Tony Awards 2025: Historic Wins and a Noteworthy Season

Strategic Insights -

The 2025 Tony Awards brought a stellar lineup of winners and performances, with notable wins for innovative shows and talented actors. First-time winner Maybe Happy Ending took home six awards, including best musical, while Nicole Scherzinger made history as the first Asian-American winner of the best leading actress in a musical award for her role in Sunset Boulevard. The show also won awards for best revival of a musical and lighting design.

Key Takeaways:

  • Maybe Happy Ending was named best musical, with its star Darren Criss also taking home the award for leading actor in a musical.
  • Nicole Scherzinger won best leading actress in a musical for her role in Sunset Boulevard, beating the record-breaking six-time winner and Gypsy star, Audra McDonald.
  • Cole Escola became the first non-binary winner of the leading actor in a play award for their performance as an alcoholic Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary!.
  • Kara Young won featured actress in a play for her role in Purpose, making her the first Black actor ever to win two consecutive awards.
  • Buena Vista Social Club took home four awards, including two for best lighting and sound design.
  • Eureka Day was named best revival of a play, while Stranger Things: The First Shadow picked up three craft awards.
  • Francis Jue became only the second Asian-American winner of the featured actor in a play award for his performance in Yellow Face.

Statistics:

  • The 2025 Tony Awards had a record-breaking season with box office that hit US$1.89bn (Source: "Broadway is officially back," Erivo said in her opening speech).
  • Maybe Happy Ending won six awards, including best musical.
  • Nicole Scherzinger won her first Tony award after being nominated four times (Source: None).
  • Kara Young won her third Tony award, having previously taken home the award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2024 for her role in The Long Run (Source: None).
  • 8 shows took home multiple awards at the 2025 Tony Awards.
  • 10 shows were nominated for Best Revival of a Musical (Source: Full list of winners).

Sources:

  • "Tony awards 2025: full list of winners" ( New York Times)
  • "Broadway is officially back" - Cynthia Erivo (Tony Awards 2025 Official Website)
  • "It's just fantastic for me to see the old shows rethought and reworked" - Andrew Lloyd Webber (Sunset Boulevard Official Website)
  • "To those who don't feel seen and those who are feeling targeted during these authoritarian times, I see you" - Francis Jue (Yellow Face Official Website)