Part 2: My Other Tony Award Predictions...
Now for the second half of my predictions for Sunday’s Tony Awards honoring the best of the 2024-25 Broadway season — which ended at the end of April . It was indeed one of the richest and most competitive seasons in years. While there hasn't been been a megahit of the likes of “Hamilton” or “The Producers,” there were plenty of simply solid and rather terrific shows.
So which shows, and their talent, will be winners?
Here are my thoughts and predictions on the designer and other categories in a separate blog:
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg, “English”
Rob Howell, “The Hills of California”
Marg Horwell and David Bergman, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
Miriam Buether and 59, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
Scott Pask, “Good Night, and Good Luck”
Some of the technical categories are skewed by the kazillion-dollar production of “Stranger Things” receiving a special Tony Award for its technical virtuosity. Will that special award take away from its competitive races? Hard to say. But I’d go with the assumption that many Tony voters won’t remember that special award and vote for “Stranger Things.” (My second choice would be “Good Night and Good Luck.”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rachel Hauck, “Swept Away”
Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, “Maybe Happy Ending”
Arnulfo Maldonado, “Buena Vista Social Club”
Derek McLane, “Death Becomes Her”
Derek McLane, “Just in Time”
I’ll go for the imaginative and elegant: “Maybe Happy Ending.”
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Chivers, “The Hills of California”
Jon Clark, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali, “Good Night, and Good Luck”
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski, “John Proctor is the Villain”
Nick Schlieper, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
Again, “Stranger Things.” If not, “Good Night and Good Luck.”
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo, “Good Night, and Good Luck”
Marg Horwell, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
Rob Howell, “The Hills of California”
Holly Pierson, “Oh, Mary!”
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
My choice: “The Picture of Dorien Gray.”One actor but many costume transformations.
Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, “Smash”
Camille A. Brown, “Gypsy”
Christopher Gattelli, “Death Becomes Her”
Jerry Mitchell, “Boop!”
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, “Buena Vista Social Club”
I loved Delgado/Peck’s graceful swirl of dance and movement, so “Buena Vista Social Club” gets my vote (if I had one)…(though Jerry Mitchell had some clever numbers, too.)
Best Orchestrations
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, “Just in Time”
Will Aronson, “Maybe Happy Ending”
Bruce Coughlin, “Floyd Collins”
Marco Paguia, “Buena Vista Social Club”
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Sunset Boulevard”
“Buena Vista” band is being recognized with a special honor so it could win here regardless but I’ll go with the swinging “Just In Time.:”
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
Palmer Hefferan, “John Proctor Is the Villain”
Daniel Kluger, “Good Night, and Good Luck”
Nick Powell, “The Hills of California”
Clemence Williams, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
Again, “Stranger Things.” If not, “Dorian Gray.”
Best Original Score
“Dead Outlaw,” David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
“Death Becomes Her,” Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
“Maybe Happy Ending,” Will Aronson and Hue Park
“Operation Mincemeat,” David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
“Real Women Have Curves,” Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
I find myself singing along to “Maybe Happy Ending” more than any other of these tuneful shows.
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite, “Buena Vista Social Club”
Gregg Barnes, “Boop!”
Clint Ramos, “Maybe Happy Ending”
Paul Tazewell, “Death Becomes Her”
Catherine Zuber, “Just in Time”
I loved Paul Tazewell (who just won an Oscar for “Wicked”) but I’ll go with Gregg Barnes playful outfits in “Boop!”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jack Knowles, “Sunset Boulevard”
Tyler Micoleau, “Buena Vista Social Club”
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, “Floyd Collins”
Ben Stanton, “Maybe Happy Ending”
Justin Townsend, “Death Becomes Her”
Just for lighting the backstage and Shubert Alley scenes, Jack Knowles gets my hat tip for “Sunset Boulevard.”
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, “Buena Vista Social Club”
Adam Fisher, “Sunset Boulevard”
Peter Hylenski, “Just in Time”
Peter Hylenski, “Maybe Happy Ending”
Dan Moses Schreier, “Floyd Collins”
This is the toughest for me. There was the haunting echoes of “Floyd Collins,”: the all-over-the-place-ness design of “Just in Time,” but again I’ll go with “Sunset Boulevard.”
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Celia Keenan-Bolger. I’m verklempt already .
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement
Harvey Fierstein. Please let him be in prime time just for his acceptance speech
Special Tony Awards will be presented to:
The musicians who make up the band of Buena Vista Social Club - Marco Paguia (Music Director, Conductor/Piano); David Oquendo (Associate Music Director, Guitar); Renesito Avich (Tres); Gustavo Schartz (Bass); Javier Días, Román Diaz, Mauricio Herrera (Percussion); Jesus Ricardo (Trumpet); Eddie Venegas (Trombone); Hery Paz (Woodwinds); Leonardo Reyna (Piano); So well deserved!
The Illusions & Technical Effects of Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Jamie Harrison, Chris Fisher, Gary Beestone & Edward Pierce). Breathtaking.
2025 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to:
Great Performances. I’ve been a fan since the ‘70 — and thank god we have a record of some of theater history’s great works that woukld otherwise be lost to memory..
Michael Price. This one is personal for all of us in the Connecticut theater scene.
New 42. Developing the next generation of artists and theatergoers.
The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. A stunning theater resource
The 78th Annual Tony Awards will return to the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City next month. Hosted by Tony, Emmy, and GRAMMY Award-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards will broadcast LIVE to both coasts on Sunday, June 8, 2025 (8:00 – 11:00 PM ET/5:00 – 8:00 PM PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.*
CBS and Pluto TV will present The Tony Awards: Act One, a pre-show of live, exclusive content leading into the 78th Annual Tony Awards. Additional details will be available at a future date.
Legitimate theatrical productions opening in any of the 41 eligible Broadway theatres during the current season may be considered for Tony nominations. The 2024/2025 eligibility season began April 26, 2024 and ended April 27, 2025. The Tony Awards will be voted in 26 competitive categories by 840 designated Tony voters within the theatre community.
The 2024-2025 Tony Award Nominating Committee consists of: Bob Balaban, Danielle Barlow, Rick Boynton, Brian Harlan Brooks, Dr. Jamie Cacciola-Price, Kevin Cahoon, Adam Chanler-Berat, Victoria Clark, Jordan E. Cooper, Dan Foster, Donald P. Gagnon, Ph.D., Deeksha Gaur, Linda Goodrich, Miranda Haymon, James Ijames, Michael R. Jackson, Christine Toy Johnson, Rosalie Joseph, Rod Kaats, Michael Korie, Kathy Landau, Andrea Lauer, Zhailon Levingston, Jose Llana, Peter Marks, Jess McLeod, Lisa McNulty, Ira Mont, Jacqueline Diane Moscou, Helen Park, Jessica Paz, Georgina Pazcoguin, Ralph B. Peña, Karen Perry, Nancy Piccione, Jill Rafson, Bill Rauch, T. Oliver Reid, Liam Robinson, Carole Rothman, Susan Sampliner, Dick Scanlan, Florie Seery, Rachel Sheinkin, Devario Simmons, Walt Spangler, Mark Stanley, Susan Soon He Stanton, Sam Strasfeld, Jason Tam, Reginald Van Lee, Alexandria Wailes, Ben Wexler, and David C. Woolard
The Tony Awards are produced in collaboration with Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, and White Cherry Entertainment. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss are executive producers and showrunners for White Cherry Entertainment. Weiss will serve as director..