“Broadway Buzz: Tony Award Nominations Await as Season Culminates in Spectacle”
After a frenzied rush to Tony Award launch the final batch of Broadway productions before the eligibility cutoff, nearly 40 plays and musicals are now in contention for Tony Award nominations this year, eagerly awaiting their moment in the spotlight.
Tony Award
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Renée Elise Goldsberry will reveal the nominees for the 26 competitive Tony Awards on Tuesday morning, determined by the votes of the 60 members of the nominating committee.
The flurry of spring openings, with 14 shows debuting within an 11-day period, has become commonplace as producers aim to keep their work fresh in the minds of voters ahead of the June 16 Tony Awards ceremony. However, unlike previous years with standout hits like “Hamilton” or critical darlings such as “Kimberly Akino,” there is no clear frontrunner among this season’s musicals.
This year, there’s a notable possibility that female directors may outnumber their male counterparts in nominations for the first time. Nearly half of the 21 musicals that premiered this season were directed by women or featured female co-directors. Additionally, five out of the 16 new plays and play revivals were helmed by women.
The eligible shows range from adaptations of existing movies or books like “The Outsiders,” “The Great Gatsby,” and “The Notebook,” to new works making their Broadway debut, such as “Suffs,” “Illinoise,” “Stereophonic,” and “Hell’s Kitchen.”
There are intriguing coincidences, such as the presence of Huey Lewis & The News songs in both “The Heart of Rock and Roll” and an unrelated musical adaptation of “Back to the Future.” Rachel McAdams, known for her role in the film version of “The Notebook,” is involved in two productions on Broadway this season.
Big stars also graced Broadway stages, including Jessica Lange, Jim Parsons, Steve Carell, Eddie Redmayne, Liev Schreiber, Jeremy Strong, and Sarah Paulson.
Notable highlights of the season include “Here Lies Love,” featuring Broadway’s first all-Filipino cast, and “How to Dance in Ohio,” starring seven openly autistic actors.
The Tony Awards ceremony will be held at the David H. Koch Theater, with Ariana DeBose returning to host and produce the opening number. The three-hour telecast will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+, with some awards presented during a pre-show on Pluto TV.
