The 78th Annual Tony Award Nominations for 2025 — Page 8

KarenValentine'sheadband said: "JSquared2 said: "KarenValentine'sheadband said: "Sad they just can't bend its rules and add more nominations to a categories when it's needed. This has been a seasonfull ofgreat shows. Adding a few more nominations here and there couldn't have hurt."



The only thing adding more nominees would accomplish is to split the votes of a relatively small group of voters even more so.



And that's a bad thing? If they are all deserving then theone withthe most votes wins.
"

It's the equivalent of having third party candidates running for office. We don't need a "Jill Stein" to syphon off votes from the most worthy nominees.

djoko84 said: "Does anyone think the producers should've petitioned Shen as featured actress? I think she would've definitely been nominated. Not sure about a win, but definitely a nomination."

I don’t think such a petition would have worked. Shen was an above-the-title lead in Maybe Happy Ending for a reason. I understand why she got squeezed out in the stacked Best Actress in a Musical category to flashier performances by big-name performers (and one newcomer who was its show’s title character) but the show doesn’t work without Shen’s humor and sadness. Her character is different from Criss’ character because, as a more advanced model of robot, she can easily pass as human. That drives the entire story.

I don’t think of Maybe Happy Ending as the Darren Criss show with Shen along for the ride. It’s both of their stories.

Papi2013 said: "Where can I read information about the Tony Nom Committee? I keep hearing Patti Lupone say she is in it. I doubt she will vote for Audra. And she has been photgraphed in other shows but not Real Women Have Curves. Was she suppose to see all of them? Just curious."

This the 24-25 nomination committee. LuPone was not a nominator- she is likely one of the 800+ voters.

To me, the irony is that the Leading Actress in a Musical category this year was far more competitive than Leading Actor in a Musical. If there were a category that needed a sixth slot, I would've thought it would've been Leading Actress. But, assuming Shen was in the No. 6 slot, she apparently wasn't close enough in votes to whoever was No. 5. And Shen's role in ''Maybe Happy Ending'' just isn't as flashy as the women who did get nominated. Still, I would've loved to see BOTH categories have six nominees.

Updated On: 5/1/25 at 02:53 PM

NYT:

Tony Nominations Snubs and Surprises: ‘Othello’ Misses, Clooney Scores

Ensemble-driven plays like “Purpose” and “English” received a slew of nominations, while Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal and Idina Menzel were overlooked.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/theater/tony-nomination-snubs-othello.html





Tony Award nominations 2025: Full list of nominees, snubs, surprises

George Clooney and Sarah Snook are among the honorees, while Audra McDonald makes history, and Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington of “Othello” miss out.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater/2025/05/01/tony-award-nominations-2025-list/

Updated On: 5/1/25 at 03:11 PM

Now that the noms are officially out, who do we think will take Best Actor in a Musical this year?

"Now that the noms are officially out, who do we think will take Best Actor in a Musical this year?"

I think it will be Jeremy Jordan although I am really rooting for Darren Criss.

WiCkEDrOcKS said: "CoffeeBreak said: "WiCkEDrOcKS said: "I also think the narrativebehind MHE helps its odds.It’s an entirely original musical that debuted on Broadway. It weathered the storm of dismalinitial sales and survived the doldrums of winterto become a hit with both critics and audiences. It truly is the “little show that could.”


It's no longer the "little show that could". That's DEAD OUTLAW with it's trajectory making its way upward monetarily and in word of mouth. Also MHE in NO WAY debuted on Broadway. It debuted in Seoul directed Kim Dong-yeon at Lifeway Hall. It had multiple Japanese performances. These productions were the guiding posts/visual "inspirations" - and visually similar, in many ways, to the Broadway production. A film was also made prior to the Broadway production. The Arden directed production happened after all of these productions ANDhis first at theAlliance in Atlanta - all before Broadway.

DEAD OUTLAW has had only one production, premiering off-Broadway a year ago, 2024 with original musical, book and cast all transferring to Broadway. The show has had only one single director, David Cromer and no other productions to draw from. It's the most original and now the little show that could."

Okay, so it technically debuted on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. I’m sure the Tony voters all saw the Seoul or Japan productions. 🙄

My point still stands.

And DEAD OUTLAW’s opening wasn’t even a fullseven days ago. How can you say it’s experiencedan upward trajectory in grosses (when they haven’t even been released yet, post opening) or WOM (when everything I’m seeing / hearing / reading seems decidedly mixed)…?

The horse isn’t just dead, it’s an unrecognizable bloody pulp at this point. Lord."

You don't understand. It's clearly on a monetary upswing because the week with 8 performances grossed more than the one with 6 performances, which grossed more than the one with 1 performance (lower capacity and ticket averages be damned). Now if they just keep adding more and more performances each week to keep the momentum going, they may yet have it in them to eventually outgross Wicked.

Kad said: "You can stop beating that horse, CoffeeBreak. It's dead."

It's not beating a dead horse. Keeping it real. Dead Outlaw, Death Becomes Her & Buena Vista Operation Mincemeat (acting writers/team added Hastie) are the only Best Musical noms that are directed and developed by their original directors.

If awards rules were different MHE could be a revival. The same could be said for JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN. ENGLISH's original production, that transferred to Broadway, started at the Atlantic and wasn't influenced by other productions/directors work etc. It actually makes sense EUREKA DAY is a revival.

Updated On: 5/1/25 at 03:57 PM

BCfitasafiddle said: "Of the Best Musical noms,Dead Outlaw takes it. IMO.

Sunset Blvd for Revival, Actress, Director.

Purpose for Play, but my heart gives it to English.

Play Revival - Eureka Day."

THIS! -- With English for Play. Jeremy Jordan as lead actor in a musical for FLOYD COLLINS (that vocal and physical performance) or Tom Francis in SUNSET BLVD. for the same reason as Jordan. They both are pulling off great characters, vocals and physical performances for over two hours.

Updated On: 5/1/25 at 04:02 PM

pupscotch said: "singerunlimited said: "Now that the noms are officially out, who do we think will take Best Actor in a Musical this year?"

I leantoward Tom Francis. Darren's characterization and acting are excellentand I'd love to see him win just as a longtime fan, but man, he just doesn't sound great on that score, which is so surprising because I generally really like his voice."

The award is for best actor, not best singer or vocal performance. Plenty of people who can barely sing have won Tony awards in the past. Sure, he doesn’t sound like John Raitt in MHE, but remember that the role calls for and was directed to employ mostly straight tone without any embellishments. I think

he’s terrific in the role and would be very deserving.

Updated On: 5/1/25 at 04:32 PM