2017 American Theatre Wing’sTony Awards®:
Winners, Nominations and Predictions
Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing
Updated: June 12th
Dear Evan Hansen, Oslo, Hello, Dolly!, and Jitney won the top contests at this year’s Tony Awards last night. Joining them were Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen), Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!), Kevin Kline (Present Laughter), as expected, and a surprise upset to me (and no one else, I guess), to a much deserving Laurie Metcalf (The Doll’s House, Part II) in the four leading acting categories. My favorite surprise was Rachel Bay Jones win for her supporting role in Dear Evan Hansen, over the much favored, and equally deserving Jenn Colelle (Come From Away). I love them both, but Jone’s turn as the struggling mother destroyed me more and more with each viewing (I’ve seen it three times; Washington, Second Stage, and Broadway). Another surprise was the wonderful Michael Aronov win for featured actor in a play (Oslo) for his role as a cocky Isreali negotiator over the adorably delicious Danny DeVito (The Price). Gavin Creel surprised no one by taking home the Tony for his featured role in the revival, Hello, Dolly!. Cynthia Nixon won for her featured role in The Little Foxes, a role she shared with her co-star, the generous and talented Laura Linney, who lost to Metcalf for leading role performance.
Nixon had the best quote of the night in her acceptance speech:
“It is a privilege to appear in Lillian Hellman’s eerily prescient play, at this specific moment in history,” she said. “Eighty years ago, she wrote, ‘There are people who eat the earth and eat all the people on it, and other people who just stand around and watch them do it.’ My love, my gratitude and my undying respect go out to all the people in 2017 who are refusing to just stand and watch them do it.”
One of my biggest thrills was Rebecca Taichman’s win for director of the play, Indecent, along with the surprise win for Christopher Ashley, for director of the spectacular Come From Away. I was sure Come From Away was going to take home the Best Book Tony (it didn’t), not the one for Direction, but I’m just thrilled that it can now call itself a Tony Award Winner.
Best Book and Best Score went to Dear Evan Hansen, as well as Best Orchestration with Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 taking home less than I thought, for Best Scenic Design for a Musical, and Best Lighting Design. Costume Design Tonys went to the much deserving Jane Greenwood (The Little Foxes) and Santo Loquasto (Hello, Dolly!). Scenic Design for a Play went to the amazing Nigel Hook (The Play That Goes Wrong) and Lighting design for a Play went to Christopher Akerlind, for the beautiful Indecent.
Updated: June 5th
The Drama Desk Awards were given out last night, and in the list of winners, there were lots of hints regarding who will most likely win the coveted Tony Awards this coming Sunday night. We will all be in Washington, D.C. for the Equality March, but we won’t be missing the show that night. Below are my predictions of who will win, and my favorites, the ones I wish will win. Sometimes they match up, and other times they don’t.
The wild card is Dear Evan Hansen, as the show was ineligible for both the Drama Desk and the Outer Circle Critic Awards as its Off-Broadway production garnered a lot of nominations and wins in 2016. My guess is that it will take home the biggest prize of the night for musicals. Come From Away might sneak in and snatch it away, and although I’ll be disappointed, I won’t be horrified. I love them both, but love Dear Evan just a wee bit more… Book and Score will most likely be split between these two shows, with the Book most likely going to Come From Away, as it should.

The one category that will most likely go the way I’d rather it didn’t, is the win that will come for Come From Away‘s Jenn Colella over Rachel Bay Jones, who ripped my heart out in Dear Evan Hansen. I love Colella, and she is winning all the awards that Dear Evan wasn’t eligible for this year, but in this instance, it won’t matter on Tony night. Colella will best Rachel, and I’m glad for her and the beautiful show, but my hope and my heart is with Rachel.

Director is also thrown up in the air by the wild cards of Dear Evan Hansen and Indecent, (and that A Band’s Visit was Off-Broadway). I’m hoping these two shows will win the awards for Best Director – Rebecca Taichman/Indecent and Michael Greif/Dear Evan Hansen. These two are my favorite productions of the year by far. Ruben Santiago-Hudson/Jitney may sneak in and snatch it away from Taichman and Rachel Chavkin/Natasha, Pierre.. or Christopher Ashley/Come From Away may best Greif, but I’m crossing my fingers they don’t.
The rest of the awards I think will copy the Drama Desk. Bette, Kline, Linney, Nixon, Creel, DeVito, Oslo, Jitney, Hello Dolly!, but Andy Karl is going to have to sit this award out, as Ben Platt will take home the Tony Award for his spectacular performance as the title character in Dear Evan.

Oslo will most likely win Best New Play, and I do love it, but I think I love Doll’s House Part II and Indecent so much more. In this category, I think they all are amazing, but Oslo seems to have the lead.
In the other creatives, I think they might copy the Drama Desk and Outer Circle Critics. Natasha, Pierre will take home a number of the design awards (set for sure, possibly lighting), and even though the show is my least favorite of the nominated season, it was designed beautifully. Bandstand should also take home a few: orchestrations and choreography. And War Paint will get the Tony for Costumes.

Nominations were announced late May. Let the guessing games begin:
❤️❤️-who I think SHOULD win
❤️(my next favorite)
🔶-who I think WILL win
❌-who SHOULDN’T win
🏆-who WON on Tony night in June

Best Play
Author: Lucas Hnath Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Barry Diller, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Universal Stage Productions, The John Gore Organization, James L. Nederlander, Ambassador Theatre Group, Len Blavatnik, Peter May, Seth A. Goldstein, Heni Koenigsberg, Stephanie P. McClelland, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Al Nocciolino, True Love Productions, Diana DiMenna, JFL Theatricals, Barbara Freitag & Patty Baker, Benjamin Lowy & Adrian Salpeter, John Mara, Jr. & Benjamin Simpson, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson
❤️❤️Indecent
Author: Paula Vogel Producers: Daryl Roth, Elizabeth I. McCann, Cody Lassen, Jerry Meyer, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Elizabeth Armstrong, Julie Boardman, CoGo Partners, Nicole Eisenberg, Four Star Productions, GLS Productions, The John Gore Organization, Kathleen K. Johnson, Dana M. Lerner, Jenn Maley, Mano-Horn Productions, Marc Platt, Storyboard Entertainment, Yale Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Vineyard Theatre
Author: J.T. Rogers Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Adam Siegel, Hattie K. Jutagir
Author: Lynn Nottage Producers: Stuart Thompson, Louise L. Gund, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Jon B. Platt, Roy Furman, Len Blavatnik, Shelly Mitchell, Scott Rudin, Ted Snowdon, Kevin Emrick, True Love Productions, John Gore, Deborah Taylor/Richard Winkler, The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham

Best Musical
Producers: Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paula Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Alhadeff Productions, Michael Alden & Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Sam Levy, Rodney Rigby, Spencer Ross, Richard Winkler, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Michael & Ellise Coit, Ronald Frankel, Sheri & Les Biller, Richard & Sherry Belkin, Gary & Marlene Cohen, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson, Lauren Doll, Barbara H. Freitag, Wendy Gillespie, Laura Little Theatricals, Carl & Jennifer Pasbjerg, Radio Mouse Entertainment, The Shubert Organization, Cynthia Stroum, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Gwen Arment/Molly Morris & Terry McNicholas, Maureen & Joel Benoliel/Marjorie & Ron Danz, Pamela Cooper/Corey Brunish, Demos Bizar/Square 1 Theatrics, Joshua Goodman/Lauren Stevens, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams
Productions, Bill & Linda Potter/Rosemary & Kenneth Willman, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre
🏆❤️❤️🔶Dear Evan Hansen
Producers: Stacey Mindich, Mickey Liddell, Hunter Arnold, Caiola Productions, Double Gemini Productions, Fakston Productions, Roy Furman, Harris Karma Productions, On Your Marks Group, Darren Bagert, Roger & William Berlind, Bob Boyett, Colin Callender, Caitlin Clements, Freddy DeMann, Dante Di Loreto, Bonnie & Kenneth Feld, FickStern Productions, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Robert Greenblatt, Jere Harris and Darren DeVerna, The John Gore Organization, Mike Kriak, Arielle Tepper Madover, David Mirvish, Eva Price, Zeilinger Productions, Adam Zotovich, Ambassador Theatre Group, Independent Presenters Network, The Shubert Organization, Wendy Orshan, Jeffrey M. Wilson, Arena Stage, Molly Smith, Edgar Dobie, Second Stage Theatre, Carole Rothman, Casey Reitz
Producers: Whistle Pig, Columbia Live Stage, The Dodgers, Michael Watt, The Araca Group, Len Blavatnik, Burnt Umber Productions, Michael Coppel, Ken Davenport, Stephen Found, Greenleaf Productions, David Harris, Independent Presenters Network, The John Gore Organization, Stephanie P. McClelland, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Glass Half Full Productions, Marion Alden Badway, Marriner Group, Tommy Mottola, Nederlander Presentations Inc, Daryl Roth, Sonia Friedman Productions, Theater Mogul, Tulbart, David Walsh, Tony & Maureen Wheeler, Jujamcyn Theaters
❌Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Producers: Howard and Janet Kagan, Paula Marie Black, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Jenny Steingart and Jason Eagan, Mary Lu Roffe and Susan Gallin, Diana DiMenna, Mary Maggio/Sharon Azrieli/Robin Gorman, Darren Sussman/Roman Gambourg/Lev Gelfer, Tom Smedes, John Logan, Lisa Matlin, Margie and Bryan Weingarten, Daveed Frazier, Argyle Productions/Jim Kierstead, In Fine Company/Hipzee, Gutterman & Caiola/Backdrop Partners, Siderow Kirchman Productions/SunnySpot Productions, Gordon/Meli Theatricals, Rodger Hess/Larry Toppall, Daniel Rakowski/Matt Ross/Ben Feldman, Mike Karns, The American Repertory Theater, Ars Nova
Best Book of a Musical
❤️❤️🔶Come From Away Irene Sankoff and David Hein
🏆❤️Dear Evan Hansen Steven Levenson
Groundhog Day The Musical Danny Rubin
❌Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Dave Malloy
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
❤️Come From Away Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
🏆❤️❤️🔶Dear Evan Hansen Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Groundhog Day The Musical Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin
❌Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Music & Lyrics: Dave Malloy
Best Revival of a Play
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Eric Falkenstein, Ron Simons, John Legend/Mike Jackson, Ken Wirth
John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation
Producers: Stuart Thompson, Louise L. Gund, Tim Levy, John Breglio, Scott M. Delman, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Frank De La Vega, Jane Bergère, John Gore, Gregory Holt, The Lowy Salpeter Company, Laruffa Hysell Group
❤️❤️🔶Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove
Producers: Jordan Roth, Jujamcyn Theaters, Spencer Ross, Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, AC Orange Entertainment Ltd., Grove Entertainment, Stephanie P. McClelland, Eric Falkenstein, Harbor Entertainment, Joe Everett Michaels/Robert F. Ryan, Daryl Roth

Best Revival of a Musical
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Adam Siegel, Hattie K. Jutagir, Jujamcyn Theaters
🏆❤️❤️🔶Hello, Dolly!
Producers: Scott Rudin, Roy Furman, James L. Nederlander, Eli Bush, Universal Stage Productions, Roger Berlind, William Berlind, Heni Koenigsberg, Terry Allen Kramer, Seth A. Goldstein, The John Gore Organization, Daryl Roth, The Araca Group, Len Blavatnik, Eric Falkenstein, Ruth Hendel, Independent Presenters Network, Peter May, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Jane Bergère, Scott M. Delman, Wendy Federman, Stephanie P. McClelland, Anita
Waxman, Al Nocciolino, Spring Sirkin, Barbara Freitag, John Mara, Jr. & Benjamin Simpson, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson
❌Miss Saigon
Producers: Cameron Mackintosh

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
❤️❤️Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
❌Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation
🏆🔶Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
❤️Jefferson Mays, Oslo
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cate Blanchett, The Present
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
❤️❤️🔶Laura Linney, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
🏆❤️Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Falsettos
❌Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
❤️Andy Karl, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
🏆❤️❤️🔶Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
❌Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
❤️❤️Patti LuPone, War Paint
🏆❤️🔶Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
🏆❤️❤️Michael Aronov, Oslo
❤️🔶Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
❤️Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
🏆❤️❤️🔶Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
🏆❤️❤️🔶Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
❤️Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
❤️🔶Jenn Colella, Come From Away
🏆❤️❤️❤️❤️Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia
Best Scenic Design of a Play
David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
🏆❤️❤️🔶Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
❤️Michael Yeargan, Oslo

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
❤️❤️David Korins, War Paint
🏆🔶Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
❤️Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Best Costume Design of a Play
🏆❤️❤️🔶Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
❤️David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Linda Cho, Anastasia
🏆❤️Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
❤️❤️🔶Catherine Zuber, War Paint
Best Lighting Design of a Play
🏆❤️❤️🔶Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
❤️Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
❤️Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
🏆🔶Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
❤️❤️Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen
Best Direction of a Play
Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
❤️Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
🏆❤️❤️🔶Rebecca Taichman, Indecent
Best Direction of a Musical
🏆❤️Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
❤️❤️🔶Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!

Best Choreography
🏆❤️🔶Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
❤️❤️Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Orchestrations
🔶Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
❤️Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
🏆❤️❤️Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
** * Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-competitive Categories
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre

Special Tony Award
Gareth Fry & Pete Malkin, Sound Designers for The Encounter
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Dallas Theater Center Dallas, TX

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
“Nina and Alan are the driving forces behind some of Broadway’s most cherished and long-running musicals, and their individual contributions to the theatrical landscape, not only on Broadway but around the world, are exemplary. We are thrilled to honor them this year,” commented Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing, and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League, in a joint statement.

Tony Nominations by Production
❤️❤️❤️Hello, Dolly! – 10
❤️❤️❤️❤️Dear Evan Hansen – 9
❤️❤️❤️A Doll’s House, Part 2 – 8
❤️❤️❤️❤️Come From Away – 7
❤️Groundhog Day The Musical – 7
❤️❤️❤️❤️Oslo – 7
❤️❤️August Wilson’s Jitney – 6
❤️❤️❤️❤️Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes – 6
❤️❤️Falsettos – 5
❤️❤️❤️War Paint – 4
❤️❤️❤️❤️Indecent – 3
❤️Present Laughter – 3
❤️❤️Sweat – 3
Anastasia – 2
❤️Bandstand – 2
The Front Page – 2
❤️❤️John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation – 2
Miss Saigon – 2
❤️The Glass Menagerie – 1
❤️❤️❤️❤️Heisenberg– 1
❤️Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical – 1
❤️❤️❤️The Play That Goes Wrong – 1
❤️The Present 1
[…] predictions and his preferences for who will/should/shouldn’t win st the 2017 @TonyAwards https://frontmezzjunkies.com/2017/05/07/2017-american-theatre-wings-tony-awards/ So where did I go wrong? #frontmezzjunkies has also posted the #WINNERS of the […]
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[…] #preferences for who will/should/shouldn’t win st the 2017 @TonyAwards #nominations2017 https://frontmezzjunkies.com/2017/05/07/2017-american-theatre-wings-tony-awards/ So where did I go wrong? Posted also are the #WINNERS of the @OuterCircleCriticsAward and […]
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[…] and his #preferences for who will/should/shouldn’t win at the 2017 @TonyAwards https://frontmezzjunkies.com/2017/05/07/2017-american-theatre-wings-tony-awards/ Do You Agree? #frontmezzjunkies has also posted the #WINNERS of the […]
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clearly biased! great comet is on a league of its own, while dear evan hansen is basic, with generic, pop music. platt’s the only good thing about such a boring show that uses suicide as plot device, though christian borle should take that tony home, marvins so much more complex than evan.
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I hear that. But we are all clearly biased. As we should be. That’s what opinions are! Lol. We can disagree on Evan and Great Comet. Obviously we do and will. But it’s great to hear your passion on the subject
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[…] the ones I wish will win. Sometimes they match up, and other times they don’t…. https://frontmezzjunkies.com/2017/05/07/2017-american-theatre-wings-tony-awards/ #AwardSeason2017 Do You Agree? #frontmezzjunkies has also posted the #WINNERS of the @Outer […]
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[…] for the final run of performances Aug. 22-Sept. 3. Many thought the show, beautifully designed by Tony Award winning Mimi Lien, could hold its own without the star power of Groban. It had a great amount of […]
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