Other Broadway vets and newbies whose performances earned them nominations at this year’s ceremony include Nicholas Christopher and Hannah Cruz for Chess, Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts for two Stranges (Carry a Cake Across New York), Joshua Henry and Caissie Levy for Ragtime, Shoshana Bean for The Lost Boys and André De Shields for Cats: The Jellicle Ball.
Meanwhile, The Lost Boys, Schmigadoon!, Titaníque and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) were destined to battle it out for Best Musical and Little Bear Ridge Road, Liberation, Giant and The Balusters were up for Best Play.
The first award of the evening, handed out by Cole Escola and Maya Rudolph, went to Lithgow, who won Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his portrayal of author Roald Dahl in Giant.
“I’m such a lucky actor,” Lithgow, 80, said during his acceptance speech. “This is my third Tony Award. My first one was 53 years ago. [It was] my Broadway debut in the American premiere of an English play, which by an amazing coincidence, originated at London’s Court Theatre, just like Giant.
