Tony Award for Best Play

Tony Award for
Best Play
Awarded for Best Play
Location New York City
Country United States of America
Presented by American Theatre Wing The Broadway League
Currently held by The Humans by Stephen Karam (2016)
Official website TonyAwards.com

The Tony Award for Best Play (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award celebrating achievements in live American theatre, including musical theatre, honoring productions on Broadway in New York City. There was no award in the Tonys' first year. All My Sons has been incorrectly categorized as the Best Play of 1947, but it won the Best Author award for Arthur Miller. The following year Mister Roberts received the first Tony Award as Best Play. Authors and the producers are accepted with the award.

Award winners

Legend:
marks winners of the annual Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

  indicates the winner.

1940s

Year Production Author
1948
2nd Tony Awards
Mister Roberts Thomas Heggen and Joshua Logan
1949
3rd Tony Awards
Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller

1950s

Year Production Author
1950
4th Tony Awards
The Cocktail Party T.S. Eliot
1951
5th Tony Awards
The Rose Tattoo Tennessee Williams
1952
6th Tony Awards
The Fourposter Jan de Hartog
1953
7th Tony Awards
The Crucible Arthur Miller
1954
8th Tony Awards
The Teahouse of the August Moon John Patrick
1955
9th Tony Awards
The Desperate Hours Joseph Hayes
1956
10th Tony Awards
The Diary of Anne Frank Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
Bus Stop William Inge
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Tennessee Williams
Tiger at the Gates Jean Giraudoux
The Chalk Garden Enid Bagnold
1957
11th Tony Awards
Long Day's Journey into Night Eugene O'Neill
Separate Tables Terence Rattigan
The Potting Shed Graham Greene
The Waltz of the Toreadors Jean Anouilh
1958
12th Tony Awards
Sunrise at Campobello Dore Schary
Look Back in Anger John Osborne
Look Homeward, Angel Ketti Frings
Romanoff and Juliet Peter Ustinov
The Dark at the Top of the Stairs William Inge
The Rope Dancers Morton Wishengrad
Time Remembered Jean Anouilh
Two for the Seesaw William Gibson
1959
13th Tony Awards
J.B. Archibald MacLeish
A Touch of the Poet Eugene O'Neill
Epitaph for George Dillon John Osborne
The Disenchanted Harvey Breit and Budd Schulberg
The Visit Friedrich Dürrenmatt

1960s

Year Production Author
1960
14th Tony Awards
The Miracle Worker William Gibson
A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry
The Best Man Gore Vidal
The Tenth Man Paddy Chayefsky
Toys in the Attic Lillian Hellman
1961
15th Tony Awards
Becket Jean Anouilh
All the Way Home Tad Mosel
The Devil's Advocate Dore Schary
The Hostage Brendan Behan
1962
16th Tony Awards
A Man for All Seasons Robert Bolt
Gideon Paddy Chayefsky
The Caretaker Harold Pinter
The Night of the Iguana Tennessee Williams
1963
17th Tony Awards
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee
A Thousand Clowns Herb Gardner
Mother Courage and Her Children Bertolt Brecht
Tchin-Tchin Sidney Michaels
1964
18th Tony Awards
Luther John Osborne
Barefoot in the Park Neil Simon
Dylan Sidney Michaels
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe Edward Albee
1965
19th Tony Awards
The Subject Was Roses Frank D. Gilroy
Luv Murray Schisgal
The Odd Couple Neil Simon
Tiny Alice Edward Albee
1966
20th Tony Awards
Marat/Sade Peter Weiss
Inadmissible Evidence John Osborne
Philadelphia, Here I Come! Brian Friel
The Right Honourable Gentleman Michael Dyne
1967
21st Tony Awards
The Homecoming Harold Pinter
A Delicate Balance Edward Albee
Black Comedy Peter Shaffer
The Killing of Sister George Frank Marcus
1968
22nd Tony Awards
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Tom Stoppard
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Peter Nichols
Plaza Suite Neil Simon
The Price Arthur Miller
1969
23rd Tony Awards
The Great White Hope Howard Sackler
Hadrian VII Peter Luke
Lovers Brian Friel
The Man in the Glass Booth Robert Shaw

1970s

Year Production Author
1970
24th Tony Awards
Borstal Boy Frank McMahon
Child's Play Robert Marasco
Indians Arthur Kopit
The Last of the Red Hot Lovers Neil Simon
1971
25th Tony Awards
Sleuth Anthony Shaffer
Home David Storey
Paul Sill's Story Theatre Paul Sills
The Philanthropist Christopher Hampton
1972
26th Tony Awards
Sticks and Bones David Rabe
Old Times Harold Pinter
The Prisoner of Second Avenue Neil Simon
Vivat! Vivat Regina! Robert Bolt
1973
27th Tony Awards
That Championship Season Jason Miller
Butley Simon Gray
The Changing Room David Storey
The Sunshine Boys Neil Simon
1974
28th Tony Awards
The River Niger Joseph A. Walker
In the Boom Boom Room David Rabe
The Au Pair Man Hugh Leonard
Ulysses in Nighttown Marjorie Barkentin
1975
29th Tony Awards
Equus Peter Shaffer
Same Time, Next Year Bernard Slade
Seascape Edward Albee
Short Eyes Miguel Pinero
Sizwe Banzi Is Dead / The Island Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona
The National Health Peter Nichols
1976
30th Tony Awards
Travesties Tom Stoppard
Knock Knock Jules Feiffer
Lamppost Reunion Louis La Russo
The First Breeze of Summer Leslie Lee
1977
31st Tony Awards
The Shadow Box Michael Cristofer
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf Ntozake Shange
Otherwise Engaged Simon Gray
Streamers David Rabe
1978
32nd Tony Awards
Da Hugh Leonard
Chapter Two Neil Simon
Deathtrap Ira Levin
The Gin Game Donald L. Coburn
1979
33rd Tony Awards
The Elephant Man Bernard Pomerance
Bedroom Farce Alan Ayckbourn
Whose Life Is It Anyway? Brian Clark
Wings Arthur Kopit

1980s

Year Production Author
1980
34th Tony Awards
Children of a Lesser God Mark Medoff
Bent Martin Sherman
Home Samm-Art Williams
Talley's Folly Lanford Wilson
1981
35th Tony Awards
Amadeus Peter Shaffer
A Lesson from Aloes Athol Fugard
A Life Hugh Leonard
Fifth of July Lanford Wilson
1982
36th Tony Awards
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby David Edgar
Crimes of the Heart Beth Henley
"Master Harold"...and the Boys Athol Fugard
The Dresser Ronald Harwood
1983
37th Tony Awards
Torch Song Trilogy Harvey Fierstein
Angels Fall Lanford Wilson
Plenty David Hare
'night, Mother Marsha Norman
1984
38th Tony Awards
The Real Thing Tom Stoppard
Glengarry Glen Ross David Mamet
Noises Off Michael Frayn
Play Memory Joanna Glass
1985
39th Tony Awards
Biloxi Blues Neil Simon
As Is William M. Hoffman
Hurlyburly David Rabe
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom August Wilson
1986
40th Tony Awards
I'm Not Rappaport Herb Gardner
Benefactors Michael Frayn
Blood Knot Athol Fugard
The House of Blue Leaves John Guare
1987
41st Tony Awards
Fences August Wilson
Broadway Bound Neil Simon
Coastal Disturbances Tina Howe
Les Liaisons Dangereuses Christopher Hampton
1988
42nd Tony Awards
M. Butterfly David Henry Hwang
A Walk in the Woods Lee Blessing
Joe Turner's Come and Gone August Wilson
Speed-the-Plow David Mamet
1989
43rd Tony Awards
The Heidi Chronicles Wendy Wasserstein
Largely New York Bill Irwin
Lend Me a Tenor Ken Ludwig
Shirley Valentine Willy Russell

1990s

Year Production Author
1990
44th Tony Awards
The Grapes of Wrath Frank Galati
Lettice and Lovage Peter Shaffer
Prelude to a Kiss Craig Lucas
The Piano Lesson August Wilson
1991
45th Tony Awards
Lost in Yonkers Neil Simon
Our Country's Good Timberlake Wertenbaker
Shadowlands William Nicholson
Six Degrees of Separation John Guare
1992
46th Tony Awards
Dancing at Lughnasa Brian Friel
Four Baboons Adoring the Sun John Guare
Two Shakespearean Actors Richard Nelson
Two Trains Running August Wilson
1993
47th Tony Awards
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches Tony Kushner
Someone Who'll Watch Over Me Frank McGuinness
The Sisters Rosensweig Wendy Wasserstein
The Song of Jacob Zulu Tug Yourgrau
1994
48th Tony Awards
Angels in America: Perestroika Tony Kushner
Broken Glass Arthur Miller
The Kentucky Cycle Robert Schenkkan
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 Anna Deavere Smith
1995
49th Tony Awards
Love! Valour! Compassion! Terrence McNally
Arcadia Tom Stoppard
Having Our Say Emily Mann
Indiscretions Jean Cocteau
1996
50th Tony Awards
Master Class Terrence McNally
Buried Child Sam Shepard
Racing Demon David Hare
Seven Guitars August Wilson
1997
51st Tony Awards
The Last Night of Ballyhoo Alfred Uhry
Skylight David Hare
Stanley Pam Gems
The Young Man From Atlanta Horton Foote
1998
52nd Tony Awards
'Art' Yasmina Reza
Freak John Leguizamo
Golden Child David Henry Hwang
The Beauty Queen of Leenane Martin McDonagh
1999
53rd Tony Awards
Side Man Warren Leight
Closer Patrick Marber
Not About Nightingales Tennessee Williams
The Lonesome West Martin McDonagh

2000s

Year Production Author
2000
54th Tony Awards
Copenhagen Michael Frayn
Dirty Blonde Claudia Shear
The Ride Down Mt. Morgan Arthur Miller
True West Sam Shepard
2001
55th Tony Awards
Proof David Auburn
King Hedley II August Wilson
The Invention of Love Tom Stoppard
The Tale of the Allergist's Wife Charles Busch
2002
56th Tony Awards
The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Edward Albee
Fortune's Fool Mike Poulton
Metamorphoses Mary Zimmerman
Topdog/Underdog Suzan-Lori Parks
2003
57th Tony Awards
Take Me Out Richard Greenberg
Enchanted April Matthew Barber
Say Goodnight, Gracie Rupert Holmes
Vincent in Brixton Nicholas Wright
2004
58th Tony Awards
I Am My Own Wife Doug Wright
Anna in the Tropics Nilo Cruz
Frozen Bryony Lavery
The Retreat from Moscow William Nicholson
2005
59th Tony Awards
Doubt John Patrick Shanley
Democracy Michael Frayn
Gem of the Ocean August Wilson
The Pillowman Martin McDonagh
2006
60th Tony Awards
The History Boys Alan Bennett
Rabbit Hole David Lindsay-Abaire
Shining City Conor McPherson
The Lieutenant of Inishmore Martin McDonagh
2007
61st Tony Awards
The Coast of Utopia Tom Stoppard
Frost/Nixon Peter Morgan
The Little Dog Laughed Douglas Carter Beane
Radio Golf August Wilson
2008
62nd Tony Awards
August: Osage County Tracy Letts
Rock 'n' Roll Tom Stoppard
The 39 Steps Patrick Barlow
The Seafarer Conor McPherson
2009
63rd Tony Awards
God of Carnage Yasmina Reza
33 Variations Moisés Kaufman
Dividing the Estate Horton Foote
reasons to be pretty Neil LaBute

2010s

Year Production Author
2010
64th Tony Awards
Red John Logan
In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) Sarah Ruhl
Next Fall Geoffrey Nauffts
Time Stands Still Donald Margulies
2011
65th Tony Awards
War Horse Nick Stafford
Good People David Lindsay-Abaire
Jerusalem Jez Butterworth
The Motherfucker with the Hat Stephen Adly Guirgis
2012
66th Tony Awards
Clybourne Park Bruce Norris
Other Desert Cities Jon Robin Baitz
Peter and the Starcatcher Rick Elice
Venus in Fur David Ives
2013
67th Tony Awards
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Christopher Durang
Lucky Guy Nora Ephron
The Assembled Parties Richard Greenberg
The Testament of Mary Colm Toibin
2014
68th Tony Awards
All the Way Robert Schenkkan
Act One James Lapine
Casa Valentina Harvey Fierstein
Mothers and Sons Terrence McNally
Outside Mullingar John Patrick Shanley
2015
69th Tony Awards
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Simon Stephens
Disgraced Ayad Akhtar
Hand to God Robert Askins
Wolf Hall, Parts One & Two Hilary Mantel and Mike Poulton
2016
70th Tony Awards
The Humans Stephen Karam
Eclipsed Danai Gurira
King Charles III Mike Bartlett
The Father Florian Zeller

Superlatives

British writer Tom Stoppard has won this award four times, more than any other playwright. Only seven other writers (Arthur Miller, Terrence McNally, Tony Kushner, Edward Albee, Neil Simon, Yasmina Reza and Peter Shaffer) have won the award more than once, each winning twice.

With ten nominations, Neil Simon has been nominated for the award more than any other playwright. August Wilson, with nine nominations, comes in second, followed by Tom Stoppard (seven nominations), Edward Albee (six nominations), and Arthur Miller (five nominations).

In 1994, Tony Kushner became the first playwright to win consecutive Tony Awards for his two-part Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. Terrence McNally repeated this feat the following two years with his plays Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class.

See also

References

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