Final Tony Eligibility Announcement — Page 2

I really thought / hoped they’d push DHP to Featured.

Updated On: 4/28/25 at 04:13 PM

Wayman_Wong said: "Regarding ''Smash,'' since the only eligibility ruling involving performers seems to be bumping Robyn Hurder to Leading Actress, does this mean that Brooks Ashmanskas stays eligible in Featured Actor?"

Yes. Everyone is below the title so she's the only one who changed.

JudyDenmark said: "IdinaBellFoster said: "Would be a silly move to not have Sadie Sink in Lead as it then moves the category tofive nominees, and all but guarantees a nomination there for her."

That's true but no one hasany chance of winning against Snook (rightfully imho), and in Featured she could not only be nominated but has a legit chance towin, given the raves she got across the board. I still maintain that if Shelby was played by an unknown actress it would certainly be considered a featured role."

10000%. Amalia Yoo and Sadie Sink were both phenomenal in the play, but their categories should be switched.

Hoping Justina Machado gets a Featured nom and honestly the win for CURVES. What a dynamite performance: both gut-busting and gut-punching, and often within moments of each other. I couldn't keep my eyes off her when she was onstage.

WiCkEDrOcKS said: "I really thought / hoped they’d push DHP to Featured."



They may have petitioned for it and the answer was no. He's both above the title and I think someone said he has the final bow? (I wont see until Weds.)

Random Thoughts/Reactions

Brooks really is the lead of Smash....but that means he has a GREAT shot at a nomination for featured. Is it similar to performances he has done before? Yes. Is it nevertheless one of the funniest performances on Broadway right now? YES. Based on these rulings, Jeb Brown is also in featured even though he was considered lead in many off-broadway awards. Could also help him land a nom, though his narrator character has less charisma/allure than something like Hermes in Hadestown.

I have a hard time figuring out David Hyde Pierce's Tony trajectory. He easily has the best number in Pirates. But the role isn't really "lead" in the same way that other men like Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan, Jonathan Groff really dominate their shows. It feels like Criss, Groff, Jordan, and Tom Francis all feel like safe bets to me. Which leaves the last slot likely between Andrew Durand and David Hyde Pierce. No idea which way it goes.

Now that Jinkx is officially in featured, I think she gets in. That category is total scattershot (except for Natalie Venetia Belcon, who likely wins and is the only lock. Belcon, Jinkx, Machado feel right. Do they fill it out with Bernadette and Lea??? Or can Gypsy pull off Joy Woods and/or Lesli Margherita??? I don't think Michelle Williams or the Mincemeat ladies are going to show up here despite so many people predicting otherwise.

rburton66 said: "I was hoping this would give some clarity on the eligibility ofJonathan Tunick's orchestrations for Old Friends, but no such luck."

Jonathan Tunick didn’t do any work on Old Friends. He’s just the person who originally orchestrated most of the songs in the show. There’s a credit page of who originally orchestrated every show represented. They are using adaptations of these orchestrations in the show.

BCfitasafiddle said: "Bernadette gets in for sure."





I feel both Bernadette and Lea have a strong chance for noms!



Bernadette Peters could break a Tonys record with a nomination for ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends’

https://www.goldderby.com/article/2025/bernadette-peters-tonys-record-old-friends/

HeyMrMusic said:

Jonathan Tunick didn’t do any work onOld Friends. He’s just the person who originally orchestrated most of the songs in the show. There’s a credit page of who originally orchestrated every show represented. They are using adaptations of these orchestrations in the show."



Thanks for the context! I didn't know that. The "original orchestrations" credit in the playbill threw me.

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: "Random Thoughts/Reactions

Brooks really is the lead of Smash....but that means he has a GREAT shot at a nomination for featured. Is it similar to performances he has done before? Yes. Is it neverthelessone of the funniest performances on Broadway right now? YES. Based on these rulings, Jeb Brown is also in featured even though he was considered lead in many off-broadway awards. Could also help him land a nom, though his narrator character has less charisma/allure than something like Hermes in Hadestown.

I have a hard time figuring out David Hyde Pierce's Tony trajectory. He easily has the best number in Pirates. But the role isn't really "lead" in the same way that other men like Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan, Jonathan Groff really dominate their shows. It feels like Criss, Groff, Jordan, and Tom Francis all feel like safe bets to me. Which leaves the last slot likely between Andrew Durand and David Hyde Pierce. No idea which way it goes.

Now that Jinkx is officially in featured, I think she gets in. That category is total scattershot (except for Natalie VenetiaBelcon, who likely wins and is the only lock. Belcon, Jinkx, Machado feel right. Do they fill it out with Bernadette and Lea??? Or can Gypsy pull off Joy Woods and/or Lesli Margherita??? I don't think Michelle Williams or the Mincemeat ladies are going to show up here despite so many people predicting otherwise.

"
I have doubts for Jinx. She could barely get through her big number when I saw it on Opening. Between RWHC, Julia, Lizzy and Old Friends there’s a lot of stiff competition. But we shall see. Also Michelle Pawk in Just in Time is giving a solid ass performance, as is Gracie. It’ll be an exciting Thursday morning.

quizking101 said: "BCfitasafiddle said: "Bernadette gets in for sure."

I hope not. At the risk of besmirching a legend, she’s not doing anything remarkable in OLD FRIENDS. It’s a career victory lap befitting of a special non-competitive Tony.

There are far too many original Featured Actress performances that have nomination potential to just punt one to Bernadette just because."

Bernadette did not get nominated for "Into the Woods", "A Little Night Music" or "Follies" (i.e. most of her Sondheim work). I think her performance of "Send in the Clowns" in Old Friends IS remarkable. But then add everything else she did, the Sunday homage, singing Not a Day goes By to Sondheim, wrap it all up as a 'career victory lap' and that is a sweet package of a performance......people have done less for more! (how many featured actress Tony noms basically sing one song rather than carry a show? And eventually are forgotten in history).

Performers in revues have won Tonys: Nell Carter in ''Ain't Misbehavin' '' and Ruth Brown in ''Black and Blue.''

Heck, the Tonys have nominated performers for Featured Actress in a Musical from Sondheim revues: Millicent Martin and Julie N. McKenzie (from ''Side by Side by Sondheim'' ) and Barbara Cook (from ''Sondheim on Sondheim'' ).

So Bernadette Peters sings some songs in ''Old Friends'' she's sung before; she also sings some she hasn't. So I'd welcome her as a Tony nominee for this show. Ironically, her toughest competition might come from her ''Old Friends'' co-star: Lea Salonga. Who knew she could belt the bejesus out of ''Everything's Coming Up Roses''? In an interview, Salonga said Cameron Mackintosh asked her to sing that song, so she, too, is performing some tunes she's never done before joining ''Old Friends.'' .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv6rYIrXmsk

Updated On: 4/29/25 at 01:32 PM

MadsonMelo said: "Robbie2 said: "
Bernadette Peters could break a Tonys record with a nomination for ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends’

https://www.goldderby.com/article/2025/bernadette-peters-tonys-record-old-friends/"

This is a overrall record too, right? Or has anyone ever had over 53 years between first and last nom?"

Chita Rivera's at 54: 1961 and 2015.