John Lithgow makes history as Death of Salesman wins big at Tonys

John Lithgow poses with the award for best performance by a leading actor (Evan Agostini/AP)

Schmigadoon! and Death of a Salesman were among the big winners at the Tony Awards in New York as actor John Lithgow made history.

On a night when 80-year-old Lithgow became the oldest man to win a competitive acting Tony when he claimed best lead actor in a play for Giant, playing children’s writer Roald Dahl in Mark Rosenblatt’s production, Schmigadoon! took the best new musical award and Death of a Salesman won best play revival among six gongs on the night.

Schmigadoon! is an adaptation of an Apple TV series and parodies Broadway classics like The Music Man and Oklahoma!, while focusing on a couple who find themselves in a Brigadoon-style fantasy land.

Micah Frank, from left, Lorne Michaels, and Caroline Maroney pose in the press room with the award for best musical for Schmigadoon! (Evan Agostini/AP)

Best new play went to Bess Wohl’s Liberation, which also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama earlier this year.

The win makes Wohl only the fourth woman to win a best play Tony, along with Wendy Wasserstein, Yasmina Reza and Frances Goodrich.

“I want to honour women everywhere who have the courage to use their voice,” said Wohl.

“And to all the girls out there: May you speak your truth, and may the world be wise enough to listen.”

Joe Mantello accepts the award for best direction of a play for Death of a Salesman (Charles Sykes/AP)

The Arthur Miller classic Death of a Salesman won the 1949 Tony for best new play and best revival crowns in 1984, 1999 and 2012.

Among its six awards was a gong for Roseanne star Laurie Metcalf, who plays Willy Loman’s wife opposite Nathan Lane in the revival.

Ragtime, a musical which depicts an America being remade by immigration, racial violence, industrial wealth and political unrest, won the best musical revival.

Lithgow said: “Two Tony bookends with 53 years between them.

“In those years, I have worked with hundreds of just fantastic theatre artists.

“I’ve had dozens and dozens of ecstatic moments on the stage, but I have to tell you right now, this moment has got to be one of the best.”

The show was hosted by pop star Pink, who kicked off proceedings by spinning and then dangling uncomfortably from a harness over the stage dressed as Peter Pan.

After a brief skit with former host Neil Patrick Harris, she put on a top hat and performed Lady Marmalade alongside a cast which included Lea Michele and Megan Thee Stallion.