NORTH CENTER — "Hamilton" nabbed most of the buzz, and the statuettes, at Sunday's Tony Awards, but it was Best Play winner "The Humans" that earned the biggest cheers from Chicago's theater community.
We saw the show first.
In an unusual arrangement with New York's Roundabout Theatre, which commissioned "The Humans," North Center's American Theater Company mounted the play's world premiere in 2014 under the direction of PJ Paparelli.
"The Humans" during its world premiere run at American Theater Co. [American Theater Company]
Stephen Karam, "The Humans" playwright, thanked ATC and Paparelli during his acceptance speech Sunday.
"'The Humans' is a family play and I want to give a shout out to ... PJ and my Chicago ATC family," Karam said.
Karam and Paparelli were longtime collaborators, with ATC producing four of Karam's plays.
Paparelli, ATC's artistic director, died in 2015 from injuries suffered in a car accident. The theater is currently wrapping up a "legacy" season in tribute to Paparelli, closing with a spoof of his all-time favorite movie, "Xanadu!," which runs through mid-July.
Another show that originated at @AmericanTheater, The Humans, getting critical acclaim @TheTonyAwards, Best Feature Actress Jayne Houdyshell
— Ben Jacobson (@bfjacobson) June 13, 2016
Congrats, @stephenkaram! Such a beautiful play. And again so amazing that it premiered in Chicago @AmericanTheater. https://t.co/Pb67CmKFs9
— Goodman Theatre (@GoodmanTheatre) June 13, 2016
Loved The Humans @AmericanTheater ...so glad I got to see it up close and personal in Chicago before it went to NYC. #TonyAwards
— Derek Bertelsen (@derek_bertelsen) June 13, 2016
@AmericanTheater getting a shout out at the #TonyAwards #chicagotheatre
— Shane Rhoades (@sdr1987) June 13, 2016
Really happy to hear Stephen Karam give a shoutout to the late PJ Paparelli and @AmericanTheater, where ‘The Humans’ premiered. #TonyAwards
— Kris Vire (@krisvire) June 13, 2016
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