Best Musical Contenders

This year’s race for Best Musical features strong contenders, with potential favorites including:

• Maybe Happy Ending
• Dead Outlaw
• Buena Vista Social Club

In the realm of new plays, keep an eye on:

• Purpose
• John Proctor Is the Villain
• Oh, Mary!

Each category will feature at least five nominations.

Front-Runners for Performance Categories

Best Actress in a Musical

The competition for Best Actress boasts several strong candidates. However, the front-runners include:

• Audra McDonald for Gypsy, a six-time Tony winner.
• Nicole Scherzinger for Sunset Boulevard, known for her tenure with the Pussycat Dolls.

Best Actor in a Musical

This category appears more open, with actors such as:

• Darren Criss for Maybe Happy Ending
• Andrew Durand for Dead Outlaw
• Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard
• Jonathan Groff for Just in Time
• Jeremy Jordan for Floyd Collins

Celebrities and Their Chances

Several well-known names are in contention for nominations, including:

• Sarah Snook for The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Sadie Sink for John Proctor Is the Villain

Others like Denzel Washington, George Clooney, and Robert Downey Jr. have less certain prospects for nominations in their respective roles.

Confirmed Awards

While nominations are forthcoming, some noncompetitive awards have already been announced:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Harvey Fierstein, recognized for his contributions in Torch Song Trilogy and Hairspray.
• Isabelle Stevenson Award: Celia Keenan-Bolger, honored for her advocacy and volunteer work.
• Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theater: Awarded to Great Performances, Michael Price, New 42, and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Nominations Process

The nominations are determined by a committee comprising individuals with extensive theater knowledge but no financial stake in the current season’s productions. The committee, initially comprised of 65 members, saw a reduction to 54 participating members due to recusals.