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Chicago Tribune
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
What to watch for at the Tony Awards, Broadway's biggest night
NEW YORK — Twenty-nine shows on Broadway got Tony Award nominations this season, but not all will walk away with a trophy — and the box office attention they usually bring. Here are some key things to know as Broadway's biggest night approaches, including how to watch, who is poised to make history, what old favorite gets to take a victory lap and how you can see George Clooney on Broadway from the comfort of your couch. The Tonys will be broadcast to both coasts on Sunday, June 8, from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. central time, live from Radio City Music Hall. On CBS and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, the 'Wicked' star, will be making her debut hosting the Tonys. She won the lead actress in a musical Tony in 2016 for 'The Color Purple' and will have just released her new album, 'I Forgive You.' A pre-show will be broadcast on Pluto TV from 5:40 p.m.-7:00 p.m. central time, where some Tonys will be handed out. Darren Criss and Renée Elise Goldsberry will host that telecast. Viewers can access it on their smart TV, streaming device, mobile app or online by going to Pluto TV and clicking on the 'Live Music' channel, found within the Entertainment category on the service. A total of 26 competitive categories, from lead and featured actors to scenic, costume and lighting design. Some technical award handouts may be pre-taped and winners won't appear on the live show, only cut down into edited bits sandwiched into the telecast. There are three of them: 'Buena Vista Social Club,' which takes its inspiration from Wim Wenders' 1999 Oscar-nominated documentary; 'Death Becomes Her,' based on the 1992 cult classic film; and 'Maybe Happy Ending,' a rom-com musical about a pair of androids. Each have a leading 10 nominations. For new musicals, it's 'Buena Vista Social Club,' 'Dead Outlaw,' 'Death Becomes Her,' 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.' For new plays, it's 'English,' 'The Hills of California,' 'John Proctor Is the Villain,' 'Oh, Mary!' and 'Purpose.' Many of the races are unusually tight this year, the product of a Broadway heaving with shows 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 also 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.' Audra McDonald, the most recognized performer in the theater awards' history, could possibly extending her Tony lead. Already the record holder for most acting wins with six Tonys, McDonald could add to that thanks to her leading turn in an acclaimed revival of 'Gypsy.' She will push the record for a performer to most wins with seven if she prevails on Tony night. And Kara Young — the first Black actress to be nominated for a Tony Award in four consecutive years — could become the first Black person to win two Tonys consecutively should she win for her role in the play 'Purpose.' Other possible firsts: — Daniel Dae Kim could becomes the first Asian winner in the category of best leading 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 become the first female actors of Iranian descent to win a Tony. Normally, shows open for several years don't get any Tony telecast attention but 'Hamilton' is no normal show. The original cast will celebrate the show's 10th anniversary on Broadway with a performance featuring 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. Any repeat of last year, when Jay-Z's electrifying reunion with Alicia Keys on what appeared to be a live duet of 'Empire State of Mind' was actually pre-taped hours before the live show. The appearance by the rapper in support of Keys' musical 'Hell's Kitchen' turned out to be a piece of Hollywood trickery, undercutting the Broadway community's full-throated embrace of live singing and dancing. The health of Broadway — once very much in doubt during the pandemic lockdown — is now very good, at least in terms of box office. The 2024-2025 season took in $1.9 billion, the highest-grossing season in recorded history, overtaking the pre-pandemic previous high of $1.8 billion during the 2018-2019 season. In terms of attendance, Broadway welcomed nearly 14.7 million ticket buyers, the second best attended season on record, behind only 2018-2019. But sky-high ticket prices have led to fears that Broadway is getting financially out of touch. A revival of 'Othello' with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal broke the record for top-grossing play in Broadway history with a gross of $2,818,297 for eight performances, fueled by some seats going for as high as $921. Even if you haven't been able to get to Broadway this season, you can still see one of the shows. The night before the Tonys, 'Good Night, and Good Luck' — starring and co-written by Clooney, a Tony acting nominee — will stream across CNN properties.
New York Times
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
This ‘Buena Vista Social Club' Star Knows She's Intimidating
As she exits the stage door of 'Buena Vista Social Club,' the Broadway actress Natalie Venetia Belcon can see it in their eyes. The waiting fans thrust Playbills and pens into the hands of her co-stars, but when Belcon comes down the line, she senses their shyness, their wariness. 'They're afraid,' she said. 'It's so weird. I'm like, 'You guys, I'm pretending!'' Onstage, Belcon, 56, plays the middle-aged version of Omara Portuondo, the famed Cuban singer known as 'the queen of feeling.' (Isa Antonetti portrays the teen version.) Belcon's Omara is stately, imperious. 'You're not the kind of woman one forgets,' a bandmate in the show tells her. She can dismiss a person with a tilt of the head, a wave of the hand. The role has earned Belcon a Tony nomination, her first, for best performance by a featured actress in a musical. Belcon is, she insists, not Omara, but some of this same majesty was evident even over a casual afternoon snack of calamari and plantains at Cuba, a restaurant in Manhattan's West Village neighborhood. The waiter seemed honored to shake up a mojito for her. Belcon, dressed like some expensive, resplendent bird in a blue-and-yellow skirt and matching jewelry, looked regal as she sipped it. Then she pointed to the stalk of sugar cane in the glass. 'Oh, I love sugar cane!' she said delightedly. 'I grew up chewing on it. Then you catch yourself in the mirror, like, 'That doesn't look sexy!'' Belcon insists that in her downtime, offstage, away from journalists, she is an everyday sort of woman who prefers oversize T-shirts and yoga pants. She loves to put on her bunny slippers and watch the UFC. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Tony Awards: ‘Buena Vista Social Club,' ‘Death Becomes Her,' ‘Maybe Happy Ending' Lead Nominations
Musicals Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her and Maybe Happy Ending lead the 2025 Tony nominations with 10 nods each. All are nominated for best musical, a category that also includes Dead Outlaw and Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'The Traitors' Leads 2025 Critics Choice Real TV Awards Nominations Audra McDonald Reacts to Her Historic 11th Tony Nomination, Reflects on "Tornado" of a Role in 'Gypsy' 2025 News & Documentary Emmy Awards Nominations Revealed A number of starry names received their first Tony nomination, including George Clooney, for his role in Good Night, and Good Luck; Nicole Scherzinger, for her role in Sunset Blvd.; Sarah Snook, for her role in The Picture of Dorian Gray; Bob Odenkirk, for his role in Glengarry Glen Ross; and Mia Farrow, for her role in The Roommate. Othello, one of the most expensive productions on Broadway, led by Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, was notably shut out of the nominations. 'It's a thrill to have five nominations for this play,' Clooney said of Good Night, and Good Luck's noms. 'For everyone involved, this has been an incredible experience. I couldn't be more proud or feel more lucky.' Said Farrow: 'Honestly, I didn't expect this! I burst into tears. I wish my mom were here — she would have been so proud of me. I'm so overwhelmed with gratitude to be among these nominees, as this is just the best community in the world. I'm still in the 'oh my god, oh my god, oh my god' mode!' Audra McDonald received her 11th Tony Award nomination for her role as Rose in Gypsy on Broadway, becoming the most Tony-nominated performer in history. She had previously held the record with Chita Rivera and Julie Harris, when all had 10 nominations. The best play category includes English, The Hills of California, John Proctor Is The Villain, Oh Mary! and Purpose. The 78th annual Tony Award nominations were announced May 1 by Sarah Paulson and Wendell Pierce. Special Tonys are also going to be awarded to the musicians who make up the band in Buena Vista Social Club and to the illusions and technical effects team at Stranger Things: The First Shadow. The Tony Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place June 8 at Radio City Music Hall, hosted by Cynthia Erivo. Harvey Fierstein is set to receive a lifetime achievement award, with actor Celia Keenan-Bolger receiving the 2025 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for advocacy work through the arts. The 2025 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to Great Performances, Michael Price, New 42 and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. A full list of nominations follows. EnglishAuthor: Sanaz Toossi The Hills of CaliforniaAuthor: Jez Butterworth John Proctor Is the VillainAuthor: Kimberly Belflower Oh, Mary!Author: Cole Escola PurposeAuthor: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Buena Vista Social ClubDead OutlawDeath Becomes HerMaybe Happy EndingOperation Mincemeat: A New Musical Eureka DayAuthor: Jonathan Spector Romeo + Juliet Thornton Wilder's Our Town Yellow FaceAuthor: David Henry Hwang Floyd CollinsBook/Additional Lyrics: Tina Landau Music & Lyrics: Adam Guettel Gypsy Pirates! The Penzance Musical Sunset Blvd. Buena Vista Social Club, Marco RamirezDead Outlaw, Itamar MosesDeath Becomes Her, Marco PennetteMaybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson and Hue ParkOperation Mincemeat: A New Musical, David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts Dead OutlawMusic & Lyrics: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna Death Becomes HerMusic & Lyrics: Julia Mattison and Noel Carey Maybe Happy EndingMusic: Will AronsonLyrics: Will Aronson and Hue Park Operation Mincemeat: A New MusicalMusic & Lyrics: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts Real Women Have Curves: The MusicalMusic & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez George Clooney, Good Night, and Good LuckCole Escola, Oh, Mary!Jon Michael Hill, PurposeDaniel Dae Kim, Yellow FaceHarry Lennix, PurposeLouis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow Laura Donnelly, The Hills of CaliforniaMia Farrow, The RoommateLaTanya Richardson Jackson, PurposeSadie Sink, John Proctor Is the VillainSarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray Darren Criss, Maybe Happy EndingAndrew Durand, Dead OutlawTom Francis, Sunset Groff, Just in TimeJames Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong MusicalJeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins Megan Hilty, Death Becomes HerAudra McDonald, GypsyJasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The MusicalNicole Scherzinger, Sunset Simard, Death Becomes Her Glenn Davis, PurposeGabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the VillainFrancis Jue, Yellow FaceBob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen RossConrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary! Tala Ashe, EnglishJessica Hecht, Eureka DayMarjan Neshat, EnglishFina Strazza, John Proctor Is the VillainKara Young, Purpose Brooks Ashmanskas, SMASHJeb Brown, Dead OutlawDanny Burstein, GypsyJak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New MusicalTaylor Trensch, Floyd Collins Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social ClubJulia Knitel, Dead OutlawGracie Lawrence, Just in TimeJustina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The MusicalJoy Woods, Gypsy Marsha Ginsberg, EnglishRob Howell, The Hills of CaliforniaMarg Horwell and David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian GrayMiriam Buether and 59, Stranger Things: The First ShadowScott Pask, Good Night, and Good Luck Rachel Hauck, Swept AwayDane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy EndingArnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social ClubDerek McLane, Death Becomes HerDerek McLane, Just in Time Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good LuckMarg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian GrayRob Howell, The Hills of CaliforniaHolly Pierson, Oh, Mary!Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Stranger Things: The First Shadow Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social ClubGregg Barnes, BOOP! The MusicalClint Ramos, Maybe Happy EndingPaul Tazewell, Death Becomes HerCatherine Zuber, Just in Time Natasha Chivers, The Hills of CaliforniaJon Clark, Stranger Things: The First ShadowHeather Gilbert and David Bengali, Good Night, and Good LuckNatasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski, John Proctor is the VillainNick Schlieper, The Picture of Dorian Gray Jack Knowles, Sunset Micoleau, Buena Vista Social ClubScott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd CollinsBen Stanton, Maybe Happy EndingJustin Townsend, Death Becomes Her Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First ShadowPalmer Hefferan, John Proctor Is the VillainDaniel Kluger, Good Night, and Good LuckNick Powell, The Hills of CaliforniaClemence Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social ClubAdam Fisher, Sunset Hylenski, Just in TimePeter Hylenski, Maybe Happy EndingDan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins Knud Adams, EnglishSam Mendes, The Hills of CaliforniaSam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the VillainKip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social ClubMichael Arden, Maybe Happy EndingDavid Cromer, Dead OutlawChristopher Gattelli, Death Becomes HerJamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd. Joshua Bergasse, SMASHCamille A. Brown, GypsyChristopher Gattelli, Death Becomes HerJerry Mitchell, BOOP! The MusicalPatricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, Just in TimeWill Aronson, Maybe Happy EndingBruce Coughlin, Floyd CollinsMarco Paguia, Buena Vista Social ClubDavid Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Blvd. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Lady in the Lake' to 'It Ends With Us': 29 New and Upcoming Book Adaptations in 2024 Meet the Superstars Who Glam Up Hollywood's A-List Rosie O'Donnell on Ellen, Madonna, Trump and 40 Years in the Queer Spotlight
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Broadway's Returns Are up and the Tonys Are Proof It's as Diverse as Ever
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. "In this day and age, where the arts seem to be a little bit under attack right now, I, more than I already did, understand the importance of the arts," says Audra McDonald, who recently picked up her 11th Tony Award nomination for her take on Mama Rose in Gypsy. "The importance of telling stories and audiences coming together and experiencing our own humanity." The COVID-19 pandemic hit the arts hard, but particularly New York City's iconic Broadway. Theaters were dark for 18 months, the longest shutdown in history, with a loss of billions of dollars. The climb back from that has been slow. But the energetic vibe of the 2024-2025 season has box office data to reinforce the sense of optimism. What's also notable about Broadway bouncing back is the range of shows that are box office hits. While politicians and institutions target diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the recipe for success on Broadway and at the Tonys in 2025 seems to be all-out diversification. Audra McDonald and Joy Woods in "Gypsy." Audra McDonald and Joy Woods in "Gypsy." Julieta Cervantes "People are just hungry to be surprised," Conrad Ricamora, Tony-nominated for Oh, Mary! says. "I'm just happy that we're finally telling the truth about our first Filipino gay president, which was Abraham Lincoln." [laughs] Oh, Mary!, Cole Escola's send up of Mary Todd Lincoln and her path to cabaret stardom, is just one example of a Tony-nominated show proving it can be diverse and financially successful. There's Maybe Happy Ending, the South Korean musical starring Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen as two futuristic robots in love; Purpose, the Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a prominent Black political family in Chicago; Yellow Face, the semi-autobiographical play by David Henry Hwang starring Daniel Dae Kim; the campy musical take on the film Death Becomes Her; and, of course, the revival of Gypsy, what many consider the best musical of all time, now with an all-Black cast, helmed by the most awarded performer in Tony history, six-time winner McDonald. Buena Vista Social Club performs on stage. Buena Vista Social Club performs on stage. Matthew Murphy 'Fever Pitch' Broadway's 2024-2025 season hit $1.8 billion in box office revenues, surpassing its previous record from the same week in May during the 2018-2019 season—for the first time since the pandemic. "The grosses have not overall exceeded 2018-2019, which had been our high-water mark," Jason Laks, president of the Broadway League, tells Newsweek. "Season to are ahead of where we were in 2018-2019, which is wonderful. John Pirruccello and Kieran Culkin in "Glengarry Glen Ross." John Pirruccello and Kieran Culkin in "Glengarry Glen Ross." Emilio Madrid "It is worth noting that 20 percent or so of our box office is reflected by those three star-driven plays. So those numbers are really buoyed by Good Night, and Good Luck; Glengarry Glen Ross and Othello." These revenue numbers were hard fought for an industry battered by the pandemic, and the impact of this success can be felt by the talent. "It's so exciting, especially bouncing back from the COVID of it all," Jonathan Groff, Tony-nominated for his performance in Just in Time, says. "I know that the theater community and the city is still coming back from that. So, the fact that this wave of this year is reaching that fever pitch is really, really exciting." Broadway's "Death Becomes Her." Broadway's "Death Becomes Her." Franz Szony "It feels like Broadway's really back," Megan Hilty, Tony-nominated for her performance in Death Becomes Her, says. "The audiences are really back." But Laks is quick to caution being overly optimistic. "I don't think we are all the way back. I don't think we can say that. We're out of the proverbial woods, as it were, I think we are returning as New York City is returning." The cast of "BOOP!" The cast of "BOOP!" Matthew Murphy That said, Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, notes that shows like Oh, Mary!—which is unconventional and doesn't have household-known Hollywood talent—has proven to be a hit. "Oh, Mary! is not a star-driven thing, and it is a hard ticket to get. And that was built, I think, completely by word of mouth, starting off-Broadway, coming to Broadway and then got extended, extended, extended. So I think we are seeing a success story." "It's a really interesting celebration of how so many rivers can lead here," says Jacobs-Jenkins, Tony-nominated author of Purpose, which first opened in Chicago. "Not everything starts on Broadway. But Broadway gets to benefit from the kind of hearts and minds of so many pockets of this broader field." Christine Cornish, Jonathan Groff and Julia Grondin of "Just In Time." Christine Cornish, Jonathan Groff and Julia Grondin of "Just In Time." Matthew Murphy/Evan Zimmerman Diversity Equals Bank "If you look back in the history of the Tony Awards, anytime there was diverse content, for the most part, it recognized it," Hitchens says. "Jason [Laks] and I talked about this a lot; when you do the right thing over a long period of time, and you make people feel welcome, then we get bigger and broader. "People talk about diversity and inclusion, and they say it's not a program, it's a principle; it's been a principle of this entity for a long time." Left to right: Jon Michael Hill (Naz), Kara Young (Aziza), and Harry Lennix (Solomon) in "Purpose." Left to right: Jon Michael Hill (Naz), Kara Young (Aziza), and Harry Lennix (Solomon) in "Purpose." Marc J. Franklin From Kim becoming the first Asian American to be nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for Yellow Face to Oh, Mary!'s gender-fluid portrayal of history, this year's Tony nominees represent a year that will not only be remembered for its box office successes, but also the principle of diversity Hitchens is referring to. "I didn't know that there was a space for a show like this [Oh, Mary!] on Broadway," Ricamora says. "But I think the thing it's teaching me is that people are hungry for authenticity." For Kim, the celebration of diversity leads to a greater understanding of the moment we're living in politically. Daniel Dae Kim, left, in "Yellow Face." Daniel Dae Kim, left, in "Yellow Face." Joan Marcus "These are stories that we're hearing in the news right now. We're hearing of stories of American citizens being deported, and these are things that Asian Americans have faced since we've been in this country." He's also very aware of what his historic nomination means. What some of the stars up for a Tony Award have to say about their nomination. What some of the stars up for a Tony Award have to say about their nomination. Theo Wargo, Bruce Glikas/WireImage via Getty Images "It's part of the story of being Asian American. Traditionally, we have been overlooked, and we have been made to feel invisible at times.... I look forward to the day when it's not just a nomination, that there's an Asian American who actually wins this category." Real Women Have Curves' Justina Machado can relate. "People that are used to seeing themselves do not understand how important and powerful it is," Machado says. "You just don't get it. And then when somebody does, it affects them." Tony Macht, Cole Escola, Conrad Ricamora and Bianca Leigh in "Oh, Mary!". Tony Macht, Cole Escola, Conrad Ricamora and Bianca Leigh in "Oh, Mary!". Emilio Madrid But that change isn't just felt on stage, it's also having an impact in the audience, says Celia Keenan-Bolger, Tony-award winning actress and recipient of the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for her advocacy work. "Wherever you live, you could come to New York City and you could see something that's for you, and you could sit next to somebody from a different state who might not have the same set of beliefs as you, and you could share an experience together. And these days, that is something." And for many, like Will Aronson, co-writer of Maybe Happy Ending with Hue Park, the very essence of live theater is rooted in diversity. Danny Burstein with McDonald in "Gypsy." Danny Burstein with McDonald in "Gypsy." Julieta Cervantes "One of the things that I think drew us to writing for musical theater in general was that it seemed like this really big tent, for lack of a better word, where you could have Sweeney Todd, Hairspray—you can have these vastly different things that are all great and all really different. This year is like a perfect example of that." 'Thrilled' To Be a Part of It "I am not the queen. There is no queen of the Tony," says the most Tony nominated and the most awarded performer in Broadway history, McDonald, when praised for her domination. That sense of humbleness is felt among this year's nominees. "All of this talent, all these different shows all happening at the same time in one city. It's so special to be in this city at this time," says Groff, who won the Tony last year for Merrily We Roll Along. He's a longtime fan of the awards. "I watched the Tonys as a kid. Recorded them on VHS." Jonathan Groff at the opening night after-party for Bobby Darin musical "Just in Time" on Broadway on April 23, 2025, in New York City. Jonathan Groff at the opening night after-party for Bobby Darin musical "Just in Time" on Broadway on April 23, 2025, in New York City. Bruce Glikas/WireImage And it's the power and impact of a nomination that matters the most to first-time nominee Kim. "It gives me goosebumps, literally, because I think that's the power of what we do as storytellers. We get to speak truth to power in a way that is not in a classroom, is not in a way that tells you about the experience of America, it actually shows you, and I think that's a really effective way of spotlighting and increasing our understanding of the world around us." Similarly, Death Becomes Her's Hilty says she's just hoping to give audiences a break from whatever is going on outside the walls of the theater. Daniel Dae Kim attends the "Yellow Face" screening at Whitby Hotel on April 14, 2025, in New York City. Daniel Dae Kim attends the "Yellow Face" screening at Whitby Hotel on April 14, 2025, in New York City. Theo Wargo/Getty "We don't require anything of the audience, other than to check your troubles at the door and come laugh with us and at us for a couple of hours." Time will tell whether Broadway will be able sustain these successes in both the box office tallies and who gets to tell their stories on the big stage. "We are going to enter some difficult times," Hitchens says. "But at the end of the day, what I believe in is that this should not be partisan, because everything that theater touches, it makes better. It makes the economy better. It makes education better. Nobody's been able to come up with something that it doesn't make better. Megan Hilty receives her caricature in honor of her performance in "Death Becomes Her" on Broadway, at Sardi's on April 24, 2025, in New York City. Megan Hilty receives her caricature in honor of her performance in "Death Becomes Her" on Broadway, at Sardi's on April 24, 2025, in New York City. Bruce Glikas/Getty "Sadly, we learned what it was like to have a day without art and theater, which is that [COVID] affected all of our local businesses, the economies.... I think this is a moment for us to own that we entertain the hell out of people." And for the relucent queen of the Tonys, McDonald, she's most focused on the present state of theater and how the Tony Awards reflect that. "It's an incredible, incredible group of nominees, in all the categories, and not just the nominees. Everybody who is doing work on Broadway and off-Broadway and in any theater anywhere is a special soul, and so I'm just thrilled to be a part of that community."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Latest Tony Awards odds: ‘Maybe Happy Ending' and ‘Oh, Mary!' maintain their leads, Best Actress in a Musical tightens
With less than three weeks until the 78th annual Tony Awards, the Gold Derby odds have shown some movement, reflecting momentum shifts in the race based on industry buzz and following the announcement of the winners of the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards. Although there is little to no overlap between these awards bodies and the pool of Tony voters — these prizes are not precursors akin to the Oscars and their industry and guild prizes — they nevertheless contribute to the perceptions of the races that swirl among insiders. Based on the predictions of more than 700 Gold Derby experts, editors, and users, here is where the top eight races stand. And be sure to scroll to down for a current tally of wins by show in all 26 categories. Our projected winners are denoted in gold. More from GoldDerby 'Sentimental Value' hailed as a 'masterpiece,' the 'best movie' at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival 'The Daily Show' editor Cathy Trasborg on letting Trump supporters 'reveal themselves' in the edit: 'We just let them play out' 'Beast Games' editor Mack Hopkins on the scene that was inspired by 'Dunkirk' 1. — 31/20 2. Dead Outlaw — 9/2 3. Death Becomes Her — 9/2 4. Operation Mincemeat — 7/1 5. Buena Vista Social Club — 7/1 Maybe Happy Ending continues to lead the Best Musical field and has maintained steady odds of winning over the past two weeks, but there has been movement amongst its challengers. Dead Outlaw takes the lead over Death Becomes Her for second place, even though the latter earned more overall nominations and has been gaining momentum according to industry chatter. The shift makes sense in our projections, though, as our users predict Dead Outlaw will win the more important prize of Musical Book, while Death Becomes Her is only slated to pick up the trophy for Costume Design. Operation Mincemeat has now pulled up to even odds with Buena Vista Social Club and inched its way forward to fourth place. The former is expected to win one prize for Featured Actor for Jak Malone, while the latter will likely claim four for Featured Actress for Natalie Venetia Belcon, Orchestrations, Choreography, and Sound Design. 1. — 39/20 2. Purpose — 7/2 3. John Proctor Is the Villain — 37/10 4. The Hills of California — 15/2 5. English — 17/2 As with Maybe Happy Ending in Best Musical, frontrunner Oh, Mary! retains a formidable lead over the competition. But should there be an unexpected upset in this top category, our users now believe Purpose has a better chance at winning than John Proctor Is the Villain. Both dramas had healthy showings in nominations, earning six and seven respectively, though John Proctor has support across numerous categories including Best Direction for Danya Taymor, whereas Purpose only gained recognition for five of its performers. The largest factor swaying more predictions toward Purpose is undoubtedly its recent win for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Historically speaking, receiving this highest honor in American letters does not necessarily correlate with winning the Tony — the official statistic is less than half — and Oh, Mary! also received a boost to its prospects as it was cited a finalist for the same prize. 1. — 83/50 2. Gypsy — 27/10 3. Floyd Collins — 4/1 4. Pirates! The Penzance Musical — 11/2 This race also remains steady as director Jamie Lloyd's Sunset Boulevard leads over its closest rival Gypsy. The nominations tipped the scales in its favor as Gypsy missed out on a crucial bid for its director George C. Wolfe, though the revival of the classic Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne, and Arthur Laurents musical could win support amongst some voters who found this bold production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard polarizing. Even so, Sunset further solidified its frontrunner status with a victory for Musical Revival at the Drama League Awards, besting its three Tonys competitors. 1. — 19/10 2. Eureka Day — 49/20 3. Our Town — 4/1 4. Romeo + Juliet — 9/2 David Henry Hwang's Pulitzer finalist Yellow Face has further solidified its lead in this category, though Jonathan Spector's Eureka Day has a very strong contingent of support. With only one nomination apiece, Our Town and Romeo & Juliet, directed by Tony winners Kenny Leon and Sam Gold, respectively, are not predominant factors in this race for a victory. SEE Tony Talk: Predicting the tricky musical acting categories including Audra McDonald vs. Nicole Scherzinger 1. Audra McDonald, — 11/5 2. Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard — 53/20 3. Jasmine Amy Rogers, Boop! The Musical — 11/2 4. Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her — 13/2 5. Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her — 7/1 Though Gold Derby's ranking of the five nominees in this captivating category has not changed, there have been numerous important developments since the nominations were announced. First, Jasmine Amy Rogers prevailed over three of her fellow Tony nominees in the Lead Performer category at the Outer Critics Circle Awards. Subsequently, Nicole Scherzinger won the Distinguished Performance prize at the Drama League Awards, an honor a performer may only win once in their career. Notably, Audra McDonald was not eligible there as she previously took home the award in 2012 for The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess. Although Scherzinger has more overall users predicting her to win, McDonald leads our odds as more experts and editors favor her victory; McDonald has also started to close the gap in the raw total of user predictions, too, as only some three dozen votes now separate her and Scherzinger. Watch our video interview with Boop! The Musical's Jasmine Amy Rogers here. 1. Darren Criss, — 10/3 2. Jonathan Groff, Just in Time — 4/1 3. Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins — 5/1 4. Tom Francis, Sunset Boulevard — 11/2 5. Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw — 13/2 6. James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World — 17/2 Maybe Happy Ending's Darren Criss continues to lead this supersized field and might be the Best Musical frontrunner's biggest prize on Tony night. Although they trail significantly, three challengers are starting to separate themselves from the pack. Jonathan Groff, previously third in our predictions, has been gaining momentum and now ranks second for his charismatic and energetic performance as Bobby Darrin, although no performer in the history of the Tonys has won the Best Actor (Musical) category twice in two years. Jeremy Jordan previously ranked second and now falls to third, but maintains a smattering of backers for his harrowing turn as real-life explorer Floyd Collins. Consistent in fourth place but also with a sizable number of predictions is Tom Francis, who has one of the season's standout moments performing the title number from Sunset Boulevard live on camera in the streets of Manhattan eight times a week. Such a splintered field could either produce a shocking upset or mark a clearer path for Criss to prevail. Read our interview with Sunset Boulevard's Tom Francis here. 1. Sarah Snook, — 8/5 2. LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose — 9/2 3. Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California — 5/1 4. Sadie Sink, John Proctor Is the Villain — 11/2 5. Mia Farrow, The Roommate — 17/2 Snook now has the most commanding lead amongst all four of the top acting races in terms of overall vote tallies. But Gold Derby users have given further thought to who might win if the Succession star shockingly does not prevail. While our earlier predictions favored Laura Donnelly, she has been usurped for second place by LaTanya Richardson Jackson. Although Donnelly received rave reviews and had a more predominant role in The Hills of California than Jackson in Purpose, the switch makes sense as Jackson's play runs throughout the Tony voting period, so voters attending Broadway performances now before casting their ballots will have her more front of mind than Donnelly. A performer from a closed production occasionally wins this top honor, such as Deirdre O'Connell in Dana H. in 2022, but the category typically favors actresses from running shows. That may also give Sadie Sink in John Proctor Is the Villain an advantage, should that play overperform our expectations with a win for Best Play or Best Direction. Watch our video interview with John Proctor Is the Villain's Sadie Sink here. 1. Cole Escola, — 3/1 2. Jon Michael Hill, Purpose — 9/2 3. Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face — 9/2 4. George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck — 11/2 5. Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow — 13/2 6. Harry Lennix, Purpose — 8/1 Snook may now have the biggest lead of all acting contenders, but Cole Escola is not far behind for their hilarious performance in Oh, Mary! The rest of the lineup has not shifted, with Jon Michael Hill, Daniel Dae Kim, and George Clooney receiving small pools of votes. Hill could receive a boost to his prospects on Tony night if voters favored Purpose for the Best Play prize, though it looks incredibly unlikely that they would opt to not support Escola in either the top playwriting or performing categories. Kim could similarly garner votes from folks supporting Yellow Face for Best Revival, though it looks more likely that the show's featured performance, Francis Jue, could prevail than its lead. George Clooney recently announced that Good Night, and Good Luck will live-stream its penultimate performance on CNN, though this effort to democratize access to the best-selling Broadway play in history will not likely yield enough votes to overcome Escola's lead. Read our interview with Stranger Things: The First Shadow's Louis McCartney here. Buena Vista Social Club — 4 Maybe Happy Ending — 4 Sunset Boulevard — 3 Dead Outlaw — 1 Death Becomes Her — 1 Gypsy — 1 Operation Mincemeat — 1 Oh, Mary! — 5 Stranger Things: The First Shadow — 3 Eureka Day — 1 The Picture of Dorian Gray — 1 Yellow Face — 1 See our official odds for our winner predictions in all 26 categories, updated on May 21. The 2025 Tony Awards will take place on Sunday, June 8. SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Who Needs a Tony to Reach EGOT? Sadie Sink on her character's 'emotional rage' in 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and her reaction to 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' Click here to read the full article.
