Tony Award Nominations 2025: ‘Buena Vista Social Club,’ ‘Death Becomes Her’ and ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ All Tie with Ten
On Thursday, May 1, Tony winners Sarah Paulson (Appropriate) and Wendell Pierce (for producing Clybourne Park) announced the 2025 Tony Award nominations. From May 2024 to April 2025, 43 new productions opened: 21 were musicals, 21 were plays and one was a special concert by Ben Platt that was not eligible.
Biggest Winners & History Makers
Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her and Maybe Happy Ending all earned ten Tony nominations, including nods for the big prize: Best Musical. John Proctor is the Villain and The Hills of California are the most nominated plays, with 7 nods each, including Best Play.
With her nod for her Rose’s turn in Gypsy, Audra McDonald is now the most Tony-nominated performer in history with 11 nominations.
Daniel Dae Kim from Yellow Face is the first actor of Asian descent to be nominated for Best Performance By a Leading Actor in the Play. Sanaz Toossi, who penned the Pulitzer Prize-winning English, is the first Iranian American to be nominated for Best Play, and two of that show’s stars, Tala Ashe and Marjan Neshat, are the first Middle Eastern actors to be nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play. Cole Escola is the first openly nonbinary artist to be nominated in the Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Play categories.
While most categories have five (or fewer, in the case of revivals) nominees, there are six for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical due to ties.
There are a handful of head-to-head competitions. Jon Michael Hill and Harry Lennix are both nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Purpose. Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard are both nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for Death Becomes Her. And the aforementioned Tala Ashe and Marjan Neshat are both nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for English.
In the design categories, a few artists are competing against themselves: Derek McLane is nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical for his work on Death Becomes Her and Just in Time. And Peter Hylenski is nominated for Best Sound Design of a Musical for his work on Just in Time and Maybe Happy Ending.
In the Best Costume Design of a Musical category, all five nominees are past TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients!
Last year the Tonys were stacked with women directors. This year, there’s only one: Danya Taymor for John Proctor is the Villain. She won a Tony in 2024 for her direction of The Outsiders.
Speaking of gender, while other awards have done away with gendered categories, the Tonys still separate performers by gender. Even though Cole Escola is nonbinary and plays a female character, they opted to be nominated as Best Actor for Oh, Mary! This is an ongoing issue the Tonys really need to address.
Shutout Shows
Thirteen shows were completely shutout, including a number of high-profile productions, notably Othello starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal; All In: Comedy About Love, which had a rotating cast of stars; Redwood with Idina Menzel, McNeal starring Robert Downey Jr. and the revival of Once Upon a Mattress with Sutton Foster. The other overlooked shows are the plays Cult of Love and Left on Tenth, the musical revivals Elf and The Last Five Years, the play revival of Home, the buzzy Off-Broadway transfer JOB, the revue Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends and the musical Tammy Faye.
Other Notable Snubs
Save for George Clooney, who is nominated as Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Good Night, and Good Luck, movie stars did not fare well. The aforementioned Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. did not receive nods. Neither did Kieran Culkin for Glengarry Glen Ross. Also shutout: stage stalwarts and former Tony winners David Hyde Pierce, who’s in Pirates! The Penzance Musical; Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga, who are in Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends; Idina Menzel, who’s in Redwood; Adrienne Warren, who’s in The Last Five Years and Sutton Foster, who headlined Once Upon a Mattress. Despite receiving excellent reviews, newcomers Helen J Shen, who’s in Maybe Happy Ending and Tatianna Córdoba, who’s in Real Women Have Curves: The Musical were not recognized. And Alana Arenas, who gives a blazing Broadway debut in Purpose, was the only member of the cast not to receive a nomination.
Tony Awards 411
Produced by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, the 78th annual ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 8 at Radio City Music Hall with The Color Purple Tony Award winner and Wicked movie star Cynthia Erivo serving as host. In addition to numbers from the nominated musicals, the original cast of Hamilton, including creator/star Lin-Manuel Miranda, will reunite for a special tenth anniversary performance. The Tony Awards will be broadcast on CBS starting at 8 p.m. on June 8 and also available to stream on Paramount+. As in recent years, some statuettes will be given out during a streaming preshow on Pluto TV, which is free to watch and will be hosted by Maybe Happy Ending Tony nominee Darren Criss and Hamilton Tony winner Renée Elise Goldsberry.
Best Play
English
The Hills of California
John Proctor is the Villain– Read an interview with John Proctor is the Villain playwright Kimberly Belflower on TDF Stages.
Oh, Mary!
Purpose
Best Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
Maybe Happy Ending
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best Revival of a Play
Eureka Day
Romeo + Juliet
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town
Yellow Face
Best Revival of a Musical
Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Sunset Blvd.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Laura Donnelly in The Hills of California
Mia Farrow in The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson in Purpose
Sadie Sink in John Proctor is the Villain
Sarah Snook in The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
George Clooney in Good Night, and Good Luck
Cole Escola in Oh, Mary!
Jon Michael Hill in Purpose – Read an interview with Jon Michael Hill on TDF Stages.
Daniel Dae Kim in Yellow Face
Harry Lennix in Purpose
Louis McCartney in Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Megan Hilty in Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald in Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers in BOOP! The Musical
Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Blvd.
Jennifer Simard in Death Becomes Her
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Darren Criss in Maybe Happy Ending
Andrew Durand in Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis in Sunset Blvd.
Jonathan Groff in Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart in A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical – Read an interview with James Monroe Iglehart on TDF Stages.
Jeremy Jordan in Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas in Smash – Read an interview with Brooks Ashmanskas on TDF Stages
Jeb Brown in Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein in Gypsy
Jak Malone in Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Taylor Trensch in Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Natalie Venetia Belcon in Buena Vista Social Club
Julia Knitel in Dead Outlaw
Gracie Lawrence in Just in Time
Justina Machado in Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Joy Woods in Gypsy
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Glenn Davis in Purpose – Read an interview with Glenn Davis on TDF Stages
Gabriel Ebert in John Proctor is the Villain
Francis Jue in Yellow Face – Read an interview with Francis Jue on TDF Stages
Bob Odenkirk in Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora in Oh, Mary!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Tala Ashe in English – Read an interview with Tala Ashe on TDF Stages.
Jessica Hecht in Eureka Day – Read an interview with Jessica Hecht on TDF Stages.
Marjan Neshat in English – Read an interview with Marjan Neshat on TDF Stages.
Fina Strazza in John Proctor is the Villain
Kara Young in Purpose
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna for Dead Outlaw
Julia Mattison and Noel Carey for Death Becomes Her
Will Aronson and Hue Park for Maybe Happy Ending – Read an interview with Will Aronson and Hue Park on TDF Stages.
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts for Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez for Real Women Have Curves
Best Book of a Musical
Marco Ramirez for Buena Vista Social Club – Read an interview with Marco Ramirez on TDF Stages.
Itamar Moses for Dead Outlaw
Marco Pennette for Death Becomes Her
Will Aronson and Hue Park for Maybe Happy Ending – Read an interview with Will Aronson and Hue Park on TDF Stages.
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts for Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg for English
Rob Howell for The Hills of California
Marg Horwell and David Bergman for The Picture of Dorian Gray
Miriam Buether and 59 for Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Scott Pask for Good Night, and Good Luck
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rachel Hauck for Swept Away
Dane Laffrey and George Reeve for Maybe Happy Ending
Arnulfo Maldonado for Buena Vista Social Club
Derek McLane for Death Becomes Her
Derek McLane for Just in Time
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo for Good Night, and Good Luck
Marg Horwell for The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rob Howell for The Hills of California
Holly Pierson for Oh, Mary!
Brigitte Reiffenstuel for Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite for Buena Vista Social Club
Gregg Barnes for BOOP! The Musical
Clint Ramos for Maybe Happy Ending
Paul Tazewell for Death Becomes Her
Catherine Zuber for Just in Time
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Chivers for The Hills of California
Jon Clark for Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali for Good Night, and Good Luck
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski for John Proctor is the Villain
Nick Schlieper for The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jack Knowles for Sunset Blvd.
Tyler Micoleau for Buena Vista Social Club
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun for Floyd Collins
Ben Stanton for Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend for Death Becomes Her
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti for Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Palmer Hefferan for John Proctor is the Villain
Daniel Kluger for Good Night, and Good Luck
Nick Powell for The Hills of California
Clemence Williams for The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans for Buena Vista Social Club
Adam Fisher for Sunset Blvd.
Peter Hylenski for Just in Time
Peter Hylenski for Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier for Floyd Collins
Best Direction of a Play
Knud Adams for English
Sam Mendes for The Hills of California
Sam Pinkleton for Oh, Mary!
Danya Taymor for John Proctor is the Villain
Kip Williams for The Picture of Dorian Gray – Read an interview with Kip Williams on TDF Stages.
Best Direction of a Musical
Saheem Ali for Buena Vista Social Club – Read an interview with Saheem Ali on TDF Stages.
Michael Arden for Maybe Happy Ending
David Cromer for Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli for Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd for Sunset Blvd. – Read an interview with Jamie Lloyd on TDF Stages.
Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse for Smash
Camille A. Brown for Gypsy
Christopher Gattelli for Death Becomes Her
Jerry Mitchell for BOOP! The Musical
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck for Buena Vista Social Club
Best Orchestrations
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber for Just in Time
Will Aronson for Maybe Happy Ending
Bruce Coughlin for Floyd Collins
Marco Paguia for Buena Vista Social Club
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber for Sunset Blvd.
Number of Tony Nominations by Show
Buena Vista Social Club – 10
Death Becomes Her– 10
Maybe Happy Ending– 10
Dead Outlaw– 7
John Proctor is the Villain– 7
Sunset Blvd.– 7
The Hills of California– 7
Floyd Collins– 6
Just in Time– 6
Purpose– 6
The Picture of Dorian Gray– 6
English– 5
Good Night, and Good Luck– 5
Gypsy– 5
Oh, Mary!– 5
Stranger Things: The First Shadow– 5
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical– 4
BOOP! The Musical– 3
Yellow Face– 3
Eureka Day– 2
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical– 2
Smash– 2
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical– 1
Glengarry Glen Ross– 1
Pirates! The Penzance Musical– 1
Romeo + Juliet– 1
Swept Away– 1
The Roommate– 1
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town– 1
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
PBS Great Performances
Michael Price, longtime Executive Director of Goodspeed Musicals
New 42, which includes the New Victory Theater
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Harvey Fierstein
Special Tony Awards
The band of Buena Vista Social Club
The illusions and technical effects of Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Celia Keenan-Bolger
Regional Theatre Tony Award
The Muny — the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis