Broadway musical 'Hamilton' does what it always does — stuns
Lin-Manuel Miranda's hip-hop-flavored biography about the first U.S. treasury secretary earned 16 Tony Award nominations, breaking the 15-nominations record held jointly by "The Producers" and "Billy Elliot the Musical."
At that ceremony, "Hamilton " will compete for Broadway's biggest crown — best new musical — with "Bright Star," ''School of Rock," ''Shuffle Along" and "Waitress."
The other top nominees Tuesday were "Shuffle Along," a show that explores a groundbreaking 95-year-old musical starring, written and directed by African-Americans, which got 10 nominations, and the revival of "She Loves Me," which earned eight.
The musical has already won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, a Grammy, the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History and a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant.
There were a few surprises Tuesday, including Jennifer Hudson being overlooked in "The Color Purple" and only a costume design nomination for "Tuck Everlasting," a well-received musical based on the 1975 book by Natalie Babbitt.
[...] American Psycho," an adaptation of the novel by Bret Easton Ellis about a materialistic serial killer, only captured nominations for scenic design and lighting.
"Waitress ," a musical with songs by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles that is adapted from a 2007 film about a waitress trapped in a small-town diner and a loveless marriage, earned four nominations.
"School of Rock ," the adaptation by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Fellowes of the Jack Black-led movie about a wannabe rocker who enlists fifth-graders to form a rock group, earned four nominations, including best musical, book, original score and best leading man in Alex Brightman.
"Bright Star ," a complex love story set against the American South by comedy god Steve Martin and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Edie Brickell, earned five nominations and few were more pleased than Martin, who earned his first Tony nod.
The best play category is composed of Danai Gurira's "Eclipsed," Floria Zeller's "The Father," Stephen Karam's "The Humans" and Mike Bartlett's "King Charles III."
Zachary Levi , former star of NBC's "Chuck" making his second Broadway appearance, earned a leading man nomination for "She Loves Me." The one-time theater geek who was lured away by TV said it was surreal to be embraced by Broadway.
"Shuffle Along ," which late last week was declared a new musical, earned nominations for best musical, best book, scenic design, lighting and costumes, direction by George C. Wolfe, choreography by Savion Glover, orchestrations, and acting turns by Adrienne Warren and Brandon Victor Dixon.
The Roundabout Theatre Company earned 27 nominations for its revivals of "She Loves Me," ''Thérèse Raquin," ''Noises Off" and "Long Day's Journey Into Night," as well as "The Humans."
Soo, nominated for best leading actress in a musical for "Hamilton," will face off against Laura Benanti, a previous Tony winner, who was enjoying her first-time nomination in a leading actress category.