Tony Awards Curious Facts

Broadway theatre is recognized and honored every year by being awarded a Tony Award. The Tony Awards Ceremony is usually held in June of each year and is aired by CBS Television. Since 1947, the American Theatre Wing has bestowed many honors to esteemed Broadway musical performers with a beautiful Tony Award medallion. It is notable to mention some of the milestones and curious award facts that have happened throughout the years. \r \r The performers who win the Tony Award are some of the best at entertaining viewers around the world. Viewers of the Tony Awards may be interested to know some of the most award winning performers in the business. The top winner of the Tony Award is Harold Prince, best known for popular productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd, and Evita, has won 21 awards. These include eight for directing, eight for producing, two as producer of a year’s Best Musical, and three special Tony Awards. Stephen Sondheim, Bob Fosse, Oliver Smith, and Julie Fisher, are behind Prince all winning eight awards for their various accomplishments. Julie Harris has been nominated for 10 Tony Awards, making her the most nominated performer. Other interesting individual awards include the 2 for 1 performer where four actresses were all nominated in two acting categories within one year and 4 for 4 performers where three performers were nominated all four performance awards. Only two performers in the history of the Tony Awards have won an award for playing the character of the opposite sex. These performers were Mary Martin starring in Peter Pan and Harvey Fierstein playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. \r \r The Tony Award has several notable 'first' in their 65 year run. The Lion King Director, Julie Taymor, was the first female to win Best Direction of a Musical in 1997, followed by Mary Zimmerman being the first female to win Best Direction of a Play in 2002 for Metamorphoses. Two performers notable first include the first African- American to win Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, by Phylicia Rashad in 2004 for A Raisin in the Sun and James Earl Jones for his role in The Great White Hope respectively.\r