Editors' Choice, Part One
Last week, you had your say with The 2025 JKTS Readers' Choice Awards (HERE). Now it is our turn! Today, we offer up our more serious awards, honoring those theater people - new faces and familiar faces - that made the 2024-2025 Broadway season the special one that it was.
Show Folk Awards
Movers and Shapers:
- Playwrights: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Purpose) & Kimberly Bellflower (John Proctor is the Villain)
- Musical Writers: Will Aronson & Hue Park (Maybe Happy Ending)
- Designers: Dane Laffrey & George Reeve (Maybe Happy Ending)
These greats represent the present AND the future of Broadway. They have their fingers on the pulse of relevancy, and continue to stretch the boundaries for their respective crafts.
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Maverick of the Season:
- Cole Escola, playwright and star of Oh, Mary!
Much has been written about all of the wonderful things they've done. All of those accolades are well-deserved. We join them in celebrating the creation of art for yourself and your community, and for trusting that a larger community will embrace it as well.
Welcome to Broadway:
- Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler, Romeo + Juliet
- Zoey Deutch, Our Town
- Dez Duron, Maybe Happy Ending
- Lizzy McAlpine, Floyd Collins
- David Thaxton, Sunset Boulevard
- The Original Broadway Cast of Operation Mincemeat
Every season brings a wonderful new crop of Broadway debuts, but these folks really stood out to us. Some came from other areas of the arts, others from across the pond. All of them generously shared their talents and unique personalities. We really hope they will all come back often.
Welcome Back to Broadway:
- Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club
- Jason Gotay, Floyd Collins
It's just as wonderful to see favorites from years past return. These two actors came back in a big way: Belcon, last seen 12 years ago in Matilda, was a magnetic presence that commanded the stage - she even earned a Tony Award for her efforts. Gotay, last seen 12 years ago in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, came back with a riveting, emotional turn in a huge supporting role.
Stars on the Rise:
- Tatianna Cordoba, Real Women Have Curves
- Adrian Blake Enscoe, Swept Away
- Lizzy McAlpine, Floyd Collins
- Diego Andres Rodriguez, Sunset Blvd.
- Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain
These five performers are all going to be big. Really big. Mark my words!
Outstanding Understudy Performance:
- Diego Andres Rodriguez on as Joe Gillis in Sunset Blvd.
- Sydney Jones as Betty Schaeffer in Sunset Blvd.
What great fortune we had seeing the magnificent work of these two! We didn't see them at the same time, so it was really interesting to see how they compared to the actors they covered. Both were spectacular, offering performances that left us thrilled and on our feet cheering. Can't wait to see them both again.
The Egregiously Overlooked:
- Jason Gotay, Floyd Collins
- Lea Salonga, Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends
- Helen J. Shen, Maybe Happy Ending
- David Thaxton, Sunset Blvd.
While we know that the Tony committee can't include everyone, especially in a packed with quality season like this one, but these people should have made the cut! Gotay really grew up with his layered take on Floyd Collins' brother, Salonga showed incredible range, Shen was brilliant all the way around, and Thaxton was a commanding presence on a stage full of commanding presences.
Breakout Star:
- HwaBoon, Maybe Happy Ending
Without ever saying a word, this young plant steals every scene he is in, and has become the star everyone wants to have their picture taken with. He makes appearances at all of the big events. Alas, he does not stage door. The biggest and brightest rarely do
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