Mean Girls and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical took the highest number of 2018 Tony award nominations with 12 each including best musical, best original score, best book, best direction, best scenic design, and best choreography.
This year, just 30 Broadway productions were eligible for Tony nominations — the smallest pool in more than a decade.
The most-watched race for the 2018 Tony awards is in the best musical category, where the critically acclaimed The Band’s Visit goes up against Mean Girls, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Frozen.
The Band’s Visit is the highest-grossing Tony nominee for the 2017 to 2018 nominee season, bringing in more than $28 million since it opened in Nov. 2017, according to data from Broadway World.
SpongeBob SquarePants was the second-highest grossing with more than $19.3 million, followed by Frozen with $15.9 million.
Once on this Island, nominated for best revival of a musical, and Ferenelli and the King, nominated for best play, were fourth- and fifth-highest grossing, with more than $13 million and $12 million, respectively for the 2017 to 2018 season. At sixth and seventh, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child brought in $10.2 and Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel grossed $9.6 million.
Mean Girls, the musical based on Tina Fey’s 2004 film that opened on Apr. 8, was eighth with $9.5 million.
Mean Girls and Frozen are outpacing critics’ favorite The Band Visit in average sales, likely due to their brand recognition and existing fanbases.
Sara Barilles and Josh Groban will host this year year’s Tony Awards on June 10 at Radio City Music Hall.