Twenty-nine reveals on Broadway received Tony Award nominations this season, however not all will stroll away with a trophy — and the field workplace consideration they normally carry.
Listed here are some key issues to know as Broadway’s largest night time approaches, together with the right way to watch, who’s poised to make historical past, what outdated favourite will get to take a victory lap and how one can see George Clooney on Broadway from the consolation of your sofa.
When are the Tony Awards?
The Tonys will likely be broadcast on Sunday, June 8, at 8 p.m. ET, reside from Radio Metropolis Music Corridor.
How can I watch them?
On CBS and streaming on Paramount+ within the U.S.
Who’s internet hosting the Tony Awards?
Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, the “Wicked” star, will likely be making her debut internet hosting the Tonys. She received the lead actress in a musical Tony in 2016 for “The Color Purple” and may have simply launched her new album, “I Forgive You.”
A pre-show will likely be broadcast on Pluto TV from 6:40 p.m.-8:00 p.m. ET, the place some Tonys will likely be handed out. Darren Criss and Renée Elise Goldsberry will host that telecast. Viewers can entry it on their sensible TV, streaming machine, cell app or on-line by going to Pluto TV and clicking on the “Live Music” channel, discovered throughout the Leisure class on the service.
What number of awards are there?
A complete of 26 aggressive classes, from lead and featured actors to scenic, costume and lighting design. Some technical award handouts could also be pre-taped and winners will not seem on the reside present, solely minimize down into edited bits sandwiched into the telecast.
What are the highest nominees?
There are three of them: “Buena Vista Social Club,” which takes its inspiration from Wim Wenders’ 1999 Oscar-nominated documentary; “Death Becomes Her,” primarily based on the 1992 cult traditional movie; and “Maybe Happy Ending,” a rom-com musical a couple of pair of androids. Every have a number one 10 nominations.
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Who’s vying for greatest new play and musical?
For brand new musicals, it is “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Dead Outlaw,” “Death Becomes Her,” “Maybe Happy Ending” and “Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.”
For brand new performs, it is “English,” “The Hills of California,” “John Proctor Is the Villain,” “Oh, Mary!” and “Purpose.”
Lots of the races are unusually tight this 12 months, the product of a Broadway heaving with reveals after having largely rebounded from the pandemic.
“I haven’t seen one nominated show that I haven’t been wowed by. Everything brings something,” says Lowe Cunningham, lead producer of “Death Becomes Her” and likewise a Tony voter.
“How dare the Broadway community come together with such excellent work,” she jokes. “I needed everything else to be much worse, and I don’t appreciate it.”
Can historical past be made?
Audra McDonald, essentially the most acknowledged performer within the theater awards’ historical past, may probably extending her Tony lead. Already the report holder for many appearing wins with six Tonys, McDonald may add to that due to her main flip in an acclaimed revival of “Gypsy.” She is going to push the report for a performer to most wins with seven if she prevails on Tony night time.
And Kara Younger — the primary Black actress to be nominated for a Tony Award in 4 consecutive years — may grow to be the primary Black particular person to win two Tonys consecutively ought to she win for her position within the play “Purpose.”
Different doable firsts: — Daniel Dae Kim may turns into the primary Asian winner within the class of greatest main actor in a play for his work in a revival of “Yellow Face.” And Marjan Neshat and her co-star Tala Ashe are vying to grow to be the primary feminine actors of Iranian descent to win a Tony.
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A particular visitor
Usually, reveals open for a number of years do not get any Tony telecast consideration however “Hamilton” isn’t any regular present. The unique solid will have a good time the present’s tenth anniversary on Broadway with a efficiency that includes creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and actors Goldsberry, Ariana DeBose, Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Javier Muñoz, Leslie Odom, Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan and Phillipa Soo.
What’s going to producers hope to keep away from?
Any repeat of final 12 months, when Jay-Z’s electrifying reunion with Alicia Keys on what gave the impression to be a reside duet of “Empire State of Mind” was really pre-taped hours earlier than the reside present. The looks by the rapper in assist of Keys’ musical “Hell’s Kitchen” turned out to be a chunk of Hollywood trickery, undercutting the Broadway neighborhood’s full-throated embrace of reside singing and dancing.
Broadway’s large season
The well being of Broadway — as soon as very a lot doubtful in the course of the pandemic lockdown — is now superb, at the very least by way of field workplace. The 2024-2025 season took in $1.9 billion, the highest-grossing season in recorded historical past, overtaking the pre-pandemic earlier excessive of $1.8 billion in the course of the 2018-2019 season.
By way of attendance, Broadway welcomed practically 14.7 million ticket patrons, the second greatest attended season on report, behind solely 2018-2019. However sky-high ticket costs have led to fears that Broadway is getting financially out of contact.
A revival of “Othello” with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal broke the report for top-grossing play in Broadway historical past with a gross of $2,818,297 for eight performances, fueled by some seats going for as excessive as $921.
How are you going to get within the temper?
Even when you have not been capable of get to Broadway this season, you possibly can nonetheless see one of many reveals. The night time earlier than the Tonys, “Good Night, and Good Luck” — starring and co-written by Clooney, a Tony appearing nominee — will stream throughout CNN properties.
