Sunday night on CBS, the 72nd Annual Tony Awards were presented at Radio City Music Hall in New York City,  Hosted by Josh Groban and Sarah Bareilles, there were several notable moments in the show.

The evening’s big winner took home 10 Tonys, and that was the Best Musical recipient, The Band’s Visit. Of the nominees in the category, The Band’s Visit was the critical darling with its social and political message.  The musical is based on a 2007 Israeli film of the same name.  It centers on members of an Egyptian police orchestra booked to play a concert at the Israeli city of Petah Tikvah, who mistakenly wind up in the wrong town. Over the next few hours, the townspeople and the musicians learn about each other and themselves.

Photo: Ahron R. Foster.

Tony Shalhoub took home Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his work in The Band’s Visit.  In his acceptance speech, he spoke to immigrants building a life in the United States:  “I want to connect this moment to a moment that occurred nearly a century ago in 1920 when my father arrived on a boat from Lebanon and first set foot here on Ellis Island. He was then just a boy of 8. Disembarked on Ellis Island just a few short miles from this very spot. So tonight I celebrate him and all of those whose family journeyed before him and with him and after him.”

The most talked about moment that will be remembered, when all is said and done, was Robert De Niro coming to the stage to introduce a performance by Bruce Springsteen.  When De Niro got to the mic, he shocked all and said: “First, I wanna say, ‘f**k Trump,'”  He then added: “It’s no longer ‘Down with Trump,’ it’s ‘f**k Trump.'”   U.S. viewers at home heard dead silence, though in other regions the f-bombs reportedly weren’t censored. The expletives sparked a huge reaction from the audience, with many of the celebrities standing up.

Courtesy/CBS

However, the acceptance speech of the night belonged to Andrew Garfield, who took home the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his turn as Prior Walter in the revival of Angels In America.

Garfield expressed: “At a moment in time, where maybe the most important thing we remember right now is the sanctity of the human spirit, it is the profound privilege of my life to play Prior Walter in Angels in America, because he represents the purest spirit of humanity and especially that of the LGBTQ community. It is a spirit that says ‘no’ to oppression, it is a spirit that says ‘no’ to bigotry, ‘no’ to shame, ‘no’ to exclusion. It is a spirit that says we are all made perfectly and we all belong.  So, I dedicate this award to the countless LGBTQ people who have fought and died to protect that spirit, to protect that message, for the right to live and love as we are created to.”

Then the actor closed his acceptance speech with this message based off the recent Supreme Court ruling where a gay couple was denied a custom wedding cake to be made for their nuptials, because of the religious beliefs of a Colorado baker.  The court ruled to absolve the baker of discrimination. Garfield shared: “We are all sacred and we all belong, so let’s just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked.  Thank you so much”

Courtesy/CBS

In a surprise appearance at the Tony Awards, 16 students from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama department took to the stage. What happened next was the most touching moment of the evening.  With the iconic melody of “Seasons of Love” beginning to play, a chorus of voices began their rendition of the hit song from Rent.   The performance brought the audience to its feet.  Almost four month ago, the high school located in Parkland, Florida was the scene of a mass shooting leaving 17 dead and 17 injured.

Check out the complete list of Tony Winners here.

So, what was your favorite highlight of the 72nd Annual Tony Awards? Comment below.  In case you missed it, watch: Robert De Niro’s f-bombs, Andrew Garfield’s acceptance speech, and the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school’s performance.