51st Tony Awards


The 51st Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS from Radio City Music Hall on June 1, 1997; "Launching the Tonys" was telecast on PBS television. The event was hosted by Rosie O'Donnell. The awards ceremony moved away from Broadway for the first time in 30 years, to Radio City Music Hall, which allowed members of the general public to attend the ceremony.
Jonathan Tunick's win made him the seventh person to become an EGOT.

The ceremony

The opening number: "On Broadway" - Rosie O'Donnell; "Rent" - cast of Rent; "Jellicle Cats" - cast of Cats; "I'm A Woman" - female cast of Smokey Joe's Cafe, "Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk" - cast of Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk; "Greased Lightnin'" - Rosie O'Donnell and cast of Grease; "Be Our Guest" - cast of Beauty and the Beast.
Presenters: Julie Andrews, Lauren Bacall, Alec Baldwin, Christine Baranski, Dixie Carter, Savion Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Joel Grey, Marilu Henner, Hal Holbrook, Swoosie Kurtz, Liza Minnelli, Mary Tyler Moore, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Roseanne Barr, Susan Sarandon, Jimmy Smits, Marisa Tomei, Rip Torn, Leslie Ann Warren, Raquel Welch.
Musicals represented:
Winners are in bold
Best PlayBest Musical

  • Titanic
  • * '
  • * Steel Pier
  • * The Life
    • Best Revival of a PlayBest Revival of a Musical
  • A Doll's House
  • * London Assurance
  • * Present Laughter
  • * The Gin Game
  • Chicago
  • * Annie
  • * Candide
  • * Once Upon a Mattress
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • Christopher Plummer – Barrymore as John Barrymore
  • * Brian Bedford – London Assurance as Sir Harcourt Courtly
  • * Michael Gambon – Skylight as Tom Sergeant
  • * Antony Sher – Stanley as Stanley
  • Janet McTeer – A Doll's House as Nora Helmer
  • * Julie Harris – The Gin Game as Fonsia Dorsey
  • * Shirley Knight – The Young Man from Atlanta as Lily Dale Kidder
  • * Lia Williams – Skylight as Kyra Hollis
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
  • James Naughton – Chicago as Billy Flynn
  • * Robert Cuccioli – Jekyll & Hyde as Dr. Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde
  • * Jim Dale – Candide as Various Characters
  • * Daniel McDonald – Steel Pier as Bill Kelly
  • Bebe Neuwirth – Chicago as Velma Kelly
  • * Pamela Isaacs – The Life as Queen
  • * Tonya Pinkins – Play On! as Lady Liv
  • * Karen Ziemba – Steel Pier as Rita Racine
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Owen Teale – A Doll's House as Torvald Helmer
  • * Terry Beaver – The Last Night of Ballyhoo as Adolph
  • * Brian Murray – The Little Foxes as Oscar
  • * William Biff McGuire – The Young Man from Atlanta as Pete Davenport
  • Lynne Thigpen – An American Daughter as Dr. Judith B. Kaufman
  • * Helen Carey – London Assurance as Lady Gay Spanker
  • * Dana Ivey – The Last Night of Ballyhoo as Boo
  • * Celia Weston – The Last Night of Ballyhoo as Aunt Reba
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • Chuck Cooper – The Life as Memphis
  • * Joel Blum – Steel Pier as Buddy Becker
  • * André DeShields – Play On! as Jester
  • * Sam Harris – The Life as Jojo
  • Lillias White – The Life as Sonja
  • * Marcia Lewis – Chicago as Matron Mama Morton
  • * Andrea Martin – Candide as The Old Lady
  • * Debra Monk – Steel Pier as Shelby Stevens
    • Best Book of a MusicalBest Original Score Written for the Theatre
  • Peter Stone – Titanic
  • * Leslie Bricusse – Jekyll & Hyde
  • * David Thompson – Steel Pier
  • * David Newman, Ira Gasman and Cy Coleman – The Life
  • Titanic – Maury Yeston
  • * ' – Elliot Goldenthal
  • * Steel Pier – John Kander and Fred Ebb
  • * The Life – Cy Coleman and Ira Gasman
    • Best Scenic DesignBest Costume Design
  • Stewart Laing – Titanic
  • * John Lee Beatty – The Little Foxes
  • * G. W. Mercier and Julie Taymor – '
  • * Tony Walton – Steel Pier
  • Judith Dolan – Candide
  • * Ann Curtis – Jekyll & Hyde
  • * William Ivey Long – Chicago
  • * Martin Pakledinaz – The Life
    • Best Lighting DesignBest Orchestrations
  • Ken Billington – Chicago
  • * Beverly Emmons – Jekyll & Hyde
  • * Donald Holder – '
  • * Richard Pilbrow – The Life
  • Jonathan Tunick – Titanic
  • * Michael Gibson – Steel Pier
  • * Luther Henderson – Play On!
  • * Don Sebesky and Harold Wheeler – The Life
    • Best Direction of a PlayBest Direction of a Musical
  • Anthony Page – A Doll's House
  • * John Caird – Stanley
  • * Richard Eyre – Skylight
  • * Charles Nelson Reilly – The Gin Game
  • Walter Bobbie – Chicago
  • * Michael Blakemore – The Life
  • * Scott Ellis – Steel Pier
  • * Julie Taymor – '
    • Best Choreography-
  • Ann Reinking – Chicago'
  • * Wayne Cilento – Dream
  • * Joey McKneely – The Life
  • * Susan Stroman – Steel Pier
    		• -

    Special awards

  • Regional Theater Tony Award
  • * Berkeley Repertory Theatre
  • Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
  • * Bernard B. Jacobs

    Multiple nominations and awards

    • These productions had multiple nominations:
    The following productions received multiple awards.