The 2023 Tony Award nominations were revealed on Tuesday, and “Some Like It Hot,” a jazzy remake of the iconic comedy movie about two musicians on the run, dominated the list with 13 nods.
It was closely followed by “Shucked,” “& Juliet,” and “New York, New York,” each of which received nine nominations. All of these plays will compete for the best musical award, taking on one of the most well-liked shows of the year, “Kimberly Akimbo,” which tells the tale of a teen with a disease that accelerates the aging process. In addition to Victoria Clark’s performance as the titular character, “Kimberly Akimbo” is nominated for eight awards for its supporting cast members Bonnie Milligan and Justin Cooley.
The Jessica Chastain-led revival of a stripped-down “A Doll’s House,” Tom Stoppard’s sprawling “Leopoldstadt,” and the political satire “Ain’t No Mo’” were the most-nominated plays, with six nods each. It’s an important moment of recognition for “Ain’t No Mo’,” which was embraced by critics, but struggled to find its audience, closing last winter after a total of just 28 performances.
But “Ain’t No Mo’” isn’t the only production that faced fierce commercial headwinds. The annual awards show, honoring the best of Broadway, is unfolding as the theater industry is still clawing back from more than a year of COVID-related closures and the chilling impact that had on tourism in New York City, the lifeblood of the business. Winning a Tony could turbocharge the box office of a show like “Some Like It Hot” or “Shucked.”
The 2023 Tony Award nominations were revealed on Tuesday, and “Some Like It Hot,” a jazzy remake of the iconic comedy movie about two musicians on the run, dominated the list with 13 nods.
It was closely followed by “Shucked,” “& Juliet,” and “New York, New York,” each of which received nine nominations. All of these plays will compete for the best musical award, taking on one of the most well-liked shows of the year, “Kimberly Akimbo,” which tells the tale of a teen with a disease that accelerates the aging process. In addition to Victoria Clark’s performance as the titular character, “Kimberly Akimbo” is nominated for eight awards for its supporting cast members Bonnie Milligan and Justin Cooley.
Despite the difficulties, there have been successes, including an acclaimed remake of “Parade” starring Ben Platt (which received six nominations) and “Sweeney Todd” starring Josh Groban as Fleet Street’s demon barber (which received eight nominations). Not to mention “Funny Girl,” which starred Lea Michele in place of Beanie Feldstein (who is ineligible because it premiered last season). Although Michele might not be receiving a Tony, she did announce the nominations on Tuesday alongside “MJ” actor Myles Frost.
“Parade,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Into the Woods,” which moved from New York City Center to Broadway and became a late summer hit, and, unexpectedly, Lincoln Center’s critically panned production of “Camelot” will compete for best musical revival among the other major categories.
Along with “Between Riverside and Crazy,” “Cost of Living,” and “Fat Ham,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for drama last year, “Ain’t No Mo'” and “Leopoldstadt” are up for best play. The contenders for best play revival are “A Doll’s House,” “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” “Suzan Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog,” and “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.”
Major Hollywood actors including Chastain, Jodie Comer for “Prima Facie,” Samuel L. Jackson for “The Piano Lesson,” Corey Hawkins, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for “Topdog/Underdog,” among others, received awards this season for their stage performances
