes on.] And the only way to honor Jonathan was to go, and the only way to honor what has transpired is to go on.”

Lin-Manuel Miranda on Orlando: “I hadn’t learned of today’s events until after the Tony rehearsal. We live in a world where beautiful and horrible things exist and sometimes happen on the same day. You can’t let that moment go by. Theater is a cornerstone of the LBGT community. Theater doesn’t exist without it.”  Speaking in Spanish, he continued: “This lies heavily in my heart. This is a day of sadness, and we mourn the victims. But at the same time, it also a day of celebration, not only for me but for creative partners and my family.”

Frank Lagella, lead actor in The Father, talked about the incident ''When something bad happens we have three choices: We let it define us, we let it destroy us or we let it strengthen us.... Today, in Orlando, we had a hideous dose of reality. And I urge you, Orlando, to be strong. Because I’m standing in a room of the most generous human beings on Earth, and we will be with you every step of the way.''

Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer and presenter: ''Let me just say this, no child was ever born to hate.  The only way to take on these appalling acts is to continue with what we believe, that arts have always been so ahead and we must continue to pursue what we most believe in.''

Presenting the award for Best Musical, Broadway legend Barbra Streisand closed out the night with one last remembrance: ''Tonight our joy is tinged with sorrow but we’re here to celebrate Broadway. Art can entertain us, and at times like these, console us."

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