The 2017 Tony Award nominations were announced today, May 2, 2017, and MTI authors are front and center!

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Recent Oscar winners, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Edges, Dogfight, James and the Giant Peach) along with book writer Steven Levenson earned nominations for Dear Evan Hansen including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score. Nominations for Dear Evan Hansen also include Best Direction of a Musical (Michael Greif), Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Ben Platt), Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Mike Faist) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Rachel Bay Jones). 

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Photo © pasekandpaul.com).

Irene Sankoff and David Hein

Some of the newest members of the MTI family made quite an impression with their Broadway debut and runaway hit, Come From Away. The small musical about the kindness and generousity of a small Canadian town immediatley garnered a total of 7 nominations! Authors Irene Sankoff and David Hein are nominated for Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. The show also secured nominations for Best direction of a Musical (Christopher Ashley), Best Choreography (Kelly Devine), and Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Jenn Colella). 

David Hein and Irene Sankoff (Photo © Walter McBride).  

Tim Minchin

Tim Minchin (Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical), received nominations for Best Musical and Best Original Score for his most recent Broadway endeavor Groundhog Day. Based on the Bill Murray comedy, Groundhog Day also nabbed nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Andy Karl), Best Book of a Musical (Danny Rubin), Best Direction of Musical (Matthew Warchus), and Best Choreography (Peter Darling and Ellen Kane). 

Tim Minchin

Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil

Miss Saigon's triumphant return to the Great White Way did not go unnoticed. Cameron Macintosh's contemporary classic by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil (Les Miserablés), secured a Tony Nomination for Best Revival of Musical and a Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for the star-making performance of Kim by newcomer Eva Noblezada.

Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil (Photo © Joseph Marzullo).