The Tony nominating committee singled out the work of Peter and the Starcatcher songwriters Wayne Barker (music) and Rick Elice (lyrics), as well as One Man, Two Guvnors songwriter Grant Olding (music and lyrics) to compete in the category this Best Score season. Nominations were announced May 1.

With only two full songs in its score (plus underscoring and transition music), Starcatcher nabbed one of the coveted Best Score nomination slots. The critically-praised production also earned a total of nine Tony nominations, the most of any play this season, including Best Play.

Starcatcher, which has been described by its creators as a "play plus," weaves its story of Peter Pan's origin in a British musical-hall style. The rousing songs billed in the script are "Swim On" and "Mermaid Outta Me." The latter is a cross-dressing number featuring men playing fish who have been magically transformed into mermaids. 

The hit London import One Man, Two Guvnors, Richard Bean's 1960s-set comedy that reshapes Goldoni's commedia dell'arte-inspired classic The Servant of Two Masters, keeps audiences entertained with slapstick comedy and groovy live music performed by a four-man band.

A 14-track original cast recording captures Grant Olding's score that recalls the early rock sound of the Beatles, with song titles including "Oh Sweet Suzy," "Give It Up Baby" "The Brighton Line" and "Tomorrow Looks Good from Here." Peter and the Starcatcher and One Man, Two Guvnors share the Best Score category with two of this season's new musicals — the now-closed pop tuner Bonnie & Clyde, by Frank Wildhorn (music) and Don Black (lyrics); and the Disney phenomenon Newsies, by Alan Menken (music) and Jack Feldman (lyrics).

The two plays beat out other fully-scored new musicals that opened during the 2011-2012 season, including Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, Lysistrata Jones, Ghost the Musical and Leap of Faith. The critical hit Once, which pulls its score from the film of the same title, was ineligible for the Best Score category.