Tony Awards nominations were announced Thursday, and the musical "Jagged Little Pill" led all shows with 15 nominations, followed by "Moulin Rouge! The Musical" with 14 and "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical" and "Slave Play" with 12.
The nominations come more than seven months after Broadway shut down to slow the spread of COVID-19 and just days after the Broadway League announced that these stages will stay closed through at least May 30. It's hard to imagine what a post-COVID theater world will look like, especially as the artists and workers of the all-too-elitist industry remain out of work.
But by all means, the Tony Awards must go on, apparently. (No date or details about when or how have yet been released.)
James Monroe Iglehart read off the nominees from the 18 eligible shows, about half the number of productions that have come to contend for these awards. "Jagged Little Pill," "Moulin Rouge! The Musical" and "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical" are the three contenders for best musical. (The critically-panned Percy Jackson production "Lightning Thief" was left out of all categories).
The abbreviated eligibility window led to the elimination of the best musical revival category (because none has yet opened). And with ""Moulin Rouge! The Musical" star Aaron Tveit being the only nominee for lead actor in a musical, he will likely win by default (assuming enough voters agree he's worthy).
"Slave Play" led all plays with 12 nominations including best play. It competes in that top category against "The Inheritance," "The Sound Inside," "Grand Horizons" and "Sea Wall/A Life." "Betrayal," "A Soldier's Play" and "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune" were nominated for best play revival.
Here's the full list of nominations _ including mentions for Tom Hiddleston, Blair Underwood, Jake Gyllenhaal and Audra McDonald:
TOTAL NOMINATIONS BY PRODUCTION
"Jagged Little Pill" 15
"Moulin Rouge! The Musical" _ 14
"Slave Play" _ 12
"Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical" _ 12
"The Inheritance" _ 11
"A Soldier's Play" _ 7
"The Sound Inside" _ 6
"A Christmas Carol" _ 5
Betrayal _ 4
Sea Wall/A Life _ 4
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune _ 2
Grand Horizons _ 2
Linda Vista _ 2
The Rose Tattoo _ 2
My Name is Lucy Barton � 1
Best Play
Grand Horizons
Author: Bess Wohl
"The Inheritance"
Author: Matthew Lopez
Sea Wall/A Life
Author: Simon Stephens & Nick Payne
"Slave Play"
Author: Jeremy O. Harris
"The Sound Inside"
Author: Adam Rapp
Best Musical
"Jagged Little Pill"
"Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
"Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Best Revival of a Play
Betrayal
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Author: Terrence McNally
"A Soldier's Play"
Author: Charles Fuller
Best Book of a Musical
"Jagged Little Pill"
Diablo Cody
"Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
John Logan
"Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
"A Christmas Carol"
Music: Christopher Nightingale
"The Inheritance"
Music: Paul Englishby
The Rose Tattoo
Music: Fitz Patton and Jason Michael Webb
"Slave Play"
Music: Lindsay Jones
"The Sound Inside"
Music: Daniel Kluger
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Ian Barford, Linda Vista
Andrew Burnap, "The Inheritance"
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sea Wall/A Life
Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal
Tom Sturridge, Sea Wall/A Life
Blair Underwood, "A Soldier's Play"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Joaquina Kalukango, "Slave Play"
Laura Linney, My Name Is Lucy Barton
Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Mary-Louise Parker, "The Sound Inside"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Aaron Tveit, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Karen Olivo, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Elizabeth Stanley, "Jagged Little Pill"
Adrienne Warren, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Ato Blankson-Wood, "Slave Play"
James Cusati-Moyer, "Slave Play"
David Alan Grier, "A Soldier's Play"
John Benjamin Hickey, "The Inheritance"
Paul Hilton, T"The Inheritance"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Jane Alexander, Grand Horizons
Chalia La Tour, "Slave Play"
Annie McNamara, "Slave Play"
Lois Smith, "The Inheritance"
Cora Vander Broek, Linda Vista
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Danny Burstein, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Derek Klena, "Jagged Little Pill"
Sean Allan Krill, "Jagged Little Pill"
Sahr Ngaujah, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Daniel J. Watts, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kathryn Gallagher, "Jagged Little Pill"
Celia Rose Gooding, "Jagged Little Pill"
Robyn Hurder, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Lauren Patten, "Jagged Little Pill"
Myra Lucretia Taylor, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Bob Crowley, "The Inheritance"
Soutra Gilmour, Betrayal
Rob Howell, "A Christmas Carol"
Derek McLane, "A Soldier's Play"
Clint Ramos, "Slave Play"
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Riccardo Hernandez and Lucy Mackinnon, "Jagged Little Pill"
Derek McLane, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Mark Thompson and Jeff Sugg, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Best Costume Design of a Play
Dede Ayite, "Slave Play"
Dede Ayite, "A Soldier's Play"
Bob Crowley, T"The Inheritance"
Rob Howell, "A Christmas Carol"
Clint Ramos, The Rose Tattoo
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Emily Rebholz, "Jagged Little Pill"
Mark Thompson, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Catherine Zuber, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Jiyoun Chang, "Slave Play"
Jon Clark, "The Inheritance"
Heather Gilbert, "The Sound Inside"
Allen Lee Hughes, "A Soldier's Play"
Hugh Vanstone, "A Christmas Carol"
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Bruno Poet, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Justin Townsend, "Jagged Little Pill"
Justin Townsend, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti & Christopher Reid, "The Inheritance"
Simon Baker, "A Christmas Carol"
Lindsay Jones, "Slave Play"
Daniel Kluger, Sea Wall/A Life
Daniel Kluger, "The Sound Inside"
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, "Jagged Little Pill"
Peter Hylenski, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Nevin Steinberg, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Best Direction of a Play
David Cromer, "The Sound Inside"
Stephen Daldry, "The Inheritance"
Kenny Leon, "A Soldier's Play"
Jamie Lloyd, Betrayal
Robert O'Hara, "Slave Play"
Best Direction of a Musical
Phyllida Lloyd, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Diane Paulus, "Jagged Little Pill"
Alex Timbers, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Best Choreography
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, "Jagged Little Pill"
Sonya Tayeh, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Anthony Van Laast, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
Best Orchestrations
Tom Kitt, "Jagged Little Pill"
Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen, Matt Stine and Justin Levine, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical"
Ethan Popp, "Tina _ The Tina Turner Musical"
