Paige Finn DohertyFounding Partner, Behind Genius · Founding Partner at Behind Genius Ventures

The Moment I Almost Missed Winning a Tony

21 Mar 2025 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:19

In this candid, first‑person YouTube vignette, the speaker recounts the tense moments leading up to the Tony Awards announcement that their show, The Outsiders, won Best Director of a Musical. At 11 p.m., she describes her nervous physical state—drooping makeup and dress, biting her nails—while the industry expected another production to win. When Donia Taymor, a first‑time musical director, is announced, the speaker initially freezes, needing a push from her producing partner Larry, who grabs her arm and urges her onto the stage. She also highlights Angelina Jolie’s role as a supportive general partner who joined them onstage, describing the experience as a “pinch‑me” moment. The narrative blends personal anxiety, celebration of Taymor’s debut success, and gratitude toward collaborators.

Chapters

So it's 11 o'clock at night. Your makeup is drooping. Your dress is drooping. You're on pins and needles but trying to be cool. And a few awards before Best Musical is Best Director of a Musical. And everyone in the industry was quite sure that that was going to go to not The Outsiders. And then they announced our director's name, Donia Taymor, who really— Who's amazing. She made magic with The Outsiders. That's the only way to describe it. She did a magical job. And this was the first musical she'd ever directed, ever. And then I bit all my fingernails off, so that was good. And then they— no. And my producing partner Larry was getting closer to the aisle, and he got up, and they said Outsiders. And I swear to you, Paige, I heard Hell's Kitchen. I swear. I didn't get up. He looked at me, and he grabs my arm, and he goes, get up! Anyway, I said, what? No. And he was like, what is the matter with you, dummy? Get up! Angelina Jolie is one of our general partners on the show and has been so supportive and so wonderful throughout the entire process. She came to the Tony Awards, got up on stage with us. It was a real honor, like a pinch-me moment, you know?