2023 Tony Nominations Revealed, 'Some Like it Hot' Dominates

Nominees for the 2023 Tony Awards were announced Tuesday, with 38 productions vying for the season's strongest shows and premier performances. “Some Like It Hot” led the field with 13 nominations, including best musical. Other contenders in the best musical category include “Shucked,” “Kimberly Akimbo,” “& Juliet,” and “New York, New York.”

With eight nominations, “Kimberly Akimbo” is seen as the favorite, though “Shucked” and “Some Like it Hot” pose challenges. “& Juliet,” “New York,” and “Shucked” each received nine nominations, but a multitude of nominations does not guarantee success on the Tonys night.

This year's best musical field and other categories reflect a season that frequently delved deep into history. “Leopoldstadt,” an elaborate and elegant production, earned a Tony nomination for best new play, and may be the favorite. Other nominations for best new play include “Ain’t No Mo,’” “Between Riverside and Crazy,” “Cost of Living,” and “Fat Ham.”

The year also saw stirring revivals of plays and musicals, with productions of “Camelot,” “Parade,” and two Stephen Sondheim musicals, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” and “Into the Woods,” nominated for best musical revival.

The nominees for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play seem to echo the season's historical focus. They include Jessica Chastain in “A Doll’s House,” Jessica Hecht in “Summer, 1976,” Audra McDonald in “Ohio State Murders,” and Jodie Comer in “Prima Facie.”

To be eligible for the 76th annual Tony Awards, productions needed to open by May 2. This year's ceremony will be held on June 11 at the United Palace, a majestic theater in Manhattan’s Washington Heights, and will air on CBS. Ariana DeBose will host for the second straight year.

Following a challenging year marked by cost-cutting and tepid ticket sales due to COVID, Broadway is slowly returning to its pre-pandemic state. While box office profits have not yet reached their 2019 peak, there are signs of recovery, including sold-out crowds for spring shows like “Sweeney Todd,” ”& Juliet,” and “Parade.” The Tony Awards have always aimed to boost attention ahead of the sluggish summer months.