2025 Tony Nominees: Directing and Lighting Design in Musicals

Directorial Vision for Sunset Boulevard

• 💡 The director had a vivid dream about Sunset Boulevard, featuring Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond, which inspired the production.
• 🎯 Scherzinger was initially hesitant but was won over by the music and found a deep connection to the character's experience of fading fame.
• 🚀 A spontaneous idea for a walkaround element during rehearsals surprised and excited the sound and video teams, showcasing their determination to innovate.

Innovative Storytelling for a Song Cycle Musical

• 🧩 The musical originated as a song cycle by David and Eric, intended for concert performances with their band.
• 🌱 The approach evolved organically, integrating the band directly into the performance and allowing the story to emerge between songs.
• 🎭 The challenge was to balance the feel of a live concert with a compelling musical narrative, creating a magnetic experience for the audience.
• 🏆 The band received a Special Tony Award, a first for a Broadway orchestra, for their integral role in the show.

Theatrical Magic in Death Becomes Her

• 🎭 Director Christopher Gatelli focused on using theatrical magic rather than film techniques to create unique stage illusions for "Death Becomes Her."
• ✨ Simple techniques like using doubles, clever lighting, and practical effects created illusions such as a person descending a staircase or a hole in a character's stomach.
• 🧠 The aim was to make the spectacle accessible and immediate to the audience, fostering a shared live experience.
• 🤸 A particularly tricky moment involved a character's acrobatic feat, achieved by casting an actor with a background as a trained Olympic gymnast.

Lighting Design and Thematic Resonance

• 💡 Lighting design for a show with an intricate, constantly moving set presented a puzzle, requiring solutions for lighting within moving boxes and walls.
• 🤖 Special considerations were made for lighting actors playing robots, using techniques like a shinier appearance and cooler color palettes to de-emphasize their humanity.
• 🌟 The show "Happy Ending" is seen as particularly relevant for the current moment, addressing the uncertainties of the future with AI.