The 78th Annual Tony Award Nominations for 2025- Page 13

[bear88]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 3:29pm

Kad said: "I wouldn't be totally shocked if Musical, Book, & Score go to three different shows- I would guess MHE, Mincemeat, and Outlaw, respectively. MHE is a good overall package, Book often rewards clever, funny shows and voters may want to give Mincemeat something meaningful, and Dead Outlaw's score is just great and Yazbek has really emerged as one of our finest musical theatre composers.

I believe the last time there was a three way split of those awards in a competitive year (aka- not the COVID ceremony) was 2005 with Spamalot, Spelling Bee, and Piazza- a similarly very strong year with no obvious frontrunner to sweep."

I can imagine that happening. The open question is how enthusiastic Tony voters will be to ‘reward’ a particular show. I suspect Jak Malone will win in featured actor so Operation Mincemeat won’t go home empty-handed even if it loses book. The main questions, I guess, are the amount of love for Maybe Happy Ending (which could also affect the Best Actor race) and the level of enthusiasm for Operation Mincemeat and Dead Outlaw.

Maybe Happy Ending - lots of overall nominations, including direction. No best actress nom for Helen Shen in an admittedly tough category. Lots of critical praise, good narrative, some critique of it being too ‘cute.’ Score isn’t memorable on its own but works very well in the context of the character- and plot-driven story. Strong, well-crafted book that covers some dark themes but is designed to have audiences leaving happy.

Operation Mincemeat - no best direction, no acting nominations outside of Malone (who voters can admire without liking the overall show). Weaker reviews than the other two, probably was the fifth choice for Best Musical. Very clever and sentimental but not for everyone. Already won the Olivier - not sure if that helps. Best new song and some catchy melodies. Do voters want to award the actor-writers?

Dead Outlaw - about as well reviewed as Maybe Happy Ending. A very American musical that has no desire to be loved or appeal to sentiment, a notable contrast to the other two. Probably the strongest overall score but it can be a bit grating at times. Definitely not for everyone. Most acting nominations of the three along with direction. How do Tony voters respond to it?

If Maybe Happy Ending wins Best Musical, might it win nothing else? That seems unlikely. I can imagine the show sweeping the three categories, and Criss prevailing too, or just winning Best Musical without another major win.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 4:18pm

Who is the obvious frontrunner for Best Direction of a Play? Unfortunately, I've missed English but based on the rest I saw, I'm rooting for Danya Taymor. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 4:25pm

Sam Pinkleton - Oh, Mary

[Huss417]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 4:41pm

HeyMrMusic said: "WhileMaybe Happy Ending’s book may seem simplistic, it’s much deeper than surface level. It deals with facing mortality, deep-seated trauma, abandonment by loved ones, falling in love despite a known expiration date. I can’t be the only one to have connected with the show on a human level because we know someone who has a terminal illness, is in advanced age, or any other related hardship. Add to that, the show is basically a musical two-hander, which is not common and hard to pull off. It seems simple because there are not many people onstage, but it feels like a complete story when combined with the character- and narrative-driven score.

I think there’s a scenario where MHE takes several of those design awards fromSunsetif a sweep is to be had. It wouldn’t be inconceivable forMaybe Happy Endingto win a majority of its nominations."

It would really be a sweep if they take costume design. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 4:56pm

Costumes will go to Death Becomes Her or Boop.  Not sure how MHE even made that category over MINCEMEAT, SMASH, RWHC etc

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 5:01pm

I was looking for a stat and ''The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?'' is the only Best Play Winner without a Directing nom (against a nominee who got a directing nom) in this century. Even with the Pulitzer, it's a hard stat for ''Purpose'' to overcome.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 5:30pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Costumes will go to Death Becomes Her or Boop. Not sure how MHE even made that category over MINCEMEAT, SMASH, RWHC etc"

MHE got a costume design nomination because they were designed by an industry favorite (and previous winner) and the look of the characters are instantly recognizable and memorable.

[djoko84]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 6:14pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Costumes will go to Death Becomes Her or Boop. Not sure how MHE even made that category over MINCEMEAT, SMASH, RWHC etc"

I'm glad it was you CoffeeBreak who mentioned this. When a show gets noms in categories that had stronger contenders that means it's really loved in the industry. Another reason it will win Best Musical. Thanks for bringing that up, CoffeeBreak.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 7:05pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Costumes will go to Death Becomes Her or Boop. Not sure how MHE even made that category over MINCEMEAT, SMASH, RWHC etc"

Mr Showbiz.. so impressed your mentioning Boop in a positive light.  

[kdogg36]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 10:00pm

bear88 said: "IfMaybe Happy Endingwins Best Musical, might it win nothing else? That seems unlikely. I can imagine the show sweeping the three categories, and Criss prevailingtoo, or just winning Best Musical without another major win."

I know no one asked, but a while back I went down a rabbit hole and verified that no show has ever won only Best Musical and nothing else, though a few shows have only won one other Tony Award (most recently A Strange Loop). There have been plays (e.g. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) and musical revivals (e.g. Hair) that won only the big award and nothing else, though.

 

[VanillaIceCream2]

Posted: 5/5/25 at 11:05pm

Apologies if this has been addressed, but does anyone know what happened to the usual Tony nominee press day that's typically one or two days after the nominations? Was that delayed for some reason?

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/8/25 at 3:06am

''Apologies if this has been addressed, but does anyone know what happened to the usual Tony nominee press day that's typically one or two days after the nominations? Was that delayed for some reason?''

A fellow journalist just informed me that the press day was moved to today (Thurs., May 8 ). No idea why it was delayed a week after nominations, but I'm glad it's happening.

Updated On: 5/9/25 at 03:06 AM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/8/25 at 11:51pm

Spectrum News: Meet the 2025 Tony Nominees

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2025/05/09/meet-the-2025-tony-nominee-class

[RussT2]

Posted: 5/9/25 at 11:21am

Featured actor has Jak Malone etched already. Like Jeremy Jordan, he received a lot of love letters from critics. And nobody can ever beat the Dear Bill moment.


Spot on.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 10:31am

Two Tony Voters Spoke With NY Magazine

Best Musical:
VOTER 1 - Death Becomes Her vs Maybe Happy Ending
VOTER 2 - Dead Outlaw vs Maybe Happy Ending

Best Play:
VOTER 1 - Oh, Mary!
VOTER 2 - English

Best Revival of a Musical:
VOTER 1 - Sunset Blvd.
VOTER 2 - Sunset Blvd.

Best Revival of a Play:
VOTER 1 - Eureka Day
VOTER 2 - Yellow Face

Best Leading Actor in a Musical:
VOTER 1 - Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd.
VOTER 2 - Jonathan Groff, Just In Time

Best Leading Actress in a Musical:
VOTER 1 - Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.
VOTER 2 - Audra McDonald, Gypsy

Best Leading Actor in a Play:
VOTER 1 - Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
VOTER 2 - Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!

Best Leading Actress in a Play:
VOTER 1 - Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
VOTER 2 - Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Featured Actor in a Musical: 
VOTER 1 - Danny Burstein, Gypsy
VOTER 2 - Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat

Best Featured Actress in a Musical:
VOTER 1 - Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw
VOTER 2 - Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw

Best Featured Actor in a Play:
VOTER 1 - Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!
VOTER 2 - Francis Jue, Yellow Face

Best Featured Actress in a Play:
VOTER 1 - Kara Young, Purpose vs Marjan Neshat, English
VOTER 2 - Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day

Best Book of a Musical:
VOTER 1 - Death Becomes Her — Marco Pennette
VOTER 2 - Dead Outlaw — Itamar Moses vs Death Becomes Her — Marco Pennette

Best Original Score:
VOTER 1 - Dead Outlaw — David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
VOTER 2 - Dead Outlaw — David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna vs Maybe Happy Ending — Will Aronson and Hue Park

Best Choreography:
VOTER 1 - Death Becomes Her — Christopher Gattelli
VOTER 2 - Boop! The Musical — Jerry Mitchell
 

Updated On: 5/14/25 at 10:31 AM

[Kad]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 10:39am

While 2 voters is not at all representative of the 800+, I was definitely very surprised by their ardent agreement on Julia Knitel- to the point that they did not even mention the other nominees as potential winners, even.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 10:52am

Kad said: "While 2 voters is not at all representative of the 800+, I was definitely very surprised by their ardent agreement on Julia Knitel- to the point that they did not even mention the other nominees as potential winners, even."

I thought the same about Choreography, where general consensus is that BVSC is also favored to win, but wasn’t even mentioned by either voter.  

Updated On: 5/14/25 at 10:52 AM

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 10:59am

Ok, those Groff's compliments... my goodness!

He would become the first winner in lead for a production not nominated for Musical/Revival since the inception of the revival category. Also, the only other actor, and first male one, to win two years in a row, and unlikely Verdon, no ties and real competition.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 12:00pm

WiCkEDrOcKS said: " thought the same about Choreography,where general consensus is that BVSC is also favored to win, but wasn’t even mentioned by either voter."

I think Best Choreography is still very much a 3-horse race between Death Becomes Her, Boop!, and Buena Vista Social Club. Featured Actress, however, seems like it should be a runaway for Natalie Venetia Belcon. Also, Louis McCartney over Cole Escola for Lead Actor and Death Becomes Her for Best Musical are... choices, so it really makes me question how much I'd trust voter #1's takes lol.

[bear88]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 9:35pm

It’s just two people, but perhaps I am underappreciating the admiration for Death Becomes Her, especially since its box office continues to be strong. I took notice of the deserved appreciation of Julia Knitel, Jonathan Groff getting votes for playing himself, and my sense that Sunset Blvd. Is a lock for Best Revival - which may boost its actors. It’s hard to know how much.

Updated On: 5/15/25 at 09:35 PM

[djoko84]

Posted: 5/15/25 at 4:46am

It's TWO voters who can't make up their minds. How about waiting till the NY Times voters poll to make any assumptions? The NY Times voters poll is basically a done deal when it comes to winners.

[MB124]

Posted: 5/15/25 at 9:11am

djoko84 said: "It's TWO voters who can't make up their minds. How about waiting till the NY Times voters poll to make any assumptions? The NY Times voters poll is basically a done deal when it comes to winners."

Why are you so condescending and rude? People are simply having a conversation about the findings in the article. Everyone can read and comprehend that the article is only based off of two voters. 

Relax. 

[bear88]

Posted: 5/15/25 at 10:00am

djoko84 said: "It's TWO voters who can't make up their minds. How about waiting till the NY Times voters poll to make any assumptions? The NY Times voters poll is basically a done deal when it comes to winners."

You hear that, everyone? There is to be no discussion on this Broadway theater chat board about who or what might win at the Tony Awards because djoko84 has declared that any speculation based on a very limited, nonscientific interview with two actual voters - identified as such by everyone who has commented on it - is out of bounds and foolish. Everyone must wait for the New York Times survey of a large percentage of voters in a few weeks (a survey that leaves out many categories).

No predictions, no friendly speculation, nothing. Just wait for the New York Times. I will hold you to it, djoko84. Don’t you dare have any harmless fun talking about the Tonys. Should the board eliminate all threads, existing and yet to be created, that contains such speculation? I eagerly await your reply. What would we do without your firm guidance?

 

Updated On: 5/15/25 at 10:00 AM

[djoko84]

Posted: 5/15/25 at 12:12pm

I'm not saying don't talk about it, but making sweeping conclusions just from two voters is foolish. You can't see any "trends" from them or how voters are going to go. No one should be changing their predictions based on this. 

[MB124]

Posted: 5/15/25 at 1:29pm

djoko84 said: "I'm not saying don't talk about it, but making sweeping conclusions just from two voters is foolish. You can't see any "trends" from them or how voters are going to go. No one should be changing their predictions based on this."

Literally no one in this thread has said they changed their predictions or came to any sweeping conclusions based off of this article. 

Nearly every single comment above explicitly acknowledges that this was a survey of only two voters. 

So what’s your point? 

Everyone was merely discussing this politely and inquisitively until you took the air out of the room.