Honey, everything's coming up TONYS!!

 

The 78^th Annual Tony Awards are only TEN days away! Hosted by the Grammy, Emmy & Tony Award-winning Cynthia Erivo. Ms. Erivo is also a three-time Academy Award nominee, for most recently starring as Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande’s Glinda in WICKED Part One.

And before we go any further, I’d like to make my first prediction right now. I predict that in 2026 Cynthia Erivo will become an EGOT after she wins the Oscar for Best Actress in WICKED: For Good, which has the release date of November 21, 2025.

An EGOT is a term referring to someone who has won all four major performing arts awards: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. As of right now there are only 21 people who have achieved EGOT status. Now let's get back to the Tony Awards business...

Where/How/When do you watch the Tony Awards:

“The 78^th Annual Tony Awards will air from the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 8 (7:00-10:00 PM, LIVE CDT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

43 shows opened on Broadway this season: 14 new musicals, 7 musical revivals, 14 new plays, 7 play revivals, and one special. That’s a whole lot of shows which makes “predicting” even more challenging. Also, keep in mind that the following are my predictions of who will win, but not necessarily my favorite choices. 

So, without further ado, let’s jump right in!

 

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

Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross

Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!

I predict it’s going to be a big year for Oh, Mary! and starting with Conrad Ricamora.

 

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

Will Kara Young win the Tony for the 2^nd year in a row? Maybe. But I’m betting on Jessica Hecht this year.

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Brooks Ashmanskas, Smash

Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw

Danny Burstein, Gypsy

Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat

Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins

I would love to see Brooks Ashmanskas win for Smash ( his best work yet IMO), but I think Jak Malone will continue his lucky streak (he won the Olivier Award for this role) and will win this year’s Tony.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club

Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw

Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time

Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves

Joy Woods, Gypsy

I think that Natalie Venetia Belcon is the one to beat this year, but she will remain victorious and win the Tony Award.

Best Book of a Musical

Marco Ramirez, Buena Vista Social Club

Itamar Moses, Dead Outlaw

Marco Pennette, Death Becomes Her

Will Aronson and Hugh Park, Maybe Happy Ending

David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, & Zoe Roberts, Operation Mincemeat

I’m going with Will Aronson and Hugh Park for Maybe Happy Ending on this one. Although Dead Outlaw might walk away with it. People are going to want it to win something.

 

 

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna, Dead Outlaw

Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, Death Becomes Her

Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending

David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts, Operation Mincemeat

Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, Real Women Have Curves

I predict Will Aronson and Hue Park for Maybe Happy ending!

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck

Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!

Jon Michael Hill, Purpose

Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face

Harry Lennix, Purpose

Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

This Tony Award is 100% Cole Escola’s to lose. Meaning Cole Escola’s brilliant performance has everyone talking because everyone has seen it because everyone can’t quit talking about it!

 

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

I predict Sarah Snook, because she expertly plays 26 different characters and has been the talk of the town. But Laura Donnelly could cause an “upset” and walk away with the trophy. People do want to celebrate something for The Hills of California.

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical:

Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending

Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw

Tom Francis, Sunset Boulevard

Jonathan Groff, Just in Time

Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins

James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical

Both Darren Criss and Jeremy Jordan have proved themselves over and over again so I’m guessing this year the Tony will go to one of them. My guess is Darren Criss. BUT Jonathan Groff could be the “upset” and pull off TWO Tonys TWO years in a row.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Jasmine Amy Rogers, Boop!

Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her

Audra McDonald, Gypsy

Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard

Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her

It’s all about Nicole Scherzinger this year! 

 

Best Revival of a Play

Eureka Day

Our Town

Romeo + Juliet

Yellow Face

My first instinct was Eureka Day but I'm going with Yellow Face instead. We'll see...

Best Musical Revival

Floyd Collins

Gypsy

Pirates! The Penzance Musical

Sunset Boulevard

I must go with the most obvious choice here, Sunset Boulevard. I mean there is a reason why it’s the most obvious choice: It was AWESOME!

Best Direction of a Play

Knud Adams, English

Sam Mendes, The Hills of California

Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!

Danya Taymor, John Proctor Is the Villain

Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray

It feels like an Oh, Mary! kind of year so I’m going with Sam Pinkleton.

 

Best Direction of a Musical

Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club

Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending

David Cromer, Dead Outlaw

Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her

Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard

I’m very torn between Michael Arden and Jamie Lloyd winning the big award this year, but I think it’ll be Jamie Lloyd.

 

Best Play:

English

The Hills of California

John Proctor Is the Villain

Oh, Mary!

Purpose

It’s definitely going to Oh Mary! And if there were a Tony Awards for this season’s winner for Pop Culture Zeitgeist it would also go to Oh Mary!

 

Best Musical:

Buena Vista Social Club

Dead Outlaw

Death Becomes Her

Maybe Happy Ending

Operation Mincement

My prediction is Maybe Happy Ending. It’s so refreshing to have a brand-new musical with new music, new storytelling and just a new idea. This one just stays with you too, long after you’ve seen it.

 

Now the following technical categories are not my specialty but I’m giving it a go…

 

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, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Scott Pask, Good Night, and Good Luck

It’s all about Stranger Things for me, so Miriam Buether and 59 for the win!

 

Best Scenic Design of a Musical:

Rachel Hauck, Swept Away

Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending

Arnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social Club

Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her

Derek McLane, Just in Time

I predict Dane Laffrey and George Reeve for Maybe Happy Ending.

 

Best Costume Design of a Play

Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good Luck

Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Rob Howell, The Hills of California

Holly Pierson, Oh, Mary!

Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

It's all about Oh, Mary!

 

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club

Gregg Barnes, Boop!

Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending

Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her

Catherine Zuber, Just in Time

This is Paul Tazewell’s year with winning for the Wicked Movie and again (my prediction) with Death Becomes Her.

 

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Natasha Chivers, The Hills of California

Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

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

It’s going to Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

 

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Jack Knowles, Sunset Boulevard

Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club

Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd Collins

Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending

Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her

I'm going with Ben Stanton for Maybe Happy Ending. But could definitely be an upset by Jack Knowles for Sunset Boulevard.

 

Best Sound Design of a Play

Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow

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

I’m predicting another win for Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Congrats Paul Arditti!

 

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club

Adam Fisher, Sunset Boulevard

Peter Hylenski, Just in Time

Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins

My guess here is for Adam Fisher for Sunset Boulevard.

 

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

David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Boulevard

I predict Marco Paguia for Buena Vista Social Club.

 

Best Choreography

Joshua Bergasse, Smash

Camille A. Brown, Gypsy

Chistopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her

Jerry Mitchell, Boop!

Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club

I think that Justin Peck might be Winner Winner Chicken Dinner for the 2nd year in a row. I predict that Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck will win for Buena Vista Social Club.

 

Ok, y'all, there are 10 more sleeps before the 2025 Tony Awards! And, I don’t know about you but this year's predictions seemed much more challenging than they did last year!  Do you agree with my predictions? I would love to hear from you before the big night … Comments section is wide open! 

And don't forget that sequins are mandatory when attending a Tony Awards party or watching them from home. Cheers!

UPDATED ON JUNE 10:

Well it turns out that I scored a 70% on my Tony predictions. I'll take it! Now that Broadway's Biggest Night is behind us...  Click here for the complete list of the 2024 Tony Award Winners!!