The 2025 Tony Awards are just around the corner. In preparation for Sunday, June 8th’s ceremony, let’s take a trip down memory lane and find out how this theatre mainstay got its name.

Before The Tony Awards

The Tony Awards is probably the most well-known celebration of Broadway and the American theatre scene. Because of this, it can be hard to imagine what things looked like before these awards came into existence. The first Tonys happened in 1947. But prior to that, awards were being handed out including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Drama League Awards. The Drama League Awards were first given out in 1922 and “formalized in 1935,” making them one of the oldest for theatre. Though they feature less categories to this day, they gather opinions from people in all arenas of theatre and continue to be influential.

The Pulitzer Prize for Drama got its start even earlier than the Drama League Awards, in 1917. It is awarded for an American playwright’s masterful work. One of seven Pulitzer Prizes, it is not awarded every year. But when it is, it marks an extremely influential work of art.

The Namesake

The American Theatre Wing founded what would become a legendary award ceremony back in 1947, honoring its late leader, Antoinette Perry. Since her childhood, Perry was deeply involved in the theatre world, joining a touring company at the young age of 15. She went on to act in works such as The Music Master and A Grand Army Man. She later became a director herself despite hurdles posed by financial matters.

During World War II, she took her leadership skills beyond the stage to co-found what is now known as The American Theatre Wing. Then, it was called the Theatre Wing of Allied Relief and aimed to entertain soldiers of the time. Unfortunately, Perry passed in 1956. However, her legacy lives on in the name Tonys, given in her honor.

The Categories

The first Tonys presented ten categories, along with six “special awards.” Today, there are 26 categories, not including special awards for things like humanitarianism and other achievements. Over the years, certain categories have come and gone, some causing more of a stir than others. The Special Theatrical Event category retired in 2009. Notably, in 2014, the Tonys announced they would be doing away with the award for Best Sound Design. This caused uproar in the community, especially from designers who felt the move disregarded the hard work and integral role of sound designers on Broadway. Thus, the category was reintroduced in 2017.

The Isabelle Stevenson Award joined the roster in 2009. It recognizes “an individual from the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations, regardless of whether such organizations relate to the theatre.” Celia Keenan-Bolger will receive the 2025 Isabelle Stevenson Award.

The Game Changers

  • On the same night in 1998, Julie Taymor became the first female director to win best Direction of a Musical and Garry Hynes was the first female director to win best Direction of a Play.
  • Frankie Michaels was and still is the youngest Tony winner, taking home Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical at age 11.
  • In 1950, Juanita Hall was the first Black actor to win a Tony.
  • Rita Moreno was the first Latina to win a Tony.
  • In 1980, Phyllis Frelich won Best Actress in a Play. She was the first Deaf actor to win a Tony.
  • The 70th annual Tony awards in 2016 featured a performance from the Deaf West revival of Spring Awakening. American Sign Language on the stage at this prestigious award show and on the screens of thousands at home was a groundbreaking moment in theatre.

These are just some of the many contributors and contributions that have marked the history of the Tony Awards. Without these people and without this art, these awards would not be what they are today.

Toward a New And Improved Tony Awards

The Tony Awards are a significant part of American theatre history and continue to be a celebration of the community today. Looking toward the future, how can this legendary award show shift toward being even more representative of the theatre scene as it is in the current day? There are many who encourage the Tonys to open up recognition to off-Broadway productions, citing that Broadway is not the end-all-be-all of theatre anymore. Imagine the wealth of art left in the shadows just because it doesn’t sit behind a bright marquee. Adding a wider range of categories for behind-the-scenes and more technical work in the theatre would also spotlight those integral people that make a production what it is.