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: the first part, "The Tony Awards: Act 1," streamed on Pluto TV, while the main event, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
Award Winners
The musical "Maybe Happy Ending" won the most awards, taking home six trophies. "Buena Vista Social Club" won four awards, and "Foreign Things: The First Shadow" won three Tonys. The evening saw several historic moments, including the first non-binary performer, Cole Escola, winning the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play.
Historic Moments
The awards also saw Sarah Snook take home her first acting prize for her role in "The Picture of Dorian Gray." Former Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her role in "Sunset Boulevard." Darren Criss won his first two Tonys, one for his performance in "Maybe Happy Ending" and another for producing the musical.
Notable Winners
Other notable winners included Paul Tazewell, who became the first costume designer to win an Oscar and a Tony in the same year. The full list of winners is provided below.
Full List of Winners
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"
- Naheem is Determined in "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 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" (WINNER)
- Bob Odenkirk, "Glengarry Glen Ross"
- Conrad Ricamora, "Oh Mary!"
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" (WINNER)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
- Brooks Ashmanskas, "Smash"
- Jeb Brown, "Dead Law"
- Danny Burstein, "Gypsy"
- Lucas Hedges, "Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical" (WINNER)
- Taylor Trensch, "Floyd Collins"
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
- Natalie Venetia Belcon, "Buena Vista Social Club" (WINNER)
- Julia Murney, "Dead Law"
- Gracie Lawrence, "Just in Time"
- Justina Machado, "Real Women Have Curves: The Musical"
- Joy Woods, "Gypsy"
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
- Sadaharu, "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 Becomes 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 Pigott, "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 Productions, "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 Rui Rita, "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 Coughlin, "Floyd Collins"
- Marco Paguia, "Buena Vista Social Club" (WINNER)
- David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Sunset BLVD."
Best Sound Design of a Musical
- Jonathan Deans, "Buena Vista Social Club" (WINNER)
- Adam Fisher, "Sunset BLVD."
- Peter Hylenski, "Just in Time"
- Peter Hylenski, "Maybe Happy Ending"
- Dan Moses Schreier, "Floyd Collins"
Best Sound Design of a Play
- Paul Arditti, "Foreign Things: The First Shadow" (WINNER)
- 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 Book of a Musical
- Marco Ramirez, "Buena Vista Social Club"
- Itamar Moses, "Dead Law"
- Marco Pennette, "Death Becomes Her"
- Will Aronson and Hue Park, "Maybe
