Michael Arden's Censored Tony Awards Speech Champions Jewish and LGBTQ Communities.

Michael Arden won his first Tony Award for directing the Broadway revival of "Parade," a musical about the lynching of Leo Frank by an antisemitic mob. In his acceptance speech, Arden called out homophobia and other forms of intolerance, recalling how he had been called a homophobic slur as a child. He also drew cheers for reclaiming the slur and urged people to keep raising their voices. Arden's revival of "Parade" emphasizes the love story between Leo and Lucille Frank, played by Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond. Platt's wordless presence during the intermission has also been a talked-about feature of the production.