Variety The Awards Circuit section brings together all the news about awards and related content throughout the year, including the following: official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards, hosted by Variety awards editor Clayton Davis. Predictions pages reflect the current race standings and do not reflect the personal preferences of any individual competitor. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Forecasts are updated every Thursday.
Visit the respective ceremony prediction pages via the links below:
OSCARS | EMMY | GRAMMYS | TONY
UPDATE: June 8, 2023
Tony 2023 Predictions:
best game
“Fat Ham” at the Public Theater.
Joan Marcus
Weekly Commentary: In the race for the best game, “Leopoldstadt” by Tom Stoppard has many advantages. Many consider it the most accessible and moving play ever written by Stoppard, a playwright of rare stature who is one of the few renowned writers on Broadway. It’s a big, bustling production with a big cast and epic reach, and since it opened in October, it’s had enough box office draw (especially in the fall, when the show was bringing in regularly over a million dollars a week) that it is becoming one of the few coins to last much longer than 16 weeks. It has also already won top prize at the Drama Desks, Outer Critics and Drama League. For many voters, “Leopoldstadt” is the choice.
But every coin in this strong category has admirers, and one in particular has emerged as the candidate who might cause a surprise. It’s “Fat Ham,” James Ijames’ Pulitzer-winning riff on “Hamlet.” It’s a show that cleverly weaves themes of queer identity and legacies of violence into Shakespearian tragedy and somehow never loses its grating sense of humor. Most of those who voted for him still expect ‘Leopoldstadt’ to win, but enough people seemed to have checked that box for him to claim the prize.
In the final count, ‘Leopoldstadt’ still looks like the leader – but ‘Fat Ham’ is fast on their heels.
Gordon Cox’s Picks
Will win: “Leopoldstadt”
Could win: ‘Fat Ham’
Should win: ‘Fat Ham’
Should have been nominated: “Prima Facie”
Clayton Davis’ picks
Will win: “Leopoldstadt”
Could win: ‘Fat Ham’
Read: Variety Awards Circuit for the latest Tony Awards predictions across all categories.
The 76th annual Tony Awards are scheduled for June 11, 2023 at the United Palace in New York. It will air on CBS and Paramount+ and is produced by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss, the latter also serving as the director.
And the nominees are:
- “Leopoldstadt(Longacre Theater)
Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Roy Furman, Lorne Michaels, Stephanie P. McClelland, Gavin Kalin, Delman Sloan, Eilene Davidson, Brad Edgerton, Patrick Gracey, Hunter Arnold, Burnt Umber Productions, Cue to Cue Productions, The Factor Gavin Partnership, Harris Rubin Productions, Robert Nederlander, Jr., No Warranty, Sandy Robertson, Iris Smith, Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler, Dodge Hall Productions/Waverly Productions, Ricardo Hornos/Robert Tichio, Heni Koenigsberg/Wendy Federman, Thomas S. Perakos/Stephanie Kramer , Brian Spector/Judith Seinfeld and Richard Winkler & Alan Shorr - “Fatty ham(American Airlines Theater)
Produced by No Guarantees, Public Theater Productions, Rashad V. Chambers, National Black Theatre, Tim Levy, Bards on Broadway, Bob Boyett, Ghostbuster Productions, James Ijames, Cynthia Stroum, Audible, Adam Cohen, Blake DeVillier, Firemused Productions/JamRock Productions , The Forstalls, Iconic Vizion/Corey Brunish, John Gore Organization, Midnight Theatricals, David Miner, Robin Gorman Newman/PickleStar Theatricals, Marc Platt, Play on Shakespeare, The Wilma Theatre, Colman Domingo and Cynthia Erivo; Produced in association with Roundabout Theater Company (Todd Haimes: Artistic Director/CEO; Sydney Beers: Executive Producer; Steve Dow: Administrative Director; Christopher Nave, CFRE, Director of Advancement); Presentation of the production of The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director; Mandy Hackett, Director of Public Theater Productions) and the National Black Theater (Sade Lythcott, CEO; Jonathan McCrory, Executive Artistic Director); Associate producer: Leah Matthes and Maya Maniar - “Cost of life(Samuel J. Friedman Theater)
Produced by Manhattan Theater Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer); Produced in association with the Williamstown Theater Festival (Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director) - “Between Riverside and Crazy(Hayes Theater)
Produced by Second Stage Theater (Carole Rothman, President and Artistic Director; Khady Kamara, Executive Director); Presentation of the production by Atlantic Theater Company - “It’s not Mo(Belasco Theater)
Produced by Lee Daniels, BET: Black Entertainment Television, Len Blavatnik, Ron Burkle, Aryeh B. Bourkoff, 59th & Prairie Entertainment, RuPaul Charles, I’ll Have Another Productions, Jeremy O. Harris, Lena Waithe, Tucker Tooley Entertainment, CJ Uzomah, Ann Cox, Gina Purlia, Bob Yari, Marvin Peart, Colleen Camp, Marvet Britto, Jeremy Green, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jillian Robbins and The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director; Mandy Hackett , Director of Public Theater Productions)
All eligible shows (unrated)
Tony Awards Prediction Categories
BEST MUSIC | BEST GAME | MUSICAL REBIRTH | PLAY REBIRTH | ACTOR (MUSICAL) | ACTOR (PLAY) | ACTRESS (MUSICAL) | ACTRESS (PLAY) | FEATURED ACTOR (MUSICAL) | FEATURED ACTOR (PLAY) | FEATURED ACTRESS (MUSIC) | FEATURED ACTRESS (PLAY) | DIRECTOR (MUSIC) | DIRECTOR (PLAY) | ORIGINAL SHEET | MUSIC BOOK | CHOREOGRAPHY
About the Tony Awards
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, better known as the Tony Awards, is presented annually by the American Theater Wing and the Broadway League, recognizing excellence in live Broadway theatre. The ceremony, held annually in New York City, was founded by producer and theater director Brock Pemberton and is named after Antoinette “Tony” Perry, an actress, producer and theater manager who was co-founder of the American Theater Wing.