Nominations for the 2022 Tony Awards are in, and leading the pack this year with 11 nominations is Michael R. Jackson‘s “Big, Black & Queer American Musical,” A Strange Loop.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play — which made its world premiere in 2019 and its Broadway debut on April 26 of this year — earned recognition in categories such as Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Musical.
A Strange Loop follows Usher who, according to Playwrights Horizons, “is a black, queer writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical: a piece about a black, queer writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical.”
Closely following Michael R. Jackson’s multi-award winning play is a musical based on another Jackson: MJ, centered around Michael Jackson‘s life and music, which earned 10 nominations, including Best Musical. MJ is also up for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, for Myles Frost‘s portrayal of the superstar.
Nominated for Best Actress in a Featured Role is Broadway star Kenita R. Miller for for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. The Ntozake Shange production which originally premiered in 1976, earned seven total nominations including Best Revival of a Play.
Also recognized for Best Revival is Take Me. Having won the coveted Best Play award in 2003, the baseball coming-out story is nominated this year in three other categories, including Best Actor in a Featured Role, which recognizes Grey’s Anatomy alum Jesse Williams.
Phylicia Rashad and Uzo Aduba are nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role for their work in Skeleton Crew and Clyde’s.
The 75th annual Tony Awards will take place live from Radio City Music Hall in New York on Sunday, June 12 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
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