Nominations For The 78th Annual Tony Awards Are Here

The 78th Annual Tony Awards will return to the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City. 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..  

A limited number of tickets to the show are now on sale to the general public. Ticket prices begin at $595 for seats in the second and third mezzanines and are available for purchase at TonyAwards.com and Ticketmaster.com. There is a six ticket limit and all ticket sales are final (Ticketmaster services charges will apply). 

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.

Here are the 2025 Tony Award Nominees:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California

Mia Farrow, The Roommate

LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose

Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain

Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck

Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!

Jon Michael Hill, Purpose

Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face

Harry Lennix, Purpose

Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her

Audra McDonald, Gypsy

Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical

Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.

Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending

Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw

Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd.

Jonathan Groff, Just in Time

James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins

Best Musical

Buena Vista Social Club

Dead Outlaw

Death Becomes Her

Maybe Happy Ending

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical

Best Play

English

The Hills of California

John Proctor is the Villain

Oh, Mary!

Purpose

Best Book of a Musical

Buena Vista Social Club, Marco Ramirez

Dead Outlaw, Itamar Moses

Death Becomes Her, Marco Pennette

Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson and Hue Park

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Dead Outlaw, David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna

Death Becomes Her, Julia Mattison and Noel Carey

Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson (music and lyrics) and Hue Park (lyrics)

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez

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

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

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

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club

Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical

Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending

Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her

Catherine Zuber, Just in Time

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

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd.

Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club

Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd Collins

Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending

Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her

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

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club

Adam Fisher, Sunset Blvd.

Peter Hylenski, Just in Time

Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending

Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins

Best Direction of a Play

Knud Adams, English

Sam Mendes, The Hills of California

Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!

Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain

Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best Direction of a Musical

Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club

Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending

David Cromer, Dead Outlaw

Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her

Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd.

Best Choreography

Joshua Bergasse, SMASH

Camille A. Brown, Gypsy

Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her

Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical

Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club

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 Blvd.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Tala Ashe, English

Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day

Marjan Neshat, English

Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain

Kara Young, Purpose

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Glenn Davis, Purpose

Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the Villain

Francis Jue, Yellow Face

Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross

Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club

Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw

Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time

Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical

Joy Woods, Gypsy

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Brooks Ashmanskas, SMASH

Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw

Danny Burstein, Gypsy

Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical

Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins

Best Revival of a Play

Eureka Day, Jonathan Spector

Romeo + Juliet

Thornton Wilder's Our Town

Yellow Face, David Henry Hwang

Best Revival of a Musical

Floyd Collins, Tina Landau (book, additional lyrics) and Adam Guettel (music and lyrics)

Gypsy

Pirates! The Penzance Musical

Sunset Blvd.

The 2025 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will go to four outstanding contributors to the Broadway industry – Great Performances, Michael Price, New 42, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

The Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre were established in 1990 and are awarded annually to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, but are not eligible in any of the established Tony Award categories.  

“Our Tony Honors recognize the fact that there are a multitude of people and organizations working behind the scenes who contribute to great theatre, making the journey from page to stage, beyond our traditional categories,” said Jason Laks, President of the Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “We are thrilled to celebrate these behind the scenes heroes on Broadway’s biggest night.”

For more than 50 years on PBS, Great Performances has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. Showcasing a diverse range of artists from around the world, the series has earned 67 Emmy Awards and six Peabody Awards. The Great Performances website and YouTube channel host exclusive videos, interviews, and more. 

Michael Price is the longest serving Executive Director of an American theatre. Under his direction for 47 years commencing in 1968, Goodspeed Musicals became internationally recognized for its dedication to the advancement and preservation of the American Musical. For Goodspeed, Mr. Price produced over 250 classic and forgotten musicals, 100 new musicals, and transferred 19 shows to Broadway, earning 13 Tony Awards. Goodspeed itself was honored with two special Tony Awards. Mr. Price was recently inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame, which honors lifetime achievement in the American theater. Mr. Price is the founder of the League of Historic American Theatres and a founding member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre. He serves on the Executive Committee of the American Theatre Wing and as a member of the Tony Administration Committee. His board memberships include the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Johnny Mercer Foundation, the ASCAP Foundation, and numerous charitable and non-profit organizations. He received his BA from Michigan State University, MA from Minnesota, MFA from Yale, and holds honorary doctorates from Wesleyan University, Connecticut College, and The University of Hartford. He is married to Jo-Ann Nevas Price; they are the proud grandparents of Ezra and Ari.

New 42 was founded to breathe new life into 42nd street and its historic theaters, transforming the block into a vibrant and youthful theater district. Today and every day, we continue to spark awe and wonder — opening new worlds to young audiences through New Victory Theater, incubating new works at New 42 Studios, and paving new pathways to creative careers through our artist and mentorship programs. Under the leadership of President & CEO Russell Granet and Board Chairman Fiona Howe Rudin, New 42’s mission is to make extraordinary performing arts a vital part of everyone’s life from the earliest years onward. Driven by the belief that the performing arts have the power to connect and change us all, we continue to expand what’s possible — for artists, for audiences and for the future of the performing arts.

2025 is a substantial milestone for the non-profit organization, as it marks the 35th anniversary of New 42, the 30th anniversary of the New Victory Theater, and the 25th Anniversary of New 42 Studios.

In the years since its founding in 1990, New 42 has transformed from an urban redevelopment organization to one of New York City’s most visionary cultural nonprofits. Its community includes professional artists rehearsing shows from Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theaters to the West End, teens participating in award-winning workforce development programs, international and American artists debuting work for young people, and educators and school kids and families from across the five boroughs. All of them are part of New 42’s pursuit to engage people in the arts at the earliest age possible, with a commitment to accessibility and affordability.

The New Victory opens new worlds to young people and families through extraordinary performances, education and engagement programs. Bringing kids to the arts and the arts to kids since 1995, this nonprofit theater has become a standard-bearer of quality performing arts for young audiences in the United States. Reflecting and serving the multicultural city it calls home, The New Victory is committed to arts access for all communities of New York to experience and engage with the exemplary international shows on its stages. A global leader in arts education, youth development and audience engagement, the New Victory Theater has been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, by Americans for the Arts with a national Arts Education Award, and by the Drama Desk for "providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people."

New 42 Studios has evolved over the years into an incubator for developing new works, many of which have defined Broadway history in recent decades. Since its opening in 2000, New 42 Studios has served as the rehearsal space for over 1,000 Broadway/Off-Broadway/Touring companies, 655 workshops and readings, 431 regional theater productions, and more than 1,500 other creative projects. The historic productions that have rehearsed at New 42 Studios include sixteen Tony Award® winners for Best Musical or Best Play: The Producers (2001), Hairspray (2002), Jersey Boys (2005), Spring Awakening (2006), In the Heights (2008), Kinky Boots (2012), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2014), Hamilton (2015), Dear Evan Hansen (2016), The Band’s Visit (2017), The Ferryman (2018), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2018), Hadestown (2019), Moulin Rouge (2019), The Inheritance (2019), and Leopoldstadt (2022).

Since 1965, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has been dedicated to enhancing access to its rich archives of dance, theater, music, and recorded sound—to amplify all voices and support the creative process. As one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research centers—and one of the world’s largest collections solely focused on the performing arts—the Library’s materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, film screenings and performances. The collection at the Library for the Performing Arts includes upwards of eight million items, notable for their extraordinary range and diversity—from 11th-century music, to 20th-century manuscripts, to contemporary hip-hop dance. This year, the Library for the Performing Arts celebrates its 60th anniversary with a range of programming and special exhibits.

Celia Keenan-Bolger will receive the 2025 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for her unwavering dedication to advocacy work through the arts.

The Isabelle Stevenson Award is presented annually to a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations. Previous recipients include Billy Porter, Jerry Mitchell, Julie Halston, Judith Light, Nick Scandalios, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Stephen Schwartz, Larry Kramer, Rosie O’Donnell, Bernadette Peters, Eve Ensler, and David Hyde Pierce, among others.

For more than a decade, Celia has used her platform to champion causes close to her heart and encourage those around her to do the same. In 2008 she moved to Pennsylvania where she volunteered for months as a field organizer for the Obama campaign. Then in 2012 she co-founded Broadway For Obama, organizing events to phone bank, canvass and register voters. She served on the advisory board of Broadway Impact, which worked (successfully) to advocate for same-sex-marriage rights throughout the country, as well as the Entertainment Community’s Looking Ahead Advisory Committee, and TDF’s Young Patron’s Committee. She is an "artist-ambassador" for the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), winning the first ever Michael Friedman Freedom Award in 2019 and currently serves on the New 42 Artists Council. 

At the onset of the devastating COVID pandemic, Celia jumped into action to co-found "Broadway Feeds Bellevue," a meal train service for nurses working in the ravaged NYC public healthcare system. She also created and hosted the podcast “Sunday Pancakes,” conducting intimate, candid interviews with theater artists about the beauty and struggle of humanity, and what keeps them feeling connected during lockdown.

Alongside Gavin Creel, Celia created the Activist Artist Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarship support to students in the Department of Musical Theatre at the University of Michigan who are dedicated to service and social justice. 

Celia also serves as an end-of-life doula, providing counsel to those facing the end of their lives, as well as their families and loved ones. The theatre community witnessed her extraordinary selflessness firsthand, as she helped ease the transition for Creel and his family during his untimely passing last year.

Harvey Fierstein will receive the 2025 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

Harvey Fierstein is the winner of four Tony Awards: two for Torch Song Trilogy (Best Play and Best Actor in a Play) as well as Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical for La Cage Aux Folles and Best Actor in a Musical for Hairspray. He has also written the Tony-winning hit Kinky Boots along with Newsies, Casa Valentina, A Catered Affair, Safe Sex, Bella Bella!, Legs Diamond, Spookhouse, Flatbush Tosca, Common Ground and more. He revised the book for Funny Girl, which had a hit run on Broadway and a multi-city North American tour, following its London production. His children’s book, The Sissy Duckling (Humanitas Award), is now in its fifth printing, and his New York Times bestselling memoir I Was Better Last Night is available on Knopf. 

“Harvey Fierstein’s contributions to the American theatre, both as an artist and activist, represent an extraordinary legacy,” said Heather Hitchens, President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Jason Laks, President of the Broadway League. “We are thrilled to honor him with this year’s Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Award, and can’t wait to celebrate one of our icons at the Tony Awards on June 8th.” 

Some of the luminaries previously honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award include Carol Channing, Graciela Daniele, Joel Gray, Jane Greenwood, Sheldon Harnick, Julie Harris, Rosemary Harris, Jerry Herman, James Earl Jones, John Kander, Angela Lansbury, Marshall W. Mason, Terrence McNally, Jack O’Brien, Harold Prince, Chita Rivera, Marian Seldes, Stephen Sondheim, Tommy Tune, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Wheeler, and George C. Wolfe.