Three shows have accumulated nominations across nearly every category
Each June, Broadway pauses to ask itself which works have most honestly illuminated the human condition, and this year that question is posed beneath the gilded ceilings of Radio City Music Hall. The 79th Tony Awards brings together a season marked by both ambitious new musicals and the enduring pull of revival—proof that theater continually negotiates between the hunger for the new and the need to revisit what we thought we already understood. Pop star Pink steps into the host's role for the first time, a reminder that Broadway's conversation with popular culture is never truly finished.
- Pink's debut as host signals Broadway's ongoing effort to widen its audience beyond the theater faithful, even as she arrives without a single stage credit to her name.
- 'The Lost Boys' and 'Schmigadoon!' have accumulated nominations across nearly every craft category, creating a two-show rivalry that could define how the season is remembered.
- Legends Nathan Lane and John Lithgow face off for best actor in a play, with Daniel Radcliffe adding a generational wrinkle to a race that feels like a referendum on theatrical range.
- A wave of major revivals—'Death of a Salesman,' 'Ragtime,' 'The Rocky Horror Show,' 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball'—forces voters to weigh the merit of reimagination against the excitement of the wholly new.
- The pre-show ceremony on Pluto TV at 3:35 p.m. quietly carries the season's most revealing honors, where technical artistry and supporting performances often tell the truer story.
- By evening's end on CBS and Paramount+, the theater community will have declared which productions earned not just applause but the longer memory that a Tony tends to confer.
Radio City Music Hall once again becomes the center of the theatrical universe as the 79th Tony Awards unfolds on a Sunday in June. At the microphone this year is Pink—an arena-filling pop star whose songs have drifted through Broadway productions like 'Moulin Rouge!' and '& Juliet,' but who has never herself stood on a stage. Her presence is a deliberate reach beyond the usual theater crowd, a bet that star power from another world can draw new eyes to Broadway's oldest ritual.
The evening officially begins at 5 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+, but for those who follow the craft closely, the real ceremony starts earlier. The pre-show, hosted by Laura Benanti and Tituss Burgess, streams free on Pluto TV at 3:35 p.m. and is where the technical awards and supporting categories are decided—often the most honest measure of a season's ambitions.
This year's nominations tell the story of a season with genuine depth. 'The Lost Boys' and 'Schmigadoon!' appear across nearly every category, from choreography and orchestrations to scenic and lighting design, suggesting productions that impressed voters not through a single dazzling element but through sustained excellence. 'Ragtime' runs close behind, and the revival categories are crowded with productions—'Death of a Salesman,' 'The Rocky Horror Show,' 'Cats: The Jellicle Ball'—that argue familiar material can still justify a return when the vision is strong enough.
The acting races carry their own weight. Nathan Lane and John Lithgow compete for best actor in a play, Lane in 'Death of a Salesman' and Lithgow in 'Giant,' with Daniel Radcliffe nominated alongside them. Laurie Metcalf is in the featured actress race for 'Death of a Salesman,' and the musical categories feature Stephanie Hsu, Caissie Levy, and Sara Chase, among others. Joshua Henry and Brandon Uranowitz both represent 'Ragtime' in the male lead category, splitting the show's own ambitions.
The directing and design nominations round out a picture of a season that rewarded craft at every level. When the final awards are handed out, they will reflect not just which shows were loved, but which ones the theater community believes did the most complete and honest work.
Radio City Music Hall is hosting Broadway's biggest night again, and this year the ceremony has a different kind of star power behind the microphone. Pink, the pop singer known for arena tours and chart-topping hits, will host the 79th Tony Awards for the first time on Sunday. She brings name recognition that extends well beyond theater audiences, though her own Broadway résumé remains blank—her songs have appeared in the musicals "Moulin Rouge!" and "& Juliet," but she has never performed on stage herself.
The broadcast begins at 5 p.m. on CBS and Paramount+, but the real action starts earlier. The Tony Awards: Act One, the annual pre-show ceremony where the first batch of awards get handed out, streams free on Pluto TV starting at 3:35 p.m., hosted by Tony nominee Laura Benanti and actor Tituss Burgess. For anyone serious about theater, that's where you catch the technical awards and some of the supporting performances—the categories that often reveal the season's most interesting work.
This year's race is dominated by three shows that have accumulated nominations across nearly every category. "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon!" lead the pack, with "Ragtime" close behind. The competition for best musical features "The Lost Boys," "Schmigadoon!," "Titaníque," and "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)," alongside the revival category, which includes "Cats: The Jellicle Ball," "Ragtime," and Richard O'Brien's "The Rocky Horror Show." The play categories are equally crowded, with Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" revival competing against "Giant," "Liberation," "Oedipus," and "Becky Shaw."
The acting races feature some of Broadway's most recognizable names. Nathan Lane and John Lithgow are both nominated for best actor in a play—Lane for "Death of a Salesman," Lithgow for "Giant"—alongside Daniel Radcliffe, who is nominated for "Every Brilliant Thing." Laurie Metcalf, one of the most decorated actors in the theater, is nominated for a featured role in "Death of a Salesman." For best actress in a musical, the field includes Stephanie Hsu in "The Rocky Horror Show," Caissie Levy in "Ragtime," and Sara Chase in "Schmigadoon!," among others. Joshua Henry and Brandon Uranowitz are both nominated for "Ragtime," splitting the show's male lead nominations.
The design categories reveal the technical ambition of the season. "Death of a Salesman" has nominations for scenic design (Chloe Lamford), lighting design (Jack Knowles), and sound design (Mikaal Sulaiman). "Schmigadoon!" picked up nominations for scenic design (Scott Pask), lighting design (Donald Holder), and sound design (Walter Trarbach). "The Lost Boys" has nominations across choreography, orchestrations, scenic design, and lighting. "Ragtime" appears in costume design (Linda Cho), lighting design (Adam Honoré and Donald Holder with 59 Studio), and sound design (Kai Harada).
The directing categories include some of the theater world's most celebrated names. Joe Mantello is nominated for "Death of a Salesman," Nicholas Hytner for "Giant," and Robert Icke for "Oedipus." In musicals, Michael Arden is nominated for "The Lost Boys," Lear deBessonet for "Ragtime," and Christopher Gattelli for "Schmigadoon!" The choreography race features Gattelli again for "Schmigadoon!," Ellenore Scott for "Ragtime," and the team of Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons for "Cats: The Jellicle Ball."
What emerges from this list is a season that has produced several shows with genuine staying power—works that have accumulated nominations not through a single standout performance but through consistent excellence across multiple disciplines. "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon!" appear in nearly every category, suggesting shows that have impressed voters across the entire spectrum of theatrical craft. The presence of major revivals—"Death of a Salesman," "Ragtime," "The Rocky Horror Show," "Cats"—indicates that Broadway's audience and critics are still finding value in returning to familiar material when the production justifies it. The ceremony will reveal which of these shows the theater community believes has earned the night's biggest honors.
Notable Quotes
Pink's songs have been featured in 'Moulin Rouge!' and '& Juliet,' but she has never performed on Broadway herself— Event context
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does it matter that Pink is hosting when she's never been on a Broadway stage?
It signals something about how the Tonys see themselves now—not just as an industry award, but as a cultural event that needs mainstream visibility. Pink brings millions of people who don't follow theater. Whether that helps or hurts the ceremony's credibility depends on who you ask.
Looking at the nominations, three shows keep appearing everywhere. Is that unusual?
Not entirely. When a show is truly excellent across every department—writing, design, performance, direction—it accumulates nominations naturally. But it also means the field is narrower than it appears. "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon!" have built something that voters recognize at every level.
I notice Nathan Lane and John Lithgow are both nominated for plays. Are they the favorites?
They're certainly the names people recognize. But Daniel Radcliffe is in the race too, and Mark Strong. The play category this year has real depth. It's not obvious who wins.
What does it tell you that revivals are competing so strongly?
That Broadway isn't just chasing new ideas. "Ragtime," "Death of a Salesman," "The Rocky Horror Show"—these are shows people know, but the productions have something fresh to say. That's harder to pull off than it sounds.
The design categories seem to favor certain shows. Is that how it always works?
Design voters tend to recognize shows that have a clear visual or sonic identity. "Schmigadoon!" and "The Lost Boys" have that. They're not just well-designed; they're designed in a way that's noticeable, memorable. That matters in a crowded field.
What happens if "The Lost Boys" sweeps?
It becomes the story of the night. But sweeps are rare. More likely, the wins get distributed—one show takes best musical, another takes best director, another takes design. That's usually how it goes.