Food Trucks, a Table of Tonys: Here's What Happened at the Tony Awards After Party

The Tony Awards may be considered Broadway's biggest night, but after the big night comes the big night parties. Traditionally, the Tony Awards have an official after party at the Plaza Hotel and individual Broadway shows also have their own parties. This year was a tad different: the official party was a big block party in the front of the United Palace, the venue for the ceremony. And Playbill got in on the fun. Below Playbill's Director of Social Media Jeffrey Vizcaíno regales us on the vibes, happenings, and amusing interactions at the Tony Awards after parties. And scroll through for photos from Playbill's Photo Editor/Photographer Heather Gershonowitz.

After leaving the media room, where we'd been interviewing and photographing the Tony Award winners, Heather Gershonowitz and I headed to the United Palace (which for the majority of the evening, I kept on calling the Imperial Palace, which I don't really know why). So we made our way over to the United Palace and went to the after party, which was set up in a way that it circled around the exterior of the theatre.

It was a block party that had tents, and inside it was tropical themed. And there was a mini-market-style bar with snacks and Broadway-themed drinks. There was a Shake Shack truck, handing out food and fun stuff, as well. And there were stars, people who had not yet left for their individual parties. We ran into (now) THREE time Tony-winner LaChanze and Sweeney Todd's Production stage Manager Cody Renard Richard (who won a Tony as well for producing Parade).

The Broadway themed mini-market at the United Palace

Fun random fact: Tony-winning playwright (and Tony committee member) David Henry Hwang walked up to Heather and I because we are still wearing our Tony Awards media badge. He was like, "Excuse me, hi, we need to get our cars." And we were like, "I'm sorry?" He was like, "Do you know where I get our cars to go home? Aren't you with the Tony Awards?"

And I was like, "Oh no, I'm sorry, this is a media badge. We're press and with Playbill." He goes, "Oh, OK!" And then walked away. So that was a fun little thing that happened. And the music was really popping off at the party.

But we knew we had to get downtown to Midtown for the show parties. So we hopped in an Uber, and we headed first to Sardis to the Some Like It Hot after party, which was very fun. They had three levels. They had people, obviously on the first and the second. And they had a DJ up on the third level, which was very fun. Everyone was in good spirits having fun. And there was a pinkish-orangey red carpet that went from the door of Sardis, up 44th Street, cut over 44th, and went into Shubert Alley—where food trucks had taken over Shubert Alley in honor of Some Like It Hot. They had an ice cream truck, a Philly cheesesteak truck, and a taco truck. So you see people, like Some Like It Hot director Casey Nicholaw (who won a Tony that night) with their partner getting ice cream.

We ran into members from Polk PR, who does marketing for Some Like It Hot, who were celebrating as well. It was very great to see everyone. When we got there, Tony winner J. Harrison Ghee was putting, I believe, their mom and their family members into the car to go home. But J. was getting ready to party. And book writers Amber Ruffin and Matthew Lopez showed up at this same time, so we got to say hello to them.

And at one point Heather got to hold J. Harrison's Tony Award while they were putting on their gloves, which was a really iconic moment.

J. Harrison Ghee and Heather Gershonowitz Jeffrey Vizcaíno

Then after that wrapped, we headed uptown to Tanner Smith's on 55th Street. That is where Kimberly Akimbo and Topdog/Underdog were having their duo after party. And we got there and that place was PACKED. Everyone was having drinks, really enjoying themselves. We ran into Tony nominee Justin Cooley. Tony winners Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire were in the back holding court. And at the very back of the party, there was one table in the middle where all of the show's Tony statues sat. Friends, cast members, and attendees sat around photographing and ogling the new awards!

Everyone was just so happy and really enjoying celebrating the night. We walked by Suzan-Lori Parks and she was literally giddy, so excited, so happy—just holding on to her Tony Award oh so very tightly. And then as we were walking out, we ran into LaChanze again, but with some friends and members of her team. We got to talk to them very briefly and about how excited they were. And that was it for the night. We had a great time. We're very happy for everyone, but also VERY tired.

And I hope you've enjoyed my TED Talk.

See Playbill's photos from the afterparties below.