--- description: Look out for Neil Patrick Harris, Chris O'Dowd and some of the best modern performers in Sunday's 68th Tony Awards title: Tony Awards 2014: Big Names and Tight Contests image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt67dc41060e3e0e50/698696accd804d3b9accb5ed/2014-06-08t161111z_1909151578_tm3ea661.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Tony Awards To Feature Big Names and Tight Contests by [Sam Frizell](/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 8, 2014 5:34 PM CUT  Actor Neil Patrick Harris at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 7, 2014\. The nominated actor is set to perform during the awards show. Actor Neil Patrick Harris at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 7, 2014\. The nominated actor is set to perform during the awards show.Dominick Reuter—Reuters by [Sam Frizell](/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 8, 2014 5:34 PM CUT Sunday evening’s [Tony Awards](http://www.tonyawards.com/index.html "undefined") show features a pack of top-notch contenders, with big shows like “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and “All the Way” in highly competitive categories. The awards, to be held at Radio City Music Hall in NEw York and broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. E.T., will also feature a slew of celebrities, facing off against well-established theater stars and previous Tony winners. With Hugh Jackman hosting the event and big names like Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel and Chris O’Dowd up for awards, count on it being an exciting night. Here are the contenders in some of the top categories of the 68th Tony Awards. **Best Musical:** “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder,” an operetta about a homicidal heir featuring strong performances and an original score, is a top favorite. Another contender, “Beautiful—The Carole King Musical,” features Jessie Mueller in a powerful performance that traces the rise of Carole King’s career. Other nominees include “After Midnight” and “Aladdin.” **Best Play:** Two plays, including “Act One,” an adaptation of Moss Hart’s autobiography, and “All the Way,” a drama about Lyndon B. Johnson’s monumental first year as president, have both earned accolades. Other nominees include “Casa Valentine,” “Mothers and Sons” and “Outside Mullingar.” **Best Revival of a Musical:** Neil Patrick Harris’ feature role in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” has gained a lot of attention this year for the star’s vigorous performance as a transgender German. “Les Misérables” and “Violet” are other nominees. **Best Revival of a Play:** “The Cripple of Inishmaan” and “The Glass Menagerie” both were lauded by reviewers, but fellow nominees “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Twelfth Night” thrilled audiences as well. Here are the other nominees to watch out for in top categories: **Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play** Samuel Barnett, _Twelfth Night_ Bryan Cranston, _All the Way_ Chris O’Dowd, _Of Mice and Men_ Mark Rylance, _Richard III_ Tony Shalhoub, _Act One_ **Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play** Tyne Daly, _Mothers and Sons_ LaTanya Richardson Jackson, _A Raisin in the Sun_ Cherry Jones, _The Glass Menagerie_ Audra McDonald, _Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill_ Estelle Parsons, _The Velocity of Autumn_ **Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical** Neil Patrick Harris, _Hedwig and the Angry Inch_ Ramin Karimloo, _Les Misérables_ Andy Karl, _Rocky_ Jefferson Mays, _A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder_ Bryce Pinkham, _A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder_ **Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical** Mary Bridget Davies, _A Night With Janis Joplin_ Sutton Foster, _Violet_ Idina Menzel, _If/Then_ Jessie Mueller, _Beautiful — The Carole King Musical_ Kelli O’Hara, _The Bridges of Madison County_ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2845207/tony-awards-2014-hedwig-neil-patrick-harris/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2845207/tony-awards-2014-hedwig-neil-patrick-harris/"},"headline":"Tony Awards To Feature Big Names and Tight Contests","datePublished":"2014-06-08T17:34:10.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T08:17:06.184Z","description":"Look out for Neil Patrick Harris, Chris O'Dowd and some of the best modern performers in Sunday's 68th Tony Awards","url":"https://time.com/2845207/tony-awards-2014-hedwig-neil-patrick-harris/","keywords":["Theater"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt67dc41060e3e0e50/698696accd804d3b9accb5ed/2014-06-08t161111z_1909151578_tm3ea661.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Frizell","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt67dc41060e3e0e50/698696accd804d3b9accb5ed/2014-06-08t161111z_1909151578_tm3ea661.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Actor Harris meets the media after he was honored as Hasty Pudding Theatricals' Man of the Year during a roast at Harvard University in Cambridge in this file photo","caption":"Actor Harris meets the media after he was honored as Hasty Pudding Theatricals' Man of the Year during a roast at Harvard University in Cambridge in this file photo","creditText":"Dominick Reuter—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/2845207/tony-awards-2014-hedwig-neil-patrick-harris/","name":"Tony Awards To Feature Big Names and Tight Contests"}}]}] ```