A group of Parkland survivors gave a surprise performance at the 2018 Tony Awards
The 2018 Tony Awards gave us plenty of memorable moments, but we think one performance in particular will stay with viewers for years to come. Drama students who survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida gave a surprise performance on Sunday, June 10th, and it was incredibly powerful.
The students sang “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent — a song about resilience in the face of tragedy. The performance was in honor of their theater teacher, Melody Herzfeld, who helped save dozens of students during the shooting at the Parkland school. Herzfeld barricaded 65 students inside a closet in her classroom during the attack.
Herzfeld received the 2018 Excellence in Theatre Education Award, which is an annual award given to a teacher who “demonstrated monumental impact on the lives of students and who embodies the highest standards of the profession.” The award also includes a $10,000 prize for the school’s theater program.
Herzfeld gave a moving acceptance speech as she accepted the award, saying, "We all want the same thing, we cannot deny it. To be heard. To hit our mark. To tell our truth. To make a difference. And to be loyally respected. We teach this every day, in every arts class. Imagine if arts were classes that were considered core, a core class in education. Imagine."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO6rs9H3soI?feature=oembed
After the show, Herzfeld spoke to NPR about the award. “It means more than anything,” she said. “To our community, it’s a sense of hope, it’s a sense of happiness, and pride and joy to recognize that these people here that live here, and these students that go to this school, they’re not just given everything. They work really hard for what they have, and to be recognized by such a special organization that doesn’t just give stuff away, it’s very meaningful to the whole community here.”
After her speech, students filled the stage to sing “Seasons of Love.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srkj63VBSHM?feature=oembed
And so many viewers took to social media to share their love and admiration both during and after the performance.
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1005982619765534725
This was so moving and beautiful. God bless them and their community and anyone who’s been touched by senseless and avoidable violence.
— Elisa Zied (@elisazied) June 11, 2018
I love and adore everyone of those kids!! They are making a difference but am so sad for what they had to go through! No child should EVER be afraid of going to school! ❤️❤️
— Linda Moore (@lindee1364) June 11, 2018
What true strength, solidarity, beauty & most importantly THE FUTURE looks like. ❤️ #MarjoryStonemanDouglas #TonyAwards
— Randy’s Travels 🏳️🌈 (@travelwithrandy) June 11, 2018
Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School just performed at the #TonyAwards.
The Parkland students have been through hell & they're signing about the power of love.
It's beautiful.
It's so, so sad.We must work so that hell happens #NeverAgain.pic.twitter.com/F5SXUNef4S
— Sam White (@samwhiteout) June 11, 2018
Watching those Parkland kids sing about love onstage at Radio City tonight was exactly what our hearts needed. Such a gorgeous moment.
— Alex Lacamoire (@LacketyLac) June 11, 2018
When you think you've become totally de-sensitized to Seasons of Love, then the theater kids from Parkland sing it and you cry like a newborn baby. #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/8uDML7TWWI
— BroadwayHD (@BroadwayHD) June 11, 2018
— jenny (@wrowro) June 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1006041527217352704
#TonyAwards
*Parkland theatre students appear onstage*
Me: Don't sing "Seasons of Love"….
*"Seasons of Love" intro starts*
Me: pic.twitter.com/4aHJyIxeWm— Hollywood Pantages (@Pantages) June 11, 2018
Others commended the Tonys for making it all possible.
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1005983101456134150
The Parkland drama department performing Seasons of Love at the #Tonys is the best thing I’ve seen in a long time. #LoveWins
— Moms Demand Fan (@MomsDemandFan) June 11, 2018
This was an iconic moment, and we won’t forget it any time soon.
