3 Reasons You Should Care About This Year’s Tony Nominations

By Sameer Rao May 01, 2018

The Broadway League and American Theatre Wing honored the best in New York City theater with Tony Award nominations. "Hamilton" star Leslie Odom Jr. and Katharine McPhee ("Waitress") announced this year’s nominees during a ceremony aired on "CBS This Morning" today (May 1). 

The 2018 pool, like much of the Broadway world, largely consists of White people. That said, the nominations recognize many thespians, directors and other stage artists of color. Here are three productions and groups to watch when the Tony Awards air live on June 10 via CBS: 

John Leguizamo and "Latin History for Morons"

The veteran Latinx stage and screen actor received a Best Play nod for his latest one-man show, which covers the millennia-long history of Latinx people in the Americas and United States. Leguizamo also earned one of two Special Tony Awards for his work on that production. 

Condola Rashad, Brian Tyree Henry and More Thespians of Color Across Acting Groups

Actresses and actors of color shone through in every acting category, with one—Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical—dominated by them. Nominees in these groups include: Condola Rashad ("Saint Joan") and Lauren Ridloff ("Children of a Lesser God") for Actress in a Leading Role in a Play; Bryan Tyree Henry ("Lobby Hero") for Actor in a Featured Role in a Play; and Ariana DeBose ("Summer: The Donna Summer Musical"), Lindsay Mendez ("Roger & Hammerstein’s Carousel") and Ashley Park ("Mean Girls") for Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical.

George C. Wolfe and "Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh"

Wolfe is one of few Black directors to garner consistent work and acclaim on Broadway. This year, he is the only nominee of color in the Best Direction of a Play group. He earned that nomination for "Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh," for which Denzel Washington also received a Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play nod.