Tony Awards Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
(CNN) — Here’s a look at the Tony Awards which honor achievements on Broadway.
June 16, 2024 – The 77th Tony Awards are scheduled to take place, with Ariana DeBose hosting for the third time.
June 11, 2023 – The 76th Tony Awards take place.
Facts
The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League.
Only productions staged in designated Broadway theatres are eligible for nominations.
The musical that holds the record for most Tony Awards is “The Producers,” in 2001. It won 12 awards out of 15 nominations.
The hip-hop infused musical “Hamilton” earned a record-setting 16 Tony nominations on May 3, 2016, including Best Musical and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for playwright/star Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Producer/director Harold “Hal” Prince has won the most Tony Awards overall (21).
Actress Audra McDonald has won the most Tony awards as a performer (six).
The Tonys are named after Antoinette Perry, a Broadway actress and director who died in 1946. Her charitable work with the American Theatre Wing during WWII inspired the Broadway community to create an award in her honor.
The American Theatre Wing became famous for the “Stage Door Canteens,” in which GIs could drop in and be entertained by famous Hollywood and Broadway stars.
If there is only one nominee, the category is submitted to the Tony Voters. An affirmative vote of 60% of the total ballots cast will grant an Award in that category.
Timeline
April 6, 1947 – The first Tony Awards are presented at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.
The first “Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play” award is a tie with Ingrid Bergman for “Joan of Lorraine” and Helen Hayes for “Happy Birthday.”
The first “Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play” award is also a tie, between Jose Ferrer for “Cyrano de Bergerac” and Fredric March for “Years Ago.”
1956 – The Tony Awards are broadcast on television for the first time, on the Dumont Network.
2024 Tony Award Nominations (selected)
Best Play
“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”
“Mary Jane”
“Mother Play”
“Prayer for the French Republic”
“Stereophonic”
Best Musical
“Hell’s Kitchen”
“Illinoise”
“The Outsiders”
“Suffs”
“Water for Elephants”
Best Revival of a Play
“An Enemy of the People”
“Appropriate”
“Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
William Jackson Harper, “Uncle Vanya”
Leslie Odom, Jr., “Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch”
Liev Schreiber, “Doubt: A Parable”
Jeremy Strong, “An Enemy of the People”
Michael Stuhlbarg, “Patriots”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Betsy Aidem, “Prayer for the French Republic”
Jessica Lange, “Mother Play”
Rachel McAdams, “Mary Jane”
Sarah Paulson, “Appropriate”
Amy Ryan, “Doubt: A Parable”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Eden Espinosa, “Lempicka”
Maleah Joi Moon, “Hell’s Kitchen”
Kelli O’Hara, “Days of Wine and Roses”
Maryann Plunkett, “The Notebook”
Gayle Rankin, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brody Grant, “The Outsiders”
Jonathan Groff, “Merrily We Roll Along”
Dorian Harewood, “The Notebook”
Brian d’Arcy James, “Days of Wine and Roses”
Eddie Redmayne, “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club”
2023 Tony Award Winners (selected)
Best Play
“Leopoldstadt”
Best Musical
“Kimberly Akimbo”
Best Revival of a Play
“Topdog/Underdog”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Sean Hayes, “Good Night, Oscar”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jodie Comer, “Prima Facie”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Victoria Clark, “Kimberly Akimbo”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
J. Harrison Ghee, “Some Like It Hot”
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