‘Hamilton' Leads Tony Awards Nominations, Sets Record With 16 Nods

The Pulitzer Prize-winning hip-hopera broke the record set by 2001’s “The Producers” and 2009’s "Billy Elliot," which both received 15 nominations

"Hamilton," the megahit musical about the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton, made history yet again Tuesday, earning a record 16 Tony nominations including honors for Best Musical and three personal nominations for its star, composer and bookwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning hip-hopera broke the record set by 2001’s “The Producers” and 2009’s "Billy Elliot," which both received 15 nominations.

Close behind "Hamilton" with 10 nominations is "Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed," the behind-the-scenes look at the groundbreaking revue with an all-black cast recently deemed a new musical by the Tony committee, despite a request by the show’s lead producer to consider it a revival.

"Shuffle Along" and "Hamilton" will compete for the night’s top award alongside Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s "Bright Star," and two musical adaptations of popular films: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "School of Rock" and Sara Bareilles’s "Waitress."

Several high-profile, well-reviewed musicals were shut out from the Best Musical category, including Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s biographical "On Your Feet!," George Takei’s "Allegiance" and the adaptations of popular novels "American Psycho" and "Tuck Everlasting."

The Tony nominating committee included four shows in the Best Revival of a Musical category: "The Color Purple," "Spring Awakening," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "She Loves Me." The short-lived "Dames at Sea" was left adrift.

Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o picked up her first Tony nomination for her Broadway debut in "Eclipsed." The drama earned six nominations, including one for Best Play. It’ll compete in that category against 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist "The Humans," the Frank Langella-led "The Father" and the now-closed "King Charles III."

Five works earned nominations for Best Revival of a Play, including two by Arthur Miller: "The Crucible," "A View from the Bridge," "Blackbird," "Long Day’s Journey Into Night" and "Noises Off."

Film stars Jeff Daniels and Michelle Williams, who headline the "Blackbird" revival, both nabbed leading acting nominations for their respective roles. Daniels will go up against Langella, Gabriel Byrne, Tim Pigott-Smith and Mark Strong.

Williams’s nomination comes in a category crowded with Hollywood A-listers, including Nyong’o, Jessica Lange, Laurie Metcalf and Sophie Okonedo.

Miranda and his "Hamilton" co-star Leslie Odom, Jr, who plays rival Aaron Burr, will both battle it out in the leading actor in a musical category — expected to be one of the evening’s tightest races.

Miranda and Odom could split the vote, giving six-time nominee Danny Burstein a shot at the prize.

Alex Brightman’s breakout performance in "School of Rock" and Zachary Levi, who starred on the NBC sitcom "Chuck", also fill out the leading actor in a musical category.

Laura Benanti, Carmen Cusack, Cynthia Erivo, Jessie Mueller and Phillipa Soo earned spots in the highly competitive lead actress in a musical category. "Shuffle Along" star Audra McDonald, who has a historic six Tony wins, was shut out of a nomination this year. 

Several big stars in high-profile roles were not among this year’s nominees. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson failed to received a nomination for her role in the revival of “The Color Purple.” “American Psycho” star Benjamin Walker was also denied a nomination.

The "Hamilton" supporting cast filled out the featured acting categories, with nominations for Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, and Renee Elise Goldsberry.

NBC's "30 Rock" star Jane Krakowski also picked up a nomination as featured actress in a musical category for "She Loves Me," as did "Orange Is the New Black" star Danielle Brooks for "The Color Purple."

In a few noncompetitive awards this year, New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse will be awarded the regional theater award. Lyricist Sheldon Harnick ("She Loves Me," "Fiddler on the Roof") and director Marshall W. Mason ("Master Class") will receive lifetime achievement awards.

Winners of the 70th Annual Tony Awards will be announced June 12 in a ceremony airing live from the Beacon Theatre in New York on CBS. James Corden, Tony winner and host of "The Late Late Show," will host.

To read a full list of nominees, click here.

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