It's time for Broadway's biggest night after the biggest year at the box office for New York's celebrated theater district.
The 78th Annual Tony Awards, "celebrating excellence in theatre," are scheduled to take place this weekend with a star-studded gala in New York City. "Wicked" star Cynthia Erivo will host this year's show as it returns to Radio City Music Hall in New York City, taking over emcee duties from Ariana DeBose, Tony Awards said in a news release.
The ceremony will feature appearances by major stars and performances from the biggest musicals of the year, including a special tribute featuring the original cast of "Hamilton" to celebrate the musical's 10th anniversary.
This year's Broadway season was ultra-competitive, unusually star-studded and routinely made headlines for its astronomical ticket prices and outspoken political firebrands. "Maybe Happy Ending," "Death Becomes Her" and "Buena Vista Social Club" lead the nominations with 10 nods a piece, including best musical. The strange-but-true "Dead Outlaw" and World War II spy satire "Operation Mincemeat" rounded out the best musical category.
Cole Escola's madcap "Oh, Mary!" was a major force with five nods, including best play, best actor (Escola) and best featured actor (Conrad Ricamora). The unlikely hit comedy, which tells a deranged alternative history of Mary Todd Lincoln, has attracted high-profile celebrity audience members including Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, Meryl Streep, and Steven Spielberg.
