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Darren Criss, Nicole Scherzinger, Conrad Ricamora, Clint Ramos, Marco Paguia get Tony Award nominations
When it rains, it pours!
Five outstanding Filipino artists are in the limelight these days for bagging the coveted nominations for the prestigious Tony Awards – Darren Criss (Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for "Maybe Happy Ending" and as a Producer also for "Maybe Happy Ending"), Nicole Scherzinger (Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for "Sunset Blvd."), Conrad Ricamora (Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for "Oh, Mary!"), Clint Ramos (Best Costume Design of a Musical for "Maybe Happy Ending") and Marco Paguia (Best Orchestrations for "Buena Vista Social Club").
Darren Criss, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical and as a Producer for "Maybe Happy Ending"
This is the first time that the 38-year-old actor-singer-musician is nominated for a Tony Award. He received two Tony Award nominations – Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his role as Oliver in "Maybe Happy Ending" and as a producer of "Maybe Happy Ending" which is also nominated for Best Musical. This is also his first Tony Award nomination as a producer.
Criss is also the fourth actor of Asian descent to receive a nomination in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. The other actors include Ken Watanabe (2015 in "The King and I"), Lou Diamond Phillips (1996 in "The King and I"), and Mako (1976 in "Pacific Overtures").
Now married and a father of two, Criss said about his nomination, "I'd like to be very clear: before this morning I was already fully charged.
"Since day one, 'Maybe Happy Ending' has been an ongoing, exponential miracle. And for the last several months, my battery has been in a constant state of overwhelming joy and gratitude.
"So, in many ways, the air today in Seoul is no different. This morning's announcements aren't the reason why I show up to work or love what I do or love who I work with. They are, however, a fitting celebration of that same community, artistry and glorious collaboration- whose fruits of labor have been such an incredible gift to me.
"And so, I gladly accept today's news with pride and the excitement that it may allow our little light to shine as brightly beyond the Belasco theater as possible.
"And now, on with the show..."
Criss made his Broadway debut in 2012 as J. Pierrepont Finch in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." The revival had the three most lucrative weeks of its 11-month run with him in the leading role.
His additional Broadway and off-Broadway credits include "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" as Hedwig (2014 and 2015 [North American Tour]), "American Buffalo" as Bobby (2022), and "Little Shop of Horrors" as Seymour (2024).
The talented actor is Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and Critics Choice Award-winning actor.
His role in "Maybe Happy Ending" and the Original Cast Recording of "Maybe Happy Ending" makes him eligible for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award, respectively, putting him steps closer to receiving the honorable EGOT title.
Nicole Scherzinger, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for "Sunset Blvd."
When we watched Scherzinger in "Sunset Blvd.," she sizzled and delivered.
Even the legendary Glenn Close, who portrayed Norma Desmond in the original 1994 production, had nothing but praise for the 46-year-old singer-actress.
"Nicole's performance is an act of raw artistry and astounding bravery," Close wrote.
Schzerzinger said of her first Tony nomination, "This has been a remarkable season on Broadway with many truly amazing women shining on stage. I wake up every morning and can't believe I get to be a part of this community. I feel so blessed.
"Little Nicole always dreamed about doing this and to be recognized with a Tony nomination is a privilege and is deeply thrilling. I'm so grateful.
"A huge thank you to the Wing and the League for this honor, but especially my champions Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jamie Lloyd. I'm thrilled for everyone at the St. James, including my friend and co-star Tom Francis and our designers Jack Knowles and Adam Fisher and orchestrator David Cullen."
Ricamora, 46, will be up against Bob Odenkirk ("Glengarry Glen Ross"), Glenn Davis ("Purpose"), Gabriel Ebert ("John Proctor is the Villain"), and Francis Jue ("Yellow Face").
When he learned of his Tony nomination, Ricamora said, "Never thought I'd be playing Abraham Lincoln. Never thought our little Off-Broadway show would become this massive. Never thought I'd be nominated for a Tony. I guess never say never. So grateful for all the recognition this show has received from The Tony Awards."
In an email interview, Ramos, the award-winning Filipino American costume and set designer for stage and screen, explained the significance of this Tony nomination for him.
He said, "I continue to be very grateful to be honored for my work, but it is a special honor to be recognized for 'Maybe Happy Ending.' I have been working with Michael Arden for a couple of years now, so the show has a very special place in my heart. I am also very proud that the show is a beautiful representation of a truly Asian love story that also carries universal meaning for all audiences to connect with.
Asked about working on the musical, which received 10 nominations, including the Best Musical, Ramos replied, "Working on 'Maybe Happy Ending' was an incredibly rewarding experience. To be recognized with 10 nominations, including Best Musical, is really a testament to the passion and dedication of the entire team.
"For me personally, one of the biggest challenges was finding ways to honor the cultural specificity that sets the story about two robots in a future Korea while ensuring it felt universally accessible. Collaboration was key, working closely with the creative team, we wanted to make sure that we abided by the meticulous design aesthetic led by our amazing set designer, Dane Laffrey, who built the world that Oliver and Claire existed within."
As for working with Darren Criss, who is the lead in the musical, Ramos said, "Working with Darren is a dream. I think Darren is such a consummate actor who thinks about all of the angles that would play in his performance, and I think that shows in his well-deserved Tony nomination. I'm also extremely happy to see that Darren is proud of his Filipino heritage."
With all the Filipinos and Fil-Ams nominated for a Tony this year, Ramos stressed its importance for representation and for the Filipinos.
"It's immensely significant. I have always and will continue to be an advocate for representation both on and offstage, and I feel incredibly honored to be representing Filipinos alongside so many talented Filipino artists this Broadway season. We're always pushing for excellence, so it's not surprising, but I will always be proud of what we accomplish as a people."
For his next projects, Ramos said, "There are many exciting projects in the pipeline!
"In August, I am producing 'Into the Woods' in Manila with Theatre Group Asia. Stateside, we just finished our 2025 Encores! season at New York City Center, where I serve as Creative Producing Director and have been working on many projects at Lincoln Center as their artist in residence. There is a lot to come that I am very excited about!"
Marco Paguia is the talented musical director of the musical "Buena Vista Social Club" which is based on the book of Mario Ramirez and featuring the music recorded by the ensemble musician group, Buena Vista Social Club.
Set in Havana, Cuba and spans from the 1950s to the 1990s, it follows the lives of four prominent musicians.
Paguia, a music director, arranger, orchestrator and pianist based in New York, will be competing against David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber ("Sunset Blvd."), Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber ("Just in Time"), Will Aronson ("Maybe Happy Ending"), and Bruce Coughlin ("Floyd Collins").
He was also the music director for "Gutenberg! The Musical!," "Girl From the North Country," "Peter and the Starcatcher," and "Everyday Rapture" (Broadway).
Paguia also played on the soundtrack to Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. His arrangements and orchestrations have been performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. —MGP, GMA Integrated News
