“Some Like It Hot,” a jazzy re-imagining of the classic comedy film about two musicians on the run, dominated the nominations for the 2023 Tony Awards, which were announced on Tuesday, with 13 nods.
It was followed closely behind by “& Juliet,” “Shucked” and “New York, New York,” which scored nine nominations apiece. All of these productions will vie for best musical honors, facing off against one of the year’s most acclaimed shows, “Kimberly Akimbo,” the story of a teenager who has a medical condition that causes her to age rapidly. “Kimberly Akimbo” is up for eight prizes, including for supporting performers Bonnie Milligan and Justin Cooley, as well as for Victoria Clark’s turn in the title role.
The Jessica Chastain-led revival of a stripped-down “A Doll’s House,” Tom Stoppard’s sprawling “Leopoldstadt,” and the political satire “Ain’t No Mo’” were the most-nominated plays, with six nods each. It’s an important moment of recognition for “Ain’t No Mo’,” which was embraced by critics, but struggled to find its audience, closing last winter after a total of just 28 performances.
But “Ain’t No Mo’” isn’t the only production that faced fierce commercial headwinds. The annual awards show, honoring the best of Broadway, is unfolding as the theater industry is still clawing back from more than a year of COVID-related closures and the chilling impact that had on tourism in New York City, the lifeblood of the business. Winning a Tony could turbocharge the box office of a show like “Some Like It Hot” or “Shucked.”
Despite the challenges, there have been hits, such as an acclaimed re-imaging of “Parade” with Ben Platt (picking up six nominations) and “Sweeney Todd” with Josh Groban brandishing a razor as Fleet Street’s demon barber (eight nominations). And don’t forget “Funny Girl” with Lea Michele subbing in for original star Beanie Feldstein (which is ineligible because it opened last season). Michele may not be getting a Tony, but she did announce Tuesday’s nominations with “MJ” star Myles Frost.
Among the other major categories, best musical revival will be a race between “Parade,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Into the Woods” — which transferred from New York City Center to Broadway to become a late summer hit — and, in a surprise, Lincoln Center’s critically derided revival of “Camelot.”
“Ain’t No Mo’” and “Leopoldstadt” are up for best play alongside “Between Riverside and Crazy,” “Cost of Living” and “Fat Ham,” which won last year’s Pulitzer Prize for drama. Best revival of a play nominees include “A Doll’s House,” “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” “Suzan Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog,” and “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.”
Several major Hollywood actors were recognized for their stage work this season, including Chastain, Jodie Comer for “Prima Facie,” Samuel L. Jackson for “”The Piano Lesson” and Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for “Topdog/Underdog.”
But there were some notable omissions, as well. Laura Linney was overlooked even as her “Summer 1976” co-star Jessica Hecht was recognized, LaTanya Richardson Jackson was snubbed for directing “The Piano Lesson,” and Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan for “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” were left off the list of honorees.
See the full nominations list, supplied by the Tonys, below:
Best Play
"Ain’t No Mo’"
"Between Riverside and Crazy"
"Cost of Living"
"Fat Ham"
"Leopoldstadt"
Best Musical
"& Juliet"
"Kimberly Akimbo"
"New York, New York"
"Shucked"
“Some Like It Hot"
Best Revival of a Play
"August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
"A Doll’s House"
"The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window"
"Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog"
Best Revival of a Musical
"Into the Woods"
"Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot"
"Parade"
"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Best Book of a Musical
"& Juliet," David West Read
"Kimberly Akimbo," David Lindsay-Abaire
"New York, New York," David Thompson & Sharon Washington
"Shucked," Robert Horn
"Some Like It Hot," Matthew López & Amber Ruffin
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
"Almost Famous"
"Kimberly Akimbo"
"KPOP"
"Shucked"
"Some Like It Hot"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Suzan-Lori Parks’ "Topdog/Underdog"
Corey Hawkins, Suzan-Lori Parks’ "Topdog/Underdog"
Sean Hayes, "Good Night, Oscar"
Stephen McKinley Henderson, "Between Riverside and Crazy"
Wendell Pierce, "Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Chastain, "A Doll’s House"
Jodie Comer, "Prima Facie"
Jessica Hecht, "Summer, 1976"
Audra McDonald, "Ohio State Murders"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, "Some Like It Hot"
J. Harrison Ghee, "Some Like It Hot"
Josh Groban, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Brian d’Arcy James, "Into the Woods"
Ben Platt, "Parade"
Colton Ryan, "New York, New York"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Sara Bareilles, "Into the Woods"
Victoria Clark, "Kimberly Akimbo"
Lorna Courtney, "& Juliet"
Micaela Diamond, "Parade"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Jordan E. Cooper, "Ain’t No Mo’"
Samuel L. Jackson, "August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson"
Arian Moayed, "A Doll’s House"
Brandon Uranowitz, "Leopoldstadt"
David Zayas, "Cost of Living"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nikki Crawford, "Fat Ham"
Crystal Lucas-Perry, "Ain’t No Mo’"
Miriam Silverman, "The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window"
Katy Sullivan, "Cost of Living"
Kara Young, "Cost of Living"
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kevin Cahoon, "Shucked"
Justin Cooley, "Kimberly Akimbo"
Kevin Del Aguila, "Some Like It Hot"
Jordan Donica, "Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot"
Alex Newell, "Shucked
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Julia Lester, "Into the Woods"
Ruthie Ann Miles, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Bonnie Milligan, "Kimberly Akimbo"
NaTasha Yvette Williams, "Some Like It Hot"
Betsy Wolfe, "& Juliet"
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, "Prima Facie"
Tim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding, "Life of Pi"
Rachel Hauck, "Good Night, Oscar"
Richard Hudson, "Leopoldstadt"
Dane Laffrey & Lucy Mackinnon, "A Christmas Carol"
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, "New York, New York"
Mimi Lien, Sweeney Todd: "The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Michael Yeargan & 59 Productions, "Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot"
Scott Pask, "Shucked"
Scott Pask, "Some Like It Hot"
Best Costume Design of a Play
Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell, "Life of Pi"
Dominique Fawn Hill, "Fat Ham"
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, "Leopoldstadt"
Emilio Sosa, "Ain’t No Mo’"
Emilio Sosa, "Good Night, Oscar"
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, "Some Like It Hot"
Susan Hilferty, "Parade"
Jennifer Moeller, "Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot"
Clint Ramos & Sophia Choi, "KPOP"
Paloma Young, "& Juliet"
Donna Zakowska, "New York, New York"
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, "Leopoldstadt"
Natasha Chivers, "Prima Facie"
Jon Clark, "A Doll’s House"
Bradley King, "Fat Ham"
Tim Lutkin, "Life of Pi"
Jen Schriever, "Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman"
Ben Stanton, "A Christmas Carol"
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, "New York, New York"
Lap Chi Chu, "Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot"
Heather Gilbert, "Parade"
Howard Hudson, "& Juliet"
Natasha Katz, "Some Like It Hot"
Natasha Katz, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Best Sound Design of a Play
Jonathan Deans & Taylor Williams, "Ain’t No Mo’"
Carolyn Downing, "Life of Pi"
Joshua D. Reid, "A Christmas Carol"
Ben & Max Ringham, "A Doll’s House"
Ben & Max Ringham, "Prima Facie"
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada, "New York, New York"
John Shivers, "Shucked"
Scott Lehrer & Alex Neumann, "Into the Woods"
Gareth Owen, "& Juliet"
Nevin Steinberg, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Best Direction of a Play
Saheem Ali, "Fat Ham"
Jo Bonney, "Cost of Living"
Jamie Lloyd, "A Doll’s House"
Patrick Marber, "Leopoldstadt"
Stevie Walker-Webb, "Ain’t No Mo’"
Max Webster, "Life of Pi"
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, "Parade"
Lear deBessonet, "Into the Woods"
Casey Nicholaw, "Some Like It Hot"
Jack O’Brien, "Shucked"
Jessica Stone, "Kimberly Akimbo"
Best Choreography
Steven Hoggett, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Casey Nicholaw, "Some Like It Hot"
Susan Stroman, "New York, New York"
Jennifer Weber, "& Juliet"
Jennifer Weber, "KPOP"
Best Orchestrations
Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro, "& Juliet"
John Clancy, "Kimberly Akimbo"
Jason Howland, "Shucked"
Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter, "Some Like It Hot"
Daryl Waters & Sam Davis, "New York, New York"