Introduction to the 78th Annual Tony Awards
The 78th annual Tony Awards, which honored the best of Broadway, took place on Sunday evening. The ceremony was divided into two parts, with the first part, The Tony Awards: Act 1, streaming on Pluto TV at 6:40 p.m. ET, and the main event, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET.
Winners of the 78th Annual Tony Awards
The evening saw several productions take home multiple awards, with Maybe Happy Ending winning the most awards for any production, taking home six trophies, and Buena Vista Social Club winning four awards. Foreign Things: The First Shadow was the most awarded play, with three Tonys.
Historic Wins
The evening was marked by several historic wins, including Cole Escola becoming the first non-binary performer to win the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for their role in Oh Mary!. Hollywood A-lister George Clooney was also nominated for his role in Good Night, and Good Luck. Sarah Snook took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her role in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Musical Winners
In the musical categories, Nicole Scherzinger won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her role as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. Darren Criss won his first two Tony Awards, one for his performance in Maybe Happy Ending and the other for producing the musical. He became the first known Asian American, Pacific Islander (AAPI) to win the Leading Actor in a Musical category.
Other Notable Wins
Paul Tazewell made history by becoming the first costume designer to win an Oscar and a Tony in the same year, winning an Oscar for Wicked: Part I earlier this year and a Tony for Death Becomes Her on Sunday.
Full List of Winners
The full list of winners includes:
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
- George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
- Cole Escola, Oh Mary! (WINNER)
- Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
- Nael Nacer, Yellow Face
- Harry Lennix, Purpose
- Louis McCartney, Foreign Things: The First Shadow
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 (WINNER)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
- Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending (WINNER)
- Andrew Durand, Dead Law
- Tom Francis, Sunset BLVD.
- Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
- James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
- Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
- Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her
- Audra McDonald, Gypsy
- Jasmine Amy Rogers, Boo! The Musical
- Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset BLVD. (WINNER)
- Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her
Best Play
- English
- The Hills of California
- John Proctor is the Villain
- Oh Mary!
- Purpose (WINNER)
Best Musical
- Buena Vista Social Club
- Dead Law
- Death Becomes Her
- Maybe Happy Ending (WINNER)
- Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best Revival of a Play
- Eureka Day (WINNER)
- Romeo + Juliet
- Thornton Wilder’s Our Town
- Yellow Face
Best Revival of a Musical
- Floyd Collins
- Gypsy
- Pirates! The Penzance Musical
- Sunset BLVD. (WINNER)
Best Direction of a Play
- Knud Adams, English
- Sam Mendes, The Hills of California
- Sam Pinkleton, Oh Mary! (WINNER)
- Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain
- KIP Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Direction of a Musical
- Saw Ali, Buena Vista Social Club
- Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending (WINNER)
- David Cromer, Dead Law
- Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
- Jamie Lloyd, Sunset BLVD.
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theater
- Dead Law
- Death البecomes Her
- Maybe Happy Ending (WINNER)
- Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
- Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Best Costume Design of a Musical
- Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club
- Gregg Barnes, Boo! The Musical
- Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending
- Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her (WINNER)
- Catherine Zuber, Just in Time
Best Costume Design of a Play
- Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good Luck
- Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray (WINNER)
- Rob Howell, The Hills of California
- Holly Pierson, Oh Mary!
- Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Foreign Things: The First Shadow
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
- Rachel Hauck, Swept Away
- Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending (WINNER)
- Arnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social Club
- Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her
- Derek McLane, Just in Time
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, Foreign Things: The First Shadow (WINNER)
- Scott Pask, Good Night, and Good Luck
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
- Jack Knowles, Sunset BLVD. (WINNER)
- Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club
- Scott Zielinski and Ruy Horng Sun, Floyd Collins
- Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending
- Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her
Best Lighting Design of a Play
- Natasha Chivers, The Hills of California
- Jon Clark, Foreign Things: The First Shadow (WINNER)
- 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 Choreography
- Joshua Bergasse, Smash
- Camille A. Brown, Gypsy
- Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
- Jerry Mitchell, Boo! The Musical
- Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club (WINNER)
Best Orchestrations
- Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, Just in Time
- Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending
- Bruce Coughhlin, Floyd
