The nominations for the 76th Annual Tony Awards have been revealed. Mariah Carey and Kandi Burruss are nominees for the first time, as each received a producer credit for a respective release.
Carey, gearing up for an appearance at the Lovers & Friends Festival, got a nod for Best Musical for Some Like It Hot.
Directed by Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot is a musical comedy based on the 1959 film of the same name. Comedian Amber Ruffin collaborated with Tony winner Matthew López on an updated book for the musical adaptation.
Some Like It Hot debuted at the Shubert Theatre in New York in December 2022 after its soft launch a month earlier.
According to the official website, the musical tells the story of “two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob it. With gangsters hot on their heels, they catch a cross-country train for the life-chasing, life-changing trip of a lifetime.”
Some Like It Hot brings Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, and Adrianna Hicks together on stage. They perform music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman, along with additional lyrics by Scott Wittman.
Fresh off the heels of landing a Southeast Emmy nomination for La Musica de La Familia, Burruss furthers her pursuit to achieving EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status, with a Best Revival of a Play nomination for August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. She shares the nod with her husband, Todd Tucker, who also serves as a producer.
“Y’all I’ve been screaming & praising God all morning! Wow! Just wow! We got the Tony nomination yall! I’ve been praying for this. To share this moment with my husband is just awesome,” Burruss wrote in a caption for a photo of her alongside the list of nominees.
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After previewing in September 2022, The Piano Lesson, based on Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1987 play, debuted on Oct. 13, 2022, before it wrapped earlier this year in January.
Shown at Ethel Barrymore Theatre, the updated Piano Lesson, starring Oscar winner Samuel L. Jackson, Danielle Brooks, and John David Washington, was directed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson and featured music by Alvin Hough Jr.
Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Piano Lesson details a family conflict between a sister and brother who are not on the same page regarding a prized heirloom piano. But it’s their uncle that stands in between them and this strife.
The 2023 Tony Awards will broadcast live on Sunday, June 11, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and stream live on Paramount+.
Best Musical
& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot
Best Revival for a Play
A Doll’s House
August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
See the full list of 2023 Tony Awards nominations here.
