Uzo Aduba (02:24):
Good morning, everyone. Happy Tony Nominations Day.
Darren Criss (02:27):
Happy Tony Nominations Day, everybody. We're here at the beautiful Sofitel New York, celebrating the American Theatre Wing's 79th annual Tony Award nominations presented by the Broadway League and the American Theater Wing. Now, Uzo, I realized I don't know as much about you as I thought I did. I thought I knew everything.
Uzo Aduba (02:42):
Okay.
Darren Criss (02:43):
I met you when you were doing Godspell.
Uzo Aduba (02:45):
Okay.
Darren Criss (02:45):
That was not your Broadway debut.
Uzo Aduba (02:47):
Okay, so what do you want to know?
Darren Criss (02:48):
What was your Broadway debut?
Uzo Aduba (02:49):
Coram Boy.
Darren Criss (02:49):
Coram Boy. I should have known that. Okay, let's do another quick lightning round. So, Broadway debut was Coram Boy. Do you know what my Broadway debut was?
Uzo Aduba (02:58):
How to Succeed.
Darren Criss (03:00):
It's not just because it's in the teleprompter?
Uzo Aduba (03:02):
It's mostly that.
Darren Criss (03:04):
We were doing that at the same time.
Uzo Aduba (03:06):
Yeah.
Darren Criss (03:06):
Okay.
Uzo Aduba (03:06):
Fair enough.
Darren Criss (03:07):
You were at the Circle.
Uzo Aduba (03:09):
Yes, I remember.
Darren Criss (03:10):
I was at [inaudible 00:03:10].
Uzo Aduba (03:10):
I remember, I thought.
Darren Criss (03:11):
All right. More importantly, and this is the brass tacks, favorite Jellicle Cat?
Uzo Aduba (03:15):
Oh, André De Shields.
Darren Criss (03:17):
André De Shields, obviously. Mother. Of course.
Uzo Aduba (03:18):
Yes.
Darren Criss (03:19):
Have you ever taken a cake around the city with a British dude on the day of your sister's wedding?
Uzo Aduba (03:25):
Oddly specific, and yes.
Darren Criss (03:27):
Yes, me too. Thank God. I thought I was the only one. I do it every weekend. Favorite color?
Uzo Aduba (03:31):
Burnt sienna.
Darren Criss (03:32):
Burnt sienna. Obviously, goes with everything.
Uzo Aduba (03:34):
Yep.
Darren Criss (03:34):
I would wager to say that burnt sienna is the new-
Uzo Aduba (03:36):
Okay. Let's just get into this year's nominations. Earlier on CBS Mornings, we announced several categories. We're announcing them again here.
Darren Criss (03:46):
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical are, Nicholas Christopher, Chess. Luke Evans, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. Joshua Henry, Ragtime. Sam Tutty, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). Brandon Uranowitz, Ragtime.
(04:06)
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play are, Will Harrison, Punch. Nathan Lane, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. John Lithgow, Giant. Daniel Radcliffe, Every Brilliant Thing. Mark Strong, Oedipus.
Uzo Aduba (04:24):
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical are, Sara Chase, Schmigadoon!, Stephanie Hsu, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. Caissie Levy, Ragtime. Marla Mindelle, Titanique. Christiani Pitts, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).
(04:46)
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play are Rose Byrne, Fallen Angels. Carrie Coon, Bug. Susannah Flood, Liberation. Lesley Manville, Oedipus. Kelli O'Hara, Fallen Angels.
Darren Criss (05:06):
The nominees for Best Musical are, The Lost Boys. Schmigadoon!, Titanique, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).
Uzo Aduba (05:18):
The nominees for Best Play are, The Balusters by David Lindsay-Abaire. Giant, by Mark Rosenblatt. Liberation, by Bess Wohl. Little Bear Ridge Road, by Samuel D. Hunter.
Darren Criss (05:36):
The nominees for Best Book of a Musical are, The Lost Boys, David Hornsby and Chris Hoch. Schmigadoon!, Cinco Paul. Titanique, Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Jim Barne and Kit Buchan.
(05:58)
The nominees for Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre are, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, music by Caroline Shaw. August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone, music by Steve Bargonetti. The Lost Boys, music and lyrics by The Rescues. Schmigadoon!, music and lyrics by Cinco Paul. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), music and lyrics by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan.
Uzo Aduba (06:26):
The nominees for Best Scenic Design of a Play are, Hildegard Bechtler, Oedipus. Takeshi Kata, Bug. David Korins, Dog Day Afternoon. Chloe Lamford, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. David Rockwell, Fallen Angels.
(06:47)
The nominees for Best Scenic Design of a Musical are, dots, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. Soutra Gilmour, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). Rachel Hauck, Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Dane Laffrey, The Lost Boys. Scott Pask, Schmigadoon!
Darren Criss (07:10):
The nominees for Best Costume Design of a Play are, Brenda Abbandandolo, Dog Day Afternoon. Qween Jean, Liberation. Jeff Mahshie, Fallen Angels. Emilio Sosa, The Balusters. Paul Tazewell, August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone.
(07:28)
The nominees for Best Costume Design of a Musical are, Linda Cho, Ragtime. Linda Cho, Schmigadoon! Qween Jean, Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Ryan Park, The Lost Boys. David I. Reynoso, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show.
Uzo Aduba (07:46):
The nominees for Best Lighting Design of a Play are, Isabella Byrd, Dog Day Afternoon. Natasha Chivers, Oedipus. Stacey Derosier, August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Heather Gilbert, Bug. Heather Gilbert, The Fear of 13. Jack Knowles, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
(08:10)
The nominees for Best Lighting Design of a Musical are, Kevin Adams, Chess. Jane Cox, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. Donald Holder, Schmigadoon! Adam Honore, Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Adam Honore and Donald Holder, lighting design. And 59 Studio, projection design, Ragtime. Jen Schriever and Michael Arden, The Lost Boys.
Darren Criss (08:40):
The nominees for Best Sound Design of a Play are, Justin Ellington, August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Tom Gibbons, Oedipus. Lee Kinney, The Fear of 13. Josh Schmidt, Bug. Mikaal Sulaiman, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
(08:57)
The nominees for Best Sound Design of a Musical are, Kai Harada, Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Kai Harada, Ragtime. Adam Fisher, The Lost Boys. Brian Ronan, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. Walter Trarbach, Schmigadoon!
Uzo Aduba (09:13):
The nominees for Best Direction of a Play are, Nicholas Hytner, Giant. Robert Icke, Oedipus. Kenny Leon, The Balusters. Joe Mantello, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Whitney White, Liberation.
(09:30)
The nominees for Best Direction of a Musical are, Michael Arden, The Lost Boys. Lear DeBessonet, Ragtime. Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon! Tim Jackson, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch, Cats: The Jellicle Ball.
Darren Criss (09:51):
The nominees for Best Choreography are, Christopher Gattelli, Schmigadoon! Ellenore Scott, Ragtime. Ani Taj, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. Omari Wiles and Arturo Lyons, Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant, The Lost Boys.
(10:10)
The nominees for Best Orchestrations are, Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, Schmigadoon! Ethan Popp, Kyler England, Adrianne "AG" Gonzalez, and Gabriel Mann, The Lost Boys. Lux Pyramid, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). Brian Usifer, Chess. Andrew Lloyd Weber, David Wilson, Trevor Holder, and Doug Schadt, Cats: The Jellicle Ball.
Uzo Aduba (10:34):
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play are, Betsy Aidem, Liberation. Marylouise Burke, The Balusters. Aya Cash, Giant. Laurie Metcalf, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. June Squibb, Marjorie Prime.
(10:54)
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play are, Christopher Abbott, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Danny Burstein, Marjorie Prime. Brandon J Dirden, Waiting for Godot. Alden Ehrenreich, Becky Shaw. Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. And Richard Thomas, The Balusters.
Darren Criss (11:22):
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical are, Shoshana Bean, The Lost Boys. Hannah Cruz, Chess. Rachel Dratch, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show. Ana Gasteyer, Schmigadoon! Nichelle Lewis, Ragtime.
(11:39)
The nominees for Best Performance by an Actor in a Feutured Role in a Musical are, Ali Louis Bourzgui, The Lost Boys, André De Shields, Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Bryce Pinkham, Chess. Ben Levi Ross, Ragtime. Layton Williams, Titanique.
Uzo Aduba (11:55):
The nominees for Best Revival of a Play are, Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo. Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan with Johnny Donahoe. Fallen Angels. Oedipus by Robert Ike.
Darren Criss (12:13):
The nominees for Best Revival of a Musical are, Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Ragtime. Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show.
Uzo Aduba (12:23):
And this season a special Tony Award will be given to the League of Resident Theatres, also known as LORT.
(12:29)
Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre will go to four outstanding contributors to the Broadway industry, Jake Bell, Kenn Lubin, 1/52 Project, and Loren Plotkin.
Darren Criss (12:42):
And we are honoring Andre Bishop, Jules Fisher, and James Lapine with Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
(12:49)
The 2026 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award in recognition for her unwavering dedication to advocacy work through the arts will go to Mary-Mitchell Campbell.
Uzo Aduba (12:58):
And just like putting on a Broadway show, it takes many people to put on the Tony Awards each year.
Darren Criss (13:02):
So, we want to take a moment to thank our incredible sponsors. And a special thank you to the Sofitel New York, the official hotel of the Tony Awards for hosting us this very early morning.
Uzo Aduba (13:14):
Please visit tonyawards.com for a full list of this year's nominations and other Tony news. And be sure to follow Tony Awards on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and subscribe here on YouTube.
Darren Criss (13:26):
Congratulations again to all of this year's nominees, and please tune into the 79th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7th on CBS and Paramount+, hosted by Pink.
(13:35)
And you can watch the The Tony Awards: Act One, a pre-show of live awards and content leading into the Tonys on Pluto TV, which I hosted last year. Additional details will be available at a future date.
Uzo Aduba (13:46):
Thank you so much for joining us.
Darren Criss (13:48):
Yeah, have a great day. Happy Tonys everyone.
Uzo Aduba (13:49):
Yeah.