Each of the Tony Award-nominated musical theater actors below have poured heart, soul, and years of training into their roles this Broadway season. This weekend, four—one from each acting category—will be crowned at the 71st annual Tony Awards. Are you an aspiring musical star? This time next year, you could find yourself on this list! (For the nominated actors in plays, click here!)
LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Denée Benton, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”
The story of “The Great Comet” comes to us from Russia, but this Carnegie Mellon alum comes to New York from the Wend End production and U.S. national tour of “The Book Of Mormon” as Nabulungi. Tony nominated for her Broadway debut, Benton also appears in the recent second season of Lifetime series “UnReal.”
Christine Ebersole, “War Paint”
Next season will mark 40 years since Ebersole made her Broadway debut. The show was “On The 20th Century” and the year was 1978, and Ebersole was a replacement for the roles of Agnes and Lily Garland. “War Paint” is lucky number 13 of her Broadway credits; she’s earned four Tony Award nominations on the way, with two wins (“42nd Street” and “Grey Gardens”).
Patti LuPone, “War Paint”
LuPone is saying that “War Paint’s” Helena Rubinstein may be her last leading lady role on Broadway. But almost 45 years ago, “The Three Sisters” (1973) was her first. LuPone played Irena, alongside Kevin Kline. So far she’s racked up an impressive seven Tony Award nominations and two wins (“Evita” and “Gypsy”), and taken down cell phones in multiple theaters.
Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!”
Midler made her Broadway debut 50 years ago in “Fiddler On The Roof,” a replacement for multiple parts including Tzeitel, Rivka, and Fruma-Sarah. In the 1970s she headlined three special Broadway concerts, and it would take another 30 before Midler would work on Broadway again: in 2011 as a producer for “Priscilla Queen Of The Desert.” And now half a century after making her Broadway debut, she’s earning her first Tony Award nomination as the iconic Dolly Gallagher Levi in “Hello, Dolly!”
Eva Noblezada, “Miss Saigon”
Audiences first took notice of Noblezada on the West End in roles such as Kim in “Miss Saigon” and Eponine in “Les Miserables.” She was discovered at the 2013 National High School Musical Awards (known as the Jimmy Awards). With her Broadway debut this season in the transfer of “Miss Saigon,” she’s also earning her first Tony Award nomination—at age 21.
READ: Tony Nominee Eva Noblezada On ‘Miss Saigon,’ Vocal Care, and Self-Esteem
LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Christian Borle, “Falsettos”
Borle, a Tony winner for “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “Something Rotten!”, made his Broadway debut in 1998 in “Footloose” as a replacement in the role of Willard Hewitt, singing “Mama Says.” It wasn’t until 2005 that he would begin originating roles in shows like “Spamalot” and then “Legally Blonde.” But in 2003 he made a very memorable appearance in this television commercial for Ebay:
Josh Groban, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”
Pierre may be a bit depressed, but Groban is sure to be thrilled to be making his Broadway debut this season in “The Great Comet.” In 2015, Groban released “Stages,” an album of musical theater songs. His albums have sold over 35 million copies worldwide. In 2008, he starred in the Royal Albert Hall concert version of the musical “Chess” alongside Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal.
Andy Karl, “Groundhog Day”
Disco was the music of Karl’s Broadway debut. It was 1999, the show was “Saturday Night Fever,” and Karl was a replacement for the character of Joey. In the production, Karl also met his future wife, Orfeh. It would be another seven years before his next Broadway gig came around with “The Wedding Singer.” But now Karl has 10 Broadway shows under his belt and three Tony nods. And you know what they say about lucky number three....
David Hyde Pierce, “Hello, Dolly!”
It was 35 years ago that David Hyde Pierce made his Broadway debut in Christopher Durang’s “Beyond Therapy” (1982), where he starred alongside John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest. He then went on to replace in the role of Peter Patrone in “The Heidi Chronicles” (1989). From 1993 to 2004, Pierce played Dr. Nigel Crane on television’s “Frasier,” winning four Emmys. Thankfully, Broadway audiences got him back in 2005 with “Spamalot,” then in “Curtains” in 2007, his first and only Tony Award.
Ben Platt, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Hello, his name was Elder Cunningham. Platt made his Broadway debut in 2014 in “The Book Of Mormon.” He also starred as Benji in the blockbuster “Pitch Perfect” movies. This season Platt has been making audiences cry their faces off in “Dear Evan Hansen,” earning him Drama League and Lucille Lortel Awards.
The 2017 Tony Nominees: Actors in a Musical
FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Kate Baldwin, “Hello, Dolly!”
Both “Hello, Dolly!” featured actor Tony nominees, Baldwin and Gavin Creel, share the production as their sixth Broadway show. They also both starred in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in 2002. But Baldwin’s Broadway debut was actually in 2000 as a swing in “The Full Monty.” This is Baldwin’s second Tony recognition, previously nominated for leading actress in “Finian’s Rainbow” in 2010.
Stephanie J. Block, “Falsettos”
Block “broke down” gloriously for audiences over and over again as Trina in the revival of “Falsettos.” She is nominated for a Tony Award, along with more than half of the production’s cast. This is her second Tony nomination—Block was nominated in 2012 for “The Mystery Of Edwin Drood.” She made her Broadway debut in 2003, playing Liza Minnelli in “The Boy From Oz.”
Jenn Colella, “Come From Away”
“Come From Away” brings Colella her first Tony nod; in her fifth Broadway production, she plays airline captain Beverly Bass. The actor-singer made her Broadway debut in the 2003 musical adaptation of the film “Urban Cowboy,” in the role of Sissy.
Rachel Bay Jones, “Dear Evan Hansen”
The talented Jones made her Broadway debut almost 30 years ago in “Meet Me In St. Louis” (1989). It would be another 20 years before Broadway would come calling again; Jones was a replacement Tribe member and played the mother in the 2009 revival of “Hair.” The role of Heidi Hansen in this season’s “Dear Evan Hansen” has earned Jones her first Tony nomination.
Mary Beth Peil, “Anastasia”
One of the most senior members of the acting nominees, Peil is starring in her seventh Broadway production. She made her Broadway debut in 1985 as Anna Leonowens in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The King And I,” for which she was nominated for a featured actress Tony. More than 30 years later, she is nominated again in the same category for her role as Dowager Empress in Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Terrence McNally’s “Anastasia.”
READ: How to Become an Actor
FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Gavin Creel, “Hello, Dolly!”
Cornelius Hackl in “Hello, Dolly!” is Creel’s sixth Broadway show and third Tony nomination. He made his Broadway debut in 2002 in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” opposite Sutton Foster. Before that, he participated in readings for what would become some of Broadway’s biggest musical hits, including “Spring Awakening,” “Hairspray,” and “Wicked.”
Mike Faist, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Before starring in one of the biggest hits of the season, he wore a news cap on the boards: Faist made his Broadway debut in “Newsies” in 2012. His “Dear Evan Hansen” role as Connor Murphy, a teen who commits suicide, has earned him his first Tony nod.
Andrew Rannells, “Falsettos”
Rannells made his Broadway debut dancing as one of “the nicest kids in town” in the 2002 Tony-winning musical “Hairspray.” The revival of William Finn’s “Falsettos” is Rannells’ sixth Broadway show, and his role as Whizzer earns him his second Tony Award nomination.
‘In the Envelope’ Podcast Episode 2: Andrew Rannells and Aubrey Plaza
Lucas Steele, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812”
Seducing audiences eight times a week, Steele received his first Tony nomination as the sexy troublemaker Anatole. But it was the 2006 “Threepenny Opera,” starring Alan Cumming and Cyndi Lauper, in which Steele made his Broadway debut.
Brandon Uranowitz, “Falsettos”
This is the second featured actor Tony nod in three years for Uranowitz after playing Adam Hochberg in “An American In Paris” in 2015. Now having played the therapist Mendel in the fall revival of “Falsettos,” Uranowitz finds himself nominated alongside a co-star once again (Max von Essen then, Rannels now). He made his Broadway debut in 2011 playing multiple roles in the musical “Baby It’s You!”
And check out Backstage’s theater audition listings!