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Alex Newell and Are the First Nonbinary Actors to Receive Nominations for a Tony Award Harrison Ghee, J. Harrison

The outcome of J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell’s performance on Broadway’s biggest night is still unknown, yet they have already established themselves as pioneers in the field.

Alex Newell and Are the First Nonbinary Actors to Receive Nominations for a Tony Award Harrison Ghee, J. Harris on_

Ghee and Newell made history on Tuesday when they were announced as the first nonbinary performers to be considered for acting awards at the Tony Awards, which are scheduled to take place the following month.

Ghee was recognized with a nomination for best actor in a musical for their portrayal of Jerry and Daphne in the musical adaptation of “Some Like It Hot,” while Newell was recognized with a nomination for best supporting actor in a musical for their work in “Shucked,” in which they play the role of Lulu.

Ghee stated in an email that they were “overwhelmed” and “thrilled” by the accolades that they had received.

“I’m thankful to every member of this production for creating such an affirming space where I get to show the complexity of this human and go on a beautiful ride every time the curtains go up,” Ghee stated in her reflections on the experience of being a part of this performance. “I would like to express my appreciation to the committee for acknowledging this work. It’s a precious moment in time that I will never forget.

On their Instagram story, Newell expressed similar sentiments while sharing a photo of the two actors posing together at the Met Gala on Monday night.

“We walked in The Met as Met Gala Virgins,” Newell wrote in the caption for the photo, “and woke up Tony Nominees!!!”

Ghee and Newell both make use of the pronouns he, she, and they in their writing. Their nominations come just one year after nonbinary people Toby Marlow from the United Kingdom and JJ Maley from the United States became the first people ever to win Tony Awards in their respective categories. Marlow was recognized for their contributions to the musical “Six,” while Maley was one of the producers of “A Strange Loop,” the musical that was ultimately deemed to be the most outstanding production of 2023.

In a similar vein, artists Sara Ramrez and KO were prior winners of the Tony Award for best actress, despite the fact that none of them had openly declared themselves nonbinary at the time that they won their respective nominations.

It is still unclear how the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League, which co-host the Tony Awards each year, intend to acknowledge nonbinary performers in the years to come. These two organizations are responsible for awarding the Tonys.

Because of the gendered nomination categories for the Tony honors, actor Justin David Sullivan said in February that he and his partner were withdrawing their performance in the musical “Romeo and Juliet” from contention for the honors.

“I felt that I had no choice but to abstain from being considered for a nomination this season,” Sullivan wrote in a statement that she released at the time. “Because I was told I had no other option but to choose between one of the two gendered categories in which I would be eligible, I felt that I had no choice but to abstain from being considered for a nomination.” “I could not in good faith move forward with denying any part of my identity to conform to a system and structure that does not hold space for people like me,” she said. “I could not move forward with denying any part of my identity.”

Newell, whose acting accomplishments include roles in “Glee” and “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” finally made the decision to compete for the award for best actor in a supporting role.

“I went based on the English language,” they said in an interview with Variety the previous week. “Because when I say I’m an actor, I mean that is my profession, the craft that I studied, and the craft that I’m doing,” she said. “Because when I say I’m an actor, I mean that is my profession.” An actor is anyone who performs in front of an audience. That is genderless.”

Nonetheless, Newell continued by saying that they hoped Sullivan’s decision would serve as “a wake-up call.”

“Change is inevitable, and it will happen,” Newell continued, “but we need to move a little faster.”

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