The 2023 Tony Awards, aka the Oscars for Broadway, happened in mid-June – acknowledging the best new shows of the past year. Most years, a handful of shows really dominate across the categories, making it clear which shows are the must-sees.
This year, no show really swept the field, so to help navigate which shows are worth a watch, AWNY pulled together our picks of the standout shows.
Kimberly Akimbo (8 Tony nominations, 5 wins)
The winner for Best Musical, this feel-good show was a favorite amongst the AWNY team (and most of us picked it for the win). It’s a hilarious but uplifting story about what could have been a very depressing subject. Not to mention, the show has a great original score. Our favorite cast member was Bonnie Milligan who played the Aunt. She is hilarious.
Some Like It Hot: (13 Tony nominations, 4 wins)
More of a traditional-style musical, but highly recommended. The show had great sets and dancing, and the music is written by the same songwriters who wrote most of the music for the TV show, Smash. (It even features one song from the TV show.) Christian Borle was a favorite in this, delivering the laughs.
& Juliet (9 Tony nominations, 0 wins)
Really fun and entertaining, this is a great show for people who perhaps aren’t totally in love with musicals. It features already well-known songs written by Max Martin – aka, lots of Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys.
Shucked (9 Tony nominations, 1 win)
This show is all about corn. Set in a small southern town surrounded by cornfields, the jokes are – you guessed it – corny. It’s a show full of puns and dad jokes. Pretty funny at times, with some great music, but nothing that stuck in my head afterward (and the story wasn’t groundbreaking).
New York, New York: (9 Tony nominations, 1 win)
This is quite a long show at 2.5 hours. I felt most of the music was forgettable, besides Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York (of course), which will probably be enough to get people to the show. It had some great sets and choreography, which made for some nice moments throughout, but the story was not captivating (and the run time was a little too long).
Parade (6 Tony nominations, 2 wins)
Parade won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical. It tells the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager living in Georgia, accused and eventually convicted of murdering a young girl in 1913. A very serious story (which may seem odd for the musical format), but it was really well done. The musical aspect never overshadows, nor does it diminish the seriousness of the story. It was my first time seeing Ben Platt in a musical (I missed him in Dear Evan Hansen) and he was amazing, but I was even more impressed by the supporting cast that gave some standout performances. Definitely a must-see!
Prima Facie (4 Tony nominations, 1 win)
Prima Facie is written by Suzie Miller, a wonderful Aussie lawyer-turned-playwright. Suzie leaned on her career experience to create this incredible one-woman play about a barrister who represents men accused of sexual assault. Midway through the play, the line separating her personal and professional life becomes inextricably blurred. The set, sound, and lighting design are all spectacular and able to transport you to a range of different places (courtroom, police station, her home, a nightclub).
Everyone at AWNY basically agrees that we would have started a riot had Jodie Comer not won the Best Actress award!
Leopoldstadt (6 Tony nominations, 4 wins)
English playwright, Tom Stoppard’s latest play follows a Jewish family in Vienna from 1899 to 1955. As you have likely deduced, this is not a lighthearted comedy but a truly moving and thought-provoking play that will stay with you well after the curtain falls. It won the Tony for Best Play and Best Lead Actor (Brandon Uranowitz), and is a must-see!
Fat Ham (5 Tony Nominations, 0 wins)
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a modern-day reinvention of Hamlet set during a family BBQ in the South. It is a very funny if at times strange adaptation that really works thanks to its perfect cast.
Whereas we probably wouldn’t have picked it for best play, I definitely think that it was overlooked on some nominations, in particular for Lead Actor, Marcel Spears. Originally set to close on June 25th, the run has been extended to July 2nd and we definitely recommend seeing it, especially during Pride month (spoiler alert!).
AWNY | Australian Women in New York 