'Bright Star' Earns Tony Nominations; 'Hamilton' Sets Record

Everyone knew "Hamilton" would be nominated for some Tony Awards, but did anyone expect a record-breaking 16?

The outrageously popular hip-hop show based on the life of Alexander Hamilton scored the most nods in Tony's history, taking the title away from "The Producers" and "Billy Elliot," which each had 15 nominations.

Courtesy of PBS

Though "Hamilton" dominated — and is expected to win many of the awards — the San Diego-bred "Bright Star" will be among its competitors.

"Bright Star" earned five nominations for Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score (the cast recording was just released last week), Best Actress for Carmen Cusack and Best Orchestrations for August Eriksmoen.

The bluegrass-driven musical, written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, had its first staging at The Old Globe in 2014.

"We're all thrilled," said Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. "There's something so special about being with a piece from before it was born all the way to when it's grown up."

The show is set in the 1920s and 1940s and follows a North Carolina editor and a young man just coming home from World War II, looking to pursue a writing career. Their lives intersect in surprising, emotional ways.

But how does it feel to be nominated in the year of "Hamilton"?

"'Hamilton' is a once in a generation achievement," Edelstein said. "And the best thing about it is that's injected Broadway and theater into the national conversation. We're just thrilled for them and thrilled to be at the table with them."

Other San Diego-connected nominees include Grossmont College Costume Design alum Gregg Barnes for his work in "Tuck Everlasting," UC San Diego graduate Danny Burstein for lead actor in "Fiddler on the Roof" and North County-bred and CYT-alum Michelle Williams for lead actress in "Blackbird."

The complete list of nominees:

Best Play

• "Eclipsed"
• "The Father"
• "The Humans"
• "King Charles III"

Best Musical

• "Bright Star"

• "Hamilton"

• "School of Rock—The Musical"

• "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

• "Waitress"

Best Revival of a Play

• Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

• Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge"

• "Blackbird"

• "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

• "Noises Off"

Best Revival of a Musical

• "The Color Purple"

• "Fiddler on the Roof"

• "She Loves Me"

• "Spring Awakening"

Best Book of a Musical

• "Bright Star"

• "Hamilton"

• "School of Rock—The Musical"

• "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

• "Bright Star"

• "Hamilton"

• "School of Rock—The Musical"

• "Waitress"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play

• Gabriel Byrne, "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

• Jeff Daniels, "Blackbird"

• Frank Langella, "The Father"

• Tim Pigott-Smith, "King Charles III"

• Mark Strong, Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

• Jessica Lange, "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

• Laurie Metcalf, "Misery"

• Lupita Nyong'o, "Eclipsed"

• Sophie Okonedo, Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

• Michelle Williams, "Blackbird"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical

• Alex Brightman, "School of Rock—The Musical"

• Danny Burstein, "Fiddler on the Roof"

• Zachary Levi, "She Loves Me"

• Lin-Manuel Miranda, "Hamilton"

• Leslie Odom, Jr., "Hamilton"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

• Laura Benanti, "She Loves Me"

• Carmen Cusack, "Bright Star"

• Cynthia Erivo, "The Color Purple"

• Jessie Mueller, "Waitress"

• Phillipa Soo, "Hamilton"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

• Reed Birney, "The Humans"

• Bill Camp, Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

• David Furr, "Noises Off"

• Richard Goulding, "King Charles III"

• Michael Shannon, "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

• Pascale Armand, "Eclipsed"

• Megan Hilty, "Noises Off"

• Jayne Houdyshell, "The Humans"

• Andrea Martin, "Noises Off"

• Saycon Sengbloh, "Eclipsed"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

• Daveed Diggs, "Hamilton"

• Brandon Victor Dixon, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

• Christopher Fitzgerald, "Waitress"

• Jonathan Groff, "Hamilton"

• Christopher Jackson, "Hamilton"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

• Danielle Brooks, "The Color Purple"

• Renée Elise Goldsberry, "Hamilton"

• Jane Krakowski, "She Loves Me"

• Jennifer Simard, "Disaster!"

• Adrienne Warren, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

Best Direction of a Play

• Rupert Goold, "King Charles III"

• Jonathan Kent, "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

• Joe Mantello, "The Humans"

• Liesl Tommy, "Eclipsed"

• Ivo Van Hove, Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge"

Best Direction of a Musical

• Michael Arden, "Spring Awakening"

• John Doyle, "The Color Purple"

• Scott Ellis, "She Loves Me"

• Thomas Kail, "Hamilton"

• George C. Wolfe, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

Best Scenic Design of a Play

• Beowulf Boritt, "Thérèse Raquin"

• Christopher Oram, "Hughie"

• Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge"

• David Zinn, "The Humans"

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

• Es Devlin and Finn Ross, "American Psycho"

• David Korins, "Hamilton"

• Santo Loquasto, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

• David Rockwell, "She Loves Me"

Best Costume Design of a Play

• Jane Greenwood, "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

• Michael Krass, "Noises Off"

• Clint Ramos, "Eclipsed"

• Tom Scutt, "King Charles III"

Best Costume Design of a Musical

• Gregg Barnes, "Tuck Everlasting"

• Jeff Mahshie, "She Loves Me"

• Ann Roth, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

• Paul Tazewell, "Hamilton"

Best Lighting Design of a Play

• Natasha Katz, "Long Day's Journey Into Night"

• Justin Townsend, "The Humans"

• Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

• Jan Versweyveld, Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge"

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

• Howell Binkley, "Hamilton"

• Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

• Ben Stanton, "Spring Awakening"

• Justin Townsend, "American Psycho"

Best Choreography

• Andy Blankenbuehler, "Hamilton"

• Savion Glover, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

• Hofesh Shechter, "Fiddler on the Roof"

• Randy Skinner, "Dames at Sea"

• Sergio Trujillo, "On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan"

Best Orchestrations

• August Eriksmoen, "Bright Star"

• Larry Hochman, "She Loves Me"

• Alex Lacamoire, "Hamilton"

• Daryl Waters, "Shuffle Along, Or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed"

The Tony Awards will be televised on CBS on Sunday, June 12, 2016.