The 78th annual Tony Awards celebrated Broadway’s highest achievements on June 8, 2025, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Cynthia Erivo hosted the ceremony that honored the best in American theater with performances and awards.
“Maybe Happy Ending,” a musical about two outdated robot assistants finding connection in futuristic Seoul, dominated the night with six Tony Awards. The show won Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Scenic Design. Darren Criss won Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Oliver, one of the “helperbots” in the production.
“Purpose,” a family drama about a Black political family, claimed the Best Play award. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins made history as the first Black playwright to win back-to-back Tony Awards. Kara Young won Best Featured Actress in a Play for “Purpose,” becoming the first Black actor nominated four years in a row and securing consecutive Tony wins.
Hollywood stars also took home awards. Sarah Snook won Best Leading Actress in a Play for “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” where she played all 26 characters. Nicole Scherzinger won Best Leading Actress in a Musical for “Sunset Boulevard” in her Broadway debut.
The reimagined production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard,” known for its minimalist staging and heavy use of technology, won Best Musical Revival. Cole Escola won Best Leading Actor in a Play for “Oh, Mary!” while “Eureka Day,” a comedy about vaccine skepticism, won Best Play Revival.
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The Tony Awards celebrated Broadway’s most financially successful season in recorded history, with nearly $2 billion in ticket sales. The 2024-2025 season was also the second-best attended in history, drawing approximately 14.7 million audience members across 43 productions.
The ceremony featured the original “Hamilton” cast reuniting for the show’s 10th anniversary. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, and other original cast members performed songs from the musical.
Broadway legend Patti LuPone was noticeably absent from the ceremony. Her absence followed controversy over comments she made about fellow Broadway stars in a New Yorker interview, which led to backlash and a public apology from LuPone.
The Tony Awards, named after actress Antoinette Perry, honor excellence in Broadway theater. The American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League present these awards each June in New York City. For theater professionals, winning a Tony represents the highest recognition in American theater, similar to the Oscars for film.
This year’s diverse winners reflected Broadway’s continuing efforts toward inclusion, with historic wins for performers and creators of color. The ceremony also showcased Broadway’s recovery following the challenges of recent years.
