Earlier this morning, Tony Award winner Nikki M. James and Tony nominee Andrew Rannells- both of The Book of Mormon– announced the nominees for the 2016 Tony Awards live from the Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel. While the Tony’s won’t air live until June 12 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, theatre enthusiasts’ have been anxiously awaiting the announcing of nominees in hopes that their top picks of shows, actors, and crews received the nominations they all deserved.
The 70th Annual Tony Awards will be hosted this year by Late Late Show host, James Corden. Tickets to the award show will not be sold to the general public this year, unlike years prior. So if anyone needs me on Tony night, I will be on my couch, probably with some take-out food, rooting on my favorites and celebrating the wonderful, magical world that is the theatre.
I’ll include the full 2016 Tony nominations list at the end of this article (plus my quoted predicted winners), but if you want to see some of the nominated shows and can’t make it out to New York, you’re in luck. Book of Mormon is coming to the Civic Center in Peoria from June 7-12. Or you can visit the Broadway in Chicago website and see when a handful of Tony nominated shows are playing, including Hamilton, Beautiful-The Carole King Musical, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Fun Home, and many more. Yes, there’s something special of being in New York and seeing a Broadway show, but seeing a touring company of a production or a local company perform can be just as satisfying. Cast’s of a national tour are mostly comprised of chorus members from the original Broadway production and when you see shows locally, you are helping create the demand for more award winning shows to come to your area.
Written By: Intern Taylor
Best Play
Eclipsed
The Father
The Humans
King Charles III
Best Musical
Bright Star
Hamilton
School of Rock—The Musical
Shuffle Along
Waitress
Best Revival of a Play
The Crucible
A View From the Bridge
Blackbird
Long Days’ Journey Into Night
Noises Off
Best Revival of a Musical
The Color Purple
Fiddler on the Roof
She Loves Me
Spring Awakening
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Gabriel Byrne, Long Days’ Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Jessica Lange, Long Days’ Journey Into Night
Laurie Metcalfe, Misery
Lupita Nyong’o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okenedo, The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Alex Brightman, School of Rock—The Musical
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, The Humans
Bill Camp, The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Days’ Journey Into Night
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jaune Houdyshell, The Humans
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along
Best Book of a Musical
Steve Martin, Bright Star
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Julian Fellowes, School of Rock—The Musical
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Star
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Glenn Slater and Andrew Lloyd Weber, School of Rock—The Musical
Sara Bareillles, Waitress
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Thérèse Raquin
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, A View From the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Es Devlin and Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton
Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along
David Rockwell, She Loves Me
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jane Greenwood, Long Days’ Journey Into Night
Micahel Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Tom Scutt, King Charles III
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Anne Roth, Shuffle Along
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Katz, Long Days’ Journey Into Night
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, The Crucible
Jan Versweyveld, A View From the Bridge
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho
Best Direction of a Play
Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Days’ Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesel Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo Van Hove, A View From the Bridge
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along
Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet!
Best Orchestrations
August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex LaCamoire, Hamilton
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along
A handful of special awards have already been handed out:
Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Sheldon Harnick and Marshall W. Mason.
Special Tony Awards
The National Endowment for the Arts and Miles Wilkin
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Paper Mill Playhouse, Milburn, NJ
Tony Honors for Excellence
Sally Ann Parsons, Joan Lader and Seth Gelblum