Tony Awards host James Corden declared that “hate will never win” during a sober opening to Broadway’s biggest night Sunday, only hours after the mass murder in Florida.
“All around the world, people are trying to come to terms with the horrific events that took place in Orlando this morning,” Corden said.
“On behalf of the whole theater community and every person in this room, our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity.”
The British comic added to victims of the tragedy, “All we can say is you are not on your own right now.
“Your tragedy is our tragedy. Theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, is embraced and is loved. Hate will never win. Together we have to make sure of that. Tonight’s show stands as a symbol and a celebration of that principle.”
The show then launched straight into its typical happy-go-lucky vibe, with “Hamilton” cast members doing a spoof of their production, host Corden and the Tonys themselves.
The producers of “Hamilton’’ had dropped a musket-firing scene from another planned performance at the awards show Sunday night — while the NYPD tripled its presence outside the theater where the event was being held — in response to the Florida horror.
“Hamilton’’ actors had rehearsed segments from the show at the Beacon Theater on the Upper West Side earlier in the day, but the staged gunfire that was involved “made everyone uncomfortable” given what had happened in Orlando, so it was cut, a Tonys source said.
The Broadway show is about the nation’s first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton, who was famously killed in a duel by political rival Aaron Burr.
Hours before the show, “Hamilton’’ creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted the image of a rainbow-colored heart with the word “Orlando” under it.
The hip-hop musical was up for a record 16 Tony Awards.
The “Hamilton” rehearsal came hours after 50 people were killed inside Pulse, a gay night club.
Organizers of Broadway’s biggest night huddled with NYPD for much of Sunday, brainstorming how to heighten security at the Beacon Theater.
“The theater is incredibly secure right now, we’ve been working all day with NYPD to make sure everyone will feel and be safe to enjoy the festivities tonight,” a theater security guard said.
There would normally be around 20 cops staged in and around the event, plus the theater’s own security, but Sunday night, there were set to be more than 60 officers, sources said.
The Orlando attack also prompted the NYPD to close more Upper West Side streets around the Beacon and step up ID checks for people coming into the neighborhood for the Tonys, show sources said.
“We take this very seriously, keeping everyone safe. If someone doesn’t like it or gives a hard time, then they got to go,” NYPD Sgt. Dave Shimshi said.
“We’re going to have barricades, and the theater people will also be doing a security check to ensure everyone behaves and is protected accordingly.”
The Tonys said Sunday night’s show was dedicated to Orlando victims.
Famed costume designer William Ivy Long fashioned silver ribbons that many of the show attendees wore Sunday night to honor the Orlando victims.
“Our hearts are heavy for the unimaginable tragedy that happened last night in Orlando,” according to a Tonys statement.
“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected. The Tony Awards dedicate tonight’s ceremony to them.”
Actress Laura Benanti, whose “She Loves Me” is up for best revival, said the massacre was on her mind all day.
“Tonight, every note I sing will be in remembrance of the lives taken in Orlando,” she tweeted.
Broadway living legend Audra McDonald struck a more defiant tone, challenging Americans to bring an end to these alarmingly regular mass shootings.
“When does this end? When do we demand a change? When do we finally wake up from this God awful nightmare?” she tweeted.
Fans outside the Beacon carried heavy hearts on what would normally the most joyous day of the Broadway year.
“I’m shocked, I’m sad and really just heartbroken that this happened to so many innocent young people,” said 64-year-old Peggy Halperin, visiting from St. Petersburg, Fla.
“I feel torn to be so far away from my friends and family in Florida. They tell me it’s a very somber feeling across the state right now.”
The worst mass shooting in US history worried the family of Tonys fan Maddy Cronin, 29, visiting from the United Kingdom.
“What’s up with you Americans and guns?’’ Cronin said. “Is it really that easy to get one? Just seems a bit ridiculous and what a shame, like every few months we hear more people getting killed in this country.
“My family called me today, and I had to reassure them like, `Mum, New York is nowhere near Florida.’
“And she said it doesn’t matter, to be careful, because Americans are always shooting one another.”
Additional reporting by Post Wire Services and David K. Li