As Broadway’s rebound from the pandemic shutdown picks up pace, Tony nominators showered much-sought attention on a wide variety of shows, from razzle-dazzle spectacles to quirky adventurous fare. “Some Like It Hot” scored 13 nominations, the most of any show. But it faces stiff competition in the race for best new musical: “& Juliet,” “New York, New York,” and “Shucked” each picked up nine nods, and “Kimberly Akimbo,” a critical favorite, picked up eight. Among the well-known performers who were nominated are Sara Bareilles, Jessica Chastain, Jodie Comer, Josh Groban, Sean Hayes, Samuel L. Jackson, Wendell Pierce and Ben Platt, as well as the perennial Broadway favorite, Audra McDonald. The nominees for best play were “Ain’t No Mo’,” by Jordan E. Cooper; “Between Riverside and Crazy,” by Stephen Adly Guirgis; “Cost of Living,” by Martyna Majok; “Fat Ham,” by James Ijames; and “Leopoldstadt,” by Tom Stoppard. “Between Riverside and Crazy,” “Cost of Living” and “Fat Ham” have already won Pulitzer Prizes. Here are some other notable developments: Not everyone can wake up to good news on Tony nominations morning. Take a look at this year’s snubs and surprises. When it came to musicals, the nominators favored a familiar mix of both smallish sweethearts and biggish blowouts, our critic writes. Jessica Chastain and Jodie Comer were both nominated for best leading actress in a play, a highly competitive category in which they will face Audra McDonald and Jessica Hecht. Two gender nonconforming performers, J. Harrison Ghee of “Some Like It Hot” and Alex Newell of “Shucked,” earned nominations. Broadway is showing signs of recovery: Its shows have grossed $1.45 billion so far this season — more than double what they had grossed last year at this same point, but still lower than the last full season before the pandemic. Check back here throughout the day for more news about the Tony Awards, including reaction from nominees, as well as analysis from reporters and commentary from critics.
Source: Theater - nytimes.com
