| Tony Award for Best Musical | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best Musical |
| Location | New York City |
| Presented by | American Theatre Wing,The Broadway League |
| Currently held by | Maybe Happy Ending(2025) |
| Website | TonyAwards.com |
TheTony Award forBest Musical is given annually to the best new Broadwaymusical, as determined by Tony Award voters. The award is one of the ceremony's longest-standing awards, having been presented each year since 1949. The award goes to the producers of the winning musical. A musical is eligible for consideration in a given year if it has not previously been produced on Broadway and is not "determined... to be a 'classic' or in the historical or popular repertoire", otherwise it may be considered forBest Revival of a Musical.[1]
Best Musical is the final award presented at the Tony Awards ceremony. Excerpts from the musicals that are nominated for this award are usually performed during the ceremony before this award is presented.
This is a list of winners and nominees for the Tony Award for Best Musical.
| Year | Musical | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 (3rd) | ||
| Kiss Me, Kate Book byBella and Samuel Spewack, Music & Lyrics byCole Porter | Saint Subber and Lemuel Ayers |
| Year | Musical | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 (34th) [26] | ||
| Evita Book & Lyrics byTim Rice, Music byAndrew Lloyd Webber | Robert Stigwood | |
| A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine Book & New Lyrics byDick Vosburgh, New Music byFrank Lazarus | Alexander H. Cohen and Hildy Parks | |
| Barnum Book byMark Bramble, Music byCy Coleman, Lyrics byMichael Stewart | Judy Gordon,Cy Coleman, Lois Rosenfield and Maurice Rosenfield | |
| Sugar Babies Conceived byRalph G. Allen andHarry Rigby, Music byJimmy McHugh, Lyrics byDorothy Fields,Al Dubin, and Various Artists | Terry Allen Kramer andHarry Rigby | |
| 1981 (35th) [27] | ||
| 42nd Street Book byMark Bramble andMichael Stewart, Music byHarry Warren, Lyrics byAl Dubin | David Merrick | |
| Sophisticated Ladies Book byDonald McKayle, Music byDuke Ellington, Lyrics by Various Artists | Roger Berlind, Manheim Fox,Sondra Gilman, Burton L. Litwin, Louise Westergaard, Belwin Mills Publishing Corporation and Norzar Productions Inc. | |
| Tintypes Conceived by Mary Kyte, Mel Marvin, and Gary Pearl | Richmond Crinkley, Royal Pardon Productions, Ivan Block, Larry J. Silva, Eve Skina and Joan F. Tobin | |
| Woman of the Year Book byPeter Stone, Music byJohn Kander, Lyrics byFred Ebb | Lawrence Kasha, David S. Landay,James M. Nederlander, Warner Theater Productions, Claire Nichtern, Carole J. Shorenstein andStewart F. Lane | |
| 1982 (36th) [28] | ||
| Nine Book byArthur Kopit, Music & Lyrics byMaury Yeston | Michel Stuart, Harvey J. Klaris,Roger Berlind,James M. Nederlander, Francine LeFrak and Kenneth D. Greenblatt | |
| Dreamgirls Book & Lyrics byTom Eyen, Music byHenry Krieger | Michael Bennett, Bob Avian, Geffen Records andThe Shubert Organization | |
| Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Book & Lyrics byTim Rice, Music byAndrew Lloyd Webber | Zev Buffman, Susan R. Rose, Melvin J. Estrin, Sidney Shlenker and Gail Berman | |
| Pump Boys and Dinettes Book, Music, & Lyrics by John Foley, Mark Hardwick,Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann | Dodger Productions, Louis Busch Hager, Marilyn Strauss, Kate Studley, Warner Theater Productions Inc. and Max Weitzenhoffer | |
| 1983 (37th) [29] | ||
| Cats Based onOld Possum's Book of Cats byT. S. Eliot, Music byAndrew Lloyd Webber, Additional Lyrics byTrevor Nunn &Richard Stilgoe | Cameron Mackintosh,The Really Useful Company Inc.,David Geffen andThe Shubert Organization | |
| Blues in the Night Conceived bySheldon Epps | Mitchell Maxwell, Alan J. Schuster, Fred H. Krones and M2 Entertainment Inc. | |
| Merlin Book byRichard Levinson andWilliam Link, Music byElmer Bernstein, Lyrics byDon Black | Ivan Reitman,Columbia Pictures Stage Productions Inc., Marvin A. Krauss andJames M. Nederlander | |
| My One and Only Book byPeter Stone and Timothy S. Mayer, Music byGeorge Gershwin, Lyrics byIra Gershwin | Paramount Theatre Productions, Francine LeFrak and Kenneth-Mark Productions | |
| 1984 (38th) [30] | ||
| La Cage aux Folles Book byHarvey Fierstein, Music & Lyrics byJerry Herman | Allan Carr, Kenneth D. Greenblatt, Marvin A. Krauss,Stewart F. Lane,James M. Nederlander, Martin Richards, Barry Brown andFritz Holt | |
| Baby Book bySybille Pearson, Music byDavid Shire, Lyrics byRichard Maltby, Jr. | James B. Freydberg, Ivan Bloch, Kenneth-John Productions, Suzanne J. Schwartz and Manuscript Productions | |
| Sunday in the Park with George Book byJames Lapine, Music & Lyrics byStephen Sondheim | The Shubert Organization andEmanuel Azenberg | |
| The Tap Dance Kid Book by Charles Blackwell, Music byHenry Krieger, Lyrics byRobert Lorick | Stanley White, Evelyn Barron, Harvey J. Klaris and Michel Stuart | |
| 1985 (39th) [31] | ||
| Big River Book byWilliam Hauptman, Music & Lyrics byRoger Miller | Rocco Landesman &Heidi Ettinger,Rick Steiner, M. Anthony Fisher and Dodger Productions | |
| Grind Book byFay Kanin, Music byLarry Grossman, Lyrics byEllen Fitzhugh | Kenneth D. Greenblatt, John J. Pomerantz, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards,James M. Nederlander, Harold Prince, Michael Frazier, Susan Madden Samson and Jonathan Farkas | |
| Leader of the Pack Book byAnne Beatts, Music & Lyrics byEllie Greenwich, Additional Lyrics byJeff Barry,Phil Spector,Shadow Morton,Jeff Kent, andEllen Foley | Elizabeth Ireland McCann,Nelle Nugent, Francine LeFrak, Clive Davis, John Hart Associates Inc., Rodger Hess and Richard Kagan | |
| Quilters Book by Barbara Damashek andMolly Newman, Music & Lyrics by Damashek | The Denver Center for the Performing Arts,John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The American National Theatre and Academy and Brockman Seawell | |
| 1986 (40th) [32] | ||
| The Mystery of Edwin Drood Book, Music, & Lyrics byRupert Holmes | Joseph Papp | |
| Big Deal Book byBob Fosse, Music & Lyrics by Various Artists | The Shubert Organization,Roger Berlind, Jerome Minskoff and Jonathan Farkas | |
| Song and Dance Book & Lyrics byDon Black, Music byAndrew Lloyd Webber, Additional Lyrics byRichard Maltby, Jr. | Cameron Mackintosh Inc.,The Shubert Organization, F.W.M. Producing Group andThe Really Useful Company Inc. | |
| Tango Argentino Conceived by Hector Orezzoli andClaudio Segovia | Mel Howard and Donald K. Donald | |
| 1987 (41st) [33] | ||
| Les Misérables Book & Lyrics byAlain Boublil, Music byClaude-Michel Schoenberg, English Lyrics byHerbert Kretzmer | Cameron Mackintosh | |
| Me and My Girl Book & Lyrics byDouglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose, Music byNoel Gay, Revised Book byStephen Fry andMike Ockrent | Richard Armitage, Terry Allen Kramer,James M. Nederlander and Stage Promotions Limited & Co. | |
| Rags Book byJoseph Stein, Music byCharles Strouse, Lyrics byStephen Schwartz, Revised Book byDavid Thompson | Lee Guber, Martin Heinfling and Marvin A. Krauss | |
| Starlight Express Music byAndrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics byRichard Stilgoe | Martin Starger and Lord Grade | |
| 1988 (42nd) [34] | ||
| The Phantom of the Opera Book byAndrew Lloyd Webber andRichard Stilgoe, Music by Lloyd Webber, Lyrics byCharles Hart, Additional Lyrics by Stilgoe | Cameron Mackintosh andThe Really Useful Theatre Company Inc. | |
| Into the Woods Book byJames Lapine, Music & Lyrics byStephen Sondheim | Heidi Landesman,Rocco Landesman, Rick Steiner, M. Anthony Fisher, Frederic H. Mayerson andJujamcyn Theaters | |
| Romance/Romance Book & Lyrics byBarry Harman, Music by Keith Herrmann | Dasha Epstein, Harve Brosten and Jay S. Bulmash | |
| Sarafina! Book byMbongeni Ngema, Music & Lyrics by Ngema andHugh Masekela | Lincoln Center Theater,Gregory Mosher,Bernard Gersten,Lucille Lortel andThe Shubert Organization | |
| 1989 (43rd) [35] | ||
| Jerome Robbins' Broadway Directed & Choreographed byJerome Robbins | The Shubert Organization,Roger Berlind, Suntory International Corp., Byron Goldman andEmanuel Azenberg | |
| Black and Blue Directed by Hector Orezzoli andClaudio Segovia, Music & Lyrics by Various Artists | Mel Howard and Donald K. Donald | |
| Starmites Book by Barry Keating and Stuart Ross, Music & Lyrics by Keating | Hinks Shimberg, Mary Keil and Steven Warnick |
| Year | Musical | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 (54th) [46] | ||
| Contact Book byJohn Weidman, Choreography bySusan Stroman, Music & Lyrics by Various Artists | Lincoln Center Theater,André Bishop andBernard Gersten | |
| James Joyce's The Dead Book byRichard Nelson, Music byShaun Davey, Lyrics by Davey and Nelson | Gregory Mosher,Arielle Tepper,Playwrights Horizons and Tim Sanford | |
| Swing! Book by Paul Kelly, Choreography byLynne Taylor-Corbett, Music & Lyrics by Various Artists | Jujamcyn Theaters, et al. | |
| The Wild Party Book byMichael John LaChiusa andGeorge C. Wolfe, Music & Lyrics by LaChiusa | The Joseph Papp Public Theater /New York Shakespeare Festival, George C. Wolfe,Scott Rudin /Paramount Pictures,Roger Berlind and Williams/Waxman | |
| 2001 (55th) [47] | ||
| The Producers Book byMel Brooks andThomas Meehan, Music & Lyrics by Brooks | Rocco Landesman, SFX Theatrical Group, The Frankel-Baruch-Viertel-Routh Group,Bob andHarvey Weinstein, Rick Steiner, Robert F.X. Sillerman,Mel Brooks and James D. Stern / Douglas Meyer | |
| A Class Act Book by Linda Kline andLonny Price, Music & Lyrics byEdward Kleban | Marty Bell,Chase Mishkin,Arielle Tepper andManhattan Theatre Club | |
| The Full Monty Book byTerrence McNally, Music & Lyrics byDavid Yazbek | Fox Searchlight Pictures, Lindsay Law and Thomas Hall | |
| Jane Eyre Book byJohn Caird, Music & Lyrics byPaul Gordon | Annette Niemtzow, Janet Robinson, Pamela Koslow, Margaret McFeeley Golden, Jennifer Manocherian and Carolyn Kim McCarthy | |
| 2002 (56th) [48] | ||
| Thoroughly Modern Millie Book by Richard Morris andDick Scanlan, Music byJeanine Tesori, Lyrics by Scanlan | Michael Leavitt, Fox Theatricals,Stewart F. Lane,James L. Nederlander,Whoopi Goldberg, et al. | |
| Mamma Mia! Book byCatherine Johnson, Music & Lyrics byBenny Anderson andBjörn Ulvaeus | Judy Craymer, Richard East andBjörn Ulvaeus for Littlestar andUniversal | |
| Sweet Smell of Success Book byJohn Guare, Music byMarvin Hamlisch, Lyrics byCraig Carnelia | Clear Channel Entertainment, David Brown, Ernest Lehman, Marty Bell, Martin Richards, Roy Furman,Joan Cullman, Bob Boyett, East of Doheny,Bob andHarvey Weinstein | |
| Urinetown Book byGreg Kotis, Music byMark Hollmann, Lyrics by Hollmann and Kotis | The Araca Group and Dodger Theatricals, TheaterDreams, Inc., Lauren Mitchell | |
| 2003 (57th) [49] | ||
| Hairspray Book byThomas Meehan andMark O'Donnell, Music byMarc Shaiman, Lyrics by Shaiman andScott Wittman | Margo Lion, et al. | |
| Amour Book & Lyrics byJeremy Sams andDidier Van Cauwelaert, Music byMichel Legrand | The Shubert Organization,Jean Doumanian Productions, Inc. and USA Ostar Theatricals | |
| Movin' Out Conceived byTwyla Tharp, Music & Lyrics byBilly Joel | James L. Nederlander, Hal Luftig, Scott E. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Clear Channel Entertainment andEmanuel Azenberg | |
| A Year with Frog and Toad Book & Lyrics byWillie Reale, Music byRobert Reale | Bob Boyett, Adrianne Lobel, Michael Gardner, Lawrence Horowitz, Roy Furman, Scott E. Nederlander and The Children's Theatre Company | |
| 2004 (58th) [50] | ||
| Avenue Q Book byJeff Whitty, Music & Lyrics byRobert Lopez andJeff Marx | Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman,Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre and The New Group | |
| The Boy from Oz Book byNick Enright andMartin Sherman, Music & Lyrics byPeter Allen | Ben Gannon andRobert Fox | |
| Caroline, or Change Book & Lyrics byTony Kushner, Music byJeanine Tesori | Carole Shorenstein Hays, HBO Films,Jujamcyn Theaters,Scott Rudin, Fox Theatricals,Roger Berlind, Clear Channel Entertainment,Joan Cullman, Greg Holland/Scott Nederlander,Margo Lion,The Public Theater, et al. | |
| Wicked Book byWinnie Holzman, Music & Lyrics byStephen Schwartz | Marc Platt,Universal Pictures,The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone | |
| 2005 (59th) [51] | ||
| Spamalot Book & Lyrics byEric Idle, Music byJohn Du Prez and Idle | Boyett Ostar Productions,The Shubert Organization,Arielle Tepper, Jam Theatricals, TGA Entertainment, Clear Channel Entertainment, et al. | |
| Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Book byJeffrey Lane, Music & Lyrics byDavid Yazbek | Chase Mishkin,Debra Black, Weissberger Theater Group, Clear Channel Entertainment,Harvey Weinstein, MGM on Stage, et al. | |
| The Light in the Piazza Book byCraig Lucas, Music & Lyrics byAdam Guettel | Lincoln Center Theater,André Bishop andBernard Gersten | |
| The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Book by Rachel Sheinkin, Music & Lyrics byWilliam Finn | David Stone,James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Barrington Stage Company andSecond Stage Theater | |
| 2006 (60th) [52] | ||
| Jersey Boys Book byMarshall Brickman andRick Elice, Music byBob Gaudio, Lyrics byBob Crewe | Dodger Theatricals, Joseph J. Grano, Pelican Group, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Latitude Link, Rick Steiner/Osher/Staton/Bell/Mayerson Group | |
| The Color Purple Book byMarsha Norman, Music & Lyrics byStephen Bray,Brenda Russell, andAllee Willis | Oprah Winfrey,Quincy Jones,Kelsey Grammer, Nederlander Presentations,Bob andHarvey Weinstein, et al. | |
| The Drowsy Chaperone Book byBob Martin andDon McKellar, Music & Lyrics byLisa Lambert andGreg Morrison | Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Boyett Ostar Productions, Stephanie P. McClelland, Barbara Freitag, Jill Furman | |
| The Wedding Singer Book byChad Beguelin andTim Herlihy, Music byMatthew Sklar, Lyrics by Beguelin | Margo Lion, New Line Cinema,The Araca Group,Jujamcyn Theaters, et al. | |
| 2007 (61st) [53] | ||
| Spring Awakening Book & Lyrics bySteven Sater, Music byDuncan Sheik | Ira Pittelman,Tom Hulce,Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel,Atlantic Theater Company, et al. | |
| Curtains Book byRupert Holmes, Music byJohn Kander, Lyrics byFred Ebb, Kander, and Holmes | Roger Berlind, Roger Horchow, Daryl Roth, Jane Bergere, Ted Hartley andCenter Theatre Group | |
| Grey Gardens Book byDoug Wright, Music byScott Frankel, Lyrics byMichael Korie | East of Doheny, Staunch Entertainment, Randall Wreghitt / Mort Swinsky, Michael Alden, Edwin W. Schloss andPlaywrights Horizons | |
| Mary Poppins Book byJulian Fellowes, Music byRichard M. Sherman,Robert B. Sherman, andGeorge Stiles, Lyrics byAnthony Drewe andThe Sherman Brothers | Disney andCameron Mackintosh | |
| 2008 (62nd) [54] | ||
| In the Heights Book byQuiara Alegría Hudes, Music & Lyrics byLin-Manuel Miranda | Kevin McCollum,Jeffrey Seller,Jill Furman, Sander Jacobs, Goodman/Grossman, Peter Fine, Everett/Skipper | |
| Cry-Baby Book byThomas Meehan andMark O'Donnell, Music byAdam Schlesinger, Lyrics byDavid Javerbaum | Adam Epstein,Universal Pictures Stage Productions, The Pelican Group, et al. | |
| Passing Strange Book & Lyrics byStew, Music by Heidi Rodewald and Stew | The Shubert Organization,Elizabeth Ireland McCann LLC,Bill Kenwright,Chase Mishkin,The Public Theater andBerkeley Repertory Theatre, et al. | |
| Xanadu Book byDouglas Carter Beane, Music & Lyrics byJohn Farrar andJeff Lynne | Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Tara Smith/B. Swibel and Sarah Murchison/Dale Smith | |
| 2009 (63rd) [55] | ||
| Billy Elliot the Musical Book & Lyrics byLee Hall, Music byElton John | Universal Pictures Stage Productions,Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions and Weinstein Live Entertainment | |
| Next to Normal Book & Lyrics byBrian Yorkey, Music byTom Kitt | David Stone,James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo,Second Stage Theater, Carole Rothman and Ellen Richard | |
| Rock of Ages Book by Chris D'Arienzo, Music & Lyrics by Various Artists | Matthew Weaver,The Araca Group, et al. | |
| Shrek The Musical Book & Lyrics byDavid Lindsay-Abaire, Music byJeanine Tesori | DreamWorks Theatricals andNeal Street Productions |
Accumulated records as of 2022:[71]