26th Tony Awards

The 26th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by ABC television on April 23, 1972 from The Broadway Theatre in New York City. Hosts were Henry Fonda, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov.

Presenters were Richard Benjamin, Ingrid Bergman, Claire Bloom, Arlene Dahl, Sandy Duncan, Peter Falk, Lee Grant, Joel Grey, Arthur Hill, Hal Holbrook, Jean Stapleton, and Gwen Verdon.

Performers were Desi Arnaz, Janet Blair, Larry Blyden, Alfred Drake, Helen Gallagher, Lisa Kirk, Hal Linden, Barbara McNair, Ethel Merman, and Constance Towers.

Musicals represented:
*"Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death" ("Put A Curse on You " -Company);
*"Jesus Christ Superstar" (Medley - Jeff Fenholt, Yvonne Elliman and Company);
*"No, No, Nanette" ("You Can Dance With Any Girl"- Helen Gallagher and Bobby Van/ "I Want To Be Happy" - Ruby Keeler and Company).

Special Tony Awards were presented to Ethel Merman and Richard Rodgers. For Rodgers, there was a medley from his works, from "Garrick Gaieties" to "Do I Hear A Waltz", with the composer accepting his award to the tune of "The Sound of Music." With the assistance of Hal Linden and Larry Blyden, Merman herself sang selections from her performances, including "I Got Rhythm" and "Everything's Comin' Up Roses." [O'Connor, John."New York Times", April 25, 1972,p.86]

Winners and Nominees

"Winners are in bold "

Production

Best Play----
*"Sticks and Bones" by David Rabe. Produced by New York Shakespeare Festival (Joseph Papp)

Nominees:
*"Old Times" by Harold Pinter. Produced by Roger L. Stevens
*"The Prisoner of Second Avenue" by Neil Simon. Produced by Saint-Subber
*"Vivat! Vivat Regina!" by Robert Bolt. Produced by David Merrick and Arthur Cantor

Best Musical----
*"Two Gentleman of Verona" Produced by New York Shakespeare Festival (Joseph Papp)

Nominees:
*"Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death". Produced by Eugene V. Wolsk, Charles Blackwell, Emanuel Azenberg, and Robert Malina
*"Follies". Produced by Harold Prince
*"Grease". Produced by Kenneth Waissman and Maxine Fox

Performance

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play----
*Cliff Gorman ("Lenny")Nominees:
*Tom Aldredge ("Sticks and Bones")
*Donald Pleasence ("Wise Child")
*Jason Robards ("The Country Girl")

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play----
*Sada Thompson ("Twigs")Nominees:
*Eileen Atkins ("Vivat! Vivat! Regina!")
*Colleen Dewhurst ("All Over")
*Rosemary Harris ("Old Times")

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical----
*Phil Silvers ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum")Nominees:
*Clifton Davis ("Two Gentlemen of Verona")
*Barry Bostwick ("Grease")
*Raul Julia ("Two Gentleman of Verona")

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical----
*Alexis Smith ("Follies")Nominees:
*Jonelle Allen ("Two Gentlemen of Verona")
*Dorothy Collins ("Follies")
*Mildred Natwick ("70, Girls, 70")

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play----
* Vincent Gardenia ("The Prisoner of Second Avenue")Nominees:
*Douglas Rain ("Vivat! Vivat! Regina!")
*Lee Richardson ("Vivat! Vivat! Regina!")
*Joe Silver ("Lenny")

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play----
*Elizabeth Wilson ("Sticks and Bones")Nominees:
*Cara Duff-MacCormick ("Moonchildren")
*Mercedes McCambridge ("The Love Suicide at Schofield Barracks")
*Frances Sternhagen ("The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window")

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical----
*Larry Blyden ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum")Nominees:
*Timothy Myers ("Grease")
*Gene Nelson ("Follies")
*Ben Vereen ("Jesus Christ Superstar")

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical----
*Linda Hopkins ("Inner City")Nominees:
*Adrienne Barbeau ("Grease")
*Bernadette Peters ("On The Town")
*Beatrice Winde ("Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death")

Craft

Best Direction of a Play----
*"'Mike Nichols ("The Prisoner of Second Avenue")Nominees:
*Jeff Bleckner ("Sticks and Bones")
*Gordon Davidson ("The Trial of the Catonsville Nine")
*Peter Hall ("Old Times")

Best Direction of a Musical----
*Harold Prince and Michael Bennett ("Follies")Nominees:
*Gilbert Moses ("Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death")
*Mel Shapiro ("Two Gentleman of Verona")
*Burt Shevelove ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum")

Best Choreography----
*Michael Bennett ("Follies")Nominees:
*Patricia Birch ("Grease")
*Jean Erdman ("Two Gentlemen of Verona")

Best Book of a Musical----
*"Two Gentlemen of Verona" by John Guare and Mel ShapiroNominees:
*"Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death" by Melvin Van Peebles
*"Follies" by James Goldman
*Grease" by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey

Best Original Score Written for the Theatre----
*"Follies" Music and lyrics by Stephen SondheimNominees:
*"Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death" Music and Lyrics by Melvin Van Peebles
*"Jesus Christ Superstar" Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice
*"Two Gentlemen of Verona" Music by Galt MacDermot, lyrics by John Guare

Best Scenic Design----
*Boris Aronson ("Follies")Nominees:
*John Bury ("Old Times")
*Kert Lundell ("Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death")
*Robin Wagner ("Jesus Christ Superstar")

Tony Award for Best Costume Design----
*"'Florence Klotz ("Follies")Nominees:
*Theoni V. Aldredge ("Two Gentleman of Verona")
*Randy Barcelo ("Jesus Christ Superstar")
*Carrie F. Robbins ("Grease")

Tony Award for Best Lighting Design----
*Tharon Musser ("Follies")Nominees:
*Martin Aronstein ("Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death")
*John Bury ("Old Times")
*Jules Fisher ("Jesus Christ Superstar")

pecial Awards

*The Theatre Guild--American Theatre Society, for its many years of service to audiences for touring shows.
*"Fiddler on the Roof", on becoming the longest-running musical in Broadway history. Presented to Harold Prince
*Ethel Merman
*Richard Rodgers

ee also

Tony Awards

References

External links

* [http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/index.html Tony Awards Official Site]