In April 2023, Alex Newell returned to Broadway in "Shucked," the corny musical comedy that quickly popped to the top of the list of the hottest tickets in town. The New York Times raved that Newell "stops the show" as Lulu, a sexy, single entrepreneur. Audiences showered the star with standing ovations for their powerhouse performance of "Independently Owned," a bluesy bluegrass anthem celebrating strong women, which Newell also performed on NBC's "The Voice." Two months later, Newell made history, becoming the first of two openly nonbinary actors to receive a Tony Award the same night.
"I have wanted this my entire life," Newell told the roaring crowd, already on their feet (via the Daily Mail). "Thank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black little baby from Massachusetts. And to anyone that thinks that they can't do it, I'm going to look you dead in your face that you can do anything you put your mind to." Newell mouthed the words, "Thank you," as they exited the stage, visibly overcome with emotion.
Following Newell's win in the featured actor category, J. Harrison Ghee picked up the best actor in a musical trophy for their performance in "Some Like It Hot." In an interview with Broadway World, Newell revealed they were drawn to the character of "Shucked's" Lulu, a 30-something unattached woman, because they're both forging their paths in life on their own. "So it's been learning to be okay with that," Newell noted.
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