On Sunday, June 12, millions of theater fans will sit in front of their televisions to watch the 70th annual Tony Awards ceremony. For theater buffs, the show is an amazing opportunity to see many of their favorite actors and actresses speak and enjoy some of the songs from the nominated musicals.
Tony Awards 101
The awards show, which will be held at the Beacon Theatre on New York City’s Upper West Side, will be hosted by James Corden. Corden is no stranger to live theater in The Big Apple — he won a 2012 Tony Award for his performance in “One Man, Two Guvnors” and made his debut in the Broadway show “The History Boys.” The show will be on CBS from 8 to 11 p.m. ET; those who wish to get live updates can also check out social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Who Will Win: Some Predictions
The musical “Hamilton” is up for a whopping 16 awards, including Best Musical and Best Leading Actor in a Musical. The question isn’t whether the popular musical will win numerous awards during Sunday’s show, it’s whether it will take home all 16. Although it is not a given that “Hamilton” will achieve a Tony Awards blowout, the performers and others associated with the show will probably make numerous trips to the stage to collect their statues and make their speeches.
Other Winners
Although “Hamilton” is nominated for three visual-design categories and for Best Choreography, these awards might go to other shows. For example, Savion Glover, a choreographer who created amazing routines in George C. Wolfe’s “Shuffle Along,” is expected to give Hamilton’s choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler a serious run for his money. Ann Roth, who created the costumes for “Shuffle Along,” is also a front-runner in the Best Costume Design of a Musical category.
In-Show Performances
While the awards are the point of the show, the broadcast typically places a larger emphasis on showcasing songs from the musicals. Granted, while the big numbers that feature lots of actors and actresses singing and dancing are inherently more interesting, many fans are hoping that the nominated plays will get as much screen time on June 12.
Fortunately, this year’s list of nominees includes four fascinating dramas that were all nominated for Best New Play. They are “Eclipsed,” “The Father,” “The Humans” and “King Charles III.” All four dramas are excellent and worthy of being featured during the awards ceremony. As for the ultimate winner, “The Humans” and its gripping look at the emotional and financial pressures suffered when a grandparent has dementia may walk away with the statue.
See the Shows in Person
It’s not unusual for people who watch the Tony Awards to be inspired to see some of the nominated and winning shows in person. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to turn this dream into reality. During commercial breaks or after the show, check out ticketing websites to get tickets to the award winners before they sell out. This is a great way to keep the excitement and culture of the awards show alive after it has finished airing.
