Top 10 First Time Tony Award Nominees Worth Rooting For This Year

By Nora Dominick ‘17/ Emertainment Monthly Assistant Stage Editor
With the 69th Annual Tony Awards only one day away, Emertainment Monthly has decided to take a look at some of the first-time nominees at this years Tony Awards ceremony. From Broadway debuts to Hollywood A-List actors, this is a Tony Award season filled to the brim with first-timers. Take a look at Emertainment Monthly’s Top 10 First Time Tony Award Nominees Worth Rooting For This Year below.

10. Steven Boyer, Hand to God

Steven Boyer is making a splash in Hand to God by playing Jason/Tyrone. His comedic timing coupled with the talent of the rest of the cast is turning heads all over town. Boyer will be competing for Best Leading Actor in a Play this weekend and it’s a well-deserved nomination for the actor. Boyer has proven that he is an ingenious comedic actor and his Tony nominated turn in Hand to God is career defining for him.

9. Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man

Conquering the big screen wasn’t enough for Bradley Cooper this year. Coming off of several Oscar nomination for Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and American Sniper, Cooper made a triumphant turn on Broadway this year in The Elephant Man. He is currently reprising his role on The West End and this weekend he is nominated for Best Leading Actor in a Play. Cooper has proven there is nothing he can’t do and the Broadway community took him under their wing this year.

8. Leanne Cope, An American in Paris

Leanne Cope brings a whole definition to Broadway in her Broadway debut as Lise Dassin in An American in Paris. Her work with Robert Fairchild is outstanding as they both bring ballet to Broadway in an inventive, outstanding way. Leanne Cope is nominated for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, a tough category this year, and the nomination is very well-deserved. This being her first-ever Tony Award nomination she has a very prosperous Broadway career ahead of her.

7. Tony Yazbeck, On the Town

New York, New York, it’s a Helluva Town! Tony Yazbeck is astounding in the most recent revival of On the Town. His killer dance moves receive a rousing applause night after night and he deserves all of it. Yazbeck is no stranger to the Broadway spotlight and he is the heart, soul and sweat of On the Town. This weekend he will compete for Best Actor in a Musical and deserves the nomination 100%.

6. Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris

Coming off a s’wonderful win for Outstanding Actor in a Musical at this years Drama Desk Awards, Robbie Fairchild is a fan-favorite. An American in Paris is Fairchild’s Broadway debut and he is creating something truly special on Broadway. Along with fellow nominees Leanne Cope, they are bringing ballet to Broadway. His illustrious ballet moves steal the show as he creates a breakthrough performance in An American in Paris. Who says ballet can’t make it to Broadway?

5. Max von Essen, An American in Paris

Max von Essen is making a splash in An American in Paris as Henri Baurel. No stranger to the Broadway stage, Essen steals the show night after night during his Tony Award nominated performance for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He is a fan favorite amongst the Broadway community and numerous Broadway fans are rooting for him at this years ceremony. His work in the number “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise” is extraordinary and earns a rousing applause every night.

4. Emily Skeggs, Fun Home

The three Alison Bechdel’s in Fun Home are all making their first Tony Award appearances this year and Emertainment Monthly can’t help but cheer them on in anyway possible. Emerson College Alum Emily Skeggs plays Middle Alison and kills it night after night. Her musical number “Changing My Major” earns her a rousing applause night after night. Skeggs proves that she has a long and prosperous career ahead of her and this first Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical is sure to be one of many more.

3. Beth Malone, Fun Home

Beth Malone steals the show as Alison Bechdel in Fun Home at the Circle in the Square Theatre in NYC. She astounds in numerous musical numbers in the show including “Maps” and one of the penultimate numbers “Telephone Wire.” Malone creates some of the most remarkable moments in Fun Home as she acts as the narrator and hardly leaves the stage. Her work on Fun Home is career defining and this weekend she will compete for Best Actress in a Musical.

2. Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Alex Sharp made his Broadway debut this year as Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He is nominated for Best Actor in a Play and has already taken home the award for Best Actor from The Drama Desk Awards and The Outer Critics Circle. Looks like he will be adding this Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play to that laundry list of awards! He is turning heads and is definitely the breakout new performer of this Tony Awards season.

1. Sydney Lucas, Fun Home

Sydney Lucas first made a splash last year in her role as Small Alison in Fun Home Off-Broadway. She is now reprising the role on Broadway and continue to astound. Her work on the musical number “Ring of Keys” earns her thunderous applause night after night. Her adorable charm has captured the hearts of every Broadway fan and fingers crossed she walks away with a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical this year! She may only be eleven but she has the heart, soul and chop of a seasoned Broadway actor.

Be sure to tune into the 69th Annual Tony Awards on Sunday June 7th at 8/9c on CBS to see if any of these first time nominees walk away with their first ever Tony Award.