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Tony Award Nominations 2023: ‘Some Like It Hot’ Dominates, Followed by ‘& Juliet,’ ‘Shucked,’ ‘New York, New York’

Some Like It Hot review Broadway musical
Marc J. Franklin

“Some Like It Hot,” a jazzy re-imagining of the classic comedy film about two musicians on the run, dominated the nominations for the 2023 Tony Awards, which were announced on Tuesday, with 13 nods.

It was followed closely behind by “& Juliet,” “Shucked” and “New York, New York,” which scored nine nominations apiece. All of these productions will vie for best musical honors, facing off against one of the year’s most acclaimed shows, “Kimberly Akimbo,” the story of a teenager who has a medical condition that causes her to age rapidly. “Kimberly Akimbo” is up for eight prizes, including for supporting performers Bonnie Milligan and Justin Cooley, as well as for Victoria Clark’s turn in the title role.

Read More: Where to Buy Tickets to Every Broadway Show This Year

The Jessica Chastain-led revival of a stripped-down “A Doll’s House,” Tom Stoppard’s sprawling “Leopoldstadt,” and the political satire “Ain’t No Mo'” were the most-nominated plays, with six nods each. It’s an important moment of recognition for “Ain’t No Mo’,” which was embraced by critics, but struggled to find its audience, closing last winter after a total of just 28 performances.

But “Ain’t No Mo'” isn’t the only production that faced fierce commercial headwinds. The annual awards show, honoring the best of Broadway, is unfolding as the theater industry is still clawing back from more than a year of COVID-related closures and the chilling impact that had on tourism in New York City, the lifeblood of the business. Winning a Tony could turbocharge the box office of a show like “Some Like It Hot” or “Shucked.”

Despite the challenges, there have been hits, such as an acclaimed re-imaging of “Parade” with Ben Platt (picking up six nominations) and “Sweeney Todd” with Josh Groban brandishing a razor as Fleet Street’s demon barber (eight nominations). And don’t forget “Funny Girl” with Lea Michele subbing in for original star Beanie Feldstein (which is ineligible because it opened last season). Michele may not be getting a Tony, but she did announce Tuesday’s nominations with “MJ” star Myles Frost. 

Among the other major categories, best musical revival will be a race between “Parade,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Into the Woods” — which transferred from New York City Center to Broadway to become a late summer hit — and, in a surprise, Lincoln Center’s critically derided revival of “Camelot.”

“Ain’t No Mo'” and “Leopoldstadt” are up for best play alongside “Between Riverside and Crazy,” “Cost of Living” and “Fat Ham,” which won last year’s Pulitzer Prize for drama. Best revival of a play nominees include “A Doll’s House,” “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” “Suzan Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog,” and “August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.”

Several major Hollywood actors were recognized for their stage work this season, including Chastain, Jodie Comer for “Prima Facie,” Samuel L. Jackson for “”The Piano Lesson” and Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for “Topdog/Underdog.”

But there were some notable omissions, as well. Laura Linney was overlooked even as her “Summer 1976” co-star Jessica Hecht was recognized, LaTanya Richardson Jackson was snubbed for directing “The Piano Lesson,” and Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan for “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” were left off the list of honorees.

See the full nominations list, supplied by the Tonys, below:

Best Play

Ain’t No Mo’

Between Riverside and Crazy

Cost of Living

Fat Ham

Leopoldstadt

Best Musical

& Juliet

Kimberly Akimbo

New York, New York

Shucked

Some Like It Hot

Best Revival of a Play

August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson

A Doll’s House

The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window

Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog

Best Revival of a Musical

Into the Woods

Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Parade

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Book of a Musical

& Juliet
David West Read

Kimberly Akimbo
David Lindsay-Abaire

New York, New York
David Thompson & Sharon Washington

Shucked
Robert Horn

Some Like It Hot
Matthew López & Amber Ruffin

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Almost Famous
Music: Tom Kitt
Lyrics: Cameron Crowe & Tom Kitt

Kimberly Akimbo
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire

KPOP
Music & Lyrics: Helen Park & Max Vernon

Shucked
Music and Lyrics: Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally

Some Like It Hot
Music: Marc Shaiman
Lyrics: Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog

Corey Hawkins, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog

Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar

Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy

Wendell Pierce, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House

Jodie Comer, Prima Facie

Jessica Hecht, Summer, 1976

Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Christian Borle, Some Like It Hot

J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot

Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Brian d’Arcy James, Into the Woods

Ben Platt, Parade

Colton Ryan, New York, New York

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods

Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo

Lorna Courtney, & Juliet

Micaela Diamond, Parade

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Jordan E. Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’

Samuel L. Jackson, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson

Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House

Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt

David Zayas, Cost of Living

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Nikki Crawford, Fat Ham

Crystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’

Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window

Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living

Kara Young, Cost of Living

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Kevin Cahoon, Shucked

Justin Cooley, Kimberly Akimbo

Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like It Hot

Jordan Donica, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Alex Newell, Shucked

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Julia Lester, Into the Woods

Ruthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Bonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo

NaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It Hot

Betsy Wolfe, & Juliet

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, Prima Facie

Tim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding, Life of Pi

Rachel Hauck, Good Night, Oscar

Richard Hudson, Leopoldstadt

Dane Laffrey & Lucy Mackinnon, A Christmas Carol

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Beowulf Boritt, New York, New York

Mimi Lien, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Michael Yeargan & 59 Productions, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Scott Pask, Shucked

Scott Pask, Some Like It Hot

Best Costume Design of a Play

Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell, Life of Pi

Dominique Fawn Hill, Fat Ham

Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Leopoldstadt

Emilio Sosa, Ain’t No Mo’

Emilio Sosa, Good Night, Oscar

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregg Barnes, Some Like It Hot

Susan Hilferty, Parade

Jennifer Moeller, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Clint Ramos & Sophia Choi, KPOP

Paloma Young, & Juliet

Donna Zakowska, New York, New York

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, Leopoldstadt

Natasha Chivers, Prima Facie

Jon Clark, A Doll’s House Bradley King, Fat Ham

Tim Lutkin, Life of Pi

Jen Schriever, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

Ben Stanton, A Christmas Carol

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Ken Billington, New York, New York

Lap Chi Chu, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot

Heather Gilbert, Parade

Howard Hudson, & Juliet

Natasha Katz, Some Like It Hot

Natasha Katz, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Sound Design of a Play

Jonathan Deans & Taylor Williams, Ain’t No Mo’

Carolyn Downing, Life of Pi

Joshua D. Reid, A Christmas Carol

Ben & Max Ringham, A Doll’s House

Ben & Max Ringham, Prima Facie

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Kai Harada, New York, New York

John Shivers, Shucked

Scott Lehrer & Alex Neumann, Into the Woods

Gareth Owen, & Juliet

Nevin Steinberg, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Direction of a Play

Saheem Ali, Fat Ham

Jo Bonney, Cost of Living

Jamie Lloyd, A Doll’s House

Patrick Marber, Leopoldstadt

Stevie Walker-Webb, Ain’t No Mo’ Max Webster, Life of Pi

Best Direction of a Musical

Michael Arden, Parade

Lear deBessonet, Into the Woods

Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot

Jack O’Brien, Shucked

Jessica Stone, Kimberly Akimbo

Best Choreography

Steven Hoggett, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot

Susan Stroman, New York, New York

Jennifer Weber, & Juliet

Jennifer Weber, KPOP

Best Orchestrations

Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro, & Juliet

John Clancy, Kimberly Akimbo

Jason Howland, Shucked

Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter, Some Like It Hot

Daryl Waters & Sam Davis, New York, New York