Kimberly Akimbo Wins 2023 Tony for Best Original Score, Making Jeanine Tesori the Winningest Female Composer

Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaiare were named the winner of the 2023 Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre at the 76th Annual Tony Awards, held at the United Palace in Washington Heights June 11.

"We first want to thank the great state of New Jersey. Of every town in New Jersey that we mentioned tonight, our favorite town in New Jersey is Union," said Lindsay-Abaire accepting the award, referencing the current WGA Strike. "If you want to believe in the power of storytelling, please support the WGA and everything that they're fighting for."

"Victoria Clark, our great optimist," added Tesori, thanking their musical's Tony-nominated star. "And this week the sky was a bright canary yellow, so there you go."

The pair won for their work on Kimberly Akimbo. This is Tesori's second win in this category, following her 2015 win for the score of Fun Home alongside Lisa Kron. This makes her the most-awarded female composer in Broadway history. Lindsay-Abaire and Tesori were previously nominated together for their work on Shrek the Musical.

READ: Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire Break Down the Origin of Each Song in the Tony-Nominated Kimberly Akimbo

Others in the category included Tom Kitt and Cameron Crowe for Almost Famous, Helen Park and Max Vernon for KPOP, Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally for Shucked, and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman for Some Like It Hot.

READ: How to Watch and Stream the 2023 Tony Awards

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