On World Theatre Day, we celebrated the TheaterMakers represented at the Academy Awards last night.

And BOY was it dramatic. (I’m not going to even talk about “the slap” – but it was quite a reminder that anything can happen when you’re doing something live.)

Here are my three quick takeaways that I celebrated on Oscar Night.

1 – Ariana DeBose is an Academy Award-winner!

So much to celebrate here!

This Tony nominated actor is the first openly queer woman of color to win the Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Anita in West Side Story.  

“So, to anybody who has ever questioned your identity, ever, ever, or you find yourself living in the gray spaces I promise you: there is indeed a place for us.”

2 – Encanto wins the Oscar for Animated Feature Film.

Just because we don’t talk about Bruno doesn’t mean we’re not going to celebrate this musical from musical makers like Lin-Manuel Miranda and more!

(Bugged that he was denied the EGOT.  But something tells me he will have MANY more chances.)

Now, let’s start a pool . . . How long before an Encanto stage musical is announced?  🙂  

Will Disney wait it out and go for the nostalgia factor, which worked so well on the early movie to musical adaptations?  Or will they go the Frozen route and get it out and fast?  

Either way, Encanto is coming, you can bet on it.

3 – CODA is the story we needed.

The “coming-of-age drama”, CODA, won big last night, taking home three Oscars including Best Picture, Best Writing of an Adapted Screenplay for Siân Heder, and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur.

And what’s even more exciting is that it TOO is going to become a musical, with my friends at Deaf West (who were behind the production of Spring Awakening I produced) taking the lead! 

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