The Tonys And Why Theater Still Matters For Those Who Feel Othered

LeadershipForbesWomenThe Tonys And Why Theater Still Matters For Those Who Feel OtheredByJennifer Jay Palumbo,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Writer by day, Comic by night, who aims to inform, inspire, and amuse.Follow AuthorMay 26, 2026, 10:45am EDTMay 26, 2026, 11:24am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 16: Vivienne Jolie, Angelina Jolie, Sky Lakota-Lynch, Adam Rapp, Matthew Rego, Danya Taymor, Hank Unger, and cast and crew accept the Best Musical award for "The Outsiders" onstage during The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)Getty Images for Tony Awards ProductionsEach year, the Tony Awards nominees offer a snapshot of where theater is headed. Some years, the conversation centers on spectacle. In other years, audiences are captivated by a breakout performance, a memorable score, or a production that captures the cultural mood.This year’s conversations seem to be circling something quieter and perhaps more enduring: belonging.At a time when many people describe feeling isolated, overstimulated, disconnected, or unseen, theater continues to offer something increasingly uncommon. It asks people to sit together, experience emotions together, and encounter stories in ways that resist shortcuts and algorithms.That matters especially for people who have spent parts of their lives feeling outside the expected frame.Research exploring theater and inclusion, including work published through the University of Nebraska’s Dialogue journal, has examined how performance spaces can support identity formation, empathy, and participation. Additional scholarship on inclusive theatre and diversity practices, along with practical conversations about neurodiversity and accessibility in th...