30th Tony Awards


The 30th Annual Tony Awards was held at the Shubert Theatre on April 18, 1976, and broadcast by ABC television. Hosts were Eddie Albert, Richard Burton, Jane Fonda, Diana Rigg, George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere.

The ceremony

Presenters: Alan Arkin, Clifton Davis, Bonnie Franklin, Celeste Holm, Cloris Leachman, Michele Lee, Jerry Lewis, Hal Linden, Mary Martin, Mike Nichols, Christopher Plummer, Vanessa Redgrave, Marlo Thomas, Leslie Uggams.
The theme of the show was "The Ones That Got Away", a medley of memorable songs from past musicals that did not win the Tony. Richard Burton performed a scene from Hamlet.
The medley included songs from:
Musicals represented:
Source:BroadwayWorld
Winners are in bold
Best PlayBest Musical

  • A Chorus Line
  • * Bubbling Brown Sugar
  • * Chicago
  • * Pacific Overtures
    • Best Book of a MusicalBest Original Score Written for the Theatre
  • James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante – A Chorus Line
  • * Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse – Chicago
  • * John Weidman – Pacific Overtures
  • * Alfred Uhry – The Robber Bridegroom
  • A Chorus Line – Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban
  • * Chicago – John Kander and Fred Ebb
  • * Pacific Overtures – Stephen Sondheim
  • * Treemonisha – Scott Joplin
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • John Wood – Travesties as Henry Carr
  • * Moses Gunn – The Poison Tree as Benjamin Hurspool
  • * George C. Scott – Death of a Salesman as Willy Loman
  • * Donald Sinden – Habeas Corpus as Arthur Wicksteed
  • Irene Worth – Sweet Bird of Youth as Princess Cosmonopolis
  • * Tovah Feldshuh – Yentl as Yentl
  • * Rosemary Harris – The Royal Family as Julie Cavendish
  • * Lynn Redgrave – Mrs. Warren's Profession as Vivie Warren
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
  • George Rose – My Fair Lady as Alfred P. Doolittle
  • * Mako – Pacific Overtures as Various Characters
  • * Jerry Orbach – Chicago as Billy Flynn
  • * Ian Richardson – My Fair Lady as Henry Higgins
  • Donna McKechnie – A Chorus Line as Cassie Ferguson
  • * Vivian Reed – Bubbling Brown Sugar as Marsha/Young Irene
  • * Chita Rivera – Chicago as Velma Kelly
  • * Gwen Verdon – Chicago as Roxie Hart
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Edward Herrmann – Mrs. Warren's Profession as Frank Gardner
  • *Barry Bostwick – They Knew What They Wanted as Joe
  • * Gabriel Dell – Lamppost Reunion as Fred Santora
  • * Daniel Seltzer – Knock Knock as Cohn
  • Shirley Knight – Kennedy's Children as Carla
  • * Mary Beth Hurt – Trelawny of the 'Wells as Miss Rose Trelawny
  • * Lois Nettleton – They Knew What They Wanted as Amy
  • * Meryl Streep – 27 Wagons Full of Cotton as Flora Meighan
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • Sammy Williams – A Chorus Line as Paul
  • * Robert LuPone – A Chorus Line as Zach
  • * Charles Repole – Very Good Eddie as Mr. Eddie Kettle
  • * Isao Sato – Pacific Overtures as Kayama
  • Kelly Bishop – A Chorus Line as Sheila Bryant
  • * Priscilla Lopez – A Chorus Line as Diana Morales
  • * Patti LuPone – The Robber Bridegroom as Rosamund Musgrove
  • * Virginia Seidel – Very Good Eddie as Elsie Darling
    • Best Direction of a PlayBest Direction of a Musical
  • Ellis Rabb – The Royal Family
  • *Arvin Brown – Ah, Wilderness!
  • * Marshall W. Mason – Knock Knock
  • * Peter Wood – Travesties
  • Michael Bennett – A Chorus Line
  • * Bob Fosse – Chicago
  • * Bill Gile – Very Good Eddie
  • * Harold Prince – Pacific Overtures
    • Best ChoreographyBest Scenic Design
  • Michael Bennett and Bob Avian – A Chorus Line
  • * Patricia Birch – Pacific Overtures
  • * Bob Fosse – Chicago
  • * Billy Wilson – Bubbling Brown Sugar
  • Boris Aronson – Pacific Overtures
  • * Ben Edwards – A Matter of Gravity
  • * David Mitchell – Trelawny of the 'Wells
  • * Tony Walton – Chicago
    • Best Costume DesignBest Lighting Design
  • Florence Klotz – Pacific Overtures
  • * Theoni V. Aldredge – A Chorus Line
  • * Ann Roth – The Royal Family
  • * Patricia Zipprodt – Chicago
  • Tharon Musser – A Chorus Line
  • * Ian Calderon – Trelawny of the 'Wells'
  • * Jules Fisher – Chicago
  • * Tharon Musser – Pacific Overtures

    • Special awards

  • Lawrence Langner Award Winner - George Abbott
  • Regional Theatre Award - The Arena Stage, Washington, D.C.
  • Mathilde Pincus, for outstanding service to the Broadway musical theatre
  • Thomas H. Fitzgerald, to the gifted lighting technician of countless Broadway shows and many Tony telecasts.
  • Circle in the Square, for twenty-five continuous years of quality productions.
  • Richard Burton

    Multiple nominations and awards

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