• The Tony Awards are presented annually by the American Theater Wing and The Broadway League in recognition of achievements in live American theater.

  Tony Award winners Cynthia Nixon and Lin-Manuel Miranda announced the 2009 nominations on May 5th at the New York Public Library for Performing Arts. The 63rd annual awards ceremony was held on Sunday, June 7, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.Broadway World: Join the Fun (May 1, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. June 7, 2009: Three-hour live ceremony were broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CTBroadway World: Join the Fun (May 1, 2009)
  2. Network: CBSBroadway World: Join the Fun (May 1, 2009)
  3. Venue: Radio City Music HallBroadway World: Join the Fun (May 1, 2009)
  4. May 5, 2009: Cynthia Nixon and Lin-Manuel Miranda announce the nominees from the NY Public Library Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium in NYBroadway World: Join the Fun (May 1, 2009)
  5. The Tony Awards were originally named the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theater
  6. Began in New York City in 1947
  7. Presented by: American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League
  8. Awarded by a panel of approximately 700 judges
  9. Phantom of the Opera is the longest running Best Musical winner with over 8000 performances
  10. 2008: In the Heights was nominated for 13 Tony Awards
  11. Stephen Sondheim has won Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre five times, more than any other individualTony Awards: Category by Category
  12. Michael Bennett, Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins and Susan Stroman have all won Best Choreography Tony AwardsTony Awards: Category by Category
  13. 1947: Helen Hayes and Ingrid Bergman were the first winners of the Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a PlayTony Awards: Category by Category
  14. Julie Harris has won five Best Actress Tonys, more than any other actressTony Awards: Category by Category

• Isabelle Stevenson Award

  Introduced in 2009, the Isabelle Stevenson Award honor an individual who "has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service, or charitable organizations, regardless of whether such organizations relate to the theatre."Tony Awards: Category by Category

• History

  Although founded in 1947, the first medallion was not given to award winners until the third awards ceremony in 1949. The first ceremony was held on April 6, 1947, at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. The award is named for Antoinette Perry who was an actress, director, producer and wartime leader of the American Theater Wing.

• The Awards

  The awards are for Broadway productions and performances, as well as discretionary non-competitive Special Tony Awards, Regional Theater Tony Award and Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre.

• Competitive Award Categories

  • Best Play: Awarded to author and award to producer(s)
  • Best Musical: Awarded to producer(s)
  • Best Book of a Musical: Originally called Best Author (Musical)
  • Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
  • Best Choreography
  • 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
  • Best Director of a Play
  • Best Director of a Musical
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
  • Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
  • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
  • Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • Best Orchestrations
  • Best Revival of a Play
  • Best Revival of a Musical
  • Best Special Theatrical Event

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Cynthia Nixon | Tony Award Winners 2008 | Tony Nominations 2009 | Tony Awards 2007 | Academy Awards | Emmy Awards | Golden Globe Awards | Grammy Awards | Broadway | New York City | Edie Adams Dead | 2009 Golden Globe Nominations | 2009 MTV Movie Awards

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