Breaking Down the 2024 Tony Awards Nominations

Still thinking about the Tony nominations? Us too! Check out some takeaways from Tuesday's big announcement and recap the full list and the nominees' reactions!

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A total of 132 nominations went out in 26 categories. 

28 nominations went to productions that have already closed.

45 nominations went to productions that opened before Spring 2024.

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With yesterday's 13 nominations, Stereophonic has made Tony Awards history as the most-nominated play ever. The record was previously held by Slave Play, which earned 12 nominations in 2020. To become the most Tony-winning play, Stereophonic will have to win in 8 of its 10 nominated categories, surpassing The Coast of Utopia (2007).

This does not touch the record for the most nominated show ever, however, which is still held by Hamilton.

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Of the 43 acting nominees...

-7 are making their Broadway debuts: Rachel McAdams, Brody Grant, Maleah Joi Moon, Eli Gelb, Tom Pecinka, Juliana Canfield, and Sarah Pidgeon

-7 are previous Tony nominees (who have yet to win): Michael Stuhlbarg, Amy Ryan, Jonathan Groff, Brian d'Arcy James, Kara Young, Brandon Victor Dixon, and Shoshana Bean

-11 are previous Tony winners: Leslie Odom, Jr., Liev Schreiber, Jessica Lange, Eddie Redmayne, Kelli O'Hara, Maryann Plunkett, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Roger Bart, Lindsay Mendez, Nikki M James, and Bebe Neuwirth (2)

-3 were previous Elphabas: Eden Espinosa, Lindsay Mendez, and Shoshana Bean

-2 are named Leslie: Odom, Jr. and Rodriguez Kritzer

-And 2 are named Sarah: Paulson and Pidgeon

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The Best Musical race has been one of the most buzzed-about categories of the season, with a whopping 10 productions eligible. All 5 shows that earned a nomination opened in March/April 2024.

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Sadly, several shows were completely shutout, earning no nominations. They include 5 musicals: The Wiz, The Heart of Rock and Roll, Once Upon a One More Time, Harmony, and How to Dance in Ohio; and 3 plays: The Cottage, I Need That and The Shark Is Broken.

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Of the 17 Best Production nominees (Best Musical, Best Play, Best Revival of a Musical, and Best Revival of a Play):

-4 have already closed: Gutenberg! The Musical!, Prayer for the French Republic, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, and Purlie Victorious

-6 opened before Spring 2024: Gutenberg! The Musical!, Prayer for the French Republic, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Purlie Victorious, Merrily We Roll Along, and Appropriate

-3 were produced by Manhattan Theatre Club: Prayer for the French Republic, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, and Mary Jane

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Many creatives earned multiple nominations, including Justin Levine (3), Dede Ayite (3), Shaina Taub (2), Will Butler (2), Isabella Byrd (2), Natasha Katz (2), Cody Spencer (2), Tom Scutt (2), David Zinn (3),  Dots (2), and Peter Nigrini (2). Additionally, including their nominations as producers, Leslie Odom, Jr., Kenny Leon, and Eddie Redmayne also earned double nominations.

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Of all of the 2024 Tony nominees, Natasha Katz currently has the most Tony Awards (8 wins and 19 total nominations). Also of note: Jonathan Tunick has been nominated 12 times and won once. 

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Maria Friedman and Sonia Friedman both earned nominations as lead producer and director of Merrily We Roll Along, marking the first time in Tony Awards history when two sisters have been nominated together.

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In the Best Direction categories, 7 of the 10 nominees are women (Anne Kauffman, Lila Neugebauer, Whitney White, Maria Friedman, Leigh Silverman, Jessica Stone, and Danya Taymor)- a Tony Awards first.

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Kara Young has become the fourth actress to be nominated for Tony Awards in three consecutive years and the first African American actress to be nominated three times in a row in any category.

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Two categories (Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical and Best Scenic Design of a Musical) hold 7 nominees- another Tony Awards first.

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Amy Herzog has made history as the first  playwright in history to be nominated in both Best Play and Best Revival of a Play categories in the same year for Mary Jane and An Enemy of the People.