A night of firsts and familiar triumphs defined Broadway’s 78th Tony Awards as the robot romance “Maybe Happy Ending” led the field with six prizes, including best musical, direction and actor Darren Criss’s historic win as the first Asian American in that category. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ drawing-room drama “Purpose” captured best play, making him the first Black playwright to earn the honor since August Wilson in 1987 and only the third writer ever to score back-to-back Tony victories.
In acting races, Cole Escola seized best leading actor in a play for “Oh, Mary!”, becoming the Tonys’ first openly non-binary performer to win a lead role award after joking onstage about a canceled Grindr date. Nicole Scherzinger’s powerhouse turn as Norma Desmond in “Sunset Blvd.” earned best leading actress in a musical, upsetting six-time winner Audra McDonald and extending Scherzinger’s run of accolades that began with last year’s Olivier.
Australian star Sarah Snook added a Tony for best actress in a play thanks to her 26-character solo performance in “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” recorded during a ceremony that also gave the production prizes for design innovation.
Kara Young continued her own streak, taking featured actress in a play for “Purpose” and becoming the first Black performer to win Tonys in consecutive years. “Buena Vista Social Club” claimed four technical awards and fueled Natalie Venetia Belcon’s featured-actress victory, while the Cuban-rhythm musical’s success pushed Universal Music’s stage division past 20 cumulative Tonys.
Host Cynthia Erivo framed the night as Broadway’s “full-throttle comeback,” a sentiment underscored by record post-pandemic grosses that Reuters pegged at $1.77 billion for the 2024-25 season. Offstage, advocates renewed calls to retire gendered categories after Escola’s breakthrough, noting that the Tony Administration Committee last year chose to “monitor feedback” rather than adopt neutral ballots.
Industry analysts told Broadway News the ceremony’s mix of commercial hits and formally daring work signals healthier risk-taking by producers seeking to broaden audiences beyond Manhattan. With “Maybe Happy Ending” expanding its cast album release this week and “Purpose” announcing a national tour, the 2025 winners appear poised to capitalize quickly on Tony momentum.
