The 2025 Tony Awards brought together the best of Broadway at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall for an evening of powerful performances, historic wins, and emotional moments. Among the night’s biggest stories was Maybe Happy Ending, a standout production that swept six awards including Best Musical, asserting its dominance in a highly competitive field.
Maybe Happy Ending Steals the Spotlight With Six Wins
The critically acclaimed musical Maybe Happy Ending emerged as the night’s biggest victor, winning in six categories:
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Best Musical
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Best Direction of a Musical (Michael Arden)
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Best Original Score (Will Aronson and Hue Park)
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Best Book of a Musical (Will Aronson and Hue Park)
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Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Dane Laffrey and George Reeve)
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Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Darren Criss)
This emotional, genre-bending show faced strong competition from The Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, Dead Outlaw, and Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical — each earning multiple nominations.
Nicole Scherzinger's Triumphant Broadway Debut
Former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger made a stunning Broadway debut in Sunset Blvd., winning Best Leading Actress in a Musical. Her performance edged out Broadway heavyweight Audra McDonald, whose nomination marked her record-breaking 11th, the most in Tony Awards history. A win would have placed McDonald ahead of icons Julie Harris and Angela Lansbury, with whom she currently shares the record for most Tonys won by a performer.
Film Icons Miss Out: Clooney, Farrow, Odenkirk Leave Empty-Handed
This year's Tonys featured a strong lineup of Hollywood veterans vying for theater’s top honors:
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George Clooney, nominated for his portrayal of Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck, lost to Cole Escola, the first non-binary nominee and winner in the Best Leading Actor in a Play category for Oh, Mary!.
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Mia Farrow (nominated for The Roommate) and Bob Odenkirk (Glengarry Glenn Ross) were also contenders, but the awards went to Sarah Snook (The Picture of Dorian Gray) and Francis Jue (Yellow Face), respectively.
Celebrating Excellence: Key Performance Wins
Best Leading Roles in a Musical
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Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending — Best Actor
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Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd. — Best Actress
Best Leading Roles in a Play
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Cole Escola, Oh, Mary! — Best Actor
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Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray — Best Actress
Featured Performances
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Francis Jue, Yellow Face — Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
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Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat — Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
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Kara Young, Purpose — Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
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Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club — Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Purpose Wins Best Play, Edging Out Top Contenders
In the hotly contested Best Play category, Purpose clinched the top honor. It triumphed over critically lauded entries including:
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English
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John Proctor is the Villain
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The Hills of California
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Oh, Mary!
The play also saw Jon Michael Hill, Henry Lennix, and LaTanya Richardson Jackson receive nominations for their roles, with Kara Young taking home a win for her featured performance.
Celebrated Revivals: Sunset Blvd. and Eureka Day
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Best Revival of a Musical: Sunset Blvd.
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Best Revival of a Play: Eureka Day
The revival of Sunset Blvd. proved particularly memorable with dazzling production and lighting design, culminating in a win for Jack Knowles for Best Lighting Design in a Musical.
Artistic Excellence Behind the Scenes
Direction
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Best Direction of a Musical: Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
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Best Direction of a Play: Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!
Choreography
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Patricia Delgado & Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club — Best Choreography
Costume Design
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Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray — Best Costume Design in a Play
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Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her — Best Costume Design in a Musical
Scenic Design
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Miriam Buether and 59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow — Best Scenic Design in a Play
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Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending — Best Scenic Design in a Musical
Lighting and Sound
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Best Lighting Design in a Play: Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
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Best Sound Design of a Play: Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
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Best Sound Design of a Musical: Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club
Orchestrations
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Margo Paguia, Buena Vista Social Club — Best Orchestrations
Musical Numbers and Special Performances
The 2025 Tony Awards featured performances from all Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical nominees. Show-stopping acts included scenes from:
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The Buena Vista Social Club
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Dead Outlaw
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Death Becomes Her
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Maybe Happy Ending
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Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
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Floyd Collins
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Gypsy
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Sunset Blvd.
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Pirates! The Penzance Musical
A standout moment came when the original cast of Hamilton reunited to celebrate the musical’s 10-year anniversary, delivering a nostalgic performance that captivated audiences.
Hosted by Cynthia Erivo: A Star-Studded, Inclusive Celebration
Acclaimed actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, star of the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked, took on hosting duties and kicked off the evening with a spectacular musical number. Her dynamic presence set the tone for a night that celebrated diversity, boundary-breaking performances, and theatrical innovation.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Tony Awards delivered a rich celebration of theatrical brilliance, with Maybe Happy Ending and Purpose leading the charge. The ceremony also reflected Broadway’s growing embrace of inclusivity, exemplified by Cole Escola’s historic win and Nicole Scherzinger’s powerful debut.
As Broadway continues to evolve, this year’s Tony Awards highlighted the diversity of talent and storytelling that will shape the future of American theater.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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