2019 Tony Awards - The Nominees React!

By: Apr. 30, 2019
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

We've caught Tony fever here at BroadwayWorld, and it's spreading! Follow us throughout the day, as we'll bring you Tony nominee reactions, exclusive reports, surprises, behind the scenes coverage and oh, so much more!

We're talking to this year's nominees ALL day from BroadwayWorld's Tony Awards 'war room' - keep checking back for live updates!

Click here for the complete list of nominees!


Adam Driver, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for BURN/THIS

It's hard to articulate the honor it is to be nominated. I'm beyond thrilled to be a part of this play, with this cast and director, and this production team. It's a meaningful moment in my life that I'm very grateful for. <

Sam Mendes Best Director of a Play for The Ferryman

I'm absolutely thrilled to have been nominated.The Ferryman has been one of the best experiences of my professional life, and this really is the cherry on the cake.

Fionnula Flanagan, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for The Ferryman

This is so exciting! I came in halfway through the broadcast, so I missed part of it, but I saw that The Ferryman got quite a few nominations, and I said, 'My gosh!' And then I came to realize that I did too! It is totally wonderful that so many people in my company have been nominated. They are all such talented people and to know they were recognized is just wonderful. I know that Laura [Donnelly] and Jez [Butterworth] are coming in tomorrow, so I'm so excited to see both of them. I'm just so bowled over right now. I'll probably just be in a daze all day. Already four calls have come in from overseas, so it just goes to show how many people were watching and care about this news!

Patrick Page, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Hadestown

I watched it on NY1, I had been waiting and though maybe I would try to sleep through it but it didn't work. I got up and sat on the bed with Paige and Georgie and we hugged and cried when we found out. It's so thrilling. This is my 15th Broadway show and I've been in some incredible shows, and I know they were equally worthy but Hadestown in particular is like lightning in a bottle. I feel so forturnate. It's humbling, it's like nothing else. I'm really, really proud of it and our producers who have shepherded this, and Anais and Rachel who have brought out every nuance. Tonight's show will be a major celebration because we've been so recognized. And of course I'm also going to celebrate by going to get my hair bleached for Hades.

David Neumann, Best Choreography for Hadestown

This is so exciting. My wife and I were going to try to sleep in today and thought we would find out later but of course we got 15 or 16 text messages. It feels great. It's a beautiful show, we're all so proud of it and so in awe of Anais's work. Her music and her lyrics are so universal and they speak so much to our time. We feel so fortunate to work with this material and the whole team is so amazingly talented I feel so lucky to be able to work with everyone. I think Rachel Chavkin and I might celebrate by going to see a show tonight!

Sergio Trujillo, Best Choreography for Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

Nothing has stopped this morning, I've been so busy with my one-year old son who does not care that the Tony nominations have been announced and that his dad has been nominated, all he cares about is that I play with him. I wasn't watching at the time, I was in the kitchen feeding him which was really grounding. It's just wonderful that the industry recognizes the value of our show and the creative team and the talent. It feels great to know the community understands our mission. Tonight we'll have to have a talk at half hour to give everyone a hug.

Camille A. Brown, Best Choreography for Choir Boy

My best friend called me, I decided to sleep in the night before because I had a lot of anxiety - but my best friend called me screaming that I was nominated! They were my alarm clock. It's feels tremendous - the work that I did on the show was pulling from African American social dance, and I really wanted to honor that aspect of the culture, the fact that it closed and it was remembered is really amazing and I am really thankful. Anytime I have the opportunity to say thank you and to show my gratitude is a good day. I'm just trying to figure out how to celebrate, I'm still trying to process that I was nominated! The hardest thing to do is to celebrate myself, so I'm going to have to think hard, but I think my friends and family are going to make me celebrate.

Rachel Chavkin, Best Direction of a Musical for HADESTOWN

It was such a good morning! Actually Anais [Mitchell] and I headed home from the album recording at 1am and we were chanting all the way home in the the taxi because we both live in Brooklyn. We tuned in this morning on NY1 because we are New York people. You know, you don't stick with a show this long and do this much work, including all of the stuff we expanded on... you don't do that much pathological digging for money. You just believe in the show. It's like Andre [de Shields] says, Annais is prophet. She wrote "The Wall" in 2006! For a show that is an ancient story to feel so now, is so amazing. There is just something really deep about where this is positioned. It's two love stories- an old one and a new one. I'm gonna go to the theatre later and hug everyone and maybe I'll even have a toast later. This is a big week for us! We record the album and then we have the Today show tomorrow morning! We're gonna be tired but it's all good!

Lili Cooper, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for TOOTSIE

I'm so thrilled for the show! Eleven nominations and four acting nominations. It's so awesome! I slept in today because I was just so anxious and I didn't want to watch. Then I was rolling around in bed this morning and I looked at my phone, which was on silent, and I saw that I had like 50 texts! So, that was my first hint! [Laughs]Then my mom called me and she was actually the one who told me. My day is so busy already but the show tonight is gonna be a big celebration.

Warren Carlyle, Best Choreography for Kiss Me, Kate

I feel amazing, I've done this a million times but it's still so special. I've worked on this show for two years, I love the cast, and I'm so glad the choreography has been recognized. Really it's the dancers who are receiving this recognition, they're what everyone sees on stage. I might have to take them out for drinks! I love being part of this community, I love this business and creating, it's so great to have the chance to celebrate each other.

Beth Leavel, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for The Prom

I just don't have the nerves to watch the nominations live. I'm a nervous wreck! So I woke up at like 4am and I feel like I just finally got back to sleep and then my fiancé, Adam, woke me up to give me the news. I'm feel just so proud of this show and so proud of this whole company. It means so much to me. And I'm so very happy for Caitlin [Kinnunen] and Brooks [Ashmanskas]. And what a fabulous season it is! I've been a part of this show for seven years and it is so near and dear to my heart, as is DeeDee Allen. I'm going to start the celebrating today by answering the 64 emails I already got! Then I'm getting to the theatre as early as possible tonight to celebrate with all of my people at The Prom!

Richie Jackson, Producer, Best Revival of a Play for Torch Song

It is profoundly meaningful to be nominated for Torch Song. In 1983 I was working at Hagen Daz when my mom called to tell me that Torch Song won best play. After 36 years of collaboration with the brilliant Harvey Fierstein, we're nominated for Best Revival of a Play. I'm overwhelmed.

What was so special about it is it just deepened over time, it's about your chosen family, and the family you're born into. The actors - from the time they started to the Hayes on Broadway, their relationships deepened and became a very connected family of actors, and that resonated on stage. I've been calling them all, and I'll be celebrating with my husband Jordan Roth tonight.

Robert Horn, Best Book of a Musical for Tootsie

I am like a little school girl! I'm so excited! Actually, no. Excited is an understatement. I was excited before I was even a nominee. I was excited just to be a part of this season. Actually, I feel like this is like a scene that I wrote and I had to cut because it was just so unreal that no one would ever believe it. Is this really happening? And for my mother to wake up at 5am in LA just to let me know? This is so important! This show is such a labor of love and it's such a love letter to this industry. This is the Tonys! It is the pinnacle of what we do! To be honored in this way is incredible. I'm going to celebrate today by eating, because I've been so nervous for the past two days that I haven't touched a thing. And of course, my phone is blowing up, so I need to fig out who these people are and then send so thank yous!

Mary Testa, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!

I just am thrilled! I'm proud of our show, and delighted to be in this lovely group pf women who for the most part are all good friends. I found out when my agent called me this morning with the exciting news. We'll probably have some celebrations when we have our show tonight, and there's actually a little party at the Brooklyn Diner too - they're changing the name of their chili to Aunt Eller's chili!

Des McAnuff, Best Direction of a Musical for Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

I'll be straight with you. I am thrilled! A big part of it is that so many members of the company got nominated. It makes it truly joyous. This is a real company! It's a real team. You know, you don't win the Super Bowl with just one player. Teams do. It's been a long journey, you know? We did a full six-week workshop here, then Berkeley, then we teched in Bloomington, then the Kennedy center, LA, Toronto, then Broadway. It's like the old days! I'm so appreciative that they were able to keep the company together. It was the motivation... that we could keep people going. There has been so much commitment to the show. I'm gonna go to the gym today and take a little bit of time for myself. But then I know I want to spend some time talking to my colleagues because the actors... Derrick [Baskin] and Ephraim [Skyes] in particular have been with us for well over two years and that's a long haul! I wanna get on the phone and toss them each a love bomb today. They hung in there! It's grueling when you're playing big parts like that. They are truly athletes and I'm very much in their debt. Then Harold Wheeler, our orchestrator, is coming in from from LA today. It's important to me to be there to greet him. He created the tapestry that is our magic carpet and I'm thrilled he is getting that lifetime recognition.

Damon Daunno, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!

I was in bed and got a phone call from my agent and he told me the good news. It'll be an extra fun show tonight, and they're renaming the chili at a diner down the street after Aunt Eller. The show really has been embraced, I'm so moved and excited that we have been embraced by the Broadway community in general and I'm so proud to be a part of it. If there was a show I'd love to see revived in a new, modern way, it'd be Guys and Dolls, I've always had a soft spot for it, and it'd be interesting to illuminate the gender and social politics, love and romance.

Brooks Ashmanskas, Best Leading Actor in a Musical for THE PROM

To say that I'm thrilled and honored to be on that list with those wonderful gentlemen is a huge understatement. Congratulations to all the nominees, and I'm so grateful for all the love out there for The Prom.

Casey Nicholaw, Best Direction of a Musical for The Prom

It's pretty awesome news! I waited until it was online and then looked but of course my phone was blowing up way before then so I knew it would be good news. It just feels great, we worked so hard and we love the show so much. It makes all the difference to have be so close and having spent so much time on the show. I'm so thrilled about the show and everyone who got nominated.

Jeff Daniels, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for To Kill a Mockingbird

It is an honor to play Atticus Finch on Broadway. And now this. Thank you, League and American Theatre Wing.

Scott Ellis, Outstanding Direction of a Musical for TOOTSIE

I am truly so grateful that I get to do what I get to do- I am always aware of that. But to have two shows in the same season that are successful... I am beyond thrilled about that. My husband and I have nine year-old twins and he said, "Honey, I'll take them to school this morning." So I'm at home and of course I don't know how to turn on the TV because we just got a new TV. So I'm screaming... he ran up the stairs and flipped it on and we just got it in time. Then CBS went out and we didn't know what to do! It was chaos! Then we popped open the computer and by that point it really wasn't really about me. I just wanted to know who else in the shows would be recognized. I'm really celebrating the fact that they both of the shows were nominated. That's a nice season! And it's certainly something to look back to when you have a not so good season. I have to head out later for some meetings for new projects I'm working on. What's next?! That's what keeps me going.

Anais Mitchell - Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score for Hadestown

I dropped my kid off at school, and I couldn't figure out how to make the stream work, so I just had Rachel Chavkin text me every time there was a nom, so my text feed with Rachel is her sending me nominations, and me replying with 5 emojis - and Amber Grey was on our text chain as well. It's such a tremendous honor and surprise! Hadestown has taken a really long and unconventional path to Broadway and so many brilliant artists have put their hands on it. It's taken a village to get us where we are and I'm delighted to see all the recognition for the artists and designers that worked on it.

Right now we're in the middle of the cast recording sessions. Yesterday we had a really long day and today is a little more low-key, once I'm through talking all about it it I'll be in the studio and in the control room working on music. I plan to go to the show to celebrate tonight with the Hadestown family.

Stephanie J. Block, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for The Cher Show

I am beyond thrilled and honored by this nomination and I will carry the entire Cher Show with me on this journey! Stepping into the life of Cher each night and getting to tell her story 8 times a week is a one of a kind experience I will always cherish. This show has truly changed me.

Bryan Cranston, Best Leading Actor in a Play for NETWORK

It's hard to stay Mad as Hell when you're nominated for a Tony! Thank you to the members of the American Theater Wing & the Broadway League for this recognition.

Caitlin Kinnunen, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for The Prom

I watched the Facebook livestream like everyone else. I was not expecting to hear my name at all, I was completely overwhelmed and just started sobbing. I've been working on this show for 4 ½ years, it's been a passion project. To play the part is a gift on its own and to be nominated, alongside Beth, it's overwhelming. I'm so grateful, I'm overwhelmed, I'm excited, all the things.

Bertie Carvel, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for Ink

I was in bed half asleep and I realized I hadn't plugged my phone in to charge so I went to plug it in and had upteen messages and then of course the battery died and I couldn't answer. It's wonderful to see our show so recognized, it's one of the best bits. It really does take a village. And I do find it wonderful to be singled out. I used to find it embarrassing but now I'm thrilled especially because these nominations are badges of recognition for the whole team. I couldn't be more proud. I'll do the show tonight and make sure not to rest on my laurels. Every audience deserves to see it freshly, we have to keep our pencils sharp and do a great show and earn the acclaim.

Nick Powell for Best Sound Design of a Play for The Ferryman

This is a great surprise and amazing to receive this nomination in my favourite city. It feels like the culmination of an epic journey with this epic play - well over two years since we first started. It's been an honour to bring the banshees' wails to Broadway, and a privilege to be in the company of the other nominees.

Kristine Nielsen, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

I'm beyond thrilled for the show! Seven nominations! I'm very proud. It's been quite a journey and I'm just so happy that more people will get to see it now. And they will be so surprised with what they see! [Laughs] I hope slightly shocked, but in a good way! I really didn't even have a thought about the nominations happening this morning. I was sound asleep. Then I got a call from my agent and from my niece- you know, family likes to share in these happy moments with you. I'm really so happy because this is a reason for a small reprieve from the gym! Anytime I have a real excuse, I will take it! It's hard to celebrate after the show because it takes so much energy out of me, but maybe we'll all do something to celebrate on Wednesday night!

Tarell Alvin McCraney, Best Play for Choir Boy

Choir Boy inspired me motivated me watching that amazing cast led by Jeremy Pope, and that incredible production directed by Trip Cullman everyday I knew we had to do everything we could to tell stories yet untold. I?m honored by this nomination ... all of them. I?m so excited to see so much of our production recognized; especially along side folks like Taylor Mac. It's humbling. I hope we?ve made MTC proud. #ForDrew

Gideon Glick, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for To Kill a Mockingbird

I was trying to sleep in and woke up a couple minutes before my category and found out when I got tweeted at. We got all excited and my dog got to jump on the bed with us. I am so, so grateful and honored. It's an incredible company of people, cast and creative, it's been such an embarrassment of riches. I'm so so happy and proud of Celia and Jeff and this entire company. The show doesn't exist without them, it only exists because of all their hard work

André De Shields, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Hadestown

I'm elated, I'm happy - I feel satisfied and fulfilled, and I want you to know that I am full of emotion because so many people have responded to me with love from communities from my youth, my college days, my contemporary colleagues - everyone is embracing me with nothing but love - and that's the best feeling. The first call came from a colleague of mine in LA (so he must have been up early), he's someone I worked with in Chicago - then after that the texts and voicemails and emails and shouts of joy from all over the country and they continue to come in. I'm a man who believes in signs and omens, so this is the universe conspiring to say "yeah you're doing just the right thing at just the right time." We have a show tonight, and we have two shows tomorrow - but it's gonna get crazy.

Bradley King, Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Hadestown

I'm so thrilled, mostly in shock! I'm so unbelievably excited for Anais and Rachel who are two of the most lovely women I've ever worked with. I'm so glad they're getting the recognition they deserve. I found this morning after dropping my older daughter off at pre-K. My wife commutes via ferry so we were standing on the ferry dock with one headphone each watching the stream. I'm going to go by the show tonight, I think it'll be a good one. And we keep a spare bottle of champagne in the fridge so that's looking like a great idea!

Julie White, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

I am already to the point where I'm going through my closet like mad. I have nothing to wear for tomorrow! Now there are so many luncheons and things that I have to look cute for! But of course it's a great problem to have. My darling agent, I trust him to be the informer for these kinds of things. I saw his name come up on my phone this morning and I was like, "Here we go!" I was really just wondering how our show would do, because it's untraditional Broadway fare. I wondered how the nominators would receive it. It's so thrilling just to be nominated, especially for a show that two months ago wasn't even on my radar. I've gotten so many wonderful texts and Instagram messages and phone calls- it's such a crazy thing. You know, this show brings you such joy and then it becomes so heartbreaking. It asks a lot from you as an audience and as a performer. I'm so happy for Taylor [Mac] and so bummed for Nathan [Lane] because I couldn't have done it without the unending support of Nathan Lane. He is so generous as a performer and as a person and he supported what I was trying to do from day one. He never questioned me. It's the greatest gift that you can give to another actor... to support them. He is a treasure of the American theatre.

Taylor Mac, Best Play Author for Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus

I'm feeling so so proud of Gary and all involved. Our play asks the question, "How can one cope when chaos permeates?" And the answer is, at least on this Tuesday morning: put on a play that grapples with the horror of the world and put it on with a bunch of exceptional humans. Thank you to everybody who championed this new play and all the other work this season.

James Graham, Best Play Author for INK

I just feel so honored to see Ink feature in the Best Play category, especially alongside such incredible shows and these fellow writers I admire. Writing plays can be a scary thing (especially when they're about Rupert Murdoch!) and also a lonely thing before you share them with others. So to be on Broadway and among this welcoming community is pretty much a dream come true. I'm so proud to be at MTC in particular, alongside Choir Boy in the same category, and to have five other nominations for our show including Rupert for directing and Bertie for his amazing performance as Murdoch. We've only just opened and I can't wait to keep sharing this show with audiences in the weeks and months ahead.

Laurie Metcalf, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for Hillary and Clinton

It's such a wonderful honor to get nominated for playing this role. It's an honor I share with our brilliant playwright, Lucas Hnath, all three of my incredible scene partners, and the great Joe Mantello.

Ali Stroker, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!

I was watching the news but it cut out, so I only saw the first five announced, so my boyfriend jumped up and pulled it up on the computer and cheered I was nominated. It was a really special moment and I'm so excited. Am I dreaming?

It feels like you're a part of something that will be a part of the progress with theatre - that revivals can be done in a different way and we have a power to allow people to see differently which is more important now than ever.

We're all getting together as a cast tonight after the show - today I'm going to relax with my boyfriend because I still have to do eight shows a week.

Robin De Jesús, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for The Boys in the Band

I think I'm just coming to now. I was in a total state of shock! I got up with my friends to watch this morning and we were hoping, but you never know. It's amazing to have the show itself be acknowledged. So, I saw that and then I was making breakfast and it got to my category and they said my name and we all just started screaming and sobbing together. I have to be honest, we've been closed for a while, but there was a small part of me that felt like we might not be forgotten. I mean, I don't mean to not sound humble, but I just felt like they might remember us! And I have to say, I am also so proud of my girl, Lilli Cooper! We all started screaming during my category and we completely missed hers. Then, her boyfriend is my trainer and he reached out to me and we had a whole conversation and I didn't even realize that she was also nominated. I didn't even say anything! We're all squared away now though. I'm gonna hang with my besties today. I'm really fortunate to have a core group of friends that I grew up with and I get to celebrate with all of them today. It's a full-bodied celebration- the ride or die crew!

Amber Gray, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for Hadestown

I am in the pediatric ICU with my family, my son has a cold gone wrong but he'll be okay, everything is fine. The nurses knew last night that the Tony nominations were today so they woke me up this morning and turned on CBS. When they didn't announce my category we rushed to connect to the Facebook Live and got to see it there. It's just magical and deeply humbling. I'm just thrilled people are resonating with the show on this level. I come from a downtown theatre world and so many of the shows are now getting commercial iterations, it makes me so proud of our artistic community. I think the next few weeks will be really celebratory.

Daniel Fish, Best Direction of a Musical for Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!

I love our show and am proud of the work that everyone in the OKLAHOMA! company is doing on and off stage every night. I'm grateful to each of the performers whose presence and vulnerability are the heart of the show, to the band , the designers, to John Heginbotham?s choreography and to the great crew at Circle in the Square Theater. As a ten year old kid, I saw ?Loose Ends? at Circle. It?s a thrill to be back there working as a Broadway director and to still be in awe of what can go down in that room. And ...I continue to be won over by the stunning music and words of Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein. We got nothing without them.

Janet McTeer, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for Bernhardt/Hamlet

I'm so happy ! I woke up in Maine to find an exploding cellphone. I didn't know they were being announced today and also since we closed in November I had presumed everyone would have forgotten! I'm thrilled for Theresa and Moritz and all the cast the entire production team as it's a testament to them and congratulations to Toni for her costume nomination!!! and I'm sure the great Sarah Bernhardt is smiling somewhere . I'm going to have a blueberry muffin and go and walk the dog by the ocean to celebrate . What fun !!! So thrilled.

Rupert Goold, Best Direction of a Play for Ink

I was sitting on a park bench eating my lunch and following the Twitter feed. I'm really thrilled that we got so many nominations, and it's lovely for so many of us on the creative team to be recognized. This play started out at a small theatre in London and now we're on the slate with this incredible year of plays - it's truly an honor to have made the list. My main plan for today is to work out how to come over for the awards as I'm in rehearsals. I wasn't able to come over last time (for King Charles) but I'll be damn sure to make it this time.

Alex Brightman, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, for Beetlejuice

I'm doing my own version of freaking out this morning- it's very blissful. It's your birthday and a holiday and Tony nominations day that your phone doesn't stop. It's like an avalanche of people saying nice things to you. I really did freak out though when I heard the actual announcement because it's such an enormous season that's full of incredible talent. I know that everyone works super hard for this stuff. I'm even more thrilled for the fact that we get to do our show now. It means that we get to sell more tickets and I get to do it for more people and I get to work more. This show, it's a testament to the team and a testament to Alex Timbers- it's paced out in a way that it is totally different from School of Rock, where I was on the stage the whole time. When I AM onstage I'm always moments away from passing out, but I get breaks for breathing and for hydration, which is a good thing! The reason I'm able to have so much energy though is because they've afforded me the best scene partners on the planet. They give me energy, and it's easy to grab it and take it. There is safety in the danger of it all. We have rehearsal for the Today Show later today, which is great because I get to see all of the people I want to see even sooner than usual. Then I imagine we'll do a champagne toast later to celebrate!

Ephraim Sykes Best Featured Actor in a Musical Ain't Too Proud

There's no way to truly express how honored and humbled I am at this moment. Getting to portray David Ruffin in a Broadway show was already a dream I could never have dreamt, and now being recognized by The American Theatre Wing and sharing this moment with my brothers Derrick Baskin and Jeremy Pope!? I'm in tears! I just give all glory and honor to God and all of my love to my Ain't Too Proud fam, friends, family, and the entire Broadway community!

Laura Donnelly, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for The Ferryman

It's all very exciting. I am in California so I was still asleep, My phone started blowing up at 5 am which pretty much woke me up. For the show to be so recognized is incredible. It's a play that is so close to me and so close to my heart, it means a lot personally and professionally. I'm so proud of everyone who is involved and Jez having written it. I couldn't be more thrilled.

Adam Cork, Best Sound Design for INK

I'm deeply honoured to be nominated for my work on 'INK', hugely grateful to the MTC for inviting us to bring the show to New York, and I'm thrilled for my colleagues on the show who have also received nominations today. It's a collaborative piece we're all very proud of!

Rob Howell, Best Scenic Design of a Play and Best Costume Design of a Play for The Ferryman

I am thrilled about these nominations. It's enough luck to get to move our show from London to Broadway, so these nine nominations seem embarrassingly greedy. Of course, I am learning very fast how to manage the embarrassment and celebrate today's news.

Matthew Sklar & Chad Beguelin, Best Original Score for THE PROM

We have been writing musicals together for over 25 years. It is beyond thrilling to be a part of the theatre community, which we love so much, and an absolute honor to be amongst such talented fellow nominees. To be recognized in this way for an original musical, is simply overwhelming. If we could go back and tell those two college kids, who first met over greasy fries in a NYC diner, that they would be nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score, their minds would be blown. We share this with our amazing THE PROM family who bring this show to life every night.

Andy Grotelueschen, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Tootsie

What a crazy morning! I couldn't be prouder of this show, and I'm ecstatic that NYC audiences are enjoying it. And personally, I just called my mom in Iowa and she screamed.

Mart Crowley, Best Revival of a Play for The Boys in the Band

Never in a million years did I imagine that I would be a Tony nominee at this point in my career. Everything about this production has been an unexpected delight and to be honored with a nomination is beyond my wildest dreams. I can't thank Joe Mantello, Ryan Murphy, David Stone and the brilliant company enough. This 83-year old first-time Tony nominee couldn't be happier this morning!

Rachel Hauck, Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Hadestown

I'm in California right now and my phone started to ring like nuts at 5:35am! What a way to wake up! I'm so thrilled, thrilled, thrilled that the show is getting recognition because it's a show that preaches love, and to have that acknowledged is incredible. I'm going to rehearsal today to work on a new play that my partner has written called The Good Book at Berkeley Rep. I can't think of a better way to spend a wonderful week! I will definitely sneak out and celebrate at some point.

Paddy Considine, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for The Ferryman

This was a bit of a surprise. I wasn't even aware that they were being announced! I had not a clue that this was even happening. My agent called me and broke the news I had no idea whatsoever! It's been quite a shock of a day. I have moments when I very much miss the show, though it's not so far in the past... My journey was so long and it was all so intense and I miss all of those moments so much. I did the show in London first, then Broadway and I never thought it would be such an experience. I found out so much about myself in the process. In a show like this, what I learned about theater is that it's hard work. Everyone in every category is working very hard. I'm so proud of everybody. Everybody.

Jeremy Pope, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Choir Boy AND Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

Dreams outdoing dreams outdoing dreams. My body hasn't stopped tingling. Theatre healed and changed my life and I love this beautiful community. Can't wait to celebrate us all.

Dominique Morisseau, Best Book of a Musical for Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations

I'm on the West Coast so I'm a little bit behind. I woke up trying to deal with paint and home repairs in my backyard. I had about 100 messages but I haven't gotten to any. I'm truly happy about the news. I love my cast and my creative team and it wouldn't be right if we hadn't been all recognized. It takes ten villages to raise a musical and I'm happy that everyone in the village got the recognition they deserve. I've always told the cast that we're storytellers first, we serve the story and the people we're telling the story about. The recognition really makes us feel like we're doing out jobs. And I feel particularly like hell yeah Detroit! Now I have to get the paint off my hands and find a way back to New York tomorrow!

Bartlett Sher, Best Direction of a Play for To Kill a Mockingbird

I'm certainly the only nominee today who is flying from Berlin to New York! I was doing an opera there, I spent the day at the airport talking to many people on the phone, landed in London, and now I'm on my way to NYC. I'm so incredibly proud of the production. It is one of the most incredible shows I've ever worked on. Harper Lee is an extraordinary writer and to make something to honor her work is so special. I'm so proud the team and cast, and of course I'm disappointed that Aaron [Sorkin] hasn't been nominated, but it was such an incredible season. I'm going to have a drink on this next flight and then read a book about Ibsen, which is celebrating in my own odd way, I suppose.

Kenneth Lonergan, Best Revival of a Play for The Waverly Gallery

Working with Elaine May was one of the great experiences of my life. It's thrilling to be nominated alongside all these amazing shows. I loved this production and I'm very grateful to Lila Neugebauer and the entire stupendous cast for everything they gave to tell a very difficult story.

Peter Mumford, Lighting Design for King Kong and The Ferryman

I am absolutely delighted and honoured to receive two Tony Award nominations for two very different pieces of theatre, both of which are very close to my heart.

I've been involved with The Ferryman since its inception in London and it's been wonderful to be a part of the production's success on Broadway. It has to be one of the best plays that I've ever been privileged to design the lighting for.

King Kong is an epic musical that I've seen grow into its Broadway manifestation over several years of preparation, and I'm so happy that the production has come home to New York in such a dynamic form.

Thank you to the Tony Awards for these nominations, I very much appreciate them.



Videos