Broadway History: The Tony Awards
The 71st Annual Tony Awards were on June 11, and they are always such an exciting day to be working on Broadway. As I was flipping through the Tonys Playbill that night, naturally, I started to wonder about the show's history and decided to conduct a little research. This blog is turning me into a mega nerd, and I don't hate it. I hope you enjoy these theater history posts as much as I do!
The Tony Award is the highest theatre honor in the United States. The award was originally named The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway after the co-founder of the American Theatre Wing. (She was a super cool babe who did a ton for the theater community and helped run an organization that brought live entertainment to American soldiers during WWII. So I'll definitely post more about her later.) The very first award ceremony was held on April 6, 1947, at the Waldorf Astoria. During the ceremony, someone affectionately referred to the award as a Tony and the nickname stuck.
For the first two years, awards were a little different. Instead of a trophy, the Tony winners were given a scroll and gold money clip. The men also received cigarette holders the women were given compacts. Then, for year number three, in 1949, the first Tony medallion was designed and given to the winners.
For eighteen years, the Tonys were a dinner gala with about 1,000 guests, and were held in different fancy ballrooms all around the city. In 1967, everything changed when the Wing got a new President. The Wing invited the Broadway League (back then it was known as the League of New York Theaters) to co-present the Tony Awards. They also decided to relocate the awards to the Schubert Theatre and make it a one hour televised show. This was the first time the Tonys had ever been broadcast, and it changed the game by bringing Broadway into American’s living rooms.
In 1997, the Tonys moved to Radio City, and with the exception of being at the Gershwin Theatre in 1999, stayed there until 2011. Since then, the awards have bounced back and forth between the Beacon Theatre and Radio City.
I love the Tonys for so many reasons. I love American traditions (especially award shows), I am passionate about live theater and I love that people who may never get to see a Broadway show can experience a little taste. The exciting energy leading up to the Tonys in the Broadway community is contagious.Broadway is truly one of the most unique and incredible American industries of all time and I still can’t believe I am part of it.
Fun Facts:
Play productions with the most Tony nominations:
Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia (2007) and August Wilson's Fences (2010 revival) - 10
Play production that has won the most Tony Awards:
Tom Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia (2007) - 7
Musical productions with the most Tony nominations:
Hamilton (2016) - 16
Musical production that has won the most Tonys:
The Producers, the new Mel Brooks musical (2001) - 12
Musical revival with most Tony Awards:
South Pacific (2008) - 7
Musical revival with most Tony nominations:
Kiss Me, Kate (2000) - 12
Performer with most Tony nominations:
Chita Rivera - 10
Performers with the most Tony Awards:
Audra McDonald – 6; Julie Harris – 6 including one Special Tony Award
Individual who has received most Tony Awards:
Harold Prince - 21
Composer with most Tony Awards:
Stephen Sondheim - 8
Choreographer with most Tony Awards:
Bob Fosse - 8 (plus one for direction)
Host of most Tony Awards telecasts:
Angela Lansbury - 5
Longest-running Best Musical:
The Phantom of the Opera (1988 - )
Theatre that housed the most Tony-winning Best Plays and Best Musicals:
Richard Rodgers Theatre - 11
Number of ties in Tony history:
10
Images by Laurel Creative
Dress | ASOS Off Shoulder Sundress // Shoes | Vans
