The Tony Awards - A Very Brief History
The Tony Awards "celebrate excellence in theater". Named after the late, Antoinette Perry, the woman who held the American Theater Wing together during wartime, the Tony Awards originated in 1947. The first awards were held in April of that year at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan.
Over the years, the award ceremony has moved around New York City and it has become larger and larger. In 1967, The League of New York Theatres, now known as The Broadway League, joined forces with the American Theater Wing to present the Tonys. This joint effort coincided with the first television broadcast of the Tony Awards.
The Beacon Theatre is the new home of the world televised awards. This approximately 3,000 seat theatre was once a vaudeville theater and recently hosted Bill Clinton's 60th Birthday Celebration. The award presentation lasts for three hours and is enjoyed by millions of people.
And The Nominees Are ...
Each year in May the award nominees are announced by the American Theatre Wing. This year is no exception. The list of nominees is out for the awards that will be presented on Sunday, June 12th. The nominees are in the following categories:
- Best Play
- Best Musical
- Best Book of A Musical
- Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
- Best Revival of A Play
- Best Revival of A Musical
- Best Performance By A Leading Actor In A Play
- Best Performance By A Leading Actor In A Musical
- Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Play
- Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Musical
- Best Performance By A Featured Actor In A Play
- Best Performance By A Featured Actor In A Musical
- Best Performance By A Featured Actress In A Play
- Best Performance By A Featured Actress In A Musical
- Best Direction Of A Play
- Best Direction Of A Musical
- Best Choreography
- Best Orchestrations
- Best Scenic Design Of A Play
- Best Scenic Design Of A Musical
- Best Costume Design of A Play
- Best Costume Design of A Musical
- Best Lighting Design of A Play
- Best Lighting Design of A Musical
- Best Sound Design of A Play
- Best Sound Design of A Musical
- Special Award For Lifetime Achievement In The Theatre
- Regional Theatre Award
- Special Award
To see which of your favorite shows were nominated this year, you may go to:
www.tonyawards.com
Tune in to CBS Television on Sunday, June 11, 2017 to see who wins and catch some great Broadway performances, too.
