Four British actors will battle it out at this year’s Tony awards in New York, leading a strong charge of UK talent that saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the National Theatre’s revival of Angels in America showered with nominations.
Jamie Parker (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Mark Rylance (Farinelli and the King), Tom Hollander (Travesties) and Andrew Garfield (Angels in America) will compete against the sole American, Denzel Washington (The Iceman Cometh), in the best actor category.
British actors, playwrights, designers and directors have all been recognised in this year’s nominations. Glenda Jackson is up for best actress for her acclaimed performance in Edward Albee’s psychodrama Three Tall Women, which marked the former Labour MP’s return to Broadway after an absence of three decades. Jackson will compete against Amy Schumer (who starred in Steve Martin’s comedy Meteor Shower), Condola Rashād (Saint Joan) and Lauren Ridloff (Children of a Lesser God).
The National Theatre’s much-revered revival of Tony Kushner’s two-part “gay fantasia” Angels in America, set in 1980s New York, received a total of 11 nominations: Marianne Elliott is in the running for best director, Nathan Lane is nominated for his performance as Roy Cohn, former attorney to Donald Trump, and Susan Brown and Denise Gough are both up for best actress in a featured role in a play. Gough said she was pleased that the British import of the American play had been so well-received on Broadway. “We’re doing New York’s play! That is a total privilege,” she said. “Wouldn’t that be terrible if we came back and you were all like, what have you done with our play?”
Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce are shortlisted for their scenic design for Angels in America, which features three revolving sets, and Paule Constable’s lighting design – which includes a number of striking fluorescent tubes – has also been nominated.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which is currently running in London’s West End with a different cast while its original stars perform in the Broadway transfer, received 10 nominations. They include best play, best director (John Tiffany), best scenic design (Christine Jones), best costume design (Katrina Lindsay) and best choreography (Steven Hoggett). Noma Dumezweni, who plays Hermione, is nominated for best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play.
Set 19 years after the last Harry Potter book, with Harry’s son Albus struggling through a new term at Hogwarts, the two-part play is written by Jack Thorne, based on an original new story by JK Rowling, Thorne and Tiffany. In her five-star review, the Guardian’s New York critic Alexis Soloski called it “exuberantly, flabbergastingly theatrical”. It has broken box-office records on Broadway and the London production, still one of the West End’s hottest tickets, became the most decorated show ever at the Olivier awards last year, taking nine prizes. Anthony Boyle, who won an Olivier for best supporting actor for his portrayal of Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco, is nominated for a Tony this year.
The best director category includes nominations for Joe Mantello for Three Tall Women, Patrick Marber for his staging of Tom Stoppard’s exquisitely intricate comedy Travesties and George C Wolfe for a revival of The Iceman Cometh, Eugene O’Neill’s towering drama set in a New York saloon.
Lucy Kirkwood is nominated for best play for her post-apocalyptic drama The Children, starring Deborah Findlay (also nominated for her performance), which originally ran at the Royal Court in London. Also in the best play category is Claire van Kampen’s Farinelli and the King, which opened at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse back in 2015 and then transferred to the West End before heading to Broadway.
Two new American musicals share the tally for most Tony nominations this year: Mean Girls, based on Tina Fey’s 2004 teen movie, and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, based on the animated TV show set underwater. Both have received 12 nominations each. The Band’s Visit, a new musical about a group of Egyptian musicians who travel to a remote Israeli town, and a revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel have received 11 nominations each.
A new stage version of Disney’s animated box-office smash Frozen receives three nominations including best music and lyrics for husband-and-wife team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Earlier this year, Robert Lopez became the first person to achieve “double EGOT” status , recognised for twice winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.
Special Tony awards will be presented this year to John Leguizamo, “for his body of work and for his commitment to the theatre, bringing diverse stories and audiences to Broadway for three decades”, and to Bruce Springsteen for his one-man show Springsteen on Broadway, which combines music and storytelling. As previously announced, the 2018 special Tony award for lifetime achievement in the theatre will be presented to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Chita Rivera.
The Tony nominations were announced on 1 May by actors Leslie Odom Jr and Katharine McPhee. The awards are handed out on 10 June in a ceremony hosted by Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
The nominations in full
Best book of a musical
The Band’s Visit – Itamar Moses
Frozen – Jennifer Lee
Mean Girls – Tina Fey
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical – Kyle Jarrow
Best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theatre
Angels in America – Music: Adrian Sutton
The Band’s Visit – Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
Frozen – Music & Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
Mean Girls – Music: Jeff Richmond. Lyrics: Nell Benjamin
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical – Music & Lyrics: Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, the Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, TI, Domani & Lil’C
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play
Andrew Garfield – Angels in America
Tom Hollander – Travesties
Jamie Parker – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Mark Rylance – Farinelli and The King
Denzel Washington – Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play
Glenda Jackson – Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Condola Rashād – Saint Joan
Lauren Ridloff – Children of a Lesser God
Amy Schumer – Meteor Shower
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical
Harry Hadden-Paton – My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Tony Shalhoub – The Band’s Visit
Ethan Slater – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical
Lauren Ambrose – My Fair Lady
Hailey Kilgore – Once On This Island
LaChanze – Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Katrina Lenk – The Band’s Visit
Taylor Louderman – Mean Girls
Jessie Mueller – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play
Anthony Boyle – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Michael Cera – Lobby Hero
Brian Tyree Henry – Lobby Hero
Nathan Lane – Angels in America
David Morse – Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play
Susan Brown – Angels in America
Noma Dumezweni – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Deborah Findlay – The Children
Denise Gough – Angels in America
Laurie Metcalf – Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical
Norbert Leo Butz – My Fair Lady
Alexander Gemignani – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Grey Henson – Mean Girls
Gavin Lee – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Ari’el Stachel – The Band’s Visit
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical
Ariana DeBose – Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Renée Fleming – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Lindsay Mendez – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Ashley Park – Mean Girls
Diana Rigg – My Fair Lady
Best scenic design of a play
Miriam Buether – Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Jonathan Fensom – Farinelli and The King
Christine Jones – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Santo Loquasto – Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce – Angels in America
Best scenic design of a musical
Dane Laffrey – Once On This Island
Scott Pask – The Band’s Visit
Scott Pask, Finn Ross & Adam Young – Mean Girls
Michael Yeargan – My Fair Lady
David Zinn – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Best costume design of a play
Jonathan Fensom – Farinelli and The King
Nicky Gillibrand – Angels in America
Katrina Lindsay – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Ann Roth – Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Ann Roth – Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Best costume design of a musical
Gregg Barnes – Mean Girls
Clint Ramos – Once On This Island
Ann Roth – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
David Zinn – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Catherine Zuber – My Fair Lady
Best lighting design of a play
Neil Austin – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Paule Constable – Angels in America
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer – Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Paul Russell – Farinelli and The King
Ben Stanton – Junk
Best lighting design of a musical
Kevin Adams – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Jules Fisher + Peggy Eisenhauer – Once On This Island
Donald Holder – My Fair Lady
Brian MacDevitt – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Tyler Micoleau – The Band’s Visit
Best sound design of a play
Adam Cork – Travesties
Ian Dickinson for Autograph – Angels in America
Gareth Fry – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Tom Gibbons – 1984
Dan Moses Schreier – Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Best sound design of a musical
Kai Harada – The Band’s Visit
Peter Hylenski – Once On This Island
Scott Lehrer – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Brian Ronan – Mean Girls
Walter Trarbach and Mike Dobson – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Best direction of a play
Marianne Elliott – Angels in America
Joe Mantello – Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Patrick Marber – Travesties
John Tiffany – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
George C Wolfe – Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Best direction of a musical
Michael Arden – Once On This Island
David Cromer – The Band’s Visit
Tina Landau – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Casey Nicholaw – Mean Girls
Bartlett Sher – My Fair Lady
Best choreography
Christopher Gattelli – My Fair Lady
Christopher Gattelli – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Steven Hoggett – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two
Casey Nicholaw – Mean Girls
Justin Peck – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Best orchestrations
John Clancy – Mean Girls
Tom Kitt – SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin – Once On This Island
Jamshied Sharifi – The Band’s Visit
Jonathan Tunick – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Best play
The Children – Lucy Kirkwood
Farinelli and The King – Claire van Kampen
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two – Jack Thorne
Junk– Ayad Akhtar
Latin History for Morons – John Leguizamo
Best musical
The Band’s Visit
Frozen
Mean Girls
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical
Best revival of a play
Angels in America
Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women
Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh
Lobby Hero
Travesties
Best revival of a musical
My Fair Lady
Once On This Island
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel
Special Tony awards for lifetime achievement in the theatre
Chita Rivera
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Special Tony awards
John Leguizamo
Bruce Springsteen
Regional theatre Tony award
La MaMa ETC
Isabelle Stevenson Tony award
Nick Scandalios
Tony honours for excellence in the theatre
Sara Krulwich
Bessie Nelson
Ernest Winzer Cleaners
