The musical “Hamilton” earned a record 16 nominations for the 70th Annual Antoinette Perry Awards. This new ‘rap’ musical led a diverse Broadway season of stories about women and minorities. If that seems like a lot of nominations, it is. Previously, “The Producers” and “Billy Elliott” gathered 15 apiece.
Much like George M. Cohan in the early part of last century, “Hamilton”’s creator/star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, wrote the book, lyric, produced and STARRED in the show. He was well rewarded with Tony nominations for all four; Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Book and Best Score.
“Hamilton” will compete for Best Musical with “Bright Star,” “Waitress,” “School of Rock – The Musical,” and “Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed.” This is the first time there have been five musicals nominated for the top award. Voting will be interesting this year. How does one show get so many nominations? Well it’s because it has several noms in a single category. Sharing a nomination for Best Actor in a Musical with Miranda is co-star Leslie Odom, Jr. There are also three nominations from “Hamilton” for Best Featured Actor in a Musical; Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff and Christopher Jackson. So although there are 16 nominations, the count of spinning disks will be much lower. No matter really. This show does not need a “Tony Boost” as it has already grossed over $60 million at the box office.
As I said, this season on Broadway seemed to be laden with stories of minorities and women. As “white” as the Oscar’s were, the Tony’s are not. George C. Wolfe’s retelling of black theatre history, “Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed,” garnered 10 nominations and “Eclipsed,” a dark and somewhat disturbing play about female hostages in the Liberian civil war, topped the nomination list for plays.
Among play revivals, Eugene O’Neill’s portrait of his own dysfunctional family, “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” was recognized with seven nominations but the most amazing thing is that in the realm of straight plays (non-musical) it was a debutant ball. Danai Gurira’s aforementioned “Eclipsed,” Florian Zeller’s “The Father,” Stephen Karam’s “The Humans” and Mike Barlett’s “King Charles III,” are all nominated for Best Play and each is their respective authors’ Broadway debuts.
Another Broadway newbie, George Takei, (of Star Trek fame) produced “Allegiance,” a musical based on his Japanese-American family’s experience in the domestic internment camps following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. It earned zero nominations, neither did the historic tale of the famous song, “Amazing Grace.”
Danny Burstein earned his sixth Tony nomination for his performance as Tevye in the revival of “Fiddler on the Roof.” He has never won and faces very stiff competition this year. 1980s Broadway warhorse, Andrew Lloyd Webber gained his first nomination since 2006 for “School of Rock – the Musical.” The last time he won a Tony was in 1995, for “Sunset Boulevard” when he was the only one nominated.
Here is a complete list of nominations:
(The awards for Best Sound Design were discontinued this year.)
- Best Musical
- Bright Star
- Hamilton
- School of Rock-The Musical
- Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Waitress
- Best Revival of a Play
- Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
- Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
- Blackbird
- Long Day’s Journey Into Night
- Noises Off
- Best Revival of a Musical
- The Color Purple
- Fiddler on the Roof
- She Loves Me
- Spring Awakening
- Best Book of a Musical
- Bright Star – Steve Martin
- Hamilton – Lin-Manuel Miranda
- School of Rock-The Musical – Julian Fellowes
- Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed – George C. Wolfe
- Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
- Bright Star – Music: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Lyrics: Edie Brickell
- Hamilton – Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
- School of Rock-The Musical – Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics: Glenn Slater
- Waitress – Music & Lyrics: Sara Bareilles
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
- Gabriel Byrne, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
- Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
- Frank Langella, The Father
- Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
- Mark Strong, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
- Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
- Laurie Metcalf, Misery
- Lupita Nyong’o, Eclipsed
- Sophie Okonedo, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
- Michelle Williams, Blackbird
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
- Alex Brightman, School of Rock-The Musical
- Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
- Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
- Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
- Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
- Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
- Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
- Jessie Mueller, Waitress
- Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
- Reed Birney, The Humans
- Bill Camp, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
- David Furr, Noises Off
- Richard Goulding, King Charles III
- Michael Shannon, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
- Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
- Megan Hilty, Noises Off
- Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
- Andrea Martin, Noises Off
- Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed
- Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
- Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
- Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
- Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
- Christopher Jackson, Hamilton
- Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
- Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
- Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
- Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
- Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
- Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Best Scenic Design of a Play
- Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
- Christopher Oram, Hughie
- Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
- David Zinn, The Humans
- Best Scenic Design of a Musical
- Es Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho
- David Korins, Hamilton
- Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- David Rockwell, She Loves Me
- Best Costume Design of a Play
- Jane Greenwood, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
- Michael Krass, Noises Off
- Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
- Tom Scutt, King Charles III
- Best Costume Design of a Musical
- Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
- Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
- Ann Roth, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
- Best Lighting Design of a Play
- Natasha Katz, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
- Justin Townsend, The Humans
- Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
- Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
- Best Lighting Design of a Musical
- Howell Binkley, Hamilton
- Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
- Justin Townsend, American Psycho
- Best Direction of a Play
- Rupert Goold, King Charles III
- Jonathan Kent, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
- Joe Mantello, The Humans
- Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
- Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge
- Best Direction of a Musical
- Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
- John Doyle, The Color Purple
- Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
- Thomas Kail, Hamilton
- George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Best Choreography
- Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
- Savion Glover, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
- Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
- Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan
- Best Orchestrations
- August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
- Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
- Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
- Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
- Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
- Sheldon Harnick and Marshall W. Mason
