‘Maybe Happy Ending’ triumphs at Tony Awards with top musical wins

The recent Tony Awards ceremony celebrated a remarkable Broadway season, highlighted by the musical "Maybe Happy Ending" taking home top honors. This show, which tells a sweet and futuristic story about two obsolete helper robots exploring connection and humanity, was recognized as Best Musical.

"Maybe Happy Ending" also saw wins for its lead actor, Darren Criss, who earned his first Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, and for Michael Arden, who was awarded Best Director of a Musical for his work on the production.

Other significant wins included the modern revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "Sunset Blvd.," which secured the award for Best Revival of a Musical. Nicole Scherzinger, starring as the iconic Norma Desmond in the show, received the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical.

In the play categories, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' "Purpose" was named Best Play. The drama delves into a family whose carefully constructed image begins to crumble when buried secrets and faith-based conflicts surface.

The ceremony capped a particularly strong financial season for Broadway, which rebounded post-pandemic to achieve record revenues. The 2024-25 season grossed an impressive $1.89 billion and welcomed 14.7 million attendees to New York City theaters, according to the Broadway League.

Individual performance awards also recognized standout talents. Sarah Snook, known for her TV work, won Best Leading Actress in a Play for her compelling multi-role performance in "The Picture of Dorian Gray," marking a successful Broadway debut.

The evening also featured a special reunion of the original cast of "Hamilton," including creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who performed an electric medley to celebrate the musical's 10th anniversary. This performance also teased the return of Leslie Odom Jr. to the role of Aaron Burr for a limited run.

Further notable acting wins included Francis Jue for Best Featured Actor in a Play for "Yellow Face," Kara Young winning Best Featured Actress in a Play for "Purpose" (her second consecutive win in this category), Natalie Venetia Belcon for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for "Buena Vista Social Club," and Jak Malone for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for "Operation Mincemeat."

The award for Best Revival of a Play went to Jonathan Spector’s "Eureka Day," a comedy examining a vaccine debate among parents at a progressive school.

Despite the creative successes and record grosses, the season also highlighted economic challenges facing Broadway, notably the rising cost of production and ticket prices. Premium seats for some shows exceeded $400, raising concerns about accessibility for a wider audience, although demand-driven pricing has become common.

The Broadway League acknowledged that rising costs impact all aspects of bringing a production to the stage, making the endeavor increasingly difficult.

This season also marked significant representation across many productions, with notable contributions and historic nominations for Asian American, Black, Middle Eastern, and Hispanic actors and creative leaders.

Special honors were bestowed upon industry veterans: four-time Tony winner Harvey Fierstein received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Celia Keenan-Bolger was given the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for her dedication to advocacy through the arts, including establishing a fellowship for young actors without financial resources, in memory of Gavin Creel.