Get ready with Stereophonic’s Sarah Pidgeon for the Tony Awards

Hosted for the third time by Ariana DeBose, the 77th Annual Tony Awards did what it has always done best, recognizing theatrical excellence and bringing Broadway to the home with real performances Memorable. This year’s high points included Jay-Z making a surprise appearance mid-show to duet with Alicia Keys for Hell Kitchen; a wonderful tribute to legendary stage actress Chita Rivera; Jonathan Groff wins his first Tony (it’s about time!) and gives a heartfelt, tearful acceptance speech; And Stereo, the darling of spring, won the coveted Tony Award for Best Play. For first-time nominee Sarah Pidgeon, it was by all accounts a perfect evening—at Balenciaga, no less.

“What struck me most after last night was realizing how strong the sense of community is in theater and feeling so lucky that I now get to be a part of it,” Pidgeon told us over the phone. that community”. The actress, who headlined last month’s Met Gala with an appearance by Christopher John Rogers, made her live stage debut this spring as lead singer Diana in Stereo and has received rave reviews ever since. David Adjmi’s play about a Fleetwood Mac-like band on the rise in the mid-’70s received a record 13 nominations this year, including Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in the play for Pidgeon. It’s no surprise that the movie is a constant sellout and features a great cast combined with original songs by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler.

Set up in a sun-drenched room at Times Square Edition, Pidgeon and her team prepared for Broadway’s biggest night with an African jazz playlist chosen by makeup artist Shayna Goldberg, and pasta and salads served in-room, and of course, champagne. “It was fun, easy, and stress-free,” she told us about that afternoon. Stylist Chloe Hartstein arrived just in time to help Pidgeon create her look—an off-the-shoulder Balenciaga dress from designer Demna’s S/S 24 collection.

There were other interesting considerations in the running, but Pidgeon told me the pieces didn’t start to come together until she went to Balenciaga and tried on the dress. “I had never bought a wedding dress, but it was like my wedding dress moment you just know,” she recalls. “What I really like about it is its structure with the corset and bodice, like a dress inside out. … It gives a sense of confidence and humor while also being incredibly elegant .” For Pidgeon, there’s no worse feeling than wearing an outfit that doesn’t reflect how she feels. The Balenciaga dress is the opposite. Wearing it felt like she and the dress were meant to be together.

Hartstein helped accent the look with vintage Fred Leighton jewelry, 19th century Colombian emerald and diamond pendant earrings, a 1940s emerald and diamond gold ring, and a Pidgeon’s favorite Victorian yellow and green enameled snake arm. On her left hand, she wears a sentimental ring that her father gave her mother shortly before Pidgeon was born. A pair of Manolo Blahnik heels completed the look.

To create the charm, Pidgeon and her team tested many different ideas until they arrived at a somewhat classic, easy-to-wear look. “It was an acting night and I wanted to feel like an old-time Hollywood actress,” Pidgeon said. Hairstylist David von Cannon created a romantic wavy hairstyle that complimented the structure of her dress and sat behind her shoulders to show off her neckline. Pidgeon doesn’t like to wear a lot of makeup, so she chose a fresh, super bright look that also emphasized the eyes — a Goldberg specialty. The hardest thing was keeping any color on her lips. Pidgeon has a nervous habit of licking her lips, and Goldberg has given her a word about keeping the liner on all night. “My tongue has a mind of its own, especially on a night like that,” she said with a laugh.

Reflecting on that evening, Pidgeon said that it was one of the cast’s first times Stereo really got to take a moment to celebrate all of their success, making it even more special. “We’ve been putting our heads down and really working on this product for a long time, so just having a night off to dance and hug each other… I’m so proud to be a part of it,” she said. of this product”. After the play’s big win, Pidgeon and her family went to a series of after-parties. First stop was the gala, where she enjoyed every hors d’oeuvre offered, followed by the party. Stereo party, where there are lots of hugs and kisses, and her shoes finally come off. The night ended at Carlyle’s infamous party, where she walked around in hotel slippers. “It’s very fashionable,” she chuckled.