Nicole Scherzinger, Darren Criss Win Tony Awards (Photos, Videos)

Nicole Scherzinger - Tonys 2025
Nicole Scherzinger wins Lead Actress in a Musical for “Sunset Blvd.” at THE 78TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS, Photo: Michele Crowe/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Tony Awards 2025: Nicole Scherzinger, Darren Criss Win, Adam Lambert Presents

The 78th Annual Tony Awards took place LIVE at Radio City Music Hall in New York City Sunday night (June 8). The ceremony, hosted by Wicked star, Cynthia Erivo, aired across all time zones on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Winners included Nicole Scherzinger, Darren Criss and more. Adam Lambert presented an award.

Congratulations to former The Masked Singer and X Factor UK judge, Nicole Scherzinger who won Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her role in the Broadway revival of Sunset Blvd. Nicole exited Masked Singer to star in the West End production in London. After earning rave reviews, she moved on to open the show on Broadway in New York City. Her reality show career may have come to an end.

Nicole Scherzinger accepts Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical

Nicole Scherzinger sings “As if We Never Said Goodbye”

Additionally, Glee star Darren Criss won Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his original turn, playing a robot living in a near-future South Korea in the new musical Maybe Happy Ending, which also won in the Best Musical Category. Fun fact: The production also stars The Voice alum Dez Duron! He competed on season 3 in fall 2012 on Team Christina Aguilera, making it to the Top 8. The season also featured Loren Allred and Melanie Martinez.

Darren Criss accepts Tony Award for Lead Actor in a Musical

Darren Criss and Helen Shen sing “Chasing Fireflies / Never Fly Away” from Maybe Happy Endings

Adam Lambert and Charli D’Amelio present at the Tony’s 2025

Adam Lambert and Charli D’Amelio present Tony Awards 2025
Adam Lambert and Charli D’Amelio present at THE 78TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS, Photo credit: Michele Crowe/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Last year, American Idol alum Adam Lambert stepped into the role of Emcee in Broadway revival of Cabaret. He left the production earlier this year, but appeared on the Tonys Sunday night to present Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical to Jak Malone for his role in Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical. Dancing with the Stars alum Charli D’Amelio co-presented with him.

In August, Adam will play Judas in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl. This exciting production also stars Cynthia Erivo as Jesus.

Tony Awards 2025 Winners List

Best Musical

Buena Vista Social Club
Dead Outlaw
Death Becomes Her
Maybe Happy Ending – WINNER
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical

Best Play

English
The Hills of California
John Proctor is the Villain
Oh, Mary!
Purpose – WINNER

Best Revival of a Musical

Floyd Collins
Gypsy
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Sunset Blvd. – WINNER

Best Revival of a Play

Eureka Day – WINNER
Romeo + Juliet
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town
Yellow Face

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 Blvd. – 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 Blvd.
Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins

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 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

Brooks Ashmanskas, Smash
Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein, Gypsy
Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical – WINNER
Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins

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

Glenn Davis, Purpose
Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the Villain
Francis Jue, Yellow Face – WINNER
Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!

Tala Ashe, English
Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day
Marjan Neshat, English
Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain
Kara Young, Purpose – WINNER

Best Book of a Musical

Buena Vista Social Club, Marco Ramirez
Dead Outlaw, Itamar Moses
Death Becomes Her, Marco Pennette
Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson and Hue Park – WINNER
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Dead Outlaw, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Death Becomes Her, Music & Lyrics: Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
Maybe Happy Ending, Music: Will Aronson; Lyrics: Will Aronson and Hue Park – WINNER
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, Music & Lyrics: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez

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

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 Lighting Design of a Musical

Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd. – 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 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 Blvd.
Peter Hylenski, Just in Time
Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins

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 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 Blvd.

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 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 Blvd.

About mj santilli 35309 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!