West End winners at the Tonys
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It was a Brist(ish) invasion at last night's 78th Tony Awards! The West End won big as 2024 Olivier Award winners, not content with last year's statue, picked up another gong to add to their ever-growing collection.
Yes, technically, an Australian and American were among the mix, but we’re making like the British Museum and claiming them as our own - well, they did start their award-winning runs at the [Savoy Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/savoy-theatre-london) and [Theatre Royal Haymarket](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/theatre-royal-haymarket-london) respectively.
### **Sunset Boulevard **
**Jamie Lloyd**’s monochrome masterpiece continues to captivate. Its leading lady, Olivier Award-winner **Nicole Scherzinger**, picked up her first Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. She was visibly emotional by the win, crying into the microphone declaring that the accolade had made a "little Hawaiian, Ukrainian, Filipino girl’s dream come true.’
The bloody brilliant musical, which took home seven Olivier Awards last year, also Won Best Revival of a Musical, and Best Lighting Design of a Musical for **Jack Knowles**. **Tom Francis**, who has swapped strolling down The Strand for traipsing through Times Square had fierce competition in his category, which was ultimately won by **Darren Criss** for *Maybe Happy Ending*. Jamie Lloyd, who will be opening *[Evita](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/evita-the-musical-tickets)* in the West End next week, was also nominated, but couldn’t replicate last year's win. With buzz already circulating online around his next impressive feat (yes, we’ve watched the balcony scene approximately 352 times) we’re sure his next award win won’t be far away. So we won’t cry for him just yet.
### **Stranger Things the First Shadow**
So, the show is set in an American High School, and is based on Netflix’s TV show BUT it had its world premiere at the West End’s [Phoenix Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/phoenix-theatre-london). Another West End win.
The production picked up three awards, with **Paul Arditti** winning Best Sound Design of a Play, **Jon Clark** winning Best Lighting Design of a Play, and **Miriam Buether and 59** winning Best Scenic Design of a Play. *[Stranger Things the First Shadow](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/stranger-things-the-first-shadow-tickets)*, which stars **Louis McCartney**, who originated the role of Henry Creel on the West End, also went home with a Special Tony Award for Illusions and Technical Effects.
### **Operation Mincemeat**
The very British musical has received a warm welcome by their allies across the pond. The Yanks have taken to **Jak Malone** as much as we have, with the Olivier Award winner taking home Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his tear-jerking turn as Hester. Malone beat some stiff competition to take home the prize, seeing off Tony Award winner **Danny Burstein** and Broadway veteran **Jeb Brown**.
### **The Picture of Dorian Gray**
The one woman, multi-screen epic received critical acclaim when it played the West End last year. Taking home Olivier Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a play for **Sarah Snook**, and Best Costume Design of a Play for **Marg Horwell**. History repeated itself last night, with picture perfect precision as Sarah Snook took home the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading role in a Play and Marg Horwell won Best Costume Design of a Play!
### **Full list of winners**
**Best Musical**
Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
**Maybe Happy Ending – WINNER**
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
**Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical**
Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald, Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical
**Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard – WINNER**
Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her
**Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical**
**Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending – WINNER**
Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis, Sunset Boulevard
Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
**Best Revival of a Musical**
Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
**Sunset Boulevard – WINNER**
**Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play**
George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
**Cole Escola, Oh, Mary! – WINNER**
Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face
Harry Lennix, Purpose
Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
**Best Direction of a Musical**
Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club
**Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending – WINNER**
David Cromer, Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard
**Best Direction of a Play**
Knud Adams, English
Sam Mendes, The Hills of California
**Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! – WINNER**
Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain
Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
**Best Revival of a Play**
**Eureka Day – WINNER**
Romeo + Juliet
Our Town
Yellow Face
**Best Play**
English
The Hills of California
John Proctor is the Villain
Oh, Mary!
**Purpose – WINNER**
**Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical**
**Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club – WINNER!**
Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw
Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time
Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Joy Woods, Gypsy
**Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play**
Tala Ashe, English
Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day
Marjan Neshat, English
Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain
**Kara Young, Purpose – WINNER**
**Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical**
Brooks Ashmanskas, Smash
Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein, Gypsy
**Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical – WINNER**
Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins
**Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play**
Glenn Davis, Purpose
Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the Villain
**Francis Jue, Yellow Face – WINNER**
Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!
**Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play**
Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California
Mia Farrow, The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose
Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain
**Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray – WINNER**
**Best Book of a Musical**
Marco Ramirez, Buena Vista Social Club
Itamar Moses, Dead Outlaw
Marco Pennette, Death Becomes Her
**Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending – WINNER!**
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
**Best Original Score (music and/or lyrics) Written for the Theatre**
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna, Dead Outlaw
Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, Death Becomes Her
**Will Aronson (music and lyrics) and Hue Park (lyrics), Maybe Happy Ending – WINNER!**
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
**Best Sound Design of a Play**
**Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow – WINNER!**
Palmer Hefferan, John Proctor is the Villain
Daniel Kluger, Good Night, and Good Luck
Nick Powell, The Hills of California
Clemence Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
**Best Sound Design of a Musical**
**Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club – WINNER**
Adam Fisher, Sunset Boulevard
Peter Hylenski, Just in Time
Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins
**Best Orchestrations**
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, Just in Time
Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending
Bruce Coughlin, Floyd Collins
**Marco Paguia, Buena Vista Social Club – WINNER**
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Boulevard
**Best Choreography**
Joshua Bergasse, Smash
Camille A. Brown, Gypsy
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical
**Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club – WINNER**
**Best Lighting Design of a Musical**
**Jack Knowles, Sunset Boulevard – WINNER**
Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd Collins
Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her
**Best Lighting Design of a Play**
Natasha Chivers, The Hills of California
**Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow – WINNER**
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali, Good Night, and Good Luck
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski, John Proctor is the Villain
Nick Schlieper, The Picture of Dorian Gray
**Best Scenic Design of a Play**
Marsha Ginsberg, English
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Marg Horwell and David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray
**Miriam Buether and 59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow – WINNER**
Scott Pask, Good Night, and Good Luck
**Best Scenic Design of a Musical**
Rachel Hauck, Swept Away
**Dane Laffrey and George Reeve,** **Maybe Happy Ending** **– WINNER**
Arnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social Club
Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her
Derek McLane, Just in Time
**Best Costume Design of a Play**
Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good Luck
**Marg Horwell,** **The Picture of Dorian Gray** **– WINNER!**
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Holly Pierson, Oh, Mary!
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
**Best Costume Design of a Musical**
Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club
Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical
Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending
**Paul Tazewell,** **Death Becomes Her** **– WINNER!**
Catherine Zuber, Just in Time