By McKenzi Thi Murphy
Incoming Editor-in-Chief
The nominations for the 2018-2019 73rd Tony Awards season were just announced this morning by Bebe Neuwirth and Brandon Victor Dixon.
Of the 34 eligible shows, plays, rather than musicals as is often the case, dominated the Broadway stage with a whopping 21 premiering in the past year. For weeks, Tony experts have gone back and forth between Aaron Sorkin’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” adaptation and Jez Butterworth’s “The Ferryman,” set during “the troubles” of Northern Ireland, for Best Play. But in a shocking turn of events, “To Kill A Mockingbird” is not among the five Best Play nominations.
Regarding the 13 eligible musicals, only two are musical revivals and both have been heavily revised to complement the modern era: “Kiss Me, Kate” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” Meanwhile, most experts believe Best Musical will likely go to Anaïs Mitchell’s “Hadestown,” though some say “The Prom” could send it on a train back down to the Underworld.
Speaking of “Hadestown,” this new Greek mythology-inspired musical led the nominations this year with a whopping 14, followed close behind by “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations” with 12 and “Tootsie” at 11. Despite not being a Best Play contender, “To Kill a Mockingbird” tied with “The Ferryman” for most play nominations at nine apiece.
Of the 25 shows nominated, five are no longer open either due to poor ticket sales or limited runs. Among those shows, “Choir Boy” has received four well-deserved nominations. Nine shows received no nomination this year, including “Pretty Women” which was largely trashed by critics. However, experts expected Bonnie Milligan of the now-closed “Head Over Heels” musical to receive recognition for her extremely lauded role. Instead, the show was largely forgotten.
Fans of “Be More Chill” will likely be upset to find out that the internet cult sensation received just one nomination for Best Original Score and not a single acting nod. Furthermore, not even Glenda Jackson’s gender-bent “King Leer” could nab the show a second nomination. Her co-star Ruth Wilson won the show its first and only nomination for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play.
For her work on “Hadestown,” author Anaïs Mitchell has received two nominations: Best Original Score and Best Book. She is the only woman since Elizabeth Swedos (“Runaways”) in 1978 to single-handedly pen both the book and score of a musical. She and “Hadestown” director Rachel Chavkin, who also received a nomination, are the second female director/writer team ever. The first was Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson of “Waitress” three seasons ago.
Just eight acting award nominations went to people of color this year (two of which went to one person), and after bragging about #tonyssodiverse just a few years prior, this is disappointing.
Non-competitive special Tony Awards will be presented to Rosemary Harris, Terrence McNally and Harold Wheeler for their Lifetime Achievement in Theatre. Judith Light will receive an Isabelle Stevenson Award for her work fighting HIV/AIDS and support of LGBTQ+ and human rights. Finally, the Special Tony Award will be given to music director Jason Michael Webb for his musical additions to “Choir Boy,” the puppeteers of “King Kong” and the late Marin Mazzie.
The 73rd annual ceremony will take place on June 9 at Radio City Music Hall.
For a full list of nominations, see below:
Best Musical:
Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of The Temptations
Beetlejuice
Hadestown
The Prom
Tootsie
Best Play:
Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney
The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus by Taylor Mac
Ink by James Graham
What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck
Best Revival of a Musical:
Kiss Me, Kate
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud
Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
Damon Daunno, Oklahoma!
Santino Fontana, Tootsie
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
Beth Leavel, The Prom
Eva Noblezada, Hadestown
Kelli O’Hara, Kiss Me, Kate
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play:
Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
Bryan Cranston, Network
Jeff Daniels, To Kill a Mockingbird
Adam Driver, Burn This
Jeremy Pope, Choir Boy
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play:
Annette Bening, All My Sons
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
Elaine May, The Waverly Gallery
Janet McTeer, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Laurie Metcalf, Hillary and Clinton
Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means to Me
Best Book of a Musical:
Ain’t Too Proud, Dominique Morisseau
Beetlejuice, Scott Brown and Anthony King
Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom, Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin
Tootsie, Robert Horn
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre:
Be More Chill, Joe Iconis
Beetlejuice, Eddie Perfect
Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell
The Prom, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin
To Kill a Mockingbird, Adam Guettel
Tootsie, David Yazbek
Best Direction of a Musical:
Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Scott Ellis, Tootsie
Daniel Fish, Oklahoma!
Des McAnuff, Ain’t Too Proud
Casey Nicholaw, The Prom
Best Direction of a Play:
Rupert Goold, Ink
Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
Bartlett Sher, To Kill a Mockingbird
Ivo van Hove, Network
George C. Wolfe, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Andre De Shields, Hadestown
Andy Grotelueschen, Tootsie
Patrick Page, Hadestown
Jeremy Pope, Ain’t Too Proud
Ephraim Sykes, Ain’t Too Proud
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Lilli Cooper, Tootsie
Amber Gray, Hadestown
Sarah Stiles, Tootsie
Ali Stroker, Oklahoma!
Mary Testa, Oklahoma!
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play:
Bertie Carvel, Ink
Robin De Jesús, The Boys in the Band
Gideon Glick, To Kill a Mockingbird
Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
Benjamin Walker, All My Sons
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play:
Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman
Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ruth Wilson, King Lear
Best Choreography:
Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy
Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate
Denis Jones, Tootsie
David Neumann, Hadestown
Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud
Best Orchestrations:
Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, Hadestown
Larry Hochman, Kiss Me, Kate
Daniel Kluger, Oklahoma!
Simon Hale, Tootsie
Harold Wheeler, Ain’t Too Proud
Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, Ain’t Too Proud
Peter England, King Kong
Rachel Hauck, Hadestown
Laura Jellinek, Oklahoma!
David Korins, Beetlejuice
Best Scenic Design of a Play:
Miriam Buether, To Kill a Mockingbird
Bunny Christie, Ink
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Santo Loquasto, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Jan Versweyveld, Network
Best Costume Design of a Musical:
Michael Krass, Hadestown
William Ivey Long, Beetlejuice
William Ivey Long, Tootsie
Bob Mackie, The Cher Show
Paul Tazewell, Ain’t Too Proud
Best Costume Design of a Play:
Rob Howell, The Ferryman
Toni-Leslie James, Bernhardt/Hamlet
Clint Ramos, Torch Song
Ann Roth, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Ann Roth, To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Peter Hylenski, Beetlejuice
Peter Hylenski, King Kong
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Ain’t Too Proud
Drew Levy, Oklahoma!
Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, Hadestown
Best Sound Design of a Play:
Adam Cork, Ink
Scott Lehrer, To Kill a Mockingbird
Fitz Patton, Choir Boy
Nick Powell, The Ferryman
Eric Sleichim, Network
Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Kevin Adams, The Cher Show
Howell Binkley, Ain’t Too Proud
Bradley King, Hadestown
Peter Mumford, King Kong
Kenneth Posner and Peter Nigrini, Beetlejuice
Best Lighting Design of a Play:
Neil Austin, Ink
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Peter Mumford, The Ferryman
Jennifer Tipton, To Kill a Mockingbird
Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, Network
Tony Nominations by Production
Hadestown - 14
Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations - 12
Tootsie - 11
The Ferryman - 9
To Kill a Mockingbird - 9
Beetlejuice - 8
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! - 8
Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus - 7
The Prom - 7
Ink - 6
Network - 5
Choir Boy - 4
Kiss Me, Kate - 4
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons - 3
Burn This - 3
The Cher Show - 3
King Kong - 3
Bernhardt/Hamlet - 2
The Boys in the Band - 2
Torch Song - 2
The Waverly Gallery - 2
What the Constitution Means to Me - 2
Be More Chill - 1
Hillary and Clinton - 1
King Lear - 1