The 2020 Tony Award nominations are finally here. And although this year’s Broadway season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, we still spy plenty of NYU talent among the nominees.
This year, only 18 shows that opened before February 19, 2020 are considered eligible for the 74th annual Tony Awards, which recognizes achievement in Broadway productions during the 2019-2020 season—by contrast, there were 34 shows under consideration last year.
Of the four new musicals, 10 new plays and four play revivals that are eligible, Jagged Little Pill and Moulin Rouge! The Musical nabbed the highest number of nominations, with 15 and 14 respectively. Lauren Patten (TSOA) earned a nomination for her portrayal of Jo in Jagged Little Pill, the rock musical based on Alanis Morisette’s 1995 studio album of the same name, with Bellanca Smigel Rutter (GAL '80) gaining recognition in the Best Musical category for producing the show. Hunter Arnold (STERN '13) worked as a co-producer on Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the theatrical reinvention of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 movie musical, which was also nominated for Best Musical. Arnold has producer credits on three additional nominated shows.
NYU faculty and alumni were also recognized for excellence in design, with associate arts professor in Tisch’s department of Design for Stage and Film Allen Lee Hughes’ (TSOA '79) nomination for Best Lighting Design for A Soldier’s Play and Clint Ramos (TSOA '97) earning a nod for Best Costume Design for The Rose Tattoo.
Nominations for the 74th annual Tony Awards were announced by Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin, Hamilton) October 15. The date for the virtual award ceremony is yet to be announced.
Please join us in congratulating the NYU alumni and faculty nominees:
Best Musical
- Hunter Arnold (STERN '13), Producer, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
- Wendy Federman (STERN '79), Producer, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
- Bellanca Smigel Rutter (GAL '80), Producer, Jagged Little Pill
- Sean Patrick Flahaven (TSOA ’97, Tisch Faculty), Producer, Jagged Little Pill
Best Play
- Hunter Arnold (STERN '13), Producer, The Inheritance
- Kayla Greenspan (STEINHARDT '12), Producer, The Inheritance
- Tom Kirdahy (WSC '85, LAW '88), Producer, The Inheritance
- Mark Lee (TSOA '84), Producer, The Inheritance
- Adam Zell (TSOA '16), Producer, The Inheritance
- Carole Rothman (TSOA '72), Producer, Grand Horizons
- Mark Wilf (LAW '87), Producer, Sea Wall/A Life
- Oskar Eustis (Tisch Faculty), Producer, Sea Wall/A Life
Best Revival of a Play
- Hunter Arnold (STERN '13), Producer, Betrayal
- Hunter Arnold (STERN '13), Producer, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
- Ken Davenport (TSOA '94), Producer, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
- Tom Kirdahy (WSC '85, LAW '88), Producer, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
- John Paterakis (SPS '09), Producer, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
- Clint Ramos (TSOA '97), Costume Designer, The Rose Tattoo
Best Lighting Design of a Play
- Allen Lee Hughes (TSOA '79, Tisch Faculty), Lighting Designer, A Soldier's Play
- Ato Blankson-Wood (TSOA '06), Slave Play
- Lauren Patten (TSOA), Jagged Little Pill