And the winner is ... Tony Awards honor finest in theater

Sydney Lucas performs a scene from "Fun Home" during the American Theatre Wing's 69th Annual Tony Awards at the Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York June 7, 2015. "Fun Home" won the award for Best Musical. [Photo/Agencies]

Abundance of riches

"An American in Paris," the breezy, beautiful romantic hit based on the 1951 film starring Gene Kelly, and the lesbian coming-out story "Fun Home" are the leaders in the Tony race with 12 nominations each, including best musical, book, actor, actress and director.

"Something Rotten!," a bawdy parody of Broadway musicals set in 1590s Tudor England that earned 10 nominations and has been packing in audiences, is also a contender for the top musical awards.

Actor Michael Cerveris, up for his second Tony as the closeted homosexual father in "Fun Home," and newcomer Robert Fairchild, a ballet dancer making his Broadway debut in "An American in Paris" look to be the ones to beat for best actor in a musical.

The best musical actress category appears to be a three-way race between Chenoweth, up for her second Tony as a Hollywood star in "On the Twentieth Century," against Kelli O'Hara, a six-time nominee as the governess in "The King and I," and Broadway veteran and two-time Tony winner Chita Rivera as a revenge-seeking woman in "The Visit."

Oscar and Emmy-winning actress Helen Mirren seems a sure bet to win her first Tony for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in "The Audience."

"The wonderful thing about Helen Mirren is that she has such daring and dignity. You actually feel like you're had an audience with the queen," said Harry Haun of Playbill Magazine.

Recent Juilliard School graduate Alex Sharp, making his Broadway debut as a teenage math whiz with Asperger Syndrome in "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," could dash the hopes of Hollywood star Cooper and veteran actor Bill Nighy in "Skylight" for the best actor accolade.

In a season with an abundance of riches, "Skylight" and "The Elephant Man" are vying with "This Is Our Youth" and "You Can't Take it With You" for best revival of a play.

Going into the final stretch, "The King and I" seems to have an edge over "On the Town" and "On the Twentieth Century" for best musical revival.

The Tony Awards are presented by theater industry association The Broadway League, and the American Theatre Wing, a not-for-profit organization.