Tony nominations 2017: Without ‘Hamilton,’ other musicals shine

If last year’s Tony Award nomination announcement was pretty simple, this year’s is much, much messier.

The question around this time in 2016 was just how many Tony nods the megahit Hamilton would earn. This season there’s a glut of 13 musicals all vying for four best new musical slots (or five if voting is close).

The long-term fate of many shows now on Broadway often rests on how many nominations — and later wins — they can accumulate. Actors Christopher Jackson and Jane Krakowski announced the candidates Tuesday from 37 eligible shows.

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The biggest crown is the best new musical trophy and most observers expect Dear Evan Hansen — a critical and box office hit — to easily claim a nomination. Others in contention to land a coveted spot include A Bronx Tale, Come From Away, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Bandstand, War Paint and Groundhog Day.

Likely best play nominees are Sweat, Oslo, Indecent, A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Heisenberg. The best musical revival candidates are Hello, Dolly! — easily the leading candidate in the category thanks to star Bette Midler — as well as Falsettos, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon and Cats.

Ben Platt, the star of Dear Evan Hansen, with songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the recent Oscar winners for City of Stars from the movie La La Land, is a shoo-in for a nomination for best actor in a musical.

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He might be joined by Groundhog Day star Andy Karl, who is bravely nursing a torn ACL onstage, David Hyde Pierce from Hello, Dolly! Christian Borle from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corey Cott of Bandstand and Josh Groban from Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. (One likely candidate — Jake Gyllenhaal, in a nifty revival of Sunday in the Park With George — isn’t competing since producers of the show chose not to enter it for consideration.)

Midler, Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole from War Paint, Phillipa Soo from Amelie, Laura Osnes from Bandstand and Denee Benton of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 are all good bets to be contenders for best actress in a musical. (Glenn Close is out of eligibility having won for her role in Sunset Boulevard in a previous year.)

This year, there are 24 competitive Tony categories. Winners will be determined by some 850 industry insiders. Kevin Spacey will host the awards show June 11 from Radio City Music Hall.

See the complete list of nominees below:

Best Play

A Doll’s House, Part 2, Author: Lucas Hnath
Indecent, Author: Paula Vogel
Oslo, Author: J.T. Rogers
Sweat, Author: Lynn Nottage

Best Musical

Come From Away
Dear Evan Hansen
Groundhog Day The Musical
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Best Revival of a Play

August Wilson’s Jitney
Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Present Laughter
Six Degrees of Separation

Best Revival of a Musical

Falsettos
Hello, Dolly!
Miss Saigon

Best Book of a Musical

Come From Away, Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levenson
Groundhog Day The Musical, Danny Rubin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy

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

Come From Away, Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Dear Evan Hansen, Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Groundhog Day The Musical, Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Music & Lyrics: Dave Malloy

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

Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Jefferson Mays, Oslo

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

Cate Blanchett, The Present
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie
Laura Linney, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Laurie Metcalf, A Doll’s House, Part 2

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

Christian Borle, Falsettos
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

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

Denée Benton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon

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

Michael Aronov, Oslo
Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney

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

Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat

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

Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos

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

Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Mary Beth Peil, Anastasia

Best Scenic Design of a Play

David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
Michael Yeargan, Oslo

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Korins, War Paint
Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Linda Cho, Anastasia
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, War Paint

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen

Best Direction of a Play

Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Rebecca Taichman, Indecent

Best Direction of a Musical

Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812

Best Orchestrations

Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812