Did You Know... Our Favorite Fun Facts About the 2019 Tony Nominees!

Over the course of each Broadway season, unexpected and unique storylines inevitably pop up. This morning, with the announcement of the 2019 Tony Award nominations, a number of new narratives have come to life.

We've got performers making historic returns, while others are doing things that have never been done before, and much more. Check out some of the most interesting factual nuggets below, and if you think of any that we miss, tweet us @BroadwayWorld and we will share our favorites.

CLICK HERE to check out a full list of this year's nominees, and HERE for reactions from the lucky few!

The American Theatre Wing's 73rd Annual Tony Awards, hosted by Tony winner James Corden, will air live from Radio City Music Hall on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, June 9, 2019 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT). The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

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At last year's Tony Awards, the Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category featured six nominees, this year, it was the Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play category to include a half-dozen performers. This year's nominees are Annette Bening, Laura Donnelly, Elaine May, Janet McTeer, Laurie Metcalf, and Heidi Schreck.

This is the first time that the category has expanded to six nominees since Anne Bancroft won for THE MIRACLE WORKER in 1960.

In recent years, having six performers nominated in a category has been unusual, but it's not unheard off. It happened for the first time in 1956 when Julie Harris won for THE LARK, and of course, Katrina Lenk (THE BAND'S VISIT) beat five other nominees in 2018.

In 1958, there were actually seven nominees in the Best Actor in a Play category. Ralph Bellamy (Sunrise at Campobello) beat Richard Burton (Time Remembered), Hugh Griffith (LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL), Laurence Olivier (The Entertainer), Anthony Perkins (LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL), Peter Ustinov (ROMANOFF AND JULIET), and Emlyn Williams (A BOY GROWING UP).

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Back and Better than Ever

Elaine May earned the above nomination for her return to the stage 53 years after she last appeared on Broadway; although some might argue that it doesn't technically count.

Though three plays that May wrote (TALLER THAN A DWARF, AFTER THE NIGHT AND THE MUSIC, and RELATIVELY SPEAKING) have come to Broadway since, she last appeared as a performer on Broadway in 1966's THE OFFICE, which never technically opened.

Before that, her only previous Broadway performance credit was in AN EVENING WITH Mike Nichols AND Elaine May, which ran from Oct. 8, 1960-July 1, 1961.

Annette Bening has appeared on Broadway twice, in 1987's COASTAL DISTURBANCES and now in ALL MY SONS. She received Tony nominations for both performances; marking an incredible 32 years between noms.

Though Fionnula Flanagan had been on Broadway in 1968's LOVERS and 1971's THE INCOMPARABLE MAX, she earned her first Tony nomination for 1974's ULYSSES IN NIGHTTOWN and then hadn't been seen on the Main Stem until THE FERRYMAN.

The 45 years between nominations is the third longest span between performance nominations, following Barbara Cook's 52 years (1958's THE MUSIC MAN, 2010's SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM) and Jane Fonda's 49 (1960's THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL, 2009's 33 VARIATIONS)

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Historic Firsts

With her nomination in the Best Featured Actress in a Musical category, OKLAHOMA!'s Ali Stroker becomes the first performer who uses a wheelchair to be nominated for a Tony.

Also, with the Best Play nomination for GARY: A SEQUEL TO TITUS ANDRONICUS, it is believed that Taylor Mac is the first openly gender non-confirming individual to be nominated in the category.

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Plays that Sing and Dance

For the second year in a row, the Best Original Score category features music written for a play. Last year, Adrian Sutton was nominated for ANGELS IN AMERICA, this year it is Adam Guettel for TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

Over the past 10 season - perhaps because of the rise of ineligible jukebox musicals - it is becoming more and more common to see plays honored in this category.

2019: TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD- music by Adam Guettel
2018: ANGELS IN AMERICA- music by Adrian Sutton
2012: PETER AND THE STARCATCHER- music by Wayne Barker, lyrics by Rick Elice
2010: FENCES- music by Branford Marsalis
2010: ENRON- music by Adam Cork, lyrics by Lucy Prebble

Keep in mind that the official title of the category does specify "Music and/or Lyrics Written for the Theatre." Many thought that perhaps Jason Michael Webb and Fitz Patton's original music for CHOIR BOY would be the play to land the score slot, but instead, Webb will receive a Special Tony Award for his work arranging and music directing the Best Play nominee.

Like Guettel and TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD above, this year we saw a play nominated in another traditional musical category. After being overlooked for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND last year, Camille A. Brown was nominated for her choreography in CHOIR BOY. This is the seventh time that choreography in a straight-play has been nominated.

2019: CHOIR BOY- Camille A. Brown
2018: HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD- Steven Hoggett
2015: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME- Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett
1992: DANCING AT LUGHNASA- Terry John Bates
1989: LARGELY NEW YORK- Bill Irwin and Kimi Okada
1973: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING- Donald Saddler
1956: RED ROSES FOR ME- Anna Sokolow

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Journalist and mathematician Ben Zauzmer posted a Twitter thread with 73 fun facts for the 73rd Annual Tony Awards:

Some of our favorite facts from the thread are:

"Fresh off his win for The Band's Visit, @DavidYazbek (@TootsieMusical) has a chance to become the 4th person to compose back-to-back Best Musical winners. -Richard Adler/Jerry Ross (The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees) -Cy Coleman (City of Angels, The Will Rogers Follies)"

This is the 5th time 2 shows received 2+ Musical Ft Actor noms (@Hadestown, @AintTooProud). Others: 1960: Fiorello!, The Sound of Music 2001: The Producers, The Full Monty 2003: Hairspray, Movin' Out 2015: Something Rotten!, An American in Paris