The Hollywood Reporter Awards Countdown: Tonys 2025 Edition

Hollywood Journal

The Hollywood Reporter is counting down to the 2025 Tonys with THR's Awards Countdown: Tonys Edition, a streaming preshow that will deliver expert analysis, predictions, behind-the-scenes set visits, nominee spotlights and so much more ahead of Broadway’s biggest night on Sunday, June 8.

Transcript

00:00:00The glitz, the talent, the stage, and the standing ovations.

00:00:04Broadway's biggest night is here.

00:00:06From breakthrough debuts to record-breaking nominees,

00:00:09the 2025 Tony Awards are full of showstoppers.

00:00:13And we've got all the access to the nominees and biggest shows.

00:00:16From exclusive behind-the-scenes set visits to Maybe Happy Ending

00:00:20and Buena Vista Social Club,

00:00:21how designers brought Stranger Things to life,

00:00:24to interviews with everyone from Darren Criss, Audra McDonald,

00:00:27Jonathan Groff, Sadie Sink, and so much more.

00:00:30Who's making history, what moments will steal the spotlight,

00:00:33and what surprises are waiting in the wings?

00:00:36Plus, a look at how Cynthia Erivo is having a full-circle moment

00:00:39as this year's Tony's host.

00:00:41The music, the fashion, and the forces behind and in front of the curtain,

00:00:45this is The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Countdown, Tony's Edition.

00:00:53What's going on, everyone?

00:00:55I'm Neha Joy, and welcome to The Hollywood Reporter's Tony Awards pre-show.

00:00:59I'm coming to you from the heart of New York City,

00:01:02right here on the iconic Top of the Rock,

00:01:04which is just steps away from Broadway's legendary theater district.

00:01:08Now, from the shows and musicals making waves,

00:01:10to the actors making history,

00:01:12this year's telecast is set to be packed with some unforgettable moments.

00:01:16And today, we're taking an inside look at some of those must-see shows,

00:01:20standout performances,

00:01:21and even a few behind-the-scenes surprises.

00:01:24But first, let's kick things off with a look at some of those numbers

00:01:27behind this year's Tony nominations.

00:01:32The final countdown to this year's Tony Awards is on.

00:01:35Let's take a closer look at the Tonys by the numbers.

00:01:38The 2025 Tony Awards will be held at Radio City Music Hall,

00:01:42which holds an audience of 5,960.

00:01:45There are approximately 831 people from various theatrical organizations

00:01:50who currently vote for the Tony Awards.

00:01:52The group of eligible voters includes voting members of the Broadway League

00:01:55and the Board of Directors,

00:01:57as well as designated members of the Advisory Committee of the American Theatre Wing.

00:02:01This year marks the 78th annual Tony Awards.

00:02:04The ceremony hands out trophies in 26 competitive categories,

00:02:08excluding special honors and awards.

00:02:10Director and producer Harold Prince holds the record for the most

00:02:13Tony wins by any individual.

00:02:14He received 21 Tonys during his career.

00:02:18Hamilton holds the record for the musical production

00:02:20with the most Tony nominations with 16 noms.

00:02:23And last year,

00:02:24Stereophonic became the play production with the most Tony nominations

00:02:27when it received 13 noms.

00:02:29Audra McDonald made history this year

00:02:31when she received her 11th Tony nomination

00:02:33for her star role as Rose in Gypsy on Broadway,

00:02:37making her the most Tony-nominated performer of all time.

00:02:40McDonald is also the most awarded performer in Tony history

00:02:43with six wins.

00:02:44Angela Lansbury has emceed the show more times than anyone else.

00:02:48She's hosted the Tonys five times.

00:02:51Right behind her are Neil Patrick Harris and Hugh Jackman,

00:02:54who have both emceed the ceremony four times.

00:02:56Some say Bob Fosse has the triple crown,

00:02:59as he's the only director to win a Tony,

00:03:00an Oscar and an Emmy in the same year.

00:03:03He accomplished this feat in 1973.

00:03:06Only two productions have won all of the big six awards for musicals,

00:03:09South Pacific in 1950 and the producers in 2001.

00:03:12And it all comes down to one night

00:03:14when the Tony Awards air live on Sunday, June 8th on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern.

00:03:19We're here at the gallery at Rainbow Room

00:03:25to chat all about this Broadway season,

00:03:27which delivered some standout performances,

00:03:30from original new works to some powerful revivals

00:03:33that moved audiences in every way.

00:03:36Here to break down our top Tony contenders

00:03:38are THR's longtime theater critic, David Rooney,

00:03:41who's now our chief film critic,

00:03:43business writer, Caitlin Houston,

00:03:45who covers all things Broadway,

00:03:46and our executive awards editor, Scott Feinberg.

00:03:50Thanks so much for joining us, guys.

00:03:51Yeah, thanks for doing this.

00:03:52Yeah.

00:03:53So before we jump into the ballot,

00:03:55I just wanted to ask a few overarching questions.

00:03:58The first one being,

00:04:00what do we think of this year's group of nominees

00:04:02and what do we find refreshing about this prop?

00:04:05I like that there's a mix of veterans

00:04:07who have done a million Broadway shows and newcomers.

00:04:10So there is this sense of new blood coming in.

00:04:13I mean, the entire company of John Proctor

00:04:15is the villain, for example.

00:04:16It's a great company,

00:04:18and they're all pretty new to Broadway.

00:04:19Sunset Boulevard, too?

00:04:21Sunset Boulevard, as well, yeah.

00:04:23I think that both Nicole Scherzinger

00:04:26and Tom Francis are really great discoveries in that.

00:04:29Yeah, I mean, it's a nice mix.

00:04:30I feel like we have a lot of original musicals

00:04:33this time around, which is exciting,

00:04:35or at least original enough.

00:04:36We've got Operation Mincemeat,

00:04:38which is based on history and technically a movie.

00:04:41And we've got Death Becomes Her,

00:04:42which is based on the film,

00:04:44but it's doing something so different from the film.

00:04:47And then we have some fully original musicals,

00:04:49like maybe Happy Ending, Dead Out at All,

00:04:52very original, also based on history, I guess.

00:04:55But that was exciting to see,

00:04:56especially coming from the panel.

00:04:57Yeah, no, it's nice,

00:04:58because often the musicals just feel like regurgitated movies.

00:05:02And I think that what's great about Death Becomes Her,

00:05:05as you say, is that they do reinvent it quite a bit.

00:05:07I mean, I just have been struck by how many electric performances

00:05:11there are this year across the categories.

00:05:14It's so thrilling to see Nicole Scherzinger in Sunset Boulevard

00:05:19or Audra in Gypsy.

00:05:20Then you've got, unlike anything else that I can think of,

00:05:23Cole, Escola, Ino, Marion.

00:05:26I found that sometimes, maybe more often than usual,

00:05:29even the performances have kind of outshined the shows themselves

00:05:34in some cases, but there's a lot of really exciting acting

00:05:37going on this season, I think.

00:05:38Definitely.

00:05:39And Caitlin, how have some of these shows done in the box office?

00:05:42And do you think Broadway has truly bounced back from the pandemic?

00:05:46Yeah, it actually has bounced back.

00:05:48They officially said a few weeks ago that the Broadway grosses

00:05:51were surpassing that same point in the 2018-2019 season,

00:05:56which is the benchmark that they're measuring everything against,

00:05:58because that was before the pandemic.

00:06:00It was a record season.

00:06:01So the box office is doing very well,

00:06:04especially for these celebrity-driven shows.

00:06:07Good Night and Good Luck with George Clooney is breaking records

00:06:10every week, making more than $4 million.

00:06:13Othello with Denzel and Jake Gyllenhaal also posting huge numbers.

00:06:18Everyone else is kind of like in between,

00:06:21but overall it's contributing to a surge in the box office.

00:06:24Yeah.

00:06:25Well, speaking of George and Denzel,

00:06:27there's a lot of Hollywood faces this season.

00:06:29So how have Tony voters regarded Hollywood talent this season?

00:06:33I think it's just traditionally with some distance.

00:06:38I think, you know,

00:06:39some people were shocked when Julia Roberts came and did Three Days of Rain

00:06:42with Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper, maybe, years ago,

00:06:47and none of them got a mention.

00:06:49And I think people thought in particular it was a slap to Julia Roberts.

00:06:52But, you know, the fact is sometimes movie actors are used to looking for their light

00:06:58in the camera.

00:06:59They're not really that able to project a stage presence.

00:07:04And, you know, the Tony voters are serious people.

00:07:06They're serious about theater.

00:07:08You know, the Patti LuPone cap who was like, you know,

00:07:10not in my town.

00:07:11Get out, Uma Thurman.

00:07:12It's tough.

00:07:13And I think some of the film actors this year have not done so well.

00:07:18Like George Clooney's performance, as much as the play is admirable,

00:07:22what it's about, what it's saying,

00:07:23I think the performance is quite underpowered, subdued to a fault.

00:07:28And Denzel Washington is just, I'm sorry, not good in Othello.

00:07:33Really?

00:07:33Yeah.

00:07:34We're not good enough for $900 seats.

00:07:36Yeah.

00:07:36There are some big names from Hollywood,

00:07:39like Clooney and Darren Criss and people who have been nominated.

00:07:43But there were a lot of people surprised less so about Denzel and Gyllenhaal

00:07:47not getting in, but Karen Culkin.

00:07:49I think it's also interesting because you have your Broadway stars

00:07:53and your Hollywood stars where a lot of the theater community is like,

00:07:56Audra and Gypsy is my ultimate show.

00:07:58You know, she is their Hollywood star and that's who they're waiting for.

00:08:02Or even like Jennifer Samard and Megan Hilty.

00:08:04Like those are the true stars for the theater community

00:08:07because we know that they can perform.

00:08:09This is their medium.

00:08:11Everyone else, you're kind of just like, let's see how they do.

00:08:14Okay.

00:08:14So we're going to start with Best Actress in a Play.

00:08:18The Best Actress in a Play nominees are

00:08:20Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California,

00:08:23Mia Farrow, The Roommate,

00:08:25Latanya Richardson-Jackson, Purpose,

00:08:28Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain,

00:08:31and Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

00:08:34Okay.

00:08:35So a lot of great contenders in this mix.

00:08:38What do we think of this crop of nominees?

00:08:39I think it's Sarah Snook's maybe, hands down.

00:08:44It's really hard to compete with her in Dorian Gray

00:08:48because she's playing every single character acting opposite herself

00:08:51via live feeds and pre-recorded video.

00:08:55I think it's two hours just uninterrupted of her,

00:08:58almost interrupted of her on stage running around.

00:09:0126 different characters.

00:09:0226.

00:09:0226, yeah.

00:09:03And it's just like a marathon of acting that you're watching.

00:09:07So these other nominees are all really great as well.

00:09:10It's just almost like she should be in a different category, I'd say.

00:09:14I agree.

00:09:14And the only thing that gives me a little pause,

00:09:16and she won the Olivier,

00:09:18like there's a lot of reason to believe this is hers hands down.

00:09:21The one thing that's a little disconcerting is most of the other nominees

00:09:25are from shows that are nominated for Best Play.

00:09:29It's not like it always has to for the person to win in the acting category,

00:09:33but that is the only argument that is even uninterrupted.

00:09:37So David and Caitlin, who are your picks for who should win?

00:09:41I'm going to go.

00:09:41I just think that what she's doing in John Proctor is really good,

00:09:45and she manages to be part of the ensemble,

00:09:49but at the same time stand out.

00:09:51And the energy at that show is phenomenal.

00:09:54You go to that show the night I went on a press night,

00:09:57there was a large school group, primarily girls,

00:10:00and they were squealing.

00:10:02And then out in the lobby at the end of the show,

00:10:04they were still squealing,

00:10:05and all huddled together down by the restrooms,

00:10:07talking a mile a minute,

00:10:09and, oh my God, oh my God, that was so funny.

00:10:11And the Lorde song that they use in the end, Green Light,

00:10:15I think that went over really well with them.

00:10:16And so just, it was great to see kids of that age,

00:10:20high school kids, really connecting with theater.

00:10:22I'd say maybe that's an argument for Best Play for John Proctor.

00:10:26I mean, I wouldn't be upset.

00:10:28I'd like to know who went to Stranger Things,

00:10:30the first Shadow,

00:10:31thinking they were going to see Sadie Sink,

00:10:33and it didn't work out there.

00:10:34And they're right across the street from me.

00:10:36Yeah, absolutely.

00:10:37And Caitlin, who's your pick?

00:10:39Again, I think it's Sarah Snook's category.

00:10:42An upset would be exciting,

00:10:44although Sarah Snook is working so hard on stage.

00:10:47I love an upset.

00:10:49And Scott, as our awards expert,

00:10:52who will win?

00:10:53Is this Sarah Snook's to take?

00:10:55It would, I think,

00:10:56if you ask any of the odds makers,

00:10:59it would be a huge shock if it wasn't Sarah Snook.

00:11:02So I think that's the expectation.

00:11:08I mean, I had always thought about returning to theater

00:11:11just because this is where I started.

00:11:12And I thought it would be like,

00:11:14just such a fulfilling experience,

00:11:17an educational experience to return as an adult.

00:11:19And also, I think the challenge is there,

00:11:23which is that, like, being on stage,

00:11:26it's like, I don't know,

00:11:28it was like a new muscle for me

00:11:29or like an old muscle that was out of practice.

00:11:31So tapping back into that.

00:11:34Yeah, I've just learned so, so much.

00:11:37And, like, there's been so many highs and lows

00:11:38of, like, feeling like I don't know what I'm doing

00:11:41and, like, the preview process and everything.

00:11:43But I couldn't ask for a better team

00:11:46to be surrounded by.

00:11:46Our cast is incredible.

00:11:48Donya and Kimberly are so supportive.

00:11:50Okay, we're gonna move on to Best Actor in a Play.

00:11:53The Best Actor in a Play nominees are

00:11:56George Clooney, Good Night and Good Luck,

00:11:59Pola Scola, O'Mary,

00:12:01John Michael Hill, Purpose,

00:12:03Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face,

00:12:05Harry Lennox, Purpose,

00:12:07Louis McCartney, Stranger Things, The First Shadow.

00:12:10Okay.

00:12:11Well, we can count him out.

00:12:13I just don't think there's much excitement

00:12:15around that show or that performance.

00:12:17You know, the super fans of Stranger Things

00:12:20on Netflix are going.

00:12:22I don't know that anyone in the theater community,

00:12:24the Tony voters, are particularly excited about it.

00:12:27And also, it just feels like another kind of theme park

00:12:30element of Broadway that a lot of people

00:12:32just have a knee-jerk reaction against.

00:12:34My pick would be unequivocally Cole Escola.

00:12:38I worship at the altar of Cole Escola.

00:12:40They are a genius and a comedy genius.

00:12:44I had loved their work on a bunch of TV shows,

00:12:47especially the late lamented At Home with Amy Sedaris,

00:12:51which was just the craziest, most bonkers show ever.

00:12:54Ever had.

00:12:55And Cole Escola was wonderful in it.

00:12:57I think it's not a close call as far as,

00:13:00like David's saying, Cole Escola.

00:13:02It's so different than anything else.

00:13:04It's also a show that came up from Off-Broadway

00:13:08and has been an open...

00:13:10Everybody thought, this is insane,

00:13:13bringing this to Broadway.

00:13:14And it's doing a million plus a week.

00:13:16I've been thinking about John Fracture as the villain

00:13:18because the playwright said the reason

00:13:20that she wrote that play is because Woody Allen

00:13:22called the Harvey Weinstein allegations

00:13:25in the Me Too movement a witch hunt.

00:13:28So that made her start thinking about The Crucible

00:13:30and what it means to have a group of witches.

00:13:32And now we've got Weinstein on trial again

00:13:35and this play even more relevant.

00:13:38So, David and Caitlin,

00:13:39who do you think should win in this category?

00:13:42Oh, Cole Escola, hands down.

00:13:43I think Cole's...

00:13:44I think Cole would be the first non-binary performer

00:13:47in this category.

00:13:48There have been non-binary performers

00:13:50who have won in other categories,

00:13:51but that would be the standout for this one.

00:13:53The Miscast Gala, where Cole did the entirety

00:13:57of a chorus number from the Music Man

00:13:59playing all the parts.

00:14:00As an ensemble, as a burlesque number.

00:14:02Yeah, it was fantastic.

00:14:03But yeah, I think that, you know,

00:14:06that play also came along at a time

00:14:08when it was during the election campaign.

00:14:09We were all feeling really worn down

00:14:11by the constant barrage of political news,

00:14:13most of it bad, most of it depressing.

00:14:16Whatever side you're on,

00:14:17I think that that play kind of opened up

00:14:19this 90-minute world

00:14:21where you just howl with laughter non-stop.

00:14:25I mean, I don't remember a play

00:14:27that delivered such a high ratio of laughs per minute.

00:14:31And Conrad Riccimora, the others in the cast

00:14:34are very good,

00:14:35but Cole is the one who binds everyone together.

00:14:38And I think there's such a skill in that.

00:14:41And also, it's like a throwback to Charles Ludlam

00:14:44and, you know, the Ridiculous Theatre Company.

00:14:48It's a kind of lunatic theatre production

00:14:51that we don't get very much,

00:14:52and we certainly don't get it on Broadway.

00:14:54So I thought it was just a bold move to bring it here.

00:14:56I'm so thrilled that it's done so well.

00:14:58Yeah.

00:14:59And Scott, who will win?

00:15:01Is this a landslide victory for Cole?

00:15:03I think so,

00:15:04and to the extent that other nominees

00:15:06who shall remain nameless

00:15:07have withdrawn from certain campaigning

00:15:10things they were intending to do

00:15:12because it just looks silly at this point.

00:15:15So I think that it's acknowledged

00:15:17around even the pool of nominees

00:15:19that this one's over.

00:15:21Okay, well, we'll see who brings home this award.

00:15:24Now, guys, sit tight.

00:15:26We're going to be back in just a bit

00:15:27with our best actress and actor in a musical.

00:15:34You know, I treat it entirely like a job.

00:15:37When I'm outside of work, you know,

00:15:41I'll have thoughts,

00:15:42but I mainly try to just stay like Louie,

00:15:46like really Louie outside of work

00:15:48because the show is intense.

00:15:51And, you know, I'll get into work,

00:15:52I'll warm up properly and I'll start to play some music

00:15:55and kind of get into it a little.

00:15:57And, you know, that's when it's like go time,

00:15:59you know, and it's time to show up

00:16:01and it's time to do your job

00:16:02because, you know, I think, you know,

00:16:05you can talk about acting and, you know,

00:16:07and it's great to get really deep and all into it.

00:16:09But the end of the day is people are paying

00:16:12and, you know, I got to be on stage

00:16:14and I got to be top form.

00:16:15And that means there's a mechanism to it

00:16:17which helps in kind of the dissection

00:16:19because then it's simpler, you know,

00:16:21and there's no veil or crossing

00:16:23or muddling of, you know, who I am.

00:16:26And I mean, my sleep is a little worse.

00:16:29I do, my nightmares are a little worse.

00:16:31I'm a sleep talker and a sleep walker.

00:16:32As if we couldn't be any higher in the sky,

00:16:35I'm here at Top of the Rock's

00:16:37newest attraction, Skylift.

00:16:39This is an open air platform

00:16:40that rises 30 feet above the rooftop

00:16:42and spans 360 degrees

00:16:44for panoramic views of the city.

00:16:46Talk about surreal.

00:16:48Now, speaking of surreal,

00:16:49let's talk about one of the buzziest shows

00:16:51on Broadway right now,

00:16:52Stranger Things First Shadow.

00:16:54That's right, Netflix has made its way to Broadway,

00:16:56complete with mind-bending effects,

00:16:58jaw-dropping design,

00:16:59and the perfect amount of spooky.

00:17:01But how did the Upside Down

00:17:03make its way to the stage?

00:17:04Well, we interviewed the team

00:17:06behind the magic to find out.

00:17:07Take a look.

00:17:12It's not real.

00:17:14You are the shadow!

00:17:20We are the design team

00:17:22behind the Stranger Things

00:17:23The First Shadow on Broadway.

00:17:26Even though we knew it was Stranger Things

00:17:28and that the, you know,

00:17:29the stakes were really high

00:17:30and it was really ambitious,

00:17:32we weren't quite aware

00:17:33until we were in the room

00:17:34with Stephen that first meeting

00:17:37how ambitious it was going to be.

00:17:40And there were lots of things

00:17:42that we, you know,

00:17:43that weren't necessarily a part

00:17:44of the script yet

00:17:45that we were discussing with Stephen.

00:17:48There were lots of things

00:17:48that were already in the script.

00:17:50And, you know,

00:17:51the task of making

00:17:53a full-size battleship appear

00:17:56at the beginning of the show

00:17:57was partially terrifying

00:18:00and partially exhilarating.

00:18:01I mean, I don't know about you, Chris,

00:18:03but I left the room

00:18:04with a skip in my step

00:18:05thinking about...

00:18:07Oh, buzzing.

00:18:07Absolutely buzzing.

00:18:08You know, all credit to Kate,

00:18:11our amazing playwright,

00:18:12who sort of gave us

00:18:13this beautiful story,

00:18:14you know,

00:18:15with all these

00:18:16very highly theatrical moments.

00:18:17and so she hadn't written

00:18:19for the stage before.

00:18:21So it gave us

00:18:22these incredible challenges

00:18:24and also possibilities.

00:18:26We definitely had to deliver effects

00:18:29that felt like they were

00:18:31in the Stranger Things universe.

00:18:33The projection design,

00:18:35we're sort of in video design.

00:18:37We are sometimes creating

00:18:39a backdrop behind the scene,

00:18:41but we're always,

00:18:42in general,

00:18:42we're adding a layer of light

00:18:43to the scene.

00:18:44So it's working closely

00:18:46with John, our lighting designer,

00:18:49and Jamie and Chris and Miriam,

00:18:51and also Paul, our sound designer,

00:18:53working to create

00:18:54the tapestry of visual effects

00:18:58and what you see

00:19:00and hear in the theatre.

00:19:01There were two challenges

00:19:03for Chris and I

00:19:04that there were

00:19:05the known elements of the world,

00:19:08the known elements of the canon,

00:19:09and, you know,

00:19:11from a very early stage,

00:19:12we knew from Kate's script

00:19:14that we were going to have

00:19:16to deliver some of the things

00:19:17that were already a part

00:19:18of the world of Stranger Things.

00:19:21And so there's a lot

00:19:21of head scratching

00:19:22and group discussion

00:19:24between the entire creative team

00:19:25about how are we going

00:19:26to do those moments.

00:19:28But then at the same time,

00:19:29we're also really aware

00:19:30that, you know,

00:19:31this was a new offering

00:19:33into the Stranger Things universe,

00:19:34and we wanted to do things

00:19:36that were unique

00:19:37to the stage version

00:19:39of what we were doing

00:19:40and things that the audience

00:19:41hadn't seen before.

00:19:42A lot of what we do

00:19:43is not just designing the visual,

00:19:46it's designing time.

00:19:47It's designing how long things take,

00:19:49how much time do we need

00:19:51to make a ship appear

00:19:52or disappear,

00:19:53and then really pushing ourselves

00:19:54to do that

00:19:55in the least amount

00:19:56of time possible.

00:19:57There's a whole moment

00:19:58in that sequence

00:19:59where you see

00:20:00an empty sky,

00:20:03a starry sky

00:20:04and an empty sea.

00:20:05It's a piece of scenery

00:20:06that the audience sees

00:20:07for three seconds,

00:20:08and then it's gone

00:20:09and never seen again.

00:20:11But without that moment,

00:20:13without that little bit of time

00:20:14in that sequence,

00:20:15it doesn't work.

00:20:17For me,

00:20:17one illusion

00:20:17that audience can't believe

00:20:19is happening live

00:20:20is the ship

00:20:21because I think

00:20:22it has to do with scale,

00:20:24that something so big

00:20:27appearing literally,

00:20:28quite literally

00:20:29out of nowhere

00:20:30and then disappearing again

00:20:31in such a short amount of time

00:20:33doesn't happen very often.

00:20:36That's what I personally found

00:20:38exhilarating

00:20:39about working with Kate

00:20:40is she's like,

00:20:41hey,

00:20:41I've written this opening scene

00:20:43and we've got to make a ship

00:20:44vanish

00:20:44and then reappear

00:20:45in another dimension.

00:20:47And you're like,

00:20:47poof.

00:20:48One illusion

00:20:49is the gantry fall.

00:20:50It's when Patty's falling

00:20:51down the gantry

00:20:52in Act 2

00:20:53and we purposely

00:20:54put it into this

00:20:56kind of slow motion effect.

00:20:58And I think

00:20:59just due to the nature

00:21:00of that,

00:21:00due to the way

00:21:01that we've

00:21:02sort of framed it

00:21:04and what Patty does

00:21:05with her body as well,

00:21:06it feels like

00:21:07it shouldn't be possible

00:21:08what you're seeing.

00:21:10And even with us

00:21:11sort of,

00:21:12you know,

00:21:12knowing,

00:21:13obviously,

00:21:13having designed

00:21:14how it works,

00:21:15we look at it every night

00:21:16and it's still got

00:21:17this kind of impossibility

00:21:17to it almost,

00:21:18which is really exciting.

00:21:20When Henry

00:21:20steps out of himself

00:21:22or he's lying on a bed

00:21:24and the lights flicker

00:21:26and he steps out of himself

00:21:28and he's still on the bed.

00:21:30And I think that,

00:21:31you know,

00:21:32it was more challenging

00:21:33than it might appear,

00:21:35but it gets lovely reactions

00:21:38from the audience.

00:21:39A lot of my

00:21:40sort of colleagues

00:21:42in the theater

00:21:42who go to see the show

00:21:43can't figure out

00:21:45how we did

00:21:46is the rat

00:21:47at the beginning

00:21:49of Act 2.

00:21:50There's a rat

00:21:51in a cage

00:21:52and he's just running

00:21:53along in the cage

00:21:54and then all of a sudden

00:21:55Henry takes over

00:21:57and that's a horrible thing

00:22:00to the rat.

00:22:00And it's,

00:22:01yeah,

00:22:01it is a completely

00:22:04believable effect

00:22:05even up close.

00:22:06One of the big differences

00:22:07I think from London

00:22:08to when we went to Broadway

00:22:09is we realized,

00:22:11we revisited blood

00:22:11and blood's such a big thing

00:22:13in the show

00:22:14and we wanted the blood

00:22:16to be bigger

00:22:16and we wanted the blood

00:22:17to be more visual

00:22:18and for the audience

00:22:19to see it more.

00:22:19So we definitely

00:22:20upped our ante on the blood.

00:22:22And we have a great

00:22:23big mind flare

00:22:24now descending

00:22:25above the audience,

00:22:26let's not forget,

00:22:27which is quite different

00:22:28than to what it is

00:22:30for some of the jump scares

00:22:31we do,

00:22:32particularly at the end

00:22:33of the show.

00:22:34I like to just sort of

00:22:35look to one side

00:22:36and watch the audience

00:22:37jump in there

00:22:39out of their skin

00:22:40at that moment.

00:22:41That's pretty satisfying.

00:22:43I had an amazing discussion

00:22:45during previews

00:22:46with an audience member

00:22:47and he said,

00:22:48what do you do?

00:22:49I said,

00:22:49I did the special effects

00:22:51with Chris over here

00:22:52and he was so blown away

00:22:57and so amazed

00:23:00by the show

00:23:01that we'd all made together.

00:23:02He was holding back tears

00:23:04telling us about it

00:23:05and I had one of those moments

00:23:06where you realise

00:23:07that for the fans

00:23:09this is a really special experience

00:23:10and I think,

00:23:12I knew that,

00:23:12of course I knew that

00:23:13but it was really driven home.

00:23:19It's not real.

00:23:22Hey guys,

00:23:31we're here at the

00:23:31Schoenfeld Theater

00:23:32where we're bringing

00:23:33the rhythm of Havana

00:23:34to Broadway.

00:23:36The 10-time Tony-nominated

00:23:37Buena Vista Social Club

00:23:39is bringing the soul

00:23:40of Cuban music

00:23:41to new audiences

00:23:42and displaying the richness

00:23:43of Cuban culture

00:23:44through music,

00:23:45movement,

00:23:46heart,

00:23:46and resilience.

00:23:48Today,

00:23:48we're going behind the scenes

00:23:49with choreographers

00:23:50Justin Peck

00:23:50and Patricia Delgado

00:23:52and they're telling us

00:23:53how they're bringing

00:23:53the Cuban music

00:23:54to life on stage

00:23:56and if we're lucky,

00:23:57they may even show us

00:23:58a few new moves.

00:23:58Let's check it out.

00:24:06The Buena Vista Social Club

00:24:07is a show

00:24:08that's essentially

00:24:09about the making

00:24:09of this Cuban album

00:24:11that was made

00:24:12in the 90s

00:24:13and it follows

00:24:14several characters

00:24:15who were musicians

00:24:16and part of the making

00:24:17of that album

00:24:18and it jumps back and forth

00:24:20between the 90s

00:24:21and the 50s

00:24:22and kind of imagines

00:24:25what their trajectory

00:24:26was like

00:24:27and what their experience

00:24:28was like

00:24:29as young people

00:24:30who had their first experience

00:24:32with a place

00:24:33called the Buena Vista

00:24:34Social Club.

00:24:35I think what our show does

00:24:37is it dives into

00:24:39these actual living artists

00:24:41and the trajectory

00:24:43of meeting

00:24:44when they were young

00:24:45and the hardships

00:24:47that their community,

00:24:50their culture,

00:24:51their country went through

00:24:52and how they don't have

00:24:53the opportunity

00:24:54to really fully feel

00:24:57the height

00:24:58of their artistic experience

00:24:59until much later in life.

00:25:01This is the kind of show

00:25:02that really meets

00:25:03an audience halfway

00:25:04and you feel that

00:25:05from the first song

00:25:06when the band

00:25:07and the cast

00:25:08enters onto the stage.

00:25:10It's just like

00:25:10this swell of energy

00:25:12and there's a kind of

00:25:15like essence to it

00:25:16that it's hard

00:25:18to articulate

00:25:18exactly what it is

00:25:19but everyone feels it

00:25:21night after night.

00:25:22I think the whole

00:25:22creative team

00:25:23had the vision

00:25:24to celebrate

00:25:25and honor the music.

00:25:26That was always

00:25:27like our guiding light

00:25:28and I think

00:25:29when we cast

00:25:30this band

00:25:31they're not just

00:25:34incredible musicians

00:25:35but their mission

00:25:36is to spread

00:25:38Cuban music.

00:25:39There's a very diverse range

00:25:41of kinds of movements.

00:25:43You know,

00:25:43everything from

00:25:44mambo and salsa

00:25:46to Afro-Cuban dance

00:25:49to even things like

00:25:51ballet and modern dance

00:25:52are a big part

00:25:53of the Cuban culture.

00:25:54Such a collaborative

00:25:55experience

00:25:57with like the book writer

00:25:58and the director

00:25:59and the music department

00:26:01and the cast

00:26:02and the production

00:26:03and there's just

00:26:04this support

00:26:06and when you get

00:26:07the right support

00:26:08to hold up the dance

00:26:09and people who understand

00:26:10the power of dance

00:26:11it's a testament

00:26:12to what it can do

00:26:14for a show.

00:26:15Especially Patricia's family

00:26:16was so thrilled

00:26:19to come and experience

00:26:21the show

00:26:21because I mean

00:26:22maybe you should

00:26:23talk about that.

00:26:24they've never been back

00:26:26to Cuba

00:26:26since they came

00:26:27when they were kids

00:26:28and even just like

00:26:30researching

00:26:31and talking about

00:26:32the show at home

00:26:33you know

00:26:34around our dining room table

00:26:35it was unpacking

00:26:38so many memories

00:26:39and stories

00:26:39and difficult challenges

00:26:43emotionally

00:26:44and I'll never forget

00:26:46my mom on opening night

00:26:47was like

00:26:47you know

00:26:48I've never been back

00:26:48to Cuba

00:26:49but you brought Cuba

00:26:49to me.

00:26:50Patricia and I

00:26:51are married

00:26:51and we've worked

00:26:52together in different

00:26:52capacities

00:26:53but this is the first

00:26:54time where we're

00:26:55actually co-choreographers

00:26:56on a Broadway show

00:26:58together.

00:26:59The music has been

00:27:00so much a part

00:27:01of both of our lives

00:27:02dating all the way

00:27:04back to when we were

00:27:05kids basically.

00:27:06So much so that

00:27:08it was the first

00:27:09dance at our wedding.

00:27:11We both share

00:27:13an incredible passion

00:27:14for this music

00:27:15and you know

00:27:16again like

00:27:17when you look back

00:27:18on that moment

00:27:18we're like

00:27:18we never thought

00:27:19we'd actually

00:27:19bring this to a

00:27:21Broadway stage

00:27:22so why not do it?

00:27:23We choreographed it

00:27:24for my sister

00:27:25and her husband

00:27:25and my mom and dad

00:27:26and Justin and I

00:27:27that was our first

00:27:28dance.

00:27:28So the choreography

00:27:29of this show

00:27:30started a while ago.

00:27:32Okay guys

00:27:32we are here

00:27:33with Justin Peck

00:27:34and the fabulous

00:27:35dancers of

00:27:36Buena Vista Social

00:27:37Club

00:27:37and they are

00:27:39going to teach me

00:27:39a few moves

00:27:40so let's do it.

00:27:46A difficult

00:27:47rehearsal day

00:27:47for us

00:27:48now that

00:27:48the show is open

00:27:49most of the time

00:27:50we just get here

00:27:51and start getting

00:27:52ready to do our show

00:27:54and everybody

00:27:55have a different

00:27:55routine

00:27:56like we all have

00:27:57a ballet bar

00:27:58back there

00:27:59different warm-ups

00:28:00we roll up

00:28:00we stretch

00:28:01we do abs

00:28:02whatever we need

00:28:02to get the show

00:28:03ready

00:28:03and obviously

00:28:05in the process

00:28:05of the show

00:28:06since we are doing

00:28:07it eight times

00:28:07a week

00:28:08there are things

00:28:09that get lost

00:28:09and if we need it

00:28:10then we get here

00:28:12a little bit earlier

00:28:13and we sit down

00:28:14we give some notes

00:28:15and then we review

00:28:16and try to put back

00:28:18the essence of the show

00:28:19back again into our body

00:28:20so we don't lose

00:28:21the integrity

00:28:21of the movement

00:28:22so we have like

00:28:23many kinds of rehearsals

00:28:25we have understood rehearsals

00:28:26we are now

00:28:27currently going through

00:28:28like Tony rehearsals

00:28:29or we might have

00:28:31like bureau rehearsal

00:28:32for any special appearance

00:28:34that we might be doing

00:28:35and so we have shows

00:28:37eight times a week

00:28:38and then we will be called here

00:28:39like today we're called

00:28:40at 11 a.m

00:28:4111 a.m

00:28:42exactly

00:28:42and so it's

00:28:43you get

00:28:44yeah but some of us

00:28:46for example

00:28:47I know you have rehearsals

00:28:49on thursdays and fridays

00:28:50for understudy rehearsal

00:28:51which is completely

00:28:52different

00:28:52because she covers

00:28:53both the lead girls

00:28:55in the show

00:28:55Patricia

00:28:56and Justin

00:28:58I mean

00:28:58Justin Peck

00:28:59Patricia Delgado

00:29:00they're

00:29:00out there

00:29:02I mean

00:29:02I always admire

00:29:04their work

00:29:04and

00:29:05I'm so

00:29:07I feel so lucky

00:29:08grateful to be here

00:29:09and

00:29:10seeing their process

00:29:12being in the studio

00:29:13with them

00:29:14it's incredible

00:29:15they're

00:29:16they come to

00:29:17the studio

00:29:18knowing

00:29:18what they want to do

00:29:20and

00:29:21everything just

00:29:23flows

00:29:24and

00:29:26yeah

00:29:26they're incredible

00:29:27they're

00:29:28they're genius

00:29:29to me

00:29:30oh my god

00:29:30I love them together

00:29:31they're like

00:29:32ying and yang

00:29:33they need each other

00:29:34in the best way

00:29:36they're like

00:29:36perfect dynamics

00:29:37I think for me

00:29:38the most special part

00:29:39of this is

00:29:40that

00:29:40I get to be myself

00:29:42and bring my culture

00:29:43my Panama

00:29:44with me

00:29:45and

00:29:46it doesn't feel

00:29:46out of place

00:29:47it feels so welcomed

00:29:48it's encouraged

00:29:50yeah

00:29:50I think

00:29:51I think

00:29:51the most important part

00:29:53for me is that

00:29:54is

00:29:54we are so authentic

00:29:55like

00:29:56we're not trying to play

00:29:57anybody else

00:29:58in this show

00:29:58we are playing ourselves

00:29:59it's our story

00:30:00it's our music

00:30:01it's our culture

00:30:01it's our dance

00:30:03it's our movement

00:30:03and I think that brings

00:30:05a certain

00:30:06type of joy

00:30:08that you cannot

00:30:09replicate

00:30:09when you're trying

00:30:10to be somebody else

00:30:11it's something

00:30:12that is innate

00:30:12and I think that's

00:30:13the most beautiful

00:30:14part of being here

00:30:15it's just a

00:30:19total party

00:30:21I don't know

00:30:22on stage

00:30:23it's like the place

00:30:24you want to be

00:30:24a great costume

00:30:39can make a performance

00:30:40come alive

00:30:40on stage

00:30:41and a great red carpet

00:30:42look can make it

00:30:43a knockout awards night

00:30:45and for Broadway stars

00:30:46they definitely know

00:30:47how to deliver

00:30:48a fashion moment

00:30:49so let's take a look

00:30:50at some of the best

00:30:51red carpet looks

00:30:51over the years

00:30:52at the Tony Awards

00:30:53Broadway's biggest night

00:30:58isn't just about

00:30:58the awards

00:30:59it's also where

00:31:00theater meets high

00:31:01fashion

00:31:02from classic glamour

00:31:03to bold statements

00:31:04the Tony Awards

00:31:05red carpet has served

00:31:06iconic looks

00:31:07that even rival

00:31:08Hollywood's hottest

00:31:09runways

00:31:09in the 80s and 90s

00:31:10the Tony's leaned

00:31:11into elegance

00:31:12legends like

00:31:13Bernadette Peters

00:31:14Liza Minnelli

00:31:15and Sigourney Weaver

00:31:16dazzled in sequins

00:31:17and old school silhouettes

00:31:18think opera gloves

00:31:20big hair

00:31:20and timeless grace

00:31:21at the 39th Tony Awards

00:31:23in 1985

00:31:24Weaver wore a black

00:31:26sequined column gown

00:31:27with opera gloves

00:31:28and in 1996

00:31:29at the 50th annual

00:31:31Tony Awards

00:31:32Peters is seen

00:31:33sporting black

00:31:33satin slacks

00:31:34with a sequined

00:31:35halter top

00:31:36standing next to

00:31:37Minnelli

00:31:37in a matching

00:31:38sequined v-neck top

00:31:39with a jacket

00:31:40and adding some flair

00:31:41with a neck scarf

00:31:42to accessorize the look

00:31:43moving on

00:31:44to the early 2000s

00:31:45when Wicked was casting

00:31:46its spell on Broadway

00:31:47and the red carpet

00:31:48Kristen Chenoweth

00:31:49brought old Hollywood charm

00:31:51in a strapless red gown

00:31:52while Idina Menzel

00:31:53paid homage to Elphaba

00:31:55with a stunning emerald

00:31:56around her neck

00:31:57wearing a periwinkle gown

00:31:58in 2004

00:31:59We also saw stars

00:32:01like Gwyneth Paltrow

00:32:01in 2001

00:32:02who wore a short-sleeved dress

00:32:04with a plunging neckline

00:32:05and a sheer floral skirt

00:32:07and then in 2006

00:32:08Sutton Foster

00:32:09donning an ivory mermaid gown

00:32:11with delicate feathers

00:32:12Moving on to later years

00:32:13we see stars

00:32:14like Jennifer Lopez

00:32:15in 2015

00:32:16wearing a midnight blue

00:32:17Valentino gown

00:32:18with gold embroidery

00:32:19and Lucy Liu

00:32:20in 2016

00:32:21for the 70th Tony Awards

00:32:23in a pastel yellow halter gown

00:32:25Then came the fashion revolution

00:32:27where Billy Porter

00:32:28redefined red carpet rules

00:32:30with this fierce

00:32:30red and pink look

00:32:31by Celestino Couture

00:32:33in 2019

00:32:34being the moment

00:32:35Following in 2023

00:32:37Lupita Nyong'o

00:32:38took a more structured approach

00:32:40pairing a black tuxedo pant

00:32:42with a metallic breastplate

00:32:43and in 2024

00:32:44we have Cynthia Erivo

00:32:46wowing the carpet

00:32:47with a custom gold sequin

00:32:48Louis Vuitton gown

00:32:49followed by Ariana DeVos

00:32:51in a dazzling mosaic

00:32:52Oscar de la Renta

00:32:53Every year the Tony's red carpet

00:32:55gets bolder, brighter

00:32:56and more unforgettable

00:32:58So as the curtain rises

00:32:59once again

00:33:00who will steal the spotlight

00:33:01this time?

00:33:02We were seeing Rose's life

00:33:12through a black lens

00:33:14and we haven't changed anything

00:33:16in the show at all

00:33:17we're just embodying

00:33:18who we are

00:33:19I'm not trying to

00:33:20be anybody else's Rose

00:33:22I'm not trying to be

00:33:22Ethel Merman

00:33:23I'm not trying to be

00:33:24Angela Lansbury

00:33:25or Patti LuPone

00:33:26or Bernadette Peters

00:33:28I'm being Audra McDonald's Rose

00:33:31and so

00:33:32and all that that means

00:33:35without changing a single line

00:33:36so when we have lines like

00:33:37I was born too soon

00:33:38and got started too late

00:33:39hits differently

00:33:40when you hear that

00:33:41coming from a black woman

00:33:42in the 20s

00:33:43We're back

00:33:43and we are moving on

00:33:45to the musicals

00:33:46we're going to start

00:33:46with our actresses

00:33:47the contenders

00:33:48for best actress

00:33:49in a musical are

00:33:51Megan Hilty

00:33:52Death Becomes Her

00:33:53Audra McDonald's

00:33:54Gypsy

00:33:55Jasmine Amy Rogers

00:33:57Boop the musical

00:33:58Nicole Scherzinger

00:33:59Sunset Boulevard

00:34:00and Jennifer Simard

00:34:01Death Becomes Her

00:34:02so a lot of people

00:34:04have been talking

00:34:05about Audra McDonald's

00:34:06performance in Gypsy

00:34:07how does this stack up

00:34:09in terms of

00:34:10other iterations

00:34:11of this production?

00:34:13I love this production

00:34:15I think that

00:34:16she's not a perfect

00:34:17vocal fit for the role

00:34:18but she sells anything

00:34:20and she's just

00:34:20a consummate actor

00:34:22you know

00:34:23she is the consummate

00:34:24musical theatre actor

00:34:25so I love

00:34:27what George C. Wolfe

00:34:29the director

00:34:29does to it

00:34:31without changing

00:34:31a word of the script

00:34:32but just putting

00:34:34a woman of colour

00:34:35in that role

00:34:36at that time

00:34:37in history

00:34:37you get a sense

00:34:39so much more

00:34:39of her struggle

00:34:40of why she's so hungry

00:34:41why she wants this

00:34:42because she's an

00:34:43incredibly abrasive character

00:34:44she's basically

00:34:45the monster

00:34:46sage mother

00:34:47of all time

00:34:48and

00:34:48but she makes you

00:34:50feel for her

00:34:50and I think that

00:34:52in terms of

00:34:53all round

00:34:54360 degree performance

00:34:56I just don't think

00:34:57anything comes close

00:34:58I love Nicole Scherzinger

00:34:59in Sunset

00:35:01you know

00:35:01she can do

00:35:02the haughty diva

00:35:03thing

00:35:04the Gloria Swanson

00:35:05take on

00:35:06the character

00:35:06but she

00:35:07is primarily great

00:35:09because of her vocals

00:35:10I mean

00:35:10she kills

00:35:11two or three

00:35:12of those songs

00:35:13you know

00:35:13the only

00:35:13probably

00:35:14the only memorable

00:35:14songs in the show

00:35:15and it's just

00:35:16standing ovation

00:35:17yeah

00:35:17and you know

00:35:18she's just got

00:35:19incredible magnetism

00:35:20but I don't think

00:35:21she has the subtlety

00:35:22the nuances

00:35:23in her acting

00:35:23that Audra has

00:35:25Audra only has

00:35:26six Tonys

00:35:26she needs more

00:35:27I was gonna say

00:35:28I think that

00:35:29it'll be interesting

00:35:30to see how the voters

00:35:31consider that

00:35:33if they consider that

00:35:34because it is

00:35:34this is

00:35:35somebody who's

00:35:36certainly been

00:35:37thoroughly recognized

00:35:38all four

00:35:39with Audra

00:35:39all four acting

00:35:40categories she could

00:35:41have won in

00:35:42are among the

00:35:42the six total

00:35:44which is a record

00:35:45she's now

00:35:45the record

00:35:46solely in possession

00:35:48of the record

00:35:48for most nominations

00:35:49eleven

00:35:50I think for some

00:35:51people it may be

00:35:52Ty goes to the person

00:35:53who's also great

00:35:55and has never been

00:35:55recognized

00:35:56which would be

00:35:57the Nicole Scherzinger

00:35:58presumably

00:35:58and that show

00:35:59is a phenomenon

00:36:00but obviously

00:36:02there are many

00:36:02many people

00:36:03like David

00:36:03and all of us

00:36:05I think

00:36:05just hold

00:36:06Audra

00:36:07in such a high regard

00:36:08but I don't think

00:36:10she's lacking

00:36:11for recognition

00:36:12in fact this very

00:36:13day

00:36:14she is on the cover

00:36:15of Time Magazine

00:36:16as I think

00:36:18it says the greatest

00:36:19Broadway actress

00:36:20of her generation

00:36:21or something

00:36:21which it's hard

00:36:22to argue

00:36:23but it's tough

00:36:24it's sort of like

00:36:24this comes up

00:36:25in film coverage

00:36:26sometimes where it's like

00:36:27if a Spielberg film

00:36:29was released under

00:36:31a new Spielberg film

00:36:32was released under

00:36:32somebody else's name

00:36:33people might

00:36:35be more excited

00:36:36about it than

00:36:36when it's Spielberg's name

00:36:37because you're judged

00:36:38against all of your

00:36:39previous incredible work

00:36:40and I think in this case

00:36:42Audra has set

00:36:44such a high bar

00:36:44with past work

00:36:45that even though

00:36:46she's terrific in this

00:36:47is she as terrific

00:36:48as you know

00:36:50any number of others

00:36:51and so there

00:36:52are all these

00:36:52different kinds

00:36:53of considerations

00:36:53and we've talked

00:36:54a little bit about

00:36:55Nicole Scherzinger

00:36:56already

00:36:57but her Broadway debut

00:36:58has been a topic

00:36:59of conversation

00:37:00what do we make

00:37:01of her kind of

00:37:02taking this turn

00:37:03over to Broadway

00:37:03she's done

00:37:05the West End

00:37:06before so I think

00:37:07they're more accustomed

00:37:09to her in London

00:37:10and we almost got her

00:37:11for Cats

00:37:12on Broadway

00:37:13as Grizabella

00:37:14but I think

00:37:15that the Broadway

00:37:16audiences were

00:37:18at least people

00:37:18I talked to

00:37:19were a little surprised

00:37:20at how great

00:37:21she was in this production

00:37:22because everyone knew

00:37:23that she can sing

00:37:23but they weren't sure

00:37:24about seeing her

00:37:25on stage

00:37:26and I think it was

00:37:27a pleasant surprise

00:37:28also there's a big difference

00:37:30between singing

00:37:31Pussycat Dolls pop

00:37:33and singing

00:37:33Andrew Lloyd Webber's

00:37:35faux Puccini

00:37:37well and she's

00:37:39and she does

00:37:40prove to be

00:37:43pretty adept

00:37:44that you know

00:37:45people

00:37:45Sunset Boulevard

00:37:46the subject matter

00:37:47is very dark

00:37:47but it's a

00:37:48it is under

00:37:49you know

00:37:49there's a lot of comedic

00:37:50stuff there

00:37:51and she does a

00:37:51I think a good job

00:37:53with that

00:37:53and she's also

00:37:54willing to poke fun

00:37:54at herself

00:37:55on the show

00:37:55which is fun to see

00:37:56and it's kind of poetic

00:37:58that they are literally

00:37:59right across the street

00:38:00from each other

00:38:01Audra and Scherzinger

00:38:02one of them

00:38:02is gonna

00:38:03I can't imagine

00:38:04that the winner

00:38:05will not be

00:38:05one of those two

00:38:06there's great

00:38:07both the

00:38:08Death Becomes Her

00:38:09actresses are great

00:38:10but it's hard to

00:38:11beat a co-star

00:38:12they're not getting

00:38:12they just don't have

00:38:13the profile of this

00:38:15David and Caitlin

00:38:15who should win

00:38:16for me Audra

00:38:19you know

00:38:19I'm not gonna be mad

00:38:20if Nicole Scherzinger wins

00:38:22she

00:38:22she is working very hard

00:38:24and she's doing

00:38:24something fantastic

00:38:25but Audra

00:38:26is just

00:38:27a whole other level

00:38:28and

00:38:29it's

00:38:30you know

00:38:30the objective awards

00:38:31shouldn't be

00:38:32oh she's won enough

00:38:33we need to give it

00:38:34to someone else

00:38:34it should be

00:38:35what is the best work

00:38:36this season

00:38:37and I think

00:38:38she is doing

00:38:38the best work

00:38:39this season

00:38:39that's a question

00:38:42that I haven't

00:38:42answered yet

00:38:43I've been talking

00:38:44to people in the industry

00:38:46and friends

00:38:47and everyone

00:38:47is really torn

00:38:48on Audra versus Nicole

00:38:50so

00:38:50what was your personal

00:38:51I couldn't say

00:38:53you couldn't say

00:38:53alright

00:38:54we'll leave it

00:38:54as a question mark

00:38:55the interesting thing

00:38:56is both Audra

00:38:57and Nicole

00:38:57have been campaigning

00:38:58hard

00:38:59whereas normally

00:39:00you know

00:39:00people of this

00:39:01caliber

00:39:02in this point

00:39:02in their career

00:39:03you might not see

00:39:03them go so hard

00:39:04yeah

00:39:05so Scott

00:39:05with all this being said

00:39:07who's taking this one

00:39:08I'm gonna

00:39:09upset somebody here

00:39:10I don't

00:39:11I think

00:39:11I do think

00:39:12it's gonna be

00:39:13Scherzinger

00:39:13but I would not be

00:39:15shocked or disappointed

00:39:16if it was

00:39:17Audra

00:39:17Glenn Close

00:39:23when she came

00:39:23to see our show

00:39:24the other day

00:39:24she told me

00:39:25and she said

00:39:25this is arguably

00:39:27one of the greatest

00:39:27roles ever written

00:39:30for a woman

00:39:31and I agree

00:39:34with her

00:39:34you know

00:39:34it really tests

00:39:35your mettle

00:39:36as she says

00:39:36and it's not

00:39:38for the faint of heart

00:39:39and I have

00:39:41grown exponentially

00:39:42I've

00:39:43this role

00:39:46has really

00:39:46surprised me

00:39:47because

00:39:49I'm finally

00:39:50have become

00:39:52and am still

00:39:53becoming

00:39:54who I am

00:39:56and who I was

00:39:57meant to be

00:39:57and this is

00:39:58what I was born for

00:39:59okay

00:40:02moving on

00:40:02to the actors

00:40:03best actor

00:40:05in a musical

00:40:05Darren Criss

00:40:07maybe happy ending

00:40:08Andrew Durand

00:40:09dead outlaw

00:40:10Tom Francis

00:40:11Sunset Boulevard

00:40:12Jonathan Groff

00:40:14Just in Time

00:40:15James Monroe

00:40:16A Wonderful World

00:40:18The Louis Armstrong Musical

00:40:19and Jeremy Jordan

00:40:21Lloyd Collins

00:40:22okay so this is

00:40:23a stacked category here

00:40:25what do we make

00:40:25of these nominees

00:40:26Jonathan Groff

00:40:27I'd say is an

00:40:28interesting nominee

00:40:29because he won

00:40:30the Tony last year

00:40:31for Merrily

00:40:31also someone

00:40:32who's incredibly

00:40:34beloved in the

00:40:35theater community

00:40:35and everyone

00:40:37I mean the

00:40:38ticket sales

00:40:39for Just in Time

00:40:40which he's starring in

00:40:41are amazing

00:40:42and I'd say

00:40:42that's based

00:40:43on the strength

00:40:44of love

00:40:45for Jonathan Groff

00:40:46and also his performance

00:40:47I think the question

00:40:48is just whether

00:40:49he'll give it to him

00:40:50two years in a row

00:40:51for Tony

00:40:51Darren Criss

00:40:53who's been on

00:40:54Broadway before

00:40:55but never in a role

00:40:56like this

00:40:56as a kind of

00:40:58futuristic AI

00:40:59guy

00:41:00like the physicality

00:41:01of this role

00:41:02is unbelievable

00:41:03the comedy

00:41:04the vocals

00:41:05all of it

00:41:06and yet

00:41:07Jonathan Groff

00:41:08is amazing

00:41:09as Bobby

00:41:10Darren

00:41:10in Just in Time

00:41:11and watching

00:41:12the enthusiasm

00:41:13of audiences

00:41:14responding to that show

00:41:16suggests that

00:41:17it could be him

00:41:18but I also think

00:41:18that a lot of people

00:41:20may be underestimating

00:41:21or discounting

00:41:22unfairly

00:41:23Tom Francis

00:41:23like Sunset

00:41:24I was going to say that

00:41:25right

00:41:25he's terrific

00:41:26and he is the

00:41:28viral outdoor

00:41:29sidewalk woman

00:41:30that I think

00:41:32that's one of the

00:41:32top thing people

00:41:33were talking about

00:41:34this year

00:41:34in the theater community

00:41:35there's such

00:41:37virtuoso planning

00:41:39involved in that

00:41:40whole post intermission

00:41:41sequence

00:41:42where he starts

00:41:43way up

00:41:43on an upper floor

00:41:44in the dressing room

00:41:44he sticks his head

00:41:45in the dressing rooms

00:41:46all the way down

00:41:47he's like

00:41:47chorus boys

00:41:48are making out

00:41:49on the stairs

00:41:50you know

00:41:51he's doing all this stuff

00:41:52and then he's

00:41:53out the theater

00:41:53outside

00:41:54through the exit doors

00:41:55onto the street

00:41:56doing this number

00:41:57without ever

00:41:58kind of missing a note

00:41:59and

00:42:00in the rain

00:42:01and the snow

00:42:02yeah

00:42:02it's an incredible

00:42:03bit of theatricality

00:42:05in there

00:42:05it's a real

00:42:06coup de théâtre

00:42:07but I think

00:42:08the performance

00:42:08is there

00:42:09all the way through

00:42:09I don't think

00:42:10it's just that

00:42:10I think it's a very

00:42:12consistent

00:42:13solid performance

00:42:14but you know

00:42:15I agree that

00:42:16it seems to be

00:42:17between Darren Criss

00:42:18and Jonathan Groff

00:42:19and I would say

00:42:20Jonathan Groff

00:42:21is absolutely beloved

00:42:22in the community

00:42:23and one thing

00:42:24that maybe

00:42:25will play

00:42:26on a lot of

00:42:26people's minds

00:42:27even subconsciously

00:42:28is that

00:42:29he was very close

00:42:30to Gavin Creel

00:42:31that loss

00:42:32of Gavin Creel

00:42:32at a young age

00:42:33was just devastating

00:42:34to Broadway this year

00:42:35there is

00:42:36I'm sure there's

00:42:37going to be a tribute

00:42:38on the Tonys

00:42:39as part of the telecast

00:42:41but you know

00:42:42he was really

00:42:43just a trooper

00:42:45able to step

00:42:45into any kind of show

00:42:46you know

00:42:47he was in Hair

00:42:48and She Loves Me

00:42:49and all kinds of musical

00:42:50he was just

00:42:51always consistently great

00:42:53and an absolute

00:42:54beloved person

00:42:55in the community

00:42:56completely adored

00:42:57so

00:42:58maybe people say

00:42:59let's give it to

00:42:59Jonathan Groff

00:43:00so he kind of

00:43:01gives a big shout out

00:43:02to Gavin

00:43:02I was going to say

00:43:03it also

00:43:05I had to look this up

00:43:05Darren has been

00:43:06on Broadway a lot

00:43:07but this is his

00:43:08first Tony nomination

00:43:09so that could also

00:43:10play in

00:43:11he's also someone

00:43:12who's jumped in

00:43:13as replacements

00:43:15like in Hedwig

00:43:15and The Angry Itch

00:43:16and How to Succeed

00:43:17in Business

00:43:17so he's seen as someone

00:43:18who like is just

00:43:19very all Broadway

00:43:21all the way

00:43:22willing to do

00:43:22whatever for a role

00:43:23so that could go

00:43:24in his favor as well

00:43:26when people are like

00:43:26oh we have not given

00:43:27Darren Chris at Tony

00:43:28totally

00:43:29so who do you two

00:43:30think should win

00:43:31I think I'd give it

00:43:32to Tom Francis

00:43:33yeah

00:43:34I think I'd agree

00:43:35with that

00:43:35I don't think

00:43:36it's going to happen

00:43:36but I would be

00:43:38very happy if it did

00:43:39me too

00:43:40but I guess

00:43:41you're going to ask

00:43:42who actually

00:43:42will

00:43:43and this is a

00:43:44really tough one

00:43:45because I could

00:43:45totally see it

00:43:46going to Groff

00:43:48but I think

00:43:49Chris

00:43:51again the show

00:43:52has been much more

00:43:53embraced by the voters

00:43:54he did not just

00:43:56win last year

00:43:57unlike Groff

00:43:57and I mean

00:43:58people really like

00:43:59like him

00:43:59and that performance

00:44:01and that show

00:44:01okay guys

00:44:02we'll be back

00:44:03in just a bit

00:44:04to talk about

00:44:04some of the other

00:44:05big awards

00:44:06of the night

00:44:07best musical

00:44:08best play

00:44:08and best revivals

00:44:10of a play

00:44:10and musical

00:44:11stay tuned

00:44:11my friend Ted Chapin

00:44:17asked me to do

00:44:18this night

00:44:18at the 92nd street

00:44:19Y of Bobby Darin

00:44:20music

00:44:20I went home

00:44:21that night

00:44:22I watched

00:44:22I looked up

00:44:23Bobby Darin

00:44:23on YouTube

00:44:24and I was like

00:44:25what

00:44:27this guy

00:44:28was not just

00:44:29singing music

00:44:30he was

00:44:31living it

00:44:33with his

00:44:33full

00:44:34body

00:44:35and soul

00:44:36so

00:44:36the idea

00:44:37of telling

00:44:37his story

00:44:38in a live

00:44:39theater setting

00:44:40felt like

00:44:41the place

00:44:42to do it

00:44:42talk about

00:44:44defying gravity

00:44:45I am currently

00:44:4630 feet

00:44:47in the air

00:44:48on the beam

00:44:48another attraction

00:44:49here at top

00:44:50of the rock

00:44:51which pays homage

00:44:51to one of New York's

00:44:52most iconic images

00:44:54now this year's

00:44:54Tony's host

00:44:55knows a thing or two

00:44:56about flying high

00:44:57she's a Tony

00:44:58Emmy

00:44:59Grammy winner

00:45:00which is one award

00:45:01away from EGOT status

00:45:02and all with a voice

00:45:03that truly soars

00:45:04so let's take

00:45:05a closer look

00:45:06at the powerhouse

00:45:07leading this year's

00:45:08Tony Awards

00:45:08Cynthia Erivo

00:45:09before she was

00:45:14defying gravity

00:45:15on the big screen

00:45:16Cynthia Erivo

00:45:23was hitting

00:45:24all the right notes

00:45:24on the Broadway stage

00:45:26back in 2016

00:45:32Erivo won a Tony Award

00:45:34for best leading actress

00:45:35in a musical

00:45:36for her portrayal

00:45:37of Celie

00:45:37in the revival

00:45:38of The Color Purple

00:45:39now nearly 10 years later

00:45:41Erivo is set to host

00:45:42the 78th annual

00:45:43Tony Awards

00:45:44while appearing

00:45:45on CBS mornings

00:45:46she called it

00:45:47a really beautiful

00:45:48full circle moment

00:45:49Broadway kind of

00:45:50changed my life

00:45:51I think it's because

00:45:52of Broadway

00:45:53and because of the work

00:45:54that we did

00:45:54in The Color Purple

00:45:54that I get to sit here

00:45:56with you now

00:45:56Erivo also shared

00:45:58that she's excited

00:45:58to celebrate the work

00:45:59that has occurred

00:46:00on Broadway

00:46:00over the past year

00:46:01as well as see

00:46:02the performances

00:46:03this year's Tony nominees

00:46:04bring to the stage

00:46:05during the show

00:46:06I've seen everything

00:46:07this season

00:46:09and it has been

00:46:10one of the most amazing

00:46:11things to be able

00:46:11to sit in the audiences

00:46:12and just soak in

00:46:13all of the amazing work

00:46:15that everyone is doing

00:46:15so I'm very excited

00:46:17to see all the performances

00:46:18you can see those

00:46:19show-stopping performances

00:46:21Erivo steering the ship

00:46:22and much more

00:46:23when the Tonys air live

00:46:24on CBS

00:46:25on Sunday June 8th

00:46:26at 8 p.m. Eastern

00:46:27You know trying to get

00:46:33an original musical

00:46:34made about robots

00:46:36and like the near future

00:46:38and Korea

00:46:39this is a very

00:46:41hard elevator pitch

00:46:44but it's not too dissimilar

00:46:46and I joke about this a lot

00:46:47from like me trying

00:46:48to pitch you Batman

00:46:49or like Back to the Future

00:46:51in a world where they

00:46:53weren't as culturally

00:46:53ubiquitous as they were

00:46:54right if you didn't know

00:46:56what I was talking about

00:46:56so let me get this straight

00:46:57it's this rich white guy

00:46:59he fights clowns

00:47:00why do people like it

00:47:02and you go

00:47:02well it's because

00:47:03it's done really well

00:47:03and the character's

00:47:04really cool

00:47:05and it's a cool aesthetic

00:47:05and people are going to love it

00:47:06it's going to be

00:47:07a multi-million dollar

00:47:07like franchise

00:47:08it's going to be this huge

00:47:09I'm like alright dude

00:47:10you can't wrap your head around it

00:47:11yeah it's like sure

00:47:11alright you're insane

00:47:12but again

00:47:14like those things

00:47:16with superb direction

00:47:17and vision

00:47:18and all the pieces

00:47:20coming together

00:47:21at the right time

00:47:22and alchemy

00:47:23that is

00:47:24you can't build

00:47:25in a lab

00:47:26things can

00:47:28take off

00:47:29because there's

00:47:29nothing else like it

00:47:31we're here at the

00:47:35Belasco Theater

00:47:36home of the

00:47:37ten time

00:47:37Tony nominated

00:47:38Maybe Happy Ending

00:47:40a show that blends

00:47:41science fiction

00:47:41with a story about

00:47:42love

00:47:43memory

00:47:43and what it means

00:47:44to connect

00:47:45the show follows

00:47:46two helper bots

00:47:47Claire and Oliver

00:47:48and today we're going

00:47:49behind the scenes

00:47:50to see how this

00:47:51futuristic world

00:47:52is put together

00:47:52a robot does

00:47:54what she always does

00:47:55it's the only way

00:47:58it'll be okay

00:48:00I'm Justin Scribner

00:48:01I'm the production stage manager

00:48:02for Maybe Happy Ending

00:48:04and a long time collaborator

00:48:05of Michael Arden

00:48:06and Dane Laffreys

00:48:07I met Michael in 2006

00:48:10we did a show called

00:48:12The Times They Are a Change In

00:48:13with Twyla Tharp

00:48:14on Broadway

00:48:14he was in it

00:48:15and I was the assistant stage manager

00:48:17so we forged a friendship

00:48:19backstage

00:48:19mostly laughing

00:48:20mostly having a great time together

00:48:22on a big Broadway show

00:48:25often the production stage manager

00:48:26is the one that everyone calls

00:48:28during the day

00:48:29if anything comes up

00:48:30so actually my day starts

00:48:31when I check my phone in the morning

00:48:33and there could be

00:48:34any number of things that happen

00:48:36usually you have understudies

00:48:38and swings that are ready to go on

00:48:39in a moment's notice

00:48:40and when actors get sick

00:48:42injured

00:48:42take days off

00:48:43it is the stage managers

00:48:45who are planning for that show

00:48:47during the day

00:48:47so whenever I show up to the theater

00:48:49it's really to make sure

00:48:50that everyone's got

00:48:51all the things that they need

00:48:52that we're heading towards

00:48:54a smooth show in the evening

00:48:56we're kind of like

00:48:57the central nervous system

00:48:58the communicators

00:49:00the facilitators

00:49:01yeah

00:49:02I call us

00:49:03the parents backstage

00:49:04this show is so tech heavy

00:49:06and so filled with special effects

00:49:08and relies on all of the design elements

00:49:11working in tandem

00:49:12and this beautiful script

00:49:14but I am really thrilled

00:49:16that we were able to achieve

00:49:18Dane and George's vision

00:49:19for the scenic and video design

00:49:21and it was a hard job

00:49:23but it was kind of like

00:49:24putting together

00:49:25a really complicated puzzle

00:49:26into the stage door

00:49:28right here

00:49:29this is our call board here

00:49:31entrance to the stage

00:49:33Darren's dressing room

00:49:35we have a whole

00:49:36tower of dressing rooms here

00:49:39I have a fabulous team

00:49:41of stage managers

00:49:42actors I work with

00:49:43we live in here

00:49:44and then right here

00:49:45is the calling room

00:49:47okay walk me through

00:49:48what exactly a calling room is

00:49:49because I don't think

00:49:50I've ever heard of that before

00:49:51it's not a phrase

00:49:52it doesn't exist usually

00:49:53usually you have a calling desk

00:49:55a stage manager's desk

00:49:56or a calling booth

00:49:59but here

00:50:00because we have so few actors

00:50:01we had empty dressing rooms

00:50:03and I advocated for us

00:50:05to have a desk space

00:50:07so I sit here

00:50:08and I have my calling script

00:50:11to go with you

00:50:12please

00:50:13when the show gets going

00:50:14I have a huge color shot

00:50:18of the stage

00:50:19and I utilize cue lights

00:50:21and my headset

00:50:23to call all of the automation

00:50:27lights, sound, video cues

00:50:30in the show

00:50:31and I do it rhythmically

00:50:33and I'm always counting music

00:50:35but basically

00:50:37I'm following along

00:50:38and there are some sequences

00:50:40where I'm really

00:50:42talking very quickly

00:50:43and I have indicated

00:50:45every time our set moves

00:50:47I have

00:50:49what is happening

00:50:51on the left

00:50:52and how I'm cueing it

00:50:53on the right

00:50:54I've got 19 crew members

00:50:57on headset with me

00:50:59as we're going about the show

00:51:01and it's an hour

00:51:03and 45 minutes

00:51:05of non-stop action

00:51:07and when I'm cueing them

00:51:09often we've organized it

00:51:10so that I will warn

00:51:12our auto fly operator

00:51:15who's up on the fourth floor

00:51:16with a big computer set up

00:51:17our auto deck operator

00:51:19who's in the basement

00:51:20also with a huge computer set up

00:51:22and when their lights go on

00:51:23they are warned

00:51:24they know that the sequence

00:51:26is coming up

00:51:26and I probably

00:51:27will be also calling

00:51:29a light cue

00:51:29at the same time

00:51:30and I'll start the transition

00:51:32by saying go

00:51:33along with the lights

00:51:34and so that everything

00:51:36can move in tandem

00:51:37together

00:51:37sometimes the computers

00:51:39will say

00:51:40danger

00:51:41we can't go

00:51:42that we can't roll

00:51:43this unit

00:51:44because something else

00:51:44is in its way

00:51:45and so

00:51:46for that reason

00:51:47I'm actually grateful

00:51:48that we have a system

00:51:49that speaks to itself

00:51:50and is able to tell us

00:51:51if there's going to be an issue

00:51:52but we always try to avoid

00:51:54not

00:51:55you know

00:51:55stopping the show

00:51:56but if you need to

00:51:57you're right there

00:51:58that's right

00:51:58yeah

00:51:59you got it

00:51:59and I have so much trust

00:52:02in our team

00:52:02so

00:52:03it's really great

00:52:04this is awesome

00:52:05and I know

00:52:06this might even be fun

00:52:09when the packing is done

00:52:10I'm finally hitting the road

00:52:12Dane and George

00:52:14turns out

00:52:14use some of the same

00:52:16software

00:52:17when they are building

00:52:18their material

00:52:19and what they were able to do

00:52:20was do some pre-visualization

00:52:22of how this was going to look

00:52:24and get really clever

00:52:25about what areas

00:52:26of the stage

00:52:27are actually

00:52:28secretly

00:52:29made up

00:52:30of video

00:52:30here we are

00:52:33in the hallway

00:52:34wow

00:52:35and

00:52:37one little

00:52:38one little tidbit

00:52:39is

00:52:40we're on the 106th floor

00:52:41and they're in units

00:52:4382 and 84

00:52:44but

00:52:45we chose that because

00:52:46Michael's birthday is

00:52:48October 6th

00:52:491982

00:52:50so a little

00:52:51you know

00:52:52little easter egg

00:52:53in there

00:52:53would you like to come in?

00:52:55yes of course

00:52:56let's come on in guys

00:52:58I heard that these apartments

00:52:59were actually based off

00:53:01of a real modular building

00:53:02in Tokyo

00:53:03so to be able to talk

00:53:04about that a little

00:53:05I think it was built

00:53:06in the 70s

00:53:07and it was an idea

00:53:08of a modular building

00:53:09that you could actually

00:53:10take the units out

00:53:12with a crane

00:53:13and move them

00:53:13to other buildings

00:53:14so if you wanted to move

00:53:15you just have your entire

00:53:16little home

00:53:17so these cubes

00:53:19kind of inspired

00:53:20them to build

00:53:21a world that Oliver

00:53:22essentially never leaves

00:53:23and you can say

00:53:24this is the

00:53:25paper wall

00:53:26that has the video

00:53:28behind it

00:53:29and you would never know

00:53:30these are all

00:53:31made for the actors

00:53:32each of the actors

00:53:33has their own

00:53:35set of these

00:53:36so the understudies

00:53:37also did a photo shoot

00:53:38it's so beautiful

00:53:39this is the charger

00:53:40that lights up

00:53:42that he then

00:53:43charges himself with

00:53:44and there's a lot

00:53:45of lighting

00:53:46built into it

00:53:47so we have moving

00:53:48lights above

00:53:49there are speakers

00:53:50this is a fake speaker

00:53:52just for show

00:53:52and then like

00:53:53the audience doesn't

00:53:55see these

00:53:55but this is all

00:53:57helping to light the unit

00:53:58as it moves

00:53:59in and out

00:54:00and then this is

00:54:01the star of the show

00:54:03star of the show

00:54:03and of course

00:54:04Wah-Boon has

00:54:05his own emotional arc

00:54:07he starts a little sad

00:54:08so you can see

00:54:09he's getting into character

00:54:10is what's happening

00:54:11his favorite singers

00:54:13obviously we have

00:54:13Nat King Cole

00:54:14and Ella Fitzgerald

00:54:15with Bill Evans

00:54:17and then all of

00:54:18the magazines

00:54:19that he gets

00:54:20through the mail shoot

00:54:21which comes zooming

00:54:22in from above

00:54:23okay so now

00:54:25are we stepping into

00:54:26this is Claire's unit

00:54:27wow

00:54:28come on in

00:54:28let's take a look

00:54:29absolutely

00:54:30it's interesting

00:54:31their personalities

00:54:31are revealed

00:54:32through the design here

00:54:33she's kind of

00:54:35strung up

00:54:35some fairy lights

00:54:37in a somewhat

00:54:38haphazard

00:54:39half manner

00:54:40and she's turned

00:54:41her desk

00:54:42into a workshop

00:54:43so what she cares about

00:54:46is getting her battery fixed

00:54:47but they went so far

00:54:48as to even create

00:54:49a ground plan

00:54:50of what the units

00:54:51might look like

00:54:52in the building

00:54:53this 106 floor building

00:54:56the writers really

00:54:57were inspired

00:54:57by this idea

00:54:58the hermetic lifestyle

00:55:00of the Hikikomori

00:55:02Japanese men

00:55:03who were sealed off

00:55:04in their own little rooms

00:55:05in their cubes

00:55:06and here

00:55:07Oliver has

00:55:08kind of never left

00:55:10his apartment

00:55:10for 12 years

00:55:11and we kind of assume

00:55:12part of that

00:55:13is because

00:55:13James wasn't someone

00:55:15who actually left

00:55:16his apartment

00:55:16very often

00:55:17and he had a robot

00:55:18to keep him company

00:55:19in his little world

00:55:20the truth is

00:55:21the genius of this design

00:55:23is that you don't know

00:55:24it's coming

00:55:24it's not like

00:55:25when you sit down

00:55:26and you're watching the show

00:55:27you say

00:55:28I can see the video

00:55:30is going to be

00:55:30a big part of the show

00:55:31it just feels very intimate

00:55:32and small

00:55:33and as the show

00:55:34kind of unravels

00:55:36and you peel back

00:55:37the layers

00:55:37design elements

00:55:39are revealed

00:55:39and you kind of

00:55:40enter the world

00:55:41of these robots adventure

00:55:43it's really cool

00:55:43and if it doesn't

00:55:46come for free

00:55:47well that's the way

00:55:50that it has to be

00:55:52you know our show

00:55:59deals with themes

00:56:00that were topical

00:56:01in 2007

00:56:02and I would say

00:56:04more topical

00:56:05when we ran

00:56:06in the fall

00:56:06but even more topical

00:56:08today

00:56:09and more relevant

00:56:10today

00:56:10because these ideas

00:56:12of what it means

00:56:13to be American

00:56:13and who gets to call

00:56:15themselves Americans

00:56:16is something

00:56:17that's being questioned

00:56:18almost daily

00:56:20and I think

00:56:21our show

00:56:22addresses that

00:56:23question

00:56:24and that theme

00:56:24in a way

00:56:25that not only

00:56:26talks about it

00:56:26but shows people

00:56:27why it's so harmful

00:56:29to the fabric

00:56:30of our society

00:56:31and this is not only

00:56:32your first Tony nomination

00:56:33but you are also

00:56:34making history

00:56:35with this nomination

00:56:36so how special

00:56:37is that for you

00:56:38it's so special

00:56:39I didn't know

00:56:40until David told me

00:56:42a couple of weeks

00:56:42before the actual

00:56:43nomination

00:56:44you know the Tonys

00:56:46have been around

00:56:46for 78 years

00:56:47so the fact

00:56:48that I'm the very

00:56:48first Asian American

00:56:50is meaningful

00:56:51it makes me very happy

00:56:53and it also makes me

00:56:54a little sad too

00:56:55and the more important

00:56:56breakthrough is when

00:56:57there's an Asian American

00:56:58who wins

00:56:59so the nomination

00:57:00is one thing

00:57:01getting the award

00:57:02is the other

00:57:03Did you know

00:57:04the Tony Awards

00:57:05were named

00:57:05after Antoinette Perry

00:57:06an actress, director

00:57:08and co-founder

00:57:09of the American

00:57:09Theater Wing

00:57:10they were called

00:57:10the Perry Awards

00:57:11in its early years

00:57:12but eventually

00:57:13the award handed out

00:57:14was called a Tony

00:57:15and the name stuck

00:57:16the Tonys have had

00:57:17many memorable moments

00:57:18in its rich history

00:57:19take a look

00:57:20How did this legendary ceremony

00:57:25honoring Broadway's

00:57:26biggest and brightest

00:57:27stars come to be?

00:57:29Let's take a look back

00:57:30at the history

00:57:31of the Tony Awards

00:57:32this photo was taken

00:57:33at one of the first

00:57:34ceremonies in 1950

00:57:35just a few years

00:57:36after the American

00:57:37Theater Wing

00:57:38established the Tony Awards

00:57:39to celebrate

00:57:40excellence in theater

00:57:41in 1947

00:57:42performers at the first

00:57:44ceremony included

00:57:44Mickey Rooney

00:57:45and Ethel Waters

00:57:46the awards were named

00:57:48after Antoinette

00:57:49Tony Perry

00:57:49an actress, director

00:57:51and producer

00:57:51as well as the

00:57:52dynamic wartime leader

00:57:54of the American

00:57:54Theater Wing

00:57:55who had recently passed

00:57:56the Broadway community

00:57:57quickly embraced

00:57:58the Tony Awards

00:57:59and the gala dinner

00:58:00became one of the

00:58:01highlights of the

00:58:02New York theater season

00:58:03but the ceremony

00:58:04wasn't broadcast

00:58:05on national television

00:58:06until the 21st

00:58:07annual awards

00:58:08in 1967

00:58:09which was also

00:58:10the first time

00:58:11the event was

00:58:11co-presented

00:58:12with the Broadway League

00:58:13guests that year

00:58:14included Carol Burnett

00:58:15Warren Beatty

00:58:16Barbara Harris

00:58:17who won a Tony

00:58:18that night

00:58:18Harry Belafonte

00:58:19and Kirk Douglas

00:58:20among many others

00:58:21in 1978

00:58:23CBS began carrying

00:58:24the ceremony

00:58:25and the network

00:58:26has broadcast

00:58:26the Tonys

00:58:27every year since

00:58:28today the Tony Awards

00:58:29remain the pinnacle

00:58:30of acknowledgement

00:58:31for Broadway theater

00:58:32and winning one

00:58:33has become a crucial

00:58:34component in obtaining

00:58:35the highly coveted

00:58:36EGOT

00:58:36aka when a performer

00:58:38has won an Emmy

00:58:39Grammy

00:58:40Oscar

00:58:40and a Tony

00:58:41the list of only

00:58:4221 performers

00:58:43in history

00:58:44who can call

00:58:45themselves

00:58:45competitive EGOT

00:58:46winners includes

00:58:47Viola Davis

00:58:48Rita Moreno

00:58:49Jennifer Hudson

00:58:50Andrew Lloyd Webber

00:58:51Elton John

00:58:52and Audrey Hepburn

00:58:53I don't think

00:58:59it gets much

00:59:00campier

00:59:00than our

00:59:02hit me sequence

00:59:03where in act 2

00:59:05we're trying

00:59:06to kill each other

00:59:07and trying to do

00:59:08as much harm

00:59:09to each other

00:59:09as we possibly can

00:59:11and spoiler alert

00:59:13my head gets

00:59:15knocked off

00:59:15and then

00:59:16my head comes

00:59:17back in on a tray

00:59:18while my body

00:59:19is still sitting

00:59:20there on

00:59:21on the

00:59:23on the couch

00:59:24and

00:59:25there's also

00:59:26two

00:59:27grown men

00:59:28dressed up

00:59:29as us

00:59:30fighting

00:59:30it's very clearly

00:59:31not us

00:59:32you know

00:59:32it's

00:59:33it's

00:59:34and I really

00:59:36credit all that

00:59:36to our amazing

00:59:37director

00:59:38Christopher Gatelli

00:59:39he just had all

00:59:39of these incredible

00:59:40ideas

00:59:41and such

00:59:41a delightfully

00:59:44smart vision

00:59:46in executing

00:59:47all of the

00:59:48because

00:59:48it could very

00:59:49easily go too far

00:59:51you know

00:59:51but

00:59:52but it just

00:59:53doesn't

00:59:53because we've

00:59:54been under

00:59:54his guidance

00:59:55okay we're back

00:59:57with our

00:59:58Tony panelists

00:59:59and now it's

01:00:00on to

01:00:00the big awards

01:00:01best musical

01:00:02best play

01:00:03best revival

01:00:04of a musical

01:00:04and best revival

01:00:05of a play

01:00:06let's dive in

01:00:07with our

01:00:07best musical

01:00:08nominees

01:00:09the nominees

01:00:10for best musical

01:00:11are

01:00:12Buena Vista

01:00:12Social Club

01:00:13Dead Outlaw

01:00:14Death Becomes Her

01:00:16Maybe Happy Ending

01:00:18Operation Mincemeat

01:00:20A New Musical

01:00:20I personally

01:00:23would probably

01:00:24go with

01:00:24with Death Becomes Her

01:00:26just because

01:00:26you know

01:00:27it is an incredible

01:00:28reinvention

01:00:29of a show

01:00:29that is

01:00:30you know

01:00:31the Robert Zemeckis

01:00:32film

01:00:33is very

01:00:34special effects

01:00:35and it's very

01:00:36reliant on all

01:00:38of that

01:00:38on the transformations

01:00:39and things

01:00:39you can't really

01:00:40do in the same

01:00:41way on stage

01:00:42and just the fact

01:00:42that they found

01:00:43a way to do

01:00:43that convincingly

01:00:44and you know

01:00:46I mean I think

01:00:47it's a pretty

01:00:48fun show

01:00:49and there's a lot

01:00:51to be said

01:00:51for that

01:00:51yeah

01:00:52and Caitlin

01:00:53what were some

01:00:54of the hottest

01:00:54tickets in terms

01:00:55of musicals

01:00:56this season

01:00:57what played well

01:00:57commercially

01:00:58what didn't

01:00:59yeah it was

01:01:00an interesting year

01:01:00for musicals

01:01:01I guess on Broadway

01:01:02because the hottest

01:01:03tickets in the industry

01:01:04were actually the plays

01:01:05especially

01:01:07Good Night and Good Luck

01:01:08which we mentioned

01:01:08made more than

01:01:09four million

01:01:10or is making

01:01:11more than

01:01:11four million weekly

01:01:12Othello

01:01:13which is still

01:01:13selling well

01:01:14Glengarry Glen Ross

01:01:15which is still

01:01:15selling well

01:01:16I'd say in this

01:01:17musicals category

01:01:18they're all doing

01:01:19decently well

01:01:20but you're not

01:01:21seeing the sky high

01:01:22prices that you're

01:01:23seeing with plays

01:01:24or things like that

01:01:25and maybe part of

01:01:27that is just that

01:01:28these are not

01:01:29celebrity driven

01:01:30properties

01:01:30these are just

01:01:31kind of solid

01:01:32best musicals

01:01:33on Broadway

01:01:34this is the one

01:01:35category where

01:01:35the Tony win

01:01:36can really

01:01:37move the needle

01:01:38and that's why

01:01:40I think whichever

01:01:41show wins here

01:01:42really could see

01:01:43a nice

01:01:43this is what

01:01:44tourists coming

01:01:45to New York

01:01:45they want to see

01:01:46the Tony winning

01:01:47musical

01:01:47now all these

01:01:48original musicals

01:01:49can we talk a little

01:01:50bit about how

01:01:51different each

01:01:51production is

01:01:52from each other

01:01:54I'd say maybe

01:01:54Happy Ending

01:01:55is like a

01:01:56small

01:01:57it feels small

01:01:58but they extended

01:01:59it for Broadway

01:01:59like a small

01:02:00little intimate

01:02:01musical

01:02:02love story

01:02:02between two robots

01:02:03it's intimate

01:02:04but unlike a lot

01:02:05of other shows

01:02:06that move

01:02:07from off-Broadway

01:02:08which this one

01:02:09didn't it came

01:02:09straight to Broadway

01:02:10but there is

01:02:11this feeling

01:02:12sometimes this

01:02:13belongs in an

01:02:13off-Broadway house

01:02:14it does not

01:02:14belong in this

01:02:15massive

01:02:15barn of a theater

01:02:16I would say

01:02:17that to a degree

01:02:18about Dead Outlaw

01:02:19even though I

01:02:20enjoyed it

01:02:21I like it

01:02:21you know maybe

01:02:22Happy Ending

01:02:23works in a

01:02:24theater on Broadway

01:02:25there's something

01:02:27that you connect

01:02:28with about those

01:02:28characters

01:02:29and you know

01:02:30I think that

01:02:31that probably

01:02:32sets it apart

01:02:33it's very

01:02:34as Caitlin said

01:02:36it's very

01:02:36sort of

01:02:37restrained

01:02:38it's not

01:02:38full of big

01:02:39effects or whatever

01:02:40whereas Death

01:02:41Becomes Her

01:02:41is very reliant

01:02:42on splashy

01:02:43showstoppers

01:02:44and effects

01:02:45and all of that

01:02:46and lighting

01:02:47magic

01:02:47yeah

01:02:48so who do we

01:02:50think should win

01:02:51I don't know

01:02:52I'm going to go

01:02:53with maybe

01:02:53Happy Ending

01:02:54it's a really

01:02:55charming show

01:02:56and also

01:02:56you've got to

01:02:57take into account

01:02:58that as much

01:02:58as the road

01:02:59promoters

01:03:00the theater owners

01:03:01on the road

01:03:01are looking at

01:03:02potential touring

01:03:03properties

01:03:03they're all thinking

01:03:05Death Becomes Her

01:03:06is going to be

01:03:07cripplingly expensive

01:03:08maybe Happy Ending

01:03:09we can move

01:03:10in and out

01:03:10for a few weeks

01:03:11advertise well

01:03:13and it's not

01:03:14a high cost

01:03:15production

01:03:15yeah it's like

01:03:16just for people

01:03:17yeah

01:03:18I'd also say

01:03:18maybe Happy Ending

01:03:19because I think

01:03:20people will want

01:03:21to reward

01:03:21the original

01:03:22small

01:03:23intimate musical

01:03:24and who will win

01:03:26I do think

01:03:28it's maybe

01:03:28Happy Ending

01:03:29again it's

01:03:30one of three

01:03:30here that have

01:03:31ten nominations

01:03:32there's obviously

01:03:33a lot of

01:03:34affection for

01:03:34all of these

01:03:36but based on

01:03:37the way things

01:03:37of voters

01:03:38have broken

01:03:39in the last few

01:03:40years that is

01:03:41right up their

01:03:42alley

01:03:42yeah

01:03:42but still I

01:03:43wouldn't count

01:03:44out

01:03:44Death Becomes Her

01:03:45or Buena Vista

01:03:46okay let's move

01:03:48on to our

01:03:49best play nominees

01:03:50best play nominees

01:03:51are English

01:03:52The Hills of

01:03:53California

01:03:54John Proctor

01:03:55is the villain

01:03:56O'Mary

01:03:57and Purpose

01:03:59they're all

01:04:02pretty interesting

01:04:03and close

01:04:04in terms of

01:04:05who could win

01:04:05and Jez Butterworth

01:04:07had a nice run

01:04:08in this

01:04:09with plays

01:04:10at the Tonys

01:04:10last few years

01:04:11so Hills of

01:04:12California was great

01:04:12but it's not

01:04:13as top of mind

01:04:14because I think

01:04:15it's been gone

01:04:15now for a while

01:04:16it's also maybe

01:04:17not up there

01:04:18with Jerusalem

01:04:19which he won

01:04:19a bunch of Tonys

01:04:20for

01:04:20or Ferryman

01:04:21or the Ferryman

01:04:22yeah

01:04:23I mean he's done

01:04:23some great work

01:04:24and it's a great play

01:04:25and Sam Mendes

01:04:26does a beautiful

01:04:27job directing it

01:04:28but in a very

01:04:30strong ensemble

01:04:31but yeah

01:04:32things tend to fade

01:04:33fast when they're

01:04:34closed already

01:04:34and the interesting

01:04:36thing here also

01:04:37is that

01:04:37Hills of California

01:04:38and Purpose

01:04:39are of these

01:04:40five nominees

01:04:41the most overall

01:04:42nominated with

01:04:43seven

01:04:43Purpose

01:04:44also just won

01:04:46the Pulitzer Prize

01:04:47for Drama

01:04:47over O'Mary

01:04:49and yet

01:04:50I think there's

01:04:51a pretty clear

01:04:52sense that

01:04:53O'Mary is

01:04:54out front here

01:04:55again

01:04:56even with fewer

01:04:56noms

01:04:57five noms

01:04:57it's just

01:04:58unlike anything

01:04:59else that I think

01:05:00anybody can

01:05:01yes it's

01:05:02a historical

01:05:02it's silly

01:05:03but it's also

01:05:04smart

01:05:05and this is

01:05:06evoking an

01:05:07unusual level

01:05:08of enthusiasm

01:05:09and passion

01:05:10even among

01:05:11David's battle

01:05:12hardened

01:05:12contemporaries

01:05:13in the

01:05:14reviewing community

01:05:15I think that

01:05:16you know

01:05:16there's a

01:05:17sense of

01:05:17release

01:05:18when you see

01:05:19that show

01:05:19you just

01:05:20oh my god

01:05:21what a relief

01:05:22it is to

01:05:22laugh

01:05:23to just be

01:05:24transported like

01:05:25this

01:05:25and any show

01:05:26with gay

01:05:26Brian Lincoln

01:05:27works for me

01:05:29you mean

01:05:30Mary's husband

01:05:30yeah

01:05:31I mean

01:05:33that whole cast

01:05:34is fantastic

01:05:34there's so many

01:05:35great lines

01:05:35and you just

01:05:36come out of it

01:05:36reeling

01:05:37trying to

01:05:38remember them

01:05:38all

01:05:38south of what

01:05:39it's so great

01:05:41I like Purpose

01:05:43quite a lot

01:05:43I really enjoyed it

01:05:45but it didn't

01:05:46stay with me

01:05:46and I also

01:05:47think it's not

01:05:48I think Brandon

01:05:49Jacob Jenkins

01:05:50is a tremendous

01:05:51playwright

01:05:52so talented

01:05:53I don't think

01:05:54this is his best play

01:05:55I'd say

01:05:56John Proctor

01:05:56is the villain

01:05:57also maybe

01:05:58is an interesting

01:05:59dark horse

01:05:59in this category

01:06:00as David was saying

01:06:01there's a lot

01:06:02of enthusiasm

01:06:02behind that play

01:06:03it's bringing

01:06:04young audiences

01:06:04and it came

01:06:05to Broadway

01:06:06in a non-traditional

01:06:08model

01:06:08it was at colleges

01:06:09and regional theaters

01:06:11so it's known

01:06:12across the country

01:06:12but it hasn't had

01:06:13a big off-Broadway

01:06:15or regional run

01:06:16and maybe

01:06:18it gets rewarded

01:06:18for it's many

01:06:19facts you brought with

01:06:20I'd be a major upset

01:06:22yeah but a cool

01:06:23dark horse

01:06:24also you know

01:06:26John Proctor

01:06:26is the villain

01:06:27it has

01:06:28a sort of

01:06:30heaviness

01:06:30about its themes

01:06:31it's me too

01:06:32sexual abuse

01:06:34even just

01:06:35an English class

01:06:37at high school

01:06:37going and

01:06:39re-examining

01:06:40Arthur Miller's

01:06:40The Crucible

01:06:41they all sound

01:06:42like big stodgy

01:06:43kind of heavy

01:06:44ideas and themes

01:06:46but the show

01:06:47has a lightness

01:06:48to it

01:06:48yeah

01:06:49so

01:06:49David Caitlin

01:06:51who should win

01:06:52O'Mary

01:06:53all the way

01:06:54just

01:06:55hilarious

01:06:56ingenious

01:06:57and deceptively

01:06:59smart

01:07:00I think

01:07:00I think it's

01:07:02great stuff

01:07:03Caitlin

01:07:03what would you say

01:07:04is your pick

01:07:05I might go with

01:07:06John Proctor

01:07:07just because I'd be

01:07:08interested to see

01:07:09what a best play

01:07:11Tony does for that play

01:07:12and kind of what

01:07:13kind of life it has

01:07:14after that

01:07:15Scott

01:07:15who will win

01:07:16I think it's

01:07:17going to be

01:07:18O'Mary

01:07:18and this might

01:07:19might be the biggest

01:07:20margin of any

01:07:21category

01:07:21there just seems to be

01:07:22such excitement

01:07:24for it

01:07:25that I think

01:07:25it's going to do it

01:07:27and it was at the

01:07:27New York Post

01:07:28or whatever

01:07:28on any given week

01:07:29like every celebrity

01:07:30in the world

01:07:30speaking to you

01:07:31including Sally Field

01:07:33who played

01:07:33Mary

01:07:34I love that

01:07:36they met us

01:07:36a group out

01:07:37Tony Kushner

01:07:38Steven Spielberg

01:07:39and Sally Field

01:07:40exactly

01:07:41that was great

01:07:42and finally

01:07:43best revival

01:07:44of a musical

01:07:44and best revival

01:07:46of a play

01:07:46nominees for

01:07:48best revival

01:07:48of a musical

01:07:49Floyd Collins

01:07:50Gypsy

01:07:51Pirates

01:07:52the Penzance

01:07:53musical

01:07:53Sunset Boulevard

01:07:55and best revival

01:07:56of a play

01:07:57nominees are

01:07:57Eureka Day

01:07:58Our Town

01:07:59Romeo and Juliet

01:08:01and Yellow Face

01:08:02okay so out

01:08:03of all of these

01:08:04revivals

01:08:05which one brought

01:08:06a fresh perspective

01:08:07to you on

01:08:08an original production

01:08:09probably sunset

01:08:10I mean it's hard

01:08:11to compare

01:08:12in the two categories

01:08:13but sunset

01:08:14is a fresh take

01:08:16on this

01:08:17you know

01:08:181980s musical

01:08:19that was kind

01:08:20of grand

01:08:20and had so many

01:08:21set pieces

01:08:22and was kind

01:08:23of stodgy

01:08:23lumbering

01:08:24lumbering

01:08:25as you said

01:08:26and this is

01:08:27a you know

01:08:28a Jamie Lloyd

01:08:29stripped down

01:08:30production

01:08:30using live video

01:08:31so that feels

01:08:33pretty exciting

01:08:33yeah

01:08:33I personally

01:08:34would go with

01:08:35Gypsy

01:08:36just because

01:08:37I love the production

01:08:38but I

01:08:39can completely

01:08:41see the merit

01:08:41in giving that

01:08:42award to

01:08:42Sunset Boulevard

01:08:43and there's

01:08:44history

01:08:44not that it's

01:08:46necessarily

01:08:46top of mind

01:08:47for voters

01:08:48but Gypsy

01:08:49a revival

01:08:50previously won

01:08:51in 1990

01:08:51although the

01:08:52original famously

01:08:53did not

01:08:54win way back

01:08:5559 or something

01:08:56Sunset Boulevard

01:08:57the original

01:08:58won best musical

01:08:59in 1995

01:09:00like they're

01:09:02these

01:09:02but these are

01:09:03both so different

01:09:04from any

01:09:05prior incarnation

01:09:06it does seem

01:09:08like it would

01:09:08be between

01:09:09those two

01:09:10and we

01:09:11can say that

01:09:12Sunset Boulevard

01:09:13though by far

01:09:14is the most

01:09:15nominated in this

01:09:16category with

01:09:17seven

01:09:17so I think

01:09:19that probably

01:09:20that's the

01:09:21favorite

01:09:22Romeo and Juliet

01:09:23is launching

01:09:24an interesting

01:09:24Tony's campaign

01:09:25where they

01:09:26are just defining

01:09:27what revival

01:09:28means

01:09:28which is you

01:09:29know like

01:09:30refreshing

01:09:30or a new

01:09:31take on

01:09:31something

01:09:32so they're

01:09:33trying to

01:09:33make the

01:09:33point that

01:09:34like we're

01:09:35doing Romeo and

01:09:35Juliet but

01:09:36this was

01:09:36totally

01:09:37different

01:09:37it was a

01:09:38very Gen Z

01:09:39take

01:09:41maybe the

01:09:42most Gen Z

01:09:42thing I've

01:09:43ever seen

01:09:43yeah I think

01:09:44that the only

01:09:45place where

01:09:45there were

01:09:46more high

01:09:47schoolers in

01:09:48the audience

01:09:48than John

01:09:50Proctor is the

01:09:50villain

01:09:51was it

01:09:52Romeo and

01:09:53Juliet and

01:09:53it's not just

01:09:54a Baz Luhrmann

01:09:55kind of

01:09:55reinvention

01:09:56it's its own

01:09:57thing

01:09:57I think it

01:09:58was looked

01:10:00on with a

01:10:00little bit of

01:10:00snobbery by

01:10:01a lot of

01:10:01the theater

01:10:01critics but

01:10:02I just

01:10:03thought it

01:10:03had great

01:10:04energy

01:10:04Kit

01:10:04Connor is

01:10:05the real

01:10:06deal

01:10:06on stage

01:10:07there's

01:10:08something to

01:10:08be said

01:10:08for that

01:10:09for shows

01:10:09that are

01:10:10building new

01:10:11generations of

01:10:11theater goers

01:10:12and I

01:10:14just will

01:10:14say for

01:10:15Yellowface that

01:10:16that I think

01:10:17was very well

01:10:17done three

01:10:18nominations was

01:10:18not a lot but

01:10:19it's the most

01:10:20for any of

01:10:20these four

01:10:21and had

01:10:22some timely

01:10:24things to

01:10:25say

01:10:25so David

01:10:26Caitlin I'm

01:10:27going to ask

01:10:27you guys one

01:10:28more time

01:10:28who do you

01:10:30think should

01:10:30win in each

01:10:31of these

01:10:31categories

01:10:32revival of

01:10:33musical I'd

01:10:34say sunset

01:10:35for me

01:10:35revival of

01:10:36a play

01:10:37I would

01:10:39say Eureka

01:10:40Day

01:10:40I would go

01:10:42quite happily

01:10:43with either

01:10:43gypsy or sunset

01:10:44here because

01:10:45as much as I

01:10:46prefer order's

01:10:46performance I

01:10:47do think that

01:10:48the production

01:10:49the ingenuity

01:10:50behind sunset

01:10:52is a total

01:10:52reinvention

01:10:53a reimagination

01:10:54of a play

01:10:54you know

01:10:56just for the

01:10:57chutzpah of it

01:10:58I would go for

01:10:59Romeo and Juliet

01:10:59but I think

01:11:02I'll be one of

01:11:02like three

01:11:03voters

01:11:03and Scott

01:11:05who is

01:11:06taking home

01:11:07this Tony

01:11:07for revival of

01:11:10musical I think

01:11:10it's sunset

01:11:11boulevard and

01:11:12for revival of

01:11:13the play I

01:11:14think it's

01:11:14yellow face not

01:11:15just because

01:11:16they're both the

01:11:16most nominated

01:11:17in their categories

01:11:18but that's

01:11:19certainly one of

01:11:20the considerations

01:11:21with sunset

01:11:21boulevard it's

01:11:22just I think it

01:11:23helps to be

01:11:24very different

01:11:25than anything

01:11:25else that's

01:11:27on the ballot

01:11:27and that is

01:11:28certainly the

01:11:29way that they

01:11:30did that was so

01:11:31creative and

01:11:31with yellow face

01:11:33I don't know

01:11:34I guess we've

01:11:35seen a million

01:11:35versions of

01:11:37our town and

01:11:38Romeo and

01:11:39Juliet and

01:11:40this it just

01:11:42felt a little

01:11:42more new and

01:11:43exciting so

01:11:44yellow face and

01:11:46yellow face and

01:11:47sunset boulevard

01:11:47we'll see

01:11:48yeah okay well

01:11:49we'll tune in on

01:11:51Tony night to

01:11:51see who walks

01:11:52away our big

01:11:53winners thank you

01:11:54so much again to

01:11:55our panelists

01:11:55David Rooney

01:11:56Caitlin Houston

01:11:57and Scott

01:11:57Feinberg

01:11:58thank you

01:11:59thank you

01:12:00well guys

01:12:03thanks so much

01:12:04for tuning in to

01:12:05the Hollywood

01:12:05reporters awards

01:12:06countdown Tony's

01:12:07edition I know

01:12:08I've had such a

01:12:09blast breaking

01:12:09down Broadway's

01:12:10biggest night with

01:12:11you all and

01:12:12telling you seeing

01:12:12these New York

01:12:13City skylines never

01:12:14gets old well

01:12:15we'll see who

01:12:16wins big at the

01:12:1778th Tony Awards

01:12:18when it airs live

01:12:19this Sunday on

01:12:20CBS at 8 p.m

01:12:21Eastern 5 p.m

01:12:22Pacific thanks so

01:12:23much for tuning in

01:12:24and until next time

01:12:25I'm Neha Joy

01:12:26and this is the

01:12:27Hollywood reporters

01:12:28awards countdown

01:12:28watch out

01:12:34music

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