50th Tony Awards

The 50th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS from the Majestic Theatre on June 2, 1996. Nathan Lane was the host.

The opening number was "The Show Must Go On" performed by Liza Minnelli and Bernadette Peters, with Tony Award Alumni.

Presenters included: Bea Arthur, Edward Albee, Christine Baranski, Harry Belafonte, Matthew Broderick, Diahann Carroll, Hume Cronyn, Nanette Fabray, Robert Goulet, Gregory Hines, Uta Hagen, James Earl Jones, John Lithgow, Liza Minnelli, Patricia Neal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bernadette Peters, John Rubinstein, Jane Seymour, Ron Silver, Lily Tomlin, Ben Vereen, Eli Wallach, Ray Walston, Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

Musicals represented:

• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ("Comedy Tonight" - Nathan Lane and Company);
• The King and I ("Shall We Dance?" - Lou Diamond Phillips, Donna Murphy, and children);
• Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk ("Taxi"/"Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk" - Savion Glover and Company);
• Big ("Fun" - Daniel Jenkins and Company);
• State Fair ("All I Owe I-Oh-Way"-John Davidson, Andrea McArdle, and Company);
• Rent ("Seasons of Love"/"La Vie Boheme" - Anthony Rapp, Taye Diggs, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel and Company);
• Chronicle of a Death Foretold;
• Swinging on a Star ("Swinging on a Star" - Company)

Award winners and nominees

Winners are in bold **

Production

Best Play

• Master Class by Terrence McNally **
• Buried Child by Sam Shepard
• Racing Demon by David Hare
• Seven Guitars by August Wilson

Best Musical

• Rent **
• Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk
• Chronicle of a Death Foretold
• Swinging on a Star

Best Revival of a Play

• A Delicate Balance **
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• An Ideal Husband
• Inherit the Wind

Best Revival of a Musical

• The King and I **
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
• Company
• Hello, Dolly!

Performance

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

• George Grizzard ** for A Delicate Balance
• Philip Bosco for Moon Over Buffalo
• George C. Scott for Inherit the Wind
• Martin Shaw for An Ideal Husband

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

• Zoe Caldwell ** for Master Class
• Carol Burnett for Moon Over Buffalo
• Rosemary Harris for A Delicate Balance
• Elaine Stritch for A Delicate Balance

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

• Nathan Lane ** for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
• Savion Glover for Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk
• Adam Pascal for Rent
• Lou Diamond Phillips for The King and I

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical

• Donna Murphy ** for The King and I
• Julie Andrews (Declined the nomination as she thought Victor/Victoria had been snubbed when her nomination was the only one for the show)^[1]
• Crista Moore for Big: the musical
• Daphne Rubin-Vega for Rent

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

• Ruben Santiago-Hudson ** for Seven Guitars
• James Gammon for Buried Child
• Roger Robinson for Seven Guitars
• Reg Rogers for Holiday

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

• Audra McDonald ** for Master Class
• Viola Davis for Seven Guitars
• Michele Shay for Seven Guitars
• Lois Smith for Buried Child

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical

• Wilson Jermaine Heredia ** (Rent)
• Lewis J. Stadlen for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
• Brett Tabisel for Big: the musical
• Scott Wise for State Fair

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical

• Ann Duquesnay ** for Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk
• Joohee Choi for The King and I
• Veanne Cox for Company
• Idina Menzel for Rent

Craft

Best Direction of a Play

• Gerald Gutierrez ** for A Delicate Balance
• Peter Hall for An Ideal Husband
• Lloyd Richards for Seven Guitars
• Gary Sinise for Buried Child

Best Direction of a Musical

• George C. Wolfe ** for Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk
• Michael Greif for Rent
• Christopher Renshaw for The King and I
• Jerry Zaks for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Best Choreography

• Savion Glover **
• Graciela Daniele
• Susan Stroman
• Marlies Yearby

Best Book of a Musical

• Jonathan Larson **
• John Weidman
• Reg E. Gaines
• Graciela Daniele, Jim Lewis and Michael John LaChiusa

Best Original Score Written for the Theatre

• Rent **
• Big
• Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk
• State Fair

Best Scenic Design

• Brian Thomson **
• John Lee Beatty
• Scott Bradley
• Anthony Ward

Best Costume Design

• Roger Kirk **
• Jane Greenwood
• Allison Reeds
• Paul Tazewell

Best Lighting Design

• Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer **
• Christopher Akerlind
• Blake Burba
• Nigel Levings

Special Regional Theatre Award Winner

Alley Theatre, Houston, Texas

References

• New York Times article, "Adding Drama to a Musical, Andrews Spurns the Tonys", May 9, 1996

External links

• Official Site Tony Awards