Put on your Sunday clothes and tell Alexa to play “Gypsy.” The Tonys are back this Sunday!
The last time we celebrated the best of Broadway was unbelievably more than two years ago, in June 2019, and therefore some of the shows being honored this year are that old, too. Now, they’re finally getting their moment in the sun. But in the fall. At the Winter Garden Theatre.
You can watch the 2021 Tony Awards on Paramount+ Sunday at 7 p.m., which will immediately be followed by a starry concert called “The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back!” at 9 p.m. on CBS.
Here’s The Post’s picks for Broadway’s biggest night.
Best Musical
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” — All three nominees are jukebox shows, but “Moulin Rouge!” is the only one to inject a genre we’re tired of with new life and nonstop fun.
“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”
Best Play
“Grand Horizons”
“Sea Wall/A Life”
“Slave Play” — I wasn’t a fan of this play, which is more provocative when described than experienced. Despite flopping, however, Jeremy O. Harris’ drama got the most buzz of any nominee.
“The Sound Inside”
Best Revival of a Play
“Betrayal”
“Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune”
“A Soldier’s Play” — It wasn’t as good as “Betrayal,” but it brought together an excellent ensemble of black actors, including David Alan Grier and Blair Underwood.
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ian Barford, “Linda Vista”
Andrew Burnap, “The Inheritance”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Sea Wall/A Life”
Tom Hiddleston, “Betrayal” — Harold Pinter plays don’t come to Broadway so much anymore, and Hiddleston’s steamy performance made the old show feel like a hot, modern HBO drama.
Tom Sturridge, “Sea Wall/A Life”
Blair Underwood, “A Soldier’s Play”
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Joaquina Kalukango, “Slave Play”
Laura Linney, “My Name Is Lucy Barton”
Audra McDonald, “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune”
Mary-Louise Parker, “The Sound Inside” — Parker last won a Tony for “Proof” 20 years ago and this is her second nomination since. This is the right role for her to take home another trophy.
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Aaron Tveit, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” — Despite being the only nominee (what a year!) Tveit does not win by default. He needs to cross a certain threshold of votes. If the heartthrob doesn’t, the theater industry is even more cruel than I thought.
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Karen Olivo, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”
Elizabeth Stanley, “Jagged Little Pill”
Adrienne Warren, “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” — Warren’s transformation into Tina Turner ranks with Jessie Mueller as Carole King and John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli. Electrifying.
