Like the Grammys are to music and the Oscars are to films, the Tony Awards are to Broadway. The Tony Awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. Watched by nearly 8 million people every year, the Tony Awards celebrate excellence in theatre. The 2019 Tony Awards are going to be hosted by Academy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ariana DeBose, and held at Radio City Music Hall.
The official eligibility cut-off date changes every year. The Tony Awards Administration Committee decides on the nominations, following which, over 800 people are eligible to cast votes for winners. A total of 34 shows were vying for awards in 26 categories this year; to be eligible, the shows had to have opened between Feb. 20, 2020, and May 4, 2022.
Even being nominated for a Tony Award is a huge deal, as shows start getting a lot of public interest, helping increase revenue. This year's Tony Award winners for Best Musical include Girl From the North Country, MJ, A Strange Loop and Paradise Square. Previous Tony Award winners for Best Play include The Lehman Trilogy, Hangmen, The Minutes and Skeleton Crew. To know how rewarding a Tony award can be, check out our infographic.
Tony Awards 2022 Nominees
There are 26 categories in the Tonys, of which 8 are performance-based, and the rest are technical or show-based. There are also a couple of special awards, given out to honour those who have made their mark in American theatre.
Best Musical
The Tony Award for the Best Musical is one of the most prestigious awards for Broadway musicals. It is the last award presented at the ceremony, and is given to the producers of the winning musical.
Nominees:
Winner:
Best Play
The Tony Award for the Best Play celebrates live Broadway plays. The award typically goes to the producers and author of the play.
Nominees:
Winner:
Best Revival of a Musical
Nominees:
- Kiss Me, Kate
- Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Winner:
- Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Best Revival of a Play
Nominees:
- Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Winner:
Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Nominees:
- Brooks Ashmanskas, The Prom
- Derrick Baskin, Ain’t Too Proud
- Alex Brightman, Beetlejuice
- Damon Daunno, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
- Santino Fontana, Tootsie
Winner:
- Santino Fontana, Tootsie
Best Leading Actress in a Musical
Nominees:
- Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
- Caitlin Kinnunen, The Prom
- Beth Leavel, The Prom
- Eva Noblezada Hadestown
- Kelli O'Hara, Kiss Me, Kate
Winner:
- Stephanie J. Block, The Cher Show
Best Leading Actor in a Play
Nominees:
- Bertie Carvel, Ink
- Robin De Jesús, The Boys in the Band
- Gideon Glick, To Kill a Mockingbird
- Brandon Uranowitz, Burn This
- Benjamin Walker, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons
Winner:
- Bertie Carvel, Ink
Best Leading Actress in a Play
Nominees:
- Fionnula Flanagan, The Ferryman
- Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
- Julie White, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
- Kristine Nielsen, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
- Ruth Wilson, King Lear
Winner:
- Celia Keenan-Bolger, To Kill a Mockingbird
Best Direction of a Musical
Nominees:
- Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
- Scott Ellis, Tootsie
- Daniel Fish, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
- Des McAnuff, Ain’t Too Proud
- Casey Nicholaw, The Prom
Winner:
- Rachel Chavkin, Hadestown
Best Direction of a Play
Nominees:
- Rupert Goold, Ink
- Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
- Bartlett Sher To Kill a Mockingbird
- Ivo van Hove, Network
- George C. Wolfe, Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus
Winner:
- Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
Best Choreography
Nominees:
- Camille A. Brown, Choir Boy
- Warren Carlyle, Kiss Me, Kate
- Denis Jones, Tootsie
- David Neumann, Hadestown
- Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud
Winner:
- Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud
Tony Awards 2022: Non-competitive Award Winners
Special Tony Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Rosemary Harris
Terrence McNally
Harold Wheeler
Special Tony Awards
Marin Mazzie
Sonny Tilders and Creature Technology Company
Jason Michael Webb
Regional Theatre Tony Award
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Judith Light
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Broadway Inspirational Voices - Michael McElroy, Founder
Peter Entin
FDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9
Joseph Blakely Forbes
Some of the Tony Award nominees are still playing at theatres. As public interest in these shows increases, it may get a little difficult to purchase tickets. But fret not, check out our Broadway collection for last-minute tickets at cheap prices.
