Tony Awards 2016 predictions: Will Hamilton, The Humans or Shuffle Along win big?

The Tony Awards 2016 take place on Sunday 12 June at the Beacon Theatre in New York. Hosted by The Late Late Show's James Corden, the event will see a whole host of stage actors showcasing their talents from the cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton to those in fellow musical Shuffle Along. But while the performances are a dead cert, the winners definitely are not, so ahead of the event, IBTimes UK attempts to predict who will walk away triumphant in these categories ...

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

It seems safe to say that either Jessica Lange or Lupita Nyong'o will win here for their respective performances in dramas Long Day's Journey Into Night and Eclipsed. Lange embodies Mary Tyrone in the four-hour show, presenting a haunted character descending into a world of pain and addiction, while Nyong'o is the shining light in an otherwise harrowing set piece about abduction, sexual abuse and what it means to be free.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

As before in the actress category, Best Actor is likely to go one of two ways; Jeff Daniels for his portrayal of Ray in Joe Mantello's version of hard-hitting drama Blackbird, or Frank Langella as Andre in Florian Zeller's black comedy The Father.

Both men are bold in their performances, dragging their characters to dark depths; the latter struggling to cope with dementia and the other, forbidden desires. Both work could easily see either scoop the prize.

Best Musical

While we can simply take a guess as to who will walk away victorious in the other categories, best musical seems the only safe bet when it comes to the winner. Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton has captivated audiences across the pond in its biographical narration of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, a man who wasn't afraid to speak his mind and turn the world on its head to benefit America.

It has already received a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, it has got to win at least one accolade from its record-breaking nominations this year at the Tony's, right?

Best Play

While any of the four entries would be worthy winners in their own right, it seems fair that Stephen Karam's The Humans will be at the forefront, simply due to its power as an ensemble piece of performance. Where some plays are seen as excellent through one specific actor's work in the show, here, everyone is allowed to shine in this honest celebration of working-class family imperfections and affections.

Check out the list of everyone nominated in every category below before the awards ceremony airs live from 8pm on CBS.

Best Play

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

Best Musical

• Bright Star
• Hamilton
• School of Rock
• Shuffle Along
• Waitress

Best Revival of a Play

• The Crucible
• 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

• Steve Martin, Bright Star
• Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
• Julian Fellowes, School of Rock
• George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along

Best Original Score

• Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Sta
• Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
• Glenn Slater and Andrew Lloyd Webber, School of Rock
• Sara Bareilles, 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, 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 Metcalfe, Misery
• Lupita Nyong'o, Eclipsed
• Sophie Okonedo, The Crucible
• Michelle Williams, Blackbird

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

• Alex Brightman, School of Rock
• 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
• Jessica Mueller, Waitress
• Phillipa Soo, Hamilton

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

• Reed Birney, The Humans
• Bill Camp, 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
• 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

Best Scenic Design of a Play

• Beowulf Boritt, Therese Raquin
• Christopher Oram, Hughie
• Jan Versweyveld, 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
• 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
• Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

Best Lighting Design of a Play

• Natasha Katz, Long Day's Journey Into Night
• Justin Townsend, The Humans
• Jan Versweyveld, The Crucible
• Jan Versweyveld, A View from the Bridge

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

• Howell Binkley, Hamilton
• Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Shuffle Along
• Ben Stanton, Spring Awakening
• Justin Townsend, American Psycho

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, 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 Kall, Hamilton
• George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along

Best Choreography

• Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
• Savion Glover, Shuffle Along
• Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
• Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
• Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet!

Best Orchestrations

• August Eriksmoen, Bright Star
• Larry Hochman, She Loves Me
• Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton
• Daryl Waters, Shuffle Along