Tony Awards 2016: Cast of ‘Hamilton’ elect against using prop guns in performance after Orlando tragedy

The ties between the LGBTQ community and Broadway are strong, and while we know that Sunday night’s Tony Awards are going to be a celebration of theater and some of the great work onstage, it will also mark an occasion to reflect on the great tragedy at a gay nightclub in Orlando overnight that left fifty people dead.

In a post on Twitter, Michael Paulson of the New York Times has confirmed one change when it comes to the performances tonight; the cast of “Hamilton,” the musical likely set to win the lion’s share of trophies tonight, has decided to not use prop guns during their performance in light of the gun-related tragedy in Florida. Earlier today, the show’s star in Lin-Manuel Miranda also posted the photo below on Twitter following the tragedy.

While there is not much time between now and the start of the show, we imagine that there may be some other changes that take place out of sensitivity for the tragedy and respect for some of the victims. We would anticipate a slightly different opening, as the Tony organizers have already said that the show tonight is being dedicated to the victims.

In the end, it will seem strange in general to have some sort of celebration at a time when there are so many people suffering; however, the performers at this show are veterans, and they realize that one of the purposes of entertainment is healing, and helping to get people through difficult times. Hopefully, they will be able to do just that during the show tonight, and serve as a distraction from some other headlines from the day.

If you are interested in seeing some other news when it comes to the Tony Awards tonight, be sure to head over to the link here. (Photo: Tony Awards.)