28th Tony Awards


The 28th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on April 21, 1974, at the Shubert Theatre in New York City, and broadcast by ABC television. Hosts were Peter Falk, Florence Henderson, Robert Preston and Cicely Tyson. The theme was "Homecoming", where stars from TV and film returned to Broadway to help present the awards or perform.

The ceremony

Presenters: Alan Alda, Ed Asner, Karen Black, David Carradine, Johnny Carson, Bette Davis, Peter Falk, Henry Fonda, Elliott Gould, Ken Howard, Glynis Johns, Cloris Leachman, Michael Learned, Elizabeth Montgomery, Carroll O'Connor, Al Pacino, Suzanne Pleshette, Jane Powell, Lynn Redgrave, Esther Rolle, Marlo Thomas, Lesley Ann Warren.
Performers: Beatrice Arthur, Carol Channing, Will Geer, Joel Grey, Florence Henderson, Cleavon Little, Charles Nelson Reilly, Nancy Walker.
Musicals represented:
Winners are in bold
Best PlayBest Musical

  • Raisin
  • * Over Here!
  • * Seesaw
    • Best Book of a MusicalBest Original Score Written for the Theatre
  • Hugh Wheeler – Candide
  • *Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zaltzberg – Raisin
  • * Michael Bennett – Seesaw
  • Gigi – Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner
  • * The Good Doctor – Peter Link and Neil Simon
  • * Raisin – Judd Woldin and Robert Brittan
  • * Seesaw – Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • Michael Moriarty – Find Your Way Home as Julian Weston
  • * Zero Mostel – Ulysses in Nighttown as Leopold Bloom
  • * Jason Robards – A Moon for the Misbegotten as James Tyrone, Jr.
  • * George C. Scott – Uncle Vanya as Mikhail lvovich Astrov
  • * Nicol Williamson – Uncle Vanya as Ivan Petrovich Voinitsky
  • Colleen Dewhurst – A Moon for the Misbegotten as Josie Hogan
  • * Jane Alexander – Find Your Way Home as Jacqueline Harrison
  • * Julie Harris – The Au Pair Man as Mrs. Rogers
  • * Madeline Kahn – In the Boom Boom Room as Chrissy
  • * Rachel Roberts – The Visit / Chemin de Fer as Claire Zachanassian/Francine
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
  • Christopher Plummer – Cyrano as Cyrano de Bergerac
  • * Alfred Drake – Gigi as Honore Lachailles
  • * Joe Morton – Raisin as Walter Lee Younger
  • * Lewis J. Stadlen – Candide as Various Characters
  • Virginia Capers – Raisin as Lena Younger
  • * Carol Channing – Lorelei as Lorelei Lee
  • * Michele Lee – Seesaw as Gittel Mosca
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Ed Flanders – A Moon for the Misbegotten as Phil Hogan
  • * René Auberjonois – The Good Doctor as Performer
  • * Douglas Turner Ward – The River Niger as Johnny Williams
  • * Dick Anthony Williams – What the Wine-Sellers Buy as Rico
  • Frances Sternhagen – The Good Doctor as Various Characters
  • * Regina Baff – Veronica's Room as The Girl
  • * Fionnula Flanagan – Ulysses in Nighttown as Various Characters
  • * Charlotte Moore – Chemin de Fer as Sophie
  • * Roxie Roker – The River Niger as Mattie Williams
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • Tommy Tune – Seesaw as David
  • * Mark Baker – Candide as Candide
  • * Ralph Carter – Raisin as Travis Younger
  • Janie Sell – Over Here! as Mitzi
  • * Leigh Beery – Cyrano as Roxana
  • * Maureen Brennan – Candide as Cunégonde
  • * June Gable – Candide as The Old Lady
  • * Ernestine Jackson – Raisin as Ruth Younger
    • Best Direction of a PlayBest Direction of a Musical
  • José Quintero – A Moon for the Misbegotten
  • * Burgess Meredith – Ulysses in Nighttown
  • * Mike Nichols – Uncle Vanya
  • * Stephen Porter – Chemin de Fer
  • * Edwin Sherin – Find Your Way Home
  • Harold Prince – Candide
  • * Michael Bennett – Seesaw
  • * Donald McKayle – Raisin
  • * Tom Moore – Over Here!
    • Best ChoreographyBest Scenic Design
  • Michael Bennett – Seesaw
  • * Patricia Birch – Over Here!
  • * Donald McKayle – Raisin
  • Franne and Eugene Lee – Candide
  • * John Conklin – The Au Pair Man
  • * Santo Loquasto – What the Wine-Sellers Buy
  • * Oliver Smith – Gigi
  • * Ed Wittstein – Ulysses in Nighttown
    • Best Costume DesignBest Lighting Design
  • Franne Lee – Candide
  • * Theoni V. Aldredge – The Au Pair Man
  • * Finlay James – Crown Matrimonial
  • * Oliver Messel – Gigi
  • * Carrie F. Robbins – Over Here!
  • Jules Fisher – Ulysses in Nighttown
  • * Martin Aronstein – In the Boom Boom Room
  • * Ken Billington – The Visit
  • * Ben Edwards – A Moon for the Misbegotten
  • * Tharon Musser – The Good Doctor

    • Special awards

  • Liza Minnelli, for adding lustre to the Broadway season
  • Bette Midler, for adding lustre to the Broadway season
  • Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, co-stars and authors of Good Evening
  • A Moon for the Misbegotten, an outstanding dramatic revival of an American classic. Produced by Lester Osterman, Elliott Martin and Richard Hurner
  • Candide, an outstanding contribution to the artistic development of the musical theatre. Produced by Chelsea Theatre Group, Harold Prince and Ruth Mitchell
  • Actors' Equity Association
  • Theatre Development Fund

    Theatre Award '74 Winners

  • John F. Wharton, veteran theatrical attorney
  • Harold Friedlander, the industry's foremost printing expert

    Multiple nominations and awards

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