NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Sunday night (June 8) marked a triumphant return for Broadway at the 78th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall, with Maybe Happy Ending sweeping the night and Purpose earning top honors in the play category.
Hosted by Cynthia Erivo—who kicked off the evening with her original opener “Sometimes All You Need Is a Song” – the ceremony celebrated standout performances, historical firsts, and a Broadway’s renewed sense of creative energy.
Highlights
Maybe Happy Ending, a bittersweet musical about obsolete HelperBots, led with six Tony wins, including Best Musical, Best Book (Will Aronson & Hue Park), Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design, Best Direction (Michael Arden), and Best Leading Actor for Darren Criss.
Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins took home Best Play, and actress Kara Young made Tony history with her win for Featured Actress in a Play—her second consecutive win.
Nicole Scherzinger wowed as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd., earning Best Leading Actress in a Musical and the show walked away with Best Revival of a Musical
In plays, Sarah Snook won Best Leading Actress in a Play for her solo powerhouse performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Cole Escola became the first openly non‑binary performer to win Leading Actor in a Play for Oh, Mary!
Francis Jue (Best Featured Actor in a Play, Yellow Face), Jak Malone (Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Operation Mincemeat), Natalie Venetia Belcon – Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Buena Vista Social Club, and Kara Young all took home accolades.
Technically, Buena Vista Social Club triumphed in choreography, orchestrations, and sound design, while Stranger Things: The First Shadow snagged scenic, lighting, and sound design awards in the play category.
—
Full List of Winners
Best Musical
• Maybe Happy Ending
Best Play
• Purpose
Best Leading Actress in a Musical
• Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.
Best Leading Actor in a Musical
• Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
Best Leading Actress in a Play
• Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Leading Actor in a Play
• Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!
Best Featured Actress in a Play
• Kara Young, Purpose
Best Featured Actor in a Play
• Francis Jue, Yellow Face
Best Featured Actor in a Musical
• Jak Malone, *Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
• Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club
Best Revival of a Musical
• Sunset Blvd.
Best Revival of a Play
• Eureka Day
Best Direction of a Musical
• Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
Best Direction of a Play
• Sam Pinkleton, *Oh, Mary!* ([tonyawards.com][2])
Best Choreography
• Patricia Delgado & Justin Peck, *Buena Vista Social Club* ([tonyawards.com][2])
Best Book of a Musical
• Will Aronson & Hue Park, *Maybe Happy Ending* ([tonyawards.com][2])
Best Original Score
• Will Aronson & Hue Park, *Maybe Happy Ending* 
Best Scenic Design (Play)
• Miriam Buether & 59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Scenic Design (Musical)
• Dane Laffrey & George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending
Best Costume Design (Play)
• Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Costume Design (Musical)
• Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her
Best Lighting Design (Play)
• Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Lighting Design (Musical)
• Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd.
Best Sound Design (Play)
• Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Sound Design (Musical)
• Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club
Best Orchestrations
• Marco Paguia, Buena Vista Social Club
Lifetime Achievement Tony
• Harvey Fierstein
Isabelle Stevenson Award
• Celia Keenan-Bolger
Regional Theatre Tony
• The Muny
Tony Honors for Excellence
• Great Performances, Michael Price, New 42, NY Public Library for the Performing Arts
