NYU Alumni Win the Top Prizes at the 2025 Tony Awards

'Maybe Happy Ending' starring Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen, won six Tony Awards, including one for Criss as best leading actor in a musical. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

There was no "maybe" about the happy ending for the NYU community at the 2025 Tony Awards on June 8, when Maybe Happy Ending-the dark horse new work about two robots falling in love-won six awards, including the coveted Best New Musical.

Will Aronson (TSOA '07) and Hue Park (Steinhardt '12), the creators of the charming musical, won for best book and score, and were among seven NYU producers who celebrated the top award.

Six alumni were honored as producers of Sunset Boulevard, which was named Best Musical Revival.

Branden Jacob-Jenkins added a Tony to his Pulitzer Prize for Purpose, named Best New Play. And Tisch School of the Arts alum Sam Pinkleton was awarded Best Director for his work on Oh, Mary!

Paul Tazewell (TSOA '89) won the Best Costume Design for a Musical for Death Becomes Her.

The winners were among the NYU community members to receive more than 60 nominations for the 78th annual awards

They joined NYU alumni, faculty and a current student representing the College of Arts and Science, Gallatin, Law, Steinhardt, Stern, and Tisch to receive nominations when they were announced May 1.

Daniel Dae Kim made history as the first AAPI actor to be nominated for Leading Actor in a Play for Yellow Face. Aronson's and Park's hit earned 10 nominations, tying with Buena Vista Social Club and Death Becomes Her as the most honored. NYU alumni contributed to each of the five Best New Musicals nominees.

Tisch Collaborative Arts student Fina Strazza earned a Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play nomination for her role in John Proctor is the Villain. Joining Jacobs-Jenkins was Sanaz Toossi, who earned a Best Play nod for English. In all, NYU earned nominations in 17 categories.

The 2025 Tony Awards were presented by the Broadway League and American Theatre Wing at Radio City Music Hall and broadcast on TV. The show was hosted by 2016 winner Cynthia Erivo.

NYU's nominations, with winners in bold, is below. A complete list is available at the Tony Awards website.

Best New Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Ioana Alfonso (TSOA '98), Constance Cincotta (GSAS '86), John Leguizamo (TSOA), Marc Platt (LAW '82), Marco Ramirez (TSOA '05), producers

Dead Outlaw
Craig Balsam (LAW '86), Sean Patrick Flahaven (TSOA '97), Dawn Smalberg (TSOA '89), producers

Death Becomes Her
Marc Platt (LAW '82), producer

Maybe Happy Ending
Hunter Arnold (Stern '13), Will Aronson (TSOA '07), Curt Cronin (Stern '13), Kayla Greenspan (Steinhardt '12), Hue Park (Steinhardt '12), Daniel O'Connor (Steinhardt '12), Dorothy Vickery (Tisch '14), producers

Operation Mincemeat
Adam Cohen (Steinhardt '94), Ken Davenport (TSOA '94), Sean Patrick Flahaven (TSOA '97), Larry Hirschhorn (Steinhardt '95), Megan Minutillo (Steinhardt '09), Daniel O'Connor (Steinhardt '12), Tom Smedes (Gallatin '85), Dorothy Vickery (Tisch '14), producers

Best New Play
English
Sanaz Toossi (TSOA '18) playwright

John Proctor is the Villain
Dana Jackson (TSOA '90) producer

Purpose
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (GSAS, TSOA), playwright
Marc Platt (LAW '82), Dylan Tashjian (TSOA '18), producers

Best Revival of a Musical
Gypsy
Ken Davenport (TSOA '94), Wendy Federman (Stern '79), Sean Patrick Flahaven (TSOA '97), Heni Koenigsberg (Steinhardt '74), Tom Kirdahy (WSUC '85, LAW 88), producers

Floyd Collins
Charles D. Urstadt (WSUC '83), producer

Sunset Boulevard
Craig Balsam (LAW '86), Caitlin Clements (TSOA '13), Wendy Federman (Stern '79), Christopher Ketner (Steinhardt '09), Heni Koenigsberg (Steinhardt '74), Alex Levy (LAW '14), producers

Best Revival of a Play
Thorton Wilder's Our Town
Craig Balsam (LAW '86), Rose Caiola (TSOA '91), Sean Patrick Flahaven (TSOA '97), Daryl Roth (Steinhardt '70), producers

Will Aronson, left, and Hue Park accept the Best Score award for 'Maybe Happy Ending' onstage during The 78th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 08, 2025. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Daniel Dae Kim (TSOA '96), Yellow Face

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Fina Strazza (TSOA '27), John Proctor is the Villain
Jessica Hecht (TSOA '87), Eureka Day

Best Original Score
Will Aronson (TSOA '07) and Hue Park (Steinhardt '12), Maybe Happy Ending

Best Orchestrations
Will Aronson (TSOA '07), Maybe Happy Ending

Best Book of a Musical
Marco Ramirez (TSOA '05), Buena Vista Social Club
Itamar Moses (TSOA '03), Dead Outlaw
Marco Pennette (TSOA), Death Becomes Her
Will Aronson (TSOA '07) and Hue Park (Steinhardt '12), Maybe Happy Ending

Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo, (TSOA '10), Good Night, and Good Luck

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes (TSOA '83), Boop! The Musical
Paul Tazewell (TSOA '89), Death Becomes Her
Clint Ramos (TSOA '97), Maybe Happy Ending

Best Direction of a Play
Sam Pinkleton (TSOA '09), Oh, Mary!

Best Lighting Design of a Play
David Bengali (TSOA '12), Good Night, and Good Luck

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Justin Townsend (TSOA faculty), Death Becomes Her

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Dan Moses Schreier (Gallatin '79), Floyd Collins

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg (TSOA '90), English

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Arnulfo Maldonado (TSOA ''05), Buena Vista Social Club