2016 Tony Award Winners – Hamilton, The Humans

Hamilton won 11 awards and The Humans four, including best musical and best play respectively.

Below are the winners of the 70th annual Tony Awards, listed in red with an asterisk*
Also listed are my personal preferences (not predictions),as well as the results of a survey in which I asked you to pick your personal preferences (not predictions) in 15 of the 24 categories.

 

Tony Awards StatuetteBest Play

Nominated: Eclipsed, The Father, The Humans, King Charles III

My preference:The Humans

Your preference: The Humans

*Winner: The Humans

Best Musical

Nominated: Bright Star, HamiltonSchool of Rock—The MusicalShuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That FollowedWaitress

My preference: Hamilton

Your preference:  Hamilton

*Winner: Hamilton

Best Revival of A Play

Nominated: Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Arthur Miller’s A View from the BridgeBlackbirdLong Day’s Journey Into NightNoises Off

My preference: Long Day’s Journey Into Night,

Your preference:  Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge

*Winner: Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge

Best Revival of a Musical

Nominated: The Color PurpleFiddler on the RoofShe Loves MeSpring Awakening

My preference: Spring Awakening

Your preference: Spring Awakening

*Winner:The Color Purple

Best Book of a Musical

Nominated: Bright Star (Steve Martin)
Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda)
School of Rock—The Musical (Julian Fellowes)
Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed (George C. Wolfe)

My preference: Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda)

*Winner: Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda)

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

Nominated: Bright Star (Music: Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
Lyrics: Edie Brickell)
Hamilton (Music and Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda)
School of Rock—The Musical (Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics: Glenn SlaterWaitress (Music & Lyrics: Sara Bareilles)

My preference: Lin-Manuel MirandaHamilton

*Winner: Hamilton (Music and Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda)

Best Lead Actor in a Play

Nominated: Gabriel Byrne, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Jeff Daniels, Blackbird
Frank Langella, The Father
Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III
Mark Strong, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge

My preference: Frank Langella, The Father

Your preference: Mark Strong, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge

*Winner: Frank Langella, The Father

Best Lead Actress in a Play

Nominated: Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Laurie Metcalf, Misery
Lupita Nyong’o, Eclipsed
Sophie Okonedo, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Michelle Williams, Blackbird

My preference: Jessica Lange

Your preference: Jessica Lange

*Winner: Jessica Lange, Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Best Lead Actor in a Musical

Nominated: Alex Brightman, School of Rock—The Musical
Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof
Zachary Levi, She Loves Me
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

My preference: Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

Your preference: Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

*Winner: Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton

Best Lead Actress in a Musical

Nominated: Laura Benanti, She Loves Me
Carmen Cusack, Bright Star
Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple
Jessie Mueller, Waitress
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton

My preference: Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple

Your preference: Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple

*Winner: Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple

Best Featured Actor in a Play

Nominated: Reed Birney, The Humans
Bill Camp, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
David Furr, Noises Off
Richard Goulding, King Charles III
Michael Shannon, Long Day’s Journey Into Night

My preference:  Reed Birney, The Humans

Your preference:  Reed Birney, The Humans

*Winner: Reed Birney, The Humans

Best Featured Actress in a Play

Nominated: Pascale Armand, Eclipsed
Megan Hilty, Noises Off
Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans
Andrea Martin, Noises Off
Saycon Sengbloh, Eclipsed

My preference: Jayne Houdyshell

Your preference: Megan Hilty, Noises Off

*Winner: Jayne Houdyshell, The Humans

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Nominated: Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Christopher Jackson, Hamilton

My preference: Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress

Your preference: Daveed Diggs, Hamilton

*Winner: Daveed Diggs, Hamilton

Best Featured Actress in Musical

Nominated: Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Jennifer Simard, Disaster!
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

My preference: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton

Your preference: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton

*Winner: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton

Best Choreography

Nominated: Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan

My preference: Savion Glover, Shuffle Along

Your preference: Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton

*Winner: Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton

Best Direction of a Musical

Nominated: Michael Arden, Spring Awakening
John Doyle, The Color Purple
Scott Ellis, She Loves Me
Thomas Kail, Hamilton
George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

My preference: Thomas Kail, Hamilton

Your preference: Thomas Kail, Hamilton

*Winner: Thomas Kail, Hamilton

Best Direction of a Play

Nominated: Rupert Goold, King Charles III
Jonathan Kent, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Joe Mantello, The Humans
Liesl Tommy, Eclipsed
Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge

My preference: Joe Mantello, The Humans

Your preference: Joe Mantello, The Humans

Winner: Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Nominated: Ess Devlin & Finn Ross, American Psycho
David Korins, Hamilton
Santo Loquasto, Shuffle Along
David Rockwell, She Loves Me

My preference: David Rockwell,  She Loves Me

*Winner: David Rockwell, She Loves Me

SheLovesMeset

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Nominated: Beowulf Boritt, Therese Raquin
Christopher Oram, Hughie
Jan Versweyveld, A View from the Bridge
David Zinn, The Humans

My preference: Beowulf Boritt, Therese Raquin

*Winner:David Zinn, The Humans

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Nominated: Gregg Barnes, Tuck Everlasting
Jeff Mahshie, She Loves Me
Ann Roth, Shuffle Along
Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

My preference: Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

*Winner: Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jane Greenwood, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Michael Krass, Noises Off
Clint Ramos, Eclipsed
Tom Scutt, King Charles III

My preference: Tom Scutt, King Charles III

*Winner: Clint Ramos, Eclipsed

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Nominated: Howell Binkley, Hamilton
Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along
Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
Justin Townsend, American Psycho

My preference: Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along

*Winner: Howell Binkley, Hamilton

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Nominated:Natasha Katz, Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Justin Townsend, The Humans
Jan Versweyveld, The Crucible
Jan Versweyveld, A View from the Bridge

My preference: Justin Townsend, The Humans

*Winner:Natasha Katz, Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Best Orchestrations

Nominated: August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along

My preference: Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along

*Winner: Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton

 

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first acceptance rap (for best score):

“My wife’s the reason anything gets done
She nudges me towards promise by degrees
She is a perfect symphony of one
Our son is her most beautiful reprise
We chase the melodies that seem to find us
Until they’re finished songs and start to play
When senseless acts of tragedy remind us
That nothing here is promised, not one day
This show is proof that history remembers
We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger
We rise and fall, and light from dying embers
Remembrance is that hope and love last longer
And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love
Cannot be killed or swept aside
I sing Vanessa’s symphony; Eliza tells her story
Now fill the world with music, love, and pride.”

 

Author: New York Theater

Jonathan Mandell is a 3rd generation NYC journalist, who sees shows, reads plays, writes reviews and sometimes talks with people.

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