by Zach Dulli, The Scene
Broadway’s brightest stars are set to light up the stage once again, as the nominations for the 2025 Tony Awards have been announced, and what a season it’s been! With standout performances, daring new musicals, compelling plays, and unforgettable revivals, this year’s nominees have audiences buzzing with anticipation.
Record-Setting Performances
Facing off against McDonald are both leading ladies from the musical comedy Death Becomes Her: Broadway favorites Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard. Joining them is Nicole Scherzinger, who brings her Olivier Award-winning performance from London’s West End revival of Sunset Blvd. to Broadway. But even amid these powerhouse veterans, there’s room for thrilling newcomers like Jasmine Amy Rogers, making her captivating Broadway debut in BOOP! The Musical.
Drama Takes Center Stage
In the Best Actress in a Play category, powerhouse performances include Laura Donnelly (The Hills of California), screen legend Mia Farrow (The Roommate), and the remarkable LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Purpose). Stranger Things star Sadie Sink earns her first Tony nomination for her gripping performance in John Proctor is the Villain, alongside Sarah Snook’s mesmerizing turn in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a role for which she won the 2024 Olivier Best Actress Award.
Meanwhile, the race for Best Actor in a Play has George Clooney, nominated for his role in Good Night, and Good Luck, going head-to-head with Cole Escola (Oh, Mary!), Broadway stalwart Jon Michael Hill, veteran actor Harry Lennix (both for Purpose), Daniel Dae Kim (Yellow Face), and in his Broadway debut, Louis McCartney from Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
Show-Stopping Musicals
Best Actor in a Musical showcases remarkable diversity this season, featuring performances from fan favorites like Darren Criss (Maybe Happy Ending), Jeremy Jordan (Floyd Collins), Jonathan Groff (Just in Time), and James Monroe Iglehart channeling Louis Armstrong in A Wonderful World. Joining them are standout newcomers Andrew Durand (Dead Outlaw) and Tom Francis (Sunset Blvd.).
A Season of Rich Stories
The Best Musical category offers audiences a broad range of fresh storytelling. The Cuban rhythms of Buena Vista Social Club compete with the darkly comedic fantasy of Death Becomes Her, the romantic sci-fi of Maybe Happy Ending, the Western drama of Dead Outlaw, and the clever espionage comedy Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.
Not to be overshadowed, the Best Play nominees feature the thought-provoking English, nostalgic family drama The Hills of California, powerful contemporary reflection John Proctor is the Villain, irreverent comedy Oh, Mary!, and the deeply resonant Purpose.
Revival Sparks and Creativity Reign
Revival categories celebrate enduring classics. Notable play revivals include the ever-timely Eureka Day, a groundbreaking new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Thornton Wilder’s timeless Our Town, and the revival of David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face. Musical revivals bringing beloved favorites back to life include the evocative Floyd Collins, dazzling Gypsy, joyous Pirates! The Penzance Musical, and the spectacular revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Blvd..
Creative talent behind the scenes also received their due. Notably, the band from Buena Vista Social Club received a Special Tony Award for their brilliant musicianship, alongside another special recognition for the innovative illusions and effects team of Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
A Look at the Leaders
With ten nominations each, Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, and Maybe Happy Ending lead the pack, showcasing the exceptional creativity defining this Broadway season. Close behind, with seven nominations each, are Dead Outlaw, John Proctor is the Villain, Sunset Blvd., and The Hills of California, each proving the diversity and strength of Broadway’s storytelling this year.
Winners will be announced at the Tony Awards ceremony on June 8th, broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall beginning at 8 PM ET on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. Wicked film star and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo is set to host the evening.
Here is the complete list of this year’s Tony nominations:
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
- Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California
- Mia Farrow, The Roommate
- LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose
- Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain
- Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
- George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
- Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!
- Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
- Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face
- Harry Lennix, Purpose
- Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
- Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her
- Audra McDonald, Gypsy
- Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical
- Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.
- Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
- Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
- Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw
- Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd.
- Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
- James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
- Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
BEST MUSICAL
- Buena Vista Social Club
- Dead Outlaw
- Death Becomes Her
- Maybe Happy Ending
- Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
BEST PLAY
- English
- The Hills of California
- John Proctor is the Villain
- Oh, Mary!
- Purpose
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL
- Buena Vista Social Club, Marco Ramirez
- Dead Outlaw, Itamar Moses
- Death Becomes Her, Marco Pennette
- Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson and Hue Park
- Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE
- Dead Outlaw, David Yazbek, and Erik Della Penna
- Death Becomes Her, Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
- Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson (music and lyrics) and Hue Park (lyrics)
- Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts
- Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
- Marsha Ginsberg, English
- Rob Howell, The Hills of California
- Marg Horwell and David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Miriam Buether and 59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
- Scott Pask, Good Night, and Good Luck
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
- Rachel Hauck, Swept Away
- Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending
- Arnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social Club
- Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her
- Derek McLane, Just in Time
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
- Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good Luck
- Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Rob Howell, The Hills of California
- Holly Pierson, Oh, Mary!
- Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
- Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club
- Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical
- Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending
- Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her
- Catherine Zuber, Just in Time
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
- Natasha Chivers, The Hills of California
- Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
- Heather Gilbert and David Bengali, Good Night, and Good Luck
- Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski, John Proctor is the Villain
- Nick Schlieper, The Picture of Dorian Gray
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
- Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd.
- Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club
- Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd Collins
- Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending
- Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
- Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
- Palmer Hefferan, John Proctor is the Villain
- Daniel Kluger, Good Night, and Good Luck
- Nick Powell, The Hills of California
- Clemence Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
- Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club
- Adam Fisher, Sunset Blvd.
- Peter Hylenski, Just in Time
- Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending
- Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
- Knud Adams, English
- Sam Mendes, The Hills of California
- Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!
- Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain
- Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
- Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club
- Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
- David Cromer, Dead Outlaw
- Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
- Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd.
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- Joshua Bergasse, SMASH
- Camille A. Brown, Gypsy
- Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
- Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical
- Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club
BEST ORCHESTRATIONS
- Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, Just in Time
- Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending
- Bruce Coughlin, Floyd Collins
- Marco Paguia, Buena Vista Social Club
- David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Blvd.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
- Tala Ashe, English
- Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day
- Marjan Neshat, English
- Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain
- Kara Young, Purpose
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
- Glenn Davis, Purpose
- Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the Villain
- Francis Jue, Yellow Face
- Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross
- Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
- Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club
- Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw
- Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time
- Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
- Joy Woods, Gypsy
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
- Brooks Ashmanskas, SMASH
- Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw
- Danny Burstein, Gypsy
- Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
- Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
- Eureka Day, Jonathan Spector
- Romeo + Juliet
- Thornton Wilder’s Our Town
- Yellow Face, David Henry Hwang
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
- Floyd Collins, Tina Landau (book, additional lyrics) and Adam Guettel (music and lyrics)
- Gypsy
- Pirates! The Penzance Musical
- Sunset Blvd.
SPECIAL TONY AWARDS
- The musicians who make up the band of Buena Vista Social Club—Marco Paguia (music director, conductor/piano); David Oquendo (associate music director, guitar); Renesito Avich (tres); Gustavo Schartz (bass); Javier Días, Román Diaz, Mauricio Herrera (percussion); Jesus Ricardo (trumpet); Eddie Venegas (trombone); Hery Paz (woodwinds); Leonardo Reyna (piano)
- The Illusions & Technical Effects of Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Jamie Harrison, Chris Fisher, Gary Beestone, and Edward Pierce)
SHOWS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS:
- Buena Vista Social Club – 10
- Death Becomes Her – 10
- Maybe Happy Ending – 10
- Dead Outlaw – 7
- John Proctor is the Villain – 7
- Sunset Blvd. – 7
- The Hills of California – 7
- Floyd Collins – 6
- Just in Time – 6
- Purpose – 6
- The Picture of Dorian Gray – 6
- English – 5
- Good Night, and Good Luck – 5
- Gypsy – 5
- Oh, Mary! – 5
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow – 5
- Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical – 4
- BOOP! The Musical – 3
- Yellow Face – 3
- Eureka Day – 2
- Real Women Have Curves: The Musical – 2
- SMASH – 2
