39th Tony Awards
1985 theatrical awards ceremony
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The 39th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS television on June 2, 1985, from the Shubert Theatre. Instead of a formal host, there was a group of performers/presenters. Some paid tribute to the songs of Jule Styne, Cy Coleman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, with these composers ending the broadcast by playing songs from their respective new shows. Mary Martin introduced the Special Award for Yul Brynner.[1]
| 39th Tony Awards | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 2, 1985 |
| Location | Shubert Theatre, New York City, New York |
| Most wins | Big River (7) |
| Most nominations | Big River (10) |
| Television/radio coverage | |
| Network | CBS |
Eligibility
Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1984–1985 season before May 9, 1985 are eligible.
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Nominations
The American Theatre Wing appointed an 11-member committee to determine the year's nominees. That committee was made up of:[2]
- Jay Carr, Boston Globe theater critic
- William Glover, Associated Press theater critic
- George C. White, President of the O'Neill Theater Center
- Schuyler Chapin, Columbia University administrator
- George Cuttingham, Director of American Academy of Dramatic Arts
- David Oppenheim, Dean of the Tisch School at NYU
- Richard L. Coe, Washington Post theater critic
- Norris Houghton, academic
- Mary C. Henderson, academic
- Henry Hewes, founder of the American Theatre Critics Association
- Elliot Norton, Boston theater critic[2]
Controversy
For the first time in the history of the Tonys, awards were not presented for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, or Best Choreography.[3] According to The New York Times, it was the first time in the history of the awards that a category had been dropped.[2] The Associated Press wrote that the best actress award was abandoned because the committee felt there was only valid nominee. The other two categories were also considered to have generally lackluster potential nominees.[4][5]
The ceremony
Musicals represented:[6]
- Big River ("Muddy Water"/" River in the Rain"- Daniel Jenkins, Ron Richardson and Company)
- Grind ("This Must Be the Place" - Ben Vereen and Company)
- Leader of the Pack ("I Wanna Love Him So Bad/Do Wah Diddy" - Company)
Presenters and Performers: Danny Aiello, Susan Anton, Hinton Battle, Deborah Bauers, Deborah Burrell, Terry Burrell, Jim Dale, Loretta Devine, Jackie Gleason, Julie Harris, Rex Harrison, George Hearn, Van Johnson, Raul Julia, Rosetta LeNoire, Mary Martin, Millicent Martin, Maureen McGovern, Rita Moreno, Mike Nichols, Stefanie Powers, Juliet Prowse, Tony Randall, Lee Roy Reams, Lynn Redgrave, Chita Rivera, Wanda Richert, Tony Roberts, Rex Smith, Leslie Uggams, Dick Van Dyke, Ben Vereen, Tom Wopat, Elvira Santamaría
Winners and nominees
Winners are in bold
Source: InfoPlease[7]
Special awards
- Regional Theatre Award - Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, Illinois[3]
- Yul Brynner honoring his 4,525 performances in The King and I
- New York State Council on the Arts
Multiple nominations and awards
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These productions had multiple nominations:
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The following productions received multiple awards.
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See also
- Drama Desk Awards
- 1985 Laurence Olivier Awards – equivalent awards for West End theatre productions
- Obie Award
- New York Drama Critics' Circle
- Theatre World Award
- Lucille Lortel Awards