Road to the Tonys: Tony-nominated Broadway artists share their journeys

Road to the Tonys is a series of interviews with artists with unique or long-lasting journeys with their show, which culminated in a 2023 Tony nomination.

Ahead of the 2023 Tony Awards on June 11, New York Theatre Guide introduces a new interview series titled Road to the Tonys. Actors, directors, writers, choreographers, and more share their journeys with the shows that ultimately earned them Tony nominations — journeys that included longtime connections to their show, unorthodox paths to Broadway, and gigs that almost didn't happen.

Click the links below to read each artist's full interview. You can also discover the full list of 2023 Tony nominees and updates on how to follow the ceremony, which will not be televised on CBS on June 11 as in years past.

Julia Lester (Into the Woods)

Nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Musical

"Lester's Into the Woods success, it seems, was destined from a young age. She'd performed in the musical twice before: as the cow Milky White in elementary school and as Little Red at 18, both in Los Angeles."

Read the full interview with Julia Lester.

Kevin Del Aguila (Some Like It Hot)

Nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Musical

"Readings and workshops conflicted with Netflix's deadlines — and the streaming platform gave him an ultimatum: Some Like It Hot or the Netflix show. Suddenly he had a choice to make."

Read the full interview with Kevin Del Aguila.

Jennifer Weber (& Juliet and KPOP)

Nominated twice for Best Choreography

"Jennifer Weber grew up teaching herself the choreography from music videos and the Tony Awards. Now, she's creating it. Well, sort of."

Read the full interview with Jennifer Weber.

Get & Juliet tickets now.

Kevin Cahoon (Shucked)

Nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Musical

"His agents couldn't land him an audition, but at 1 a.m. in the cowboy-themed Hell's Kitchen bar Flaming Saddles, Cahoon mentioned it to a friend who said, 'Let me text the casting office and see if I can get you in.'"

Read the full interview with Kevin Cahoon.

Get Shucked tickets now.

James Ijames (Fat Ham)

Nominated for Best Play

"On paper, Hamlet with humor and music sounds like an unusual mix of ingredients. So what's the secret sauce that makes Fat Ham work? A touch of the personal... He and [his protagonist] Juicy share the same Southern roots."

Read the full interview with James Ijames.

Brian d'Arcy James (Into the Woods)

Nominated for Best Leading Actor in a Musical

"When he returned to the part [of the Baker after 20 years] for the latest Broadway revival in 2022, he brought wisdom and understanding he didn't have before. Not just as a more seasoned actor... but as a father."

Read the full interview with Brian d'Arcy James.

Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog)

Playwright of nominee for Best Revival of a Play

"The 'Season of Suzan-Lori' kicked off with a 20th-anniversary Broadway revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play in September 2022. 'The first time we were on Broadway, we were ambassadors at the Ambassador [Theatre],' she said with a smile. 'This time around, we're golden at the Golden.'"

Read the full interview with Suzan-Lori Parks.

Stephen Adly Guirgis and Stephen McKinley Henderson

"Bringing the show to Broadway nearly 10 years after [its Off-Broadway premiere] marked another full-circle moment in the men's journey with Between Riverside and Crazy. When Guirgis first approached Henderson about a Broadway opening, Henderson found himself, as he did all those years ago, thinking about bowing out."

Read the full interview with Stephen Adly Guirgis and Stephen McKinley Henderson.