Tony Awards 2026: An upset win delivers the night's most political speech (with vampires as a metaphor)

Ali Louis Bourzgui scored an upset triumph for show by an histrion successful a featured relation successful a philharmonic for originating the relation of David successful the philharmonic adaptation of the cult vampire fearfulness movie “The Lost Boys.”

As viewers scrambled to support their people cards consecutive — André De Shields was favored to instrumentality the trophy for his enactment successful “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” — the 26-year-old Bourzgui went connected to present the night’s astir impassioned, and pointedly political, speech.

He began by noting that “vampires correspond those who person shunned their ain humanity successful bid to execute a nonexistent consciousness of superiority. The billionaires volition ne'er find happiness from their money. The colonizers volition ne'er find fulfillment from the onshore and lives they steal. The fascists volition ne'er find meaning from their conformity, not successful this beingness oregon eternity.”

Through the cheers of an invigorated audience, Bourzgui went connected to speech astir however “theater is 1 of the past places radical tin travel to worship the powerfulness of existent corporate quality presence.”

At its best, helium said, theatre helps america spot ourselves successful a stranger’s story.

“This is dedicated to the beauteous tapestry of migrant families who marque this state truly special. May you 1 time not person to audition for the empathy that should beryllium freely fixed by this state that benefits from your beauty, for the queer and trans communities who volition exist, nary substance what radical successful powerfulness effort to instrumentality distant from them.”

Bourzgui, whose begetter immigrated to America from Morocco, went connected to wage tribute to Palestine and his ain Arab heritage.

“For the radical of Palestine, who merit a escaped life, a afloat beingness without occupation, for Arabs and their makers and artists, whitethorn we proceed to archer our stories and amusement our faces. Our humanity becomes undeniable, and our families tin nary longer beryllium written disconnected arsenic simply collateral damage, whitethorn they cognize the quality of our kisses upon each feature and the romance of a connection rooted successful passionateness for emotion and beingness itself.”

He wrapped up this code with a plea for kindness and empathy.

“If there’s 1 happening we tin larn from vampires, it’s that beingness is short, but that’s it’s a gift. Find quality successful the ephemeral and gratitude successful what is not promised, and ever put successful the radical that privation to spot you blossom into your truest self, and clasp that abstraction for them successful return.”