The Tony Awards are known for getting a bit starstruck when movie actors deign to spend time on the Great White Way. So perhaps what’s most notable about this year’s nominees is just how many celebrities didn’t make the cut. While people like Neil Patrick Harris, Bryan Cranston, and Chris O’Dowd all snagged nods, big names like Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, Michelle Williams, James Franco, and Zachary Quinto were left off—this despite solid reviews for many of them. Instead the American Theatre Wing chose to honor Broadway greats like Cherry Jones, Kelli O’Hara, and Mark Rylance. Even media darlings Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart couldn’t beat the competition this year, which will hopefully lead to a whole new photo series of the two posing bitterly.
Leading the pack with the most nominations was the wacky, turn-of-the-century-set musical called A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder. It scored 10 nominations while Harris’ turn in the rock musical Hedwig And The Angry Inch followed up with eight. In the play department, Quinto’s revival of The Glass Menagerie scored seven nominations—including acting nods for all of his costars—tying it with Mark Rylance’s all-male production of Twelfth Night.
And while viewers won’t see as many celebrities thanking the Broadway community for welcoming them, the performances this year are poised to be particularly accessible. The Best Revival Of A Musical category will likely feature numbers from Harris (in glitter and high heels), Bunhead’s Sutton Foster (for Violet), and the cast of Les Misérables. In addition to A Gentleman’s Guide, the Best Musical nominees include a Duke Ellington revue (After Midnight), a Carole King bio-musical (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), and Disney’s stage adaptation of Aladdin, all of which have the benefit of familiarity. Host Hugh Jackman—who returns after a nine-year absence—will also be a big draw for those who can’t tell their Sondheim from Schwartz.
And while her show didn’t nab a best new musical nom, there’s still a good chance the wick-ed-ly talented, one and only Adele Dazeem (aka Idina Menzel)—who earned a Best Actress nom for If/Then—will perform as well. While nominees from unrecognized musicals don’t typically sing, Tony producers would be insane not to capitalize on Menzel’s zeitgeist-y popularity. The only real question is whether they’ll find a way for her to work “Let It Go” into the show, too.
The Tony Awards will air live on CBS on June 8. The complete list of nominees is below.
Best Musical
After Midnight
Aladdin
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Best Play
Act One by James Lapine
All The Way by Robert Schenkkan
Casa Valentina by Harvey Fierstein
Mothers And Sons by Terrence McNally
Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley
Best Revival of a Musical
Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Les Misérables
Violet
Best Revival of a Play
The Cripple Of Inishmaan
The Glass Menagerie
A Raisin In The Sun
Twelfth Night
Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Neil Patrick Harris, Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Ramin Karimloo, Les Misérables
Andy Karl, Rocky
Jefferson Mays, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Bryce Pinkham, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Best Leading Actress in a Musical
Mary Bridget Davies, A Night With Janis Joplin
Sutton Foster, Violet
Idina Menzel, If/Then
Jessie Mueller, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Kelli O’Hara, The Bridges Of Madison County
Best Leading Actor in a Play
Samuel Barnett, Twelfth Night
Bryan Cranston, All The Way
Chris O’Dowd, Of Mice And Men
Mark Rylance, Richard III
Tony Shalhoub, Act One
Best Leading Actress in a Play
Tyne Daly, Mothers And Sons
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, A Raisin In The Sun
Cherry Jones, The Glass Menagerie
Audra McDonald, Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill
Estelle Parsons, The Velocity Of Autumn
Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Cabaret
Nick Cordero, Bullets Over Broadway
Joshua Henry, Violet
James Monroe Iglehart, Aladdin
Jarrod Spector, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Linda Emond, Cabaret
Lena Hall, Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Anika Larsen, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Adriane Lenox, After Midnight
Lauren Worsham, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Best Featured Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, Casa Valentina
Paul Chahidi, Twelfth Night
Stephen Fry, Twelfth Night
Mark Rylance, Twelfth Night
Brian J. Smith, The Glass Menagerie
Best Featured Actress in a Play
Sarah Greene, The Cripple Of Inishmaan
Celia Keenan-Bolger, The Glass Menagerie
Sophie Okonedo, A Raisin In The Sun
Anika Noni Rose, A Raisin In The Sun
Mare Winningham, Casa Valentina
Best Director of a Musical
Warren Carlyle, After Midnight
Michael Mayer, Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Leigh Silverman, Violet
Darko Tresnjak, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Best Director of a Play
Tim Carroll, Twelfth Night
Michael Grandage, The Cripple Of Inishmaan
Kenny Leon, A Raisin In The Sun
John Tiffany, The Glass Menagerie
Best Choreography
Warren Carlyle, After Midnight
Steven Hoggett and Kelly Devine, Rocky
Casey Nicholaw, Aladdin
Susan Stroman, Bullets Over Broadway
Best Book
Woody Allen, Bullets Over Broadway
Chad Beguelin, Aladdin
Robert L. Freedman, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Douglas McGrath, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Best Score
Jason Robert Brown (music & lyrics), The Bridges Of Madison County
Tom Kitt (music) and Brian Yorkey (lyrics), If/Then
Steven Lutvak (music) and Robert L. Freedman (lyrics), A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Alan Menken (music), Howard Ashman, Chad Beguelin & Tim Rice (lyrics), Aladdin
Best Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, Bullets Over Broadway
Jason Robert Brown, The Bridges Of Madison County
Steve Sidwell, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Jonathan Tunick, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Christopher Barreca, Rocky
Julian Crouch, Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Alexander Dodge, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
Santo Loquasto, Bullets Over Broadway
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Act One
Bob Crowley, The Glass Menagerie
Es Devlin, Machinal
Christopher Oram, The Cripple Of Inishmaan
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder
William Ivey Long, Bullets Over Broadway
Arianne Phillips, Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Isabel Toledo, After Midnight
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Act One
Michael Krass, Machinal
Rita Ryack, Casa Valentina
Jenny Tiramani, Twelfth Night
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Christopher Akerlind, Rocky
Howell Binkley, After Midnight
Donald Holder, The Bridges Of Madison County
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, The Cripple Of Inishmaan
Jane Cox, Machinal
Natasha Katz, The Glass Menagerie
Japhy Weideman, Of Mice And Men
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, After Midnight
Tim O’Heir, Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Mick Potter, Les Misérables
Brian Ronan, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Best Sound Design of a Play
Alex Baranowski, The Cripple Of Inishmaan
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill
Dan Moses Schreier, Act One
Matt Tierney, Machinal