Bette Midler, ‘Hello, Dolly!’ score Tony nominations

It’s the Hamiltonys no more.

A year after the groundbreaking musical dominated the awards season, the 2017 Tony Award nominations were more evenly doled out, with Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 leading the way with 12 nominations, while the much-buzzed about Dear Evan Hansen earned nine and the Bette Midler-led Hello, Dolly! earned 10. A Doll’s House, Part 2 led the way for plays, garnering eight nominations.

Come From Away,Great Comet, Groundhog Day and Dear Evan Hansen will battle it out for Best Musical, while A Doll’s House, Part 2, Indecent, Sweat and Oslo earned nominations for Best Play.

Each of the nominated musicals relies on distinctly different strengths, with Dear Evan Hansen hitting timely messages regarding social media and mental health, while Great Comet uses its immersive staging to craft a grand spectacle. Groundhog Day explores a sentimental movie favorite with high-tech flair and Come From Away is a truly ensemble effort that tells a story of hope surviving against the backdrop of disaster, in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

On the musicals side, Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen), whose name has been tossed around for a nomination since the show’s out of town and off-Broadway runs; Christian Borle (Falsettos), currently headlining his second show of the season in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Broadway newcomer and recording artist Josh Groban (Great Comet); Andy Karl, battling through a leg injury sustained just before the show opened (Groundhog Day) and veteran David Hyde Pierce (Hello, Dolly!) earned leading actor nominations.

Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, who go head to head each night as cosmetics mavens in War Paint, will take each other on yet again in the leading actress category, joined by stage veteran Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly! and Denee Benton (Great Comet) and Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon), a pair of newcomers making their Broadway debuts in a massive way.

Cate Blanchett (The Present), Jennifer Ehle (Oslo), Sally Field (The Glass Menagerie), Laura Linney (The Little Foxes) and Laura Metcalf (A Doll’s House, Part 2) earned leading actress in a play nominations, while Denis Arndt (Heisenberg), Chris Cooper (A Doll’s House, Part 2), Corey Hawkins (Six Degrees of Separation), Kevin Kline (Present Laughter) and Jefferson Mays (Oslo) earned leading actor nods.

The 2017 Tony Awards, hosted by Tony winner Kevin Spacey, are set for 8 p.m. on June 11 at Radio City Music Hall. The awards ceremony will be broadcast on CBS.

The nominees:
BEST MUSICAL
Come From Away
Dear Evan Hansen
Groundhog Day
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
BEST PLAY
A Doll’s House, Part 2
Indecent
Oslo
Sweat
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
Falsettos
Hello, Dolly
Miss Saigon

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY
Jitney
The Little Foxes
Present Laughter
Six Degrees of Separation

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
Denis Arndt, Heisenberg
Chris Cooper, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Corey Hawkins, Six Degrees of Separation
Kevin Kline, Present Laughter
Jefferson Mays, Oslo
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY
Cate Blachett, The Present
Jennifer Ehle, Oslo
Sally Field, The Glass Menagerie

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Christian Borle, Falsettos
Josh Groban, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
David Hyde Pierce, Hello, Dolly!
Andy Karl, Groundhog Day
Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Denee Benton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Christine Ebersole, War Paint
Patti LuPone, War Paint
Bette Midler, Hello, Dolly!
Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL

Come From Away, Irene Sankoff and David Hein

Dear Evan Hansen, Steven Levenson

Groundhog Day The Musical, Danny Rubin

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Dave Malloy

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Come From Away, Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein

Dear Evan Hansen, Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul

Groundhog Day The Musical, Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Music & Lyrics: Dave Malloy

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Michael Aronov, Oslo
Danny DeVito, Arthur Miller’s The Price
Nathan Lane, The Front Page
Richard Thomas, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
John Douglas Thompson, August Wilson’s Jitney

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Johanna Day, Sweat
Jayne Houdyshell, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Cynthia Nixon, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Condola Rashad, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Michelle Wilson, Sweat

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Gavin Creel, Hello, Dolly!
Mike Faist, Dear Evan Hansen
Andrew Rannells, Falsettos
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Brandon Uranowitz, Falsettos

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Kate Baldwin, Hello, Dolly!
Stephanie J. Block, Falsettos
Jenn Colella, Come From Away
Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen
Mary Beth Peil,  Anastasia

Best Scenic Design of a Play

David Gallo, August Wilson’s Jitney
Nigel Hook, The Play That Goes Wrong
Douglas W. Schmidt, The Front Page
Michael Yeargan, Oslo

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Rob Howell, Groundhog Day The Musical
David Korins, War Paint
Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!

Best Costume Design of a Play

Jane Greenwood, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Susan Hilferty, Present Laughter
Toni-Leslie James, August Wilson’s Jitney
David Zinn, A Doll’s House, Part 2

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Linda Cho, Anastasia
Santo Loquasto, Hello, Dolly!
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, War Paint

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Christopher Akerlind, Indecent
Jane Cox, August Wilson’s Jitney
Donald Holder, Oslo
Jennifer Tipton, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Howell Binkley, Come From Away
Natasha Katz, Hello, Dolly!
Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Japhy Weideman, Dear Evan Hansen

Best Direction of a Play

Sam Gold, A Doll’s House, Part 2
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, August Wilson’s Jitney
Bartlett Sher, Oslo
Daniel Sullivan, Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes
Rebecca Taichman, Indecent

Best Direction of a Musical

Christopher Ashley, Come From Away
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Michael Greif, Dear Evan Hansen
Matthew Warchus, Groundhog Day The Musical
Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly!

Best Choreography

Andy Blankenbuehler, Bandstand
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, Groundhog Day The Musical
Kelly Devine, Come From Away
Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical
Sam Pinkleton, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Best Orchestrations

Bill Elliott and Greg Anthony Rassen, Bandstand
Larry Hochman, Hello, Dolly!
Alex Lacamoire, Dear Evan Hansen
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812