A standing ovation is in order for the nominees of the 2023 Tony Awards.
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Funny Girl star Lea Michele and Myles Frost revealed the nominations for the 2023 Tony Awards on Tuesday (May 1). The 76th Tony Awards will take place live on CBS and will be available to stream live on Paramount+ on Sunday, June 11 from the United Palace Theatre in New York City.
The prominent ceremony will be hosted by Ariana DeBose, marking her second time in the role. Broadway show Some Like It Hot will enter the star-studded evening with the most nominations with 13. The competition is hot, as Ain’t No Mo’, Leopoldstadt, and A Doll’s House have tied with six nods.
While the list includes several familiar names, such as Ben Platt, Jessica Hecht, and Sara Bareilles, it also includes multiple first-time nominees. Pop icon Mariah Carey has snagged her first Tony Award nomination as one of the producers on the stage adaption of Some Like It Hot. The critically acclaimed show is in the running for Best Musical against nine other fan favorites.
“When [Producer] Neil Meron shared this new take on the beloved film, I knew I had to be a part of it,” Carey previously told ET. “To see how this show continues to expand on the film’s legacy – pushing boundaries, promoting inclusion, celebrating diversity – I’m proud to help bring Some Like It Hot for today’s world to new audiences.”
Esteemed songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally also earned their first Tony nominations for their country musical comedy, Shucked. The state-of-the-art production premiered at the Nederlander Theatre on April 4. In less than a month, the Nashville-based songwriters scored a spot in nine categories.
Tony Award-winner Robert Horn wrote the book for Shucked while McAnally and Clark composed the music. The two are some of the most decorated songwriters in country music, with credits with Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney, Kacey Musgraves, LeAnn Rimes, Sheryl Crow, and many more.
Following the news, McAnally turned to social media to express his gratitude and to reflect on the road to opening night.
“@thebrandyclark @rhorn1 and I started working 10 years ago on this little country music musical, and yesterday it was nominated for 9 Tony awards,” he wrote. “So many times I wanted to quit. So many times I wondered if anyone would ever care enough to buy a ticket to see this show. So many months that added up to years spent writing then re-writing then scrapping it all and starting from scratch…but, it’s all a beautiful blur because I was surrounded by people who believed when I couldn’t anymore…who dreamed when I was way too afraid to.”
Clark also acknowledged the achievement, claiming that she’s still trying to “wrap” her “brain around” the fact that the musical about expanding your horizons was recognized. The country community flooded the comments with congratulatory messages.
“AMAZING!!! Congrats!!!” said Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman.
“Congrats!!!!!!” shared Tenille Townes.
“I just couldn’t be more excited for you guys – it couldn’t have happened to nicer people,” added Brandi Carlile.
See the complete list of nominees below:
Best New Play
“Ain’t No Mo’”
“Between Riverside and Crazy”
“Cost of Living”
“Fat Ham”
“Leopoldstadt”
Best New Musical
“& Juliet”
“Kimberly Akimbo”
“New York, New York”
“Shucked”
“Some Like It Hot”
Best Play Revival
“A Doll’s House”
“The Piano Lesson”
“The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”
“Topdog/Underdog”
Best Musical Revival
“Camelot”
“Into the Woods”
“Parade”
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Best Leading Actress in a Play
Jessica Chastain, “A Doll’s House”
Jodie Comer, “Prima Facie”
Jessica Hecht, “Summer, 1976”
Audra McDonald, “Ohio State Murders”
Best Leading Actor in a Play
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Topdog/Underdog”
Corey Hawkins, “Topdog/Underdog”
Sean Hayes, “Good Night, Oscar”
Stephen McKinley Henderson, “Between Riverside and Crazy”
Wendell Pierce, “Death of a Salesman”
Best Leading Actress in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Sara Bareilles, “Into the Woods”
Victoria Clark, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Lorna Courtney, “& Juliet”
Micaela Diamond, “Parade”
Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Christian Borle, “Some Like It Hot”
J. Harrison Ghee, “Some Like It Hot”
Josh Groban, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Brian D’Arcy James, “Into the Woods”
Ben Platt, “Parade”
Colton Ryan, “New York, New York”
Best Featured Actor in a Play
Jordan E. Cooper, “Ain’t No Mo’”
Samuel L. Jackson, “The Piano Lesson”
Arian Moayed, “A Doll’s House”
Brandon Uranowitz, “Leopoldstadt”
David Zayas, “Cost of Living”
Best Featured Actress in a Play
Nikki Crawford, “Fat Ham”
Crystal Lucas-Perry, “Ain’t No Mo’”
Miriam Silverman, “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window”
Katy Sullivan, “Cost of Living”
Kara Young, “Cost of Living”
Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Kevin Cahoon, “Shucked”
Justin Cooley, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Kevin Del Aguila, “Some Like It Hot”
Jordan Donica, “Camelot”
Alex Newell, “Shucked”
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Julia Lester, “Into the Woods”
Ruthie Ann Miles, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Bonnie Milligan, “Kimberly Akimbo”
NaTasha Yvette Williams, “Some Like It Hot”
Betsy Wolfe, “& Juliet”
Best Direction of a Play
Saheem Ali, “Fat Ham”
Jo Bonney, “Cost of Living”
Jamie Lloyd, “A Doll’s House”
Patrick Marber, “Leopoldstadt”
Stevie Walker-Webb, “Ain’t No Mo’”
Max Webster, “Life of Pi”
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, “Parade”
Lear deBessonet, “Into the Woods”
Casey Nicholaw, “Some Like It Hot”
Jack O’Brien, “Shucked”
Jessica Stone, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Best Book of a Musical
David Lindsay-Abaire, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Robert Horn, “Shucked”
Matthew López and Amber Ruffin,”Some Like It Hot”
David West Read, “& Juliet”
David Thompson and Sharon Washington, “New York, New York”
Best Original Score
“Almost Famous,” music by Tom Kitt; lyrics by Cameron Crowe and Tom Kitt
“Kimberly Akimbo,” music by Jeanine Tesori; lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire
“KPOP,” music and lyrics: Helen Park and Max Vernon
“Shucked,” music and lyrics: Shane McAnally and Brandy Clark
“Some Like It Hot,” music and lyrics: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Best Choreography
Steven Hoggett, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Casey Nicholaw, “Some Like It Hot”
Susan Stroman, “New York, New York”
Jennifer Weber, “& Juliet”
Jennifer Weber, “KPOP”
Best Orchestrations
John Clancy, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Jason Howland, “Shucked”
Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, “Some Like It Hot”
Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro, “& Juliet”
Daryl Waters and Sam Davis, “New York, New York”
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, “Prima Facie”
Tim Hatley and Andrzej Goulding, “Life of Pi”
Rachel Hauck, “Good Night, Oscar”
Richard Hudson, “Leopoldstadt”
Dane Laffrey and Lucy Mackinnon, “A Christmas Carol”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, “New York, New York”
Mimi Lien, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Scott Pask, “Shucked”
Scott Pask, “Some Like It Hot”
Michael Yeargan and 59 Productions, “Camelot”
Best Costume Design of a Play
Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, “Life of Pi”
Dominique Fawn Hill, “Fat Ham”
Brigitte Reiffensutel, “Leopoldstadt”
Emilio Sosa, “Ain’t No Mo’”
Emilio Sosa, “Good Night, Oscar”
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, “Some Like It Hot”
Susan Hilferty, “Parade”
Jennifer Moeller, “Camelot”
Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi, “KPOP”
Paloma Young, “& Juliet”
Donna Zakowska, “New York, New York”
Best Sound Design of a Play
Jonathan Deans and Taylor Williams, “Ain’t No Mo’”
Carolyn Downing, “Life of Pi”
Joshua D. Reid, “A Christmas Carol”
Ben and Max Ringham, “A Doll’s House”
Ben and Max Ringham, “Prima Facie”
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada, “New York, New York”
John Shivers, “Shucked”
Scott Lehrer and Alex Neumann, “Into the Woods”
Gareth Owen, “& Juliet”
Nevin Steinberg, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, “Leopoldstadt”
Natasha Chivers, “Prima Facie”
Jon Clark, “A Doll’s House”
Bradley King, “Fat Ham”
Tim Lutkin, “Life of Pi”
Jen Schriever, “Death of a Salesman”
Ben Stanton, “A Christmas Carol”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, “New York, New York”
Lap Chi Chu, “Camelot”
Heather Gilbert, “Parade”
Howard Hudson, “& Juliet”
Natasha Katz, “Some Like It Hot”
Natasha Katz, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
(Photo by Gotham/Getty Images)
