The 2017 Tony Award nominations were announced this morning for Broadway shows. One surprise was to see “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812” lead the pack with 12 nominations. “Hello, Dolly!” starring Bette Midler was next with 10 nominations, followed by my personal favorite, “Dear Evan Hansen,” with 9.
The straight play with the most nominations was “A Doll’s House, Part 2” with 8. Next were the musical about 9/11, “Come From Away” and “Groundhog Day The Musical” with 7 nominations each.
Another surprise was the number of nominations (5) for “Falsettos,” a revival that closed in January, as well as no love for Glenn Close in “Sunset Boulevard.” Turns out Close was ineligible for a nomination this year since she won a Tony for the same role when she did it in the 1990s.
With 12 new musicals this season, it’s a shame that only four were nominated for Best Musical. “A Bronx Tale,” “Amelie,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and “In Transit,” were among those that received no nominations at all. “Bandstand” received 4 with none in acting categories, and “Anastasia” received 2, including 1 in an acting category to Mary Beth Peil.
One of the most unusual things that happened this year is that all of the Best Musical nominees were also nominated for Best Score, Best Director, and Best Book. That’s exceedingly rare. It’s also unusual that all of the book writers for musicals are making their Broadway debuts. The same is true of all of the playwright nominees for straight plays.
The Tony Awards show will be hosted by Kevin Spacey and will air live from Radio City Music Hall on CBS on June 11, 2017 at 8/7c.
If you’re coming to New York, check out my list on my blog of the new musicals for recommendations.
Below is a complete list.
Best Play
A Doll’s House, Part 2
Indecent
Oslo
Sweat
Best Musical
Come From Away
Dear Evan Hansen
Groundhog Day The Musical
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Book of a Musical
Come From Away, Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levenson
Groundhog Day The Musical, Danny Rubin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Come From Away, Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Groundhog Day The Musical, Tim Minchin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy
Best Revival of a Play
August Wilson’s Jitney
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Present Laughter
Six Degrees of Separation
Best Revival of a Musical
Falsettos
Hello, Dolly!
Miss Saigon
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Laura Linney, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Falsettos
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Michael Aronov, Oslo
Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia
Best Scenic Design of a Play
David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
Michael Yeargan, Oslo
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Korins, War Paint
Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, Anastasia
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, War Paint
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Direction of a Play
Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
Best Direction of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Orchestrations
Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
James Earl Jones
Special Tony Award
Gareth Fry & Pete Malkin, Sound Designers for The Encounter
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Dallas Theater Center
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Baayork Lee
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Nina Lannan
Alan Wasser
Tony Nominations by Production
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 – 12
Hello, Dolly! – 10
Dear Evan Hansen – 9
A Doll’s House, Part 2 – 8
Come From Away – 7
Groundhog Day The Musical – 7
Oslo – 7
August Wilson’s Jitney – 6
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes – 6
Falsettos – 5
War Paint – 4
Indecent – 3
Present Laughter – 3
Sweat – 3
Anastasia – 2
Bandstand – 2
The Front Page – 2
Miss Saigon – 2
Six Degrees of Separation – 2
Arthur Miller’s The Price – 1
The Glass Menagerie – 1
Heisenberg – 1
Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical – 1
The Play That Goes Wrong – 1
The Present – 1
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