2023 Tony Awards Predictions: Kimberly Akimbo's Big Night
by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder
The 2023 Tony Awards are upon us. Tonight will be Broadway’s biggest with its annual gathering to honor its best and brightest. Here is how I think some of the awards will go down.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Julia Lester, Into the Woods
Ruthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Bonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo
NaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It Hot
Betsy Wolfe, & Juliet
It’s Bonnie Milligan’s year. I am going to burst out crying when she wins tonight.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kevin Cahoon, Shucked
Justin Cooley, Kimberly Akimbo
Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like It Hot
Jordan Donica, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Alex Newell, Shucked
The same for Alex Newell. So deserving.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nikki Crawford, Fat Ham
Crystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’
Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living
Kara Young, Cost of Living
I really want it to be Crawford, but Silverman won’t be denied here.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Jordan E. Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’
Samuel L. Jackson, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House
Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt
David Zayas, Cost of Living
I would be shocked if Uranowitz doesn’t win. He’s been dominating the awards season thus far and deserves it for his masterful performance.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House
Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Jessica Hecht, Summer, 1976
Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders
Talk about another loaded field. I think Chastain wins, but I wouldn’t argue with anyone taking home the award here.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Corey Hawkins, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy
Wendell Pierce, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
After seeing Good Night, Oscar, I have to apologize to Sean Hayes. I never saw a Broadway performance that I liked him in and only thought of him as a stunt cast replacement(I know, harsh). But his beautiful performance in the Doug Wright play should be a career-altering moment for him. He deserves the win here.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods
Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo
Lorna Courtney, & Juliet
Micaela Diamond, Parade
Victoria Clark is one of the greats of the 21st Century, that will be sealed tonight with her second Tony win.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Some Like It Hot
J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot
Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Brian d’Arcy James, Into the Woods
Ben Platt, Parade
Colton Ryan, New York, New York
J.Harrison Ghee deserves this. Their performance is incredible. History will be made tonight.
Best Revival of a Musical
Into the Woods
Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Parade
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Parade finally wins an award it should have won over 20 years ago.
Best Revival of a Play
August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
A Doll’s House
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Not as close of a race as you may think. A Doll’s House wins.
Best Play
Ain’t No Mo’
Between Riverside and Crazy
Cost of Living
Fat Ham
Leopoldstadt
Tom Stoppard will win his fifth Tony Award for Best Play. No question.
Best Musical
& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot
I think Kimberly Akimbo will win here. But I would not be shocked to see Some Like It Hot ride this wave of awards-PR to take home the big trophy. I really want Shucked to win but that’s likely not to happen.