The Aussie-bound hit show about the life of one of America’s founding fathers won 11 awards, including best musical and lead actor.
Host James Corden dedicated the night to celebrating the diversity of Broadway, saying: “Our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity. All we can say is you’re not on your own right now. Your tragedy is our tragedy.
“Hate will never win. Tonight’s show stands as a symbol and a celebration of that principle.”
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle introduced the cast of Hamilton, which had 16 nominations, with a video message at the ceremony. The president said it was “not only a smash hit but a civics lesson our kids can’t get enough of”, while rapper Common described the show as a “cultural phenomenon”.
It won awards including best musical, best director, best original score and best book of a musical for the spoken, non-sung dialogue and storyline.
The cast changed their performance in the light of the Orlando shooting, which killed 49 people and wounded 53, leaving their prop guns behind when they took to the stage.
Hamilton, which won the Pulitzer Prize for drama earlier this year, has been hailed as “a landmark American musical”, garnering celebrity fans including Star Wars director JJ Abrams, Jay Z and President Obama.
Veteran US actor Frank Langella, who won best performance by a lead actor in a play for his role in The Father, urged Orlando to be “strong” in the wake of the atrocity.
“I’m standing in a room full of the most generous human beings on earth and we will be with you every step of the way,” he said.
Jessica Lange won the award for best performance by a lead actress in a play for her role as morphine-addicted Mary Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey Into Night.
“This is a dream come true. It fills me with such happiness even on such a sad day as this,” she said.
Barbra Streisand also attended the ceremony for the first time in 46 years to hand out the best musical award.
The major winners are:
Musical
- Hamilton
Lead actress in a musical
- Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Lead actor in a musical
- Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton
Revival of a musical
- The Color Purple
Play
- The Humans
Revival of a Play
- Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
Lead actor in a play
- Frank Langella, The Father
Choreography
- Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Lead actress in a play
- Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Book of a musical
- Hamilton
Orchestrations
- Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Featured actor in a play
- Reed Birney, The Humans
Direction of a musical
- Thomas Kail, Hamilton
Direction of a play
- Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
Original score (music and/or lyrics)
- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Featured actor in a musical
- Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Featured actress in a play
- Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Featured actress in a musical
- Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Scenic design of a play
- David Zinn, The Humans
Scenic design of a musical
- David Rockwell, She Loves Me
Costume design of a play
- Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Costume design of a musical
- Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Lighting design of a play
- Natasha Katz, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Lighting design of a musical
- Howell Binkley, Hamilton
