SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Tomorrow night, the 78th Tony Awards will be presented at Radio City Music Hall. It is Broadway's biggest night, and we are talking about it with Jeff Lunden, who covers Broadway for NPR. Hey, Jeff.
JEFF LUNDEN, BYLINE: Hey, Scott.
DETROW: So we had more than 40 productions this year on Broadway. How would you say the season was?
LUNDEN: Well, I think it was one of the best seasons in memory. There are a lot of excellent new musicals, plays and revivals. And two of the plays up for Tonys this year have already won the Pulitzer Prize...
DETROW: Wow.
LUNDEN: ..."Purpose," by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins - that's kind of the front-runner - and "English" by Sanaz Toossi. But in the musicals category, there are three shows that picked up 10 nominations apiece. One of them, "Maybe Happy Ending," has got to be considered the leading contender, and it has a kind of weird premise. It's an original sci-fi story about two retired robots in South Korea who fall in love, which sounds kind of loopy, but it's charming, off-kilter, beautifully directed and acted, and Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen play the robots.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE")
DARREN CRISS AND HELEN J SHEN: (As Oliver and Claire) When you're in love, you are the loneliest. You're only half when one is what you were.
LUNDEN: It's not the only off-kilter original musical up for a Tony. There are two shows based on real historical events which feature corpses in the plot - the English import about a World War II false flag operation run by MI5, the British Intelligence Agency, "Operation Mincemeat"...
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BORN TO LEAD")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS #1: (As characters, singing) But we were born to lead.
LUNDEN: ...And "Dead Outlaw," about the history of an American wannabe robber in the early 20th century, both before and after his death.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DEAD")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character, singing) Your mama's dead.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character, singing) Your daddy's dead.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character, singing) Your brother's dead.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character, singing) And so are you.
LUNDEN: Rounding out the category are "Buena Vista Social Club," based on the lives of the Cuban musicians who recorded the popular 1997 album - that's already getting a special Tony for its live onstage band - and "Death Becomes Her," based on the popular film.
DETROW: Let's talk about one really competitive category with some powerhouses in it, leading actress in a musical.
LUNDEN: Well, there are five great nominees. Both lead actresses in "Death Becomes Her" are up for the award, but most people agree that it's a two- or three-way race. Audra McDonald is up for her record-breaking 11th nomination playing Mama Rose in the revival of "Gypsy."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES")
AUDRA MCDONALD: (As Mama Rose, singing) Honey, everything's coming up roses.
LUNDEN: And former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger is giving a profoundly odd and compelling performance as Norma Desmond in an avant-garde revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Sunset Boulevard."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WITH ONE LOOK")
NICOLE SCHERZINGER: (As Norma Desmond, singing) With one look, I can break your heart.
LUNDEN: And finally, if the vote is split, newcomer Jasmine Amy Rogers might win for her frothy performance as Betty Boop in "BOOP!"
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHERE I WANNA BE")
JASMINE AMY ROGERS: (As Betty Boop, singing) Yeah, but now that I've come here, it's where I wanna be.
LUNDEN: It's almost an embarrassment of riches this year.
DETROW: Well, speaking of riches, Jeff, I'm confused because this was the highest-grossing Broadway season ever, but I thought attendance was still down from the pandemic.
LUNDEN: Well, it was, but the highest gross came about because of high-ticket prices charged for some shows featuring Hollywood actors, Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal and George Clooney. And their shows made back their investment, but the general outlook on Broadway is a little less rosy. Only 1 in 10 shows is turning a profit because of skyrocketing production costs. But even though the odds are long for investors, with musicals, the hope is to create something that becomes a huge moneymaker, like "Hamilton" or "Wicked," which can run for years on Broadway and go on tour.
DETROW: Are you feeling any of that "Wicked" or "Hamilton" energy from any of these new shows?
LUNDEN: Not really at the moment, though "Buena Vista Social Club" and "Death Becomes Her" have already announced tours. But they'll all get their shot when they do numbers on the Tonys. And speaking of numbers on the Tonys, the original cast of "Hamilton" is getting back together to do a song in honor of the show's 10th anniversary.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MY SHOT")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character, singing) Oh, who are you?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character, singing) Who are you?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As character, singing) Who are you?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS #2: (As characters, singing) Ooh, who is this kid? What's he going to do?
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA: (As Alexander Hamilton, singing) I am not throwing away my shot. I am not throwing away my shot. Hey, yo, I'm just like my country. I'm young, scrappy and hungry, and I'm not throwing away my shot.
DETROW: That is NPR's Jeff Lunden. Thank you so much, Jeff.
LUNDEN: Thanks, Scott.
DETROW: The Tonys, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, are on CBS tomorrow evening.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MY SHOT")
MIRANDA: (As Alexander Hamilton) I got to holler just to be heard. With every word, I drop knowledge. I'm a diamond... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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