Tony Awards
The Tony Awards are annual honors recognizing excellence in Broadway theatre, presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League.
Tony Award categories: The divisions in which Tony Awards recognize achievements in Broadway productions and theatre-making. Categories separate honors for plays, musicals, performers, design, direction, and other work.
American Theatre Wing: A nonprofit organization supporting American theatre through education, programs, and industry initiatives. The Wing established the awards and continues to present them with The Broadway League.
Audra McDonald: An American actor and singer who has won a record six competitive Tony Awards. Her wins demonstrate the awards’ recognition of exceptional work across multiple categories.
Broadway theatre: Professional theatre presented in the Broadway district of Manhattan, generally in qualifying venues. The awards’ recognition is tied specifically to this theatre industry and its productions.
Hamilton (musical): A musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda about Alexander Hamilton and the founding era of the United States. Its 2016 record of 16 nominations and 11 wins became a defining Tony Awards moment.
Tony Awards eligibility rules: The requirements that determine whether Broadway productions and theatre professionals may compete for Tony Awards. Eligibility rules define which productions qualify for consideration in a given season.
Antoinette Perry: An American actress, director, and producer whose nickname gives the Tony Awards their name. The awards honor Perry, a leading figure in the American Theatre Wing.
Julie Harris: An American stage and screen actor who won five Tony Awards for acting. Her career exemplifies the Tony’s long-standing recognition of stage performers.
Broadway box office: The ticket-sales market for professional theatrical productions on Broadway. A Tony win can raise a production’s profile and influence ticket demand.
The Producers (musical): A musical comedy by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan based on Brooks’s 1967 film. Its 2001 haul of 12 Tony Awards remains a record for a musical.