With just two and a half months of the year 2020 left, are you tired of the word “unprecedented” yet?

Well, we’ve got yet another unprecedented event for you, this time courtesy of the Great White Way. Broadway (and the performing arts in general) has been one of the American institutions most affected by the coronavirus crisis, and the Tony Award nominations that came out on Thursday reflect that all too well. The usual Broadway season was cut short back in March, and productions won’t be coming back until at least June 2012… if not later.

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Because of the abbreviated Broadway season, there were far fewer shows eligible for nomination than usual. And with fewer shows eligible, there were of course also fewer performers. Which brings us to our history-making nomination.

Of the four eligible musicals, only one produced a nomination for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role”: Aaron Tveit, for his role as Christian in Moulin Rouge!

While this isn’t the first time a nomination has flown solo in its category (that distinction goes to Sunset Boulevard in 1995), it is the first time it’s happened in the Leading Actor category. Though Tveit is a Broadway vet, this is his first Tony nomination, and it just so happens to seem like a slam dunk.

BUT… there’s a catch.

Unfortunately, just because he’s the only nominee doesn’t mean he automatically gets the trophy. Instead, according to Tony rules, he still has to get 60% of the ballots to vote in his favor. In other words, if enough Tony voters decided to skip out on his category, he could still lose!

It would be petty AF of the voters, but it could happen. OMG, could you imagine being the only one nominated and LOSING??

He still made Tony history though, and no one can take that away! It’s a good thing, too, because the Graceland star was actually one of the first actors to contract the virus way back in March. We mean, hasn’t this guy suffered enough? Give the man a Tony, already!

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Hey everyone. I just wanted to update you all that I’ve found out that I’ve tested positive for Covid-19. I’ve been in quarantine since Broadway shows shut down on Thursday, March 12th, and I’m feeling much better. I consider myself extremely lucky that my symptoms have been very mild – cold like with no fever – as so many are experiencing much more serious symptoms, because this is a very dangerous virus. One thing I have been experiencing is the loss of taste and smell, which I think is a big sign for people who are otherwise asymptotic. I was tested last Monday, and just found out the results, however, I have been taking this situation extremely seriously, even before I was tested. I want everyone to realize that this can affect anyone. And even if you aren’t feeling sick or showing drastic symptoms – please take heed, stay safe, stay healthy and I hope to see everyone at the theater again soon. And I wanted to post this with a picture of Miles because, they’re loving all this extra time at home with their Humans!

A post shared by A A R O N T V E I T (@aarontveit) on Mar 23, 2020 at 7:46am PDT

BTW, here’s Aaron with co-star (and fellow nominee) Karen Oliva performing Your Song:

How could 40% of voters see that and say BUT THEN AGAIN NO??

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There were some other history-making nominations as well, including complete domination by jukebox musicals (for Moulin Rouge, Jagged Little Pill, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical). For the first time, no musical has been nominated for Best Original Score; whichever of the 5 plays nominated comes out on top will be the first to win in that category in Tony history. Other notable nominees include Jake Gyllenhaal, Tom Hiddleston, and Broadway legend Audra McDonald.

For more of the historic 2020 Tony noms, ch-ch-check out the full list of nominations (below):

Best Play

Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl
The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez
Sea Wall/A Life by Simon Stephens and Nick Payne
Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris
The Sound Inside by Adam Rapp

Best Revival of a Play

Betrayal
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally
A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller

Best Musical

Jagged Little Pill
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Joaquina Kalukango, Slave Play
Laura Linney, My Name is Lucy Barton
Audra McDonald, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

Ian Barford, Linda Vista
Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance
Jake Gyllenhaal, Sea Wall/A Life
Tom Hiddleston, Betrayal
Tom Sturridge, Sea Wall/A Life
Blair Underwood, A Soldier’s Play

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Karen Olivo, Moulin Rouge!
Elizabeth Stanley, Jagged Little Pill
Adrienne Warren, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge!*

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

Ato Blankson-Wood, Slave Play
James Cusati-Moyer, Slave Play
David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
John Benjamin Hickey, The Inheritance
Paul Hilton, The Inheritance

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Jane Alexander, Grand Horizons
Chalia La Tour, Slave Play
Annie McNamara, Slave Play
Lois Smith, The Inheritance
Cora Vander Broek, Linda Vista

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge!
Derek Klena, Jagged Little Pill
Sean Allan Krill, Jagged Little Pill
Sahr Ngaujah, Moulin Rouge!
Daniel J. Watts, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Kathryn Gallagher, Jagged Little Pill
Celia Rose Gooding, Jagged Little Pill
Robyn Hurder, Moulin Rouge!
Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill
Myra Lucretia Taylor, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Book of a Musical

Jagged Little Pill, Diablo Cody
Moulin Rouge!, John Logan
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins

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

A Christmas Carol, Christopher Nightingale
The Inheritance, Paul Englishby
The Rose Tattoo, Fitz Patton and Jason Michael Webb
Slave Play, Lindsay Jones
The Sound Inside, Daniel Kluger

Best Direction of a Play

David Cromer, The Sound Inside
Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance
Kenny Leon, A Soldier’s Play
Jamie Lloyd, Betrayal
Robert O’Hara, Slave Play

Best Direction of a Musical

Phyllida Lloyd, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Diane Paulus, Jagged Little Pill
Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge!

Best Choreography

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Jagged Little Pill
Sonya Tayeh, Moulin Rouge!
Anthony van Laast, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Orchestrations

Tom Kitt, Jagged Little Pill
Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen, Matt Stine, and Justin Levine, Moulin Rouge!
Ethan Popp, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Bob Crowley, The Inheritance
Soutra Gilmour, Betrayal
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Derek McLane, A Soldier’s Play
Clint Ramos, Slave Play

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Riccardo Hernández and Lucy Mackinnon, Jagged Little Pill
Derek McLane, Moulin Rouge!
Mark Thompson and Jeff Sugg, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Costume Design of a Play

Dede Ayite, Slave Play
Dede Ayite, A Soldier’s Play
Bob Crowley, The Inheritance
Rob Howell, A Christmas Carol
Clint Ramos, The Rose Tattoo

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Emily Rebholz, Jagged Little Pill
Mark Thompson, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Catherine Zuber, Moulin Rouge!

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Jiyoun Chang, Slave Play
Jon Clark, The Inheritance
Heather Gilbert, The Sound Inside
Allen Lee Hughes, A Soldier’s Play
Hugh Vanstone, A Christmas Carol

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Justin Townsend, Jagged Little Pill
Justin Townsend, Moulin Rouge!
Bruno Poet, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play

Paul Arditti and Christopher Reid, The Inheritance
Simon Baker, A Christmas Carol
Lindsay Jones, Slave Play
Daniel Kluger, Sea Wall/A Life
Daniel Kluger, The Sound Inside

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Jonathan Deans, Jagged Little Pill
Peter Hylenski, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Nevin Steinberg, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

[Image via WENN, Instar, Andres Otero & Joseph Marzullo]

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