Broadway’s biggest night delivered emotional speeches, powerhouse performances, and history-making wins as the 2025 Tony Awards took over New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Hosted by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, the ceremony honoured an eclectic season on the Great White Way – one that drew 14.7 million audience members and grossed nearly $2 billion at the box office.
Two of the evening’s most memorable wins came from women already familiar with success on London’s West End. Sarah Snook and Nicole Scherzinger – both previous Olivier Award winners – cemented their Broadway legacies by taking home top acting honours.
Nicole Scherzinger Finds Her Voice
In a role that redefined her stage career, Nicole Scherzinger was awarded Best Actress in a Musical for her haunting portrayal of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, directed by Jamie Lloyd. The minimalist revival reimagined Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic through a cinematic lens.
The former Pussycat Doll, who also won the Olivier for the same role in the West End, used her acceptance speech to reflect on her long journey to Broadway stardom.
“Growing up, I always felt like I didn’t belong,” she said. “But you all have made me feel like I belong – like I have come home at last.”
She also dedicated the win to anyone still waiting for their moment: “Don’t give up. Just keep on giving and giving, because the world needs your love and your light now more than ever.”
Introduced by Glenn Close, Scherzinger also delivered a show-stopping rendition of As If We Never Said Goodbye, earning a standing ovation.
Sarah Snook’s One-Woman Marvel
Equally brilliant was Australian actress Sarah Snook, who won Best Actress in a Play for The Picture of Dorian Gray. Adapted as a one-woman show in which Snook embodied 26 characters.
“This means so much for a little Australian girl to be here on Broadway,” Snook said in her speech. “Even though it’s billed as a one-person show, I never feel alone. This award belongs to the entire team.”
Her performance, already celebrated with an Olivier Award, further solidified Snook as one of the most versatile and exciting stage actors of her generation.
Big Wins for New Work and Diverse Voices
The biggest winner of the night was Maybe Happy Ending, a charming and bittersweet musical about two obsolete robots who discover love. It took home six awards, including Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical (Darren Criss), and Best Direction of a Musical (Michael Arden).
Criss, best known for Glee, paid tribute to his wife in his speech: “Your love and support, along with the miracle of this show, is already award enough.”
Meanwhile, Purpose – a stirring family drama centred on an African-American reunion in Chicago – won Best Play just weeks after taking home the Pulitzer Prize. Kara Young also won Best Supporting Actress in a Play for her role in the production, while Jon Michael Hill and Harry Lennix were both nominated for their performances.
The Night’s Other Standouts
Cole Escola made history as the first non-binary performer to win Best Actor in a Play for Oh Mary!, a surreal and subversive reimagining of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination through the eyes of his cabaret-dreaming wife. Sam Pinkleton also won Best Direction of a Play for the production, one of the most buzzed-about new works of the season.
British actor Jak Malone earned Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Operation Mincemeat, while Natalie Venetia Belcon won Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Buena Vista Social Club, which also took home four awards.
In revivals, Sunset Boulevard triumphed as Best Revival of a Musical, while Eureka Day – a play tackling school vaccination policies and misinformation – won Best Revival of a Play.
A Tribute to Broadway’s Past and Future
The ceremony wasn’t just about celebrating the year’s best work – it was also a moving reflection on Broadway’s resilience and community. Cynthia Erivo and Sara Bareilles performed Tomorrow from Annie in a touching tribute to those in the theatre world lost this year, including composer Charles Strouse.
The original Hamilton cast reunited for a 10th anniversary medley that brought the crowd to its feet, a reminder of how far Broadway has come – and the cultural impact it continues to make.
Full List of 2025 Tony Award Winners: Highlights
- Best Musical: Maybe Happy Ending
- Best Play: Purpose
- Best Revival of a Musical: Sunset Boulevard
- Best Revival of a Play: Eureka Day
- Best Actress in a Musical: Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard
- Best Actor in a Musical: Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
- Best Actress in a Play: Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Best Actor in a Play: Cole Escola, Oh Mary!
- Best Direction of a Musical: Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
- Best Direction of a Play: Sam Pinkleton, Oh Mary!
Tony Awards: The Main Winners
Best musical
- WINNER: Maybe Happy Ending
- Buena Vista Social Club
- Dead Outlaw
- Death Becomes Her
- Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best play
- WINNER: Purpose
- English
- The Hills of California
- John Proctor is the Villain
- Oh, Mary!
Best revival of a play
- WINNER: Eureka Day
- Romeo + Juliet
- Our Town
- Yellow Face
Best revival of a musical
- WINNER: Sunset Boulevard
- Floyd Collins
- Gypsy
- Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Best actress in a musical
- WINNER: Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard
- Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her
- Audra McDonald, Gypsy
- Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical
- Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her
Best actor in a musical
- WINNER: Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
- Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw
- Tom Francis, Sunset Boulevard
- Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
- James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
- Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
Best actress in a play
- WINNER: Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California
- Mia Farrow, The Roommate
- LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose
- Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain
Best actor in a play
- WINNER: Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!
- George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
- Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
- Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face
- Harry Lennix, Purpose
- Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best direction of a musical
- WINNER: Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
- Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club
- David Cromer, Dead Outlaw
- Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
- Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard
Best direction of a play
- WINNER: Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!
- Knud Adams, English
- Sam Mendes, The Hills of California
- Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain
- Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best supporting actress in a musical
- WINNER: Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club
- Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw
- Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time
- Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
- Joy Woods, Gypsy
Best supporting actor in a musical
- WINNER: Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
- Brooks Ashmanskas, SMASH
- Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw
- Danny Burstein, Gypsy
- Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins
Best supporting actress in a play
- WINNER: Kara Young, Purpose
- Tala Ashe, English
- Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day
- Marjan Neshat, English
- Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain
Best supporting actor in a play
- WINNER: Francis Jue, Yellow Face
- Glenn Davis, Purpose
- Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the Villain
- Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross
- Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!
