| Special Tony Award | |
| Awarded For: | Special Tony Award |
| Presenter: | American Theatre Wing The Broadway League |
| Location: | United States New York City |
| Website: | TonyAwards.com |
The Special Tony Award category includes the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award and the Special Tony Award. These are non-competitive honorary awards, and the titles have changed over the years. The Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre is to "honor an individual for the body of his or her work."[1] (The Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event was a competitive award, given from 2001 to 2009.) Another non-competitive Tony award is the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, to "recognize the achievements of individuals and organizations that do not fit into any of the competitive categories."[1]
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Dora Chamberlain | Unfailing courtesy as treasurer of the Martin Beck Theatre |
| Ira and Rita Katzenberg | Enthusiasm as inveterate first-nighters | |
| Jules Leventhal | Being the season's most prolific backer and producer | |
| Burns Mantle | The annual publication of The Ten Best Plays | |
| P. A. MacDonald | Intricate construction for the production of If the Shoe Fits | |
| Vincent Sardi Sr. | Providing a transient home and comfort station for theatre folk at Sardi's for 20 years | |
| 1948 | Rosalind Gilder | Contribution to theatre through a publication for Theatre Arts |
| Vera Allen | Distinguished wing volunteer worker through the war and after | |
| Paul Beisman | Progressive Theatre Operators to Operator of the American Theatre, St. Louis | |
| Joe E. Brown | Spreading theatre to the country in Harvey, while the originals perform in New York | |
| Cast of The Importance of Being Earnest | Outstanding Foreign Company | |
| Robert W. Dowling | Progressive theatre operators to President of City Investing Company, St. Louis | |
| Experimental Theatre Inc. | Experiment in theatre | |
| June Lockhart | Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer for For Love or Money | |
| Mary Martin | Spreading theatre to the country in Annie Get Your Gun, while the originals perform in New York | |
| George Pierce | Twenty-five years of courteous and efficient service as a backstage doorman at the Empire Theatre | |
| James Whitmore | Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer for Command Decision | |
| 1949 | ||
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Maurice Evans | Special recognition for guiding the City Center Theatre Company through a highly successful season |
| Philip Faversham | Representing those workers from the American Theatre Wing's hospital program who had performed hospital volunteer work outside of New York | |
| Founder of awards and its original chairman | ||
| 1951 | Ruth Green | Her services as a volunteer in arranging reservation and seating for the five Tony Awards |
| 1952 | Charles Boyer | His performance in Don Juan in Hell, thereby assisting in a new theatre trend |
| Judy Garland | An important contribution to the revival of vaudeville through her recent stint at the Palace Theatre | |
| Edward Kook | His contributing to and encouraging the development of stage lighting and electronics | |
| 1953 | Danny Kaye | Heading a variety bill at the Palace Theatre. Equity Community Theatre |
| Beatrice Lillie | Her performance in An Evening with Beatrice Lillie | |
| 1954 | colspan="2" | |
| 1955 | Proscenium Productions | Presented to Warren Enters, Robert Merriman and Sybil Trubin for high quality and viewpoints shown in The Way of the World and Thieves Carnival |
| 1956 | Fourth Street Chekov Theatre | |
| The New York Public Library Theatre Collection | Presented to founder George Freedley for its distinguished service to the theatre | |
| The Shakespearewrights | ||
| The Threepenny Opera | Presented to producer Carmen Capalbo for her distinguished Off-Broadway production | |
| 1957 | American Shakespeare Festival | |
| Jean-Louis Barrault | ||
| Robert Russell Bennett | ||
| William Hammerstein | ||
| Joseph Harbuck | His performance in Auntie Mame | |
| Paul Shyre | ||
| 1958 | Louise Heims Beck | Fifteen years of untiring dedication to the American Theatre Wing, which she served as treasurer, secretary and chairman of the board of directors |
| New York Shakespeare Festival | Presenting free performances in Central Park and the Hecksher Theater | |
| 1959 | Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay | A collaboration that lasted longer than Gilbert and Sullivan |
| John Gielgud | Contribution to theatre for his extraordinary insight into the writings of Shakespeare as demonstrated in his one-man play, Ages of Man | |
| Cast of La Plume de Ma Tante | Contribution to the theatre | |
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Burgess Meredith and James Thurber | Their production of A Thurber Carnival |
| John D. Rockefeller III | Vision and leadership in creating the Lincoln Center, a landmark of theatre encompassing the performing arts | |
| 1961 | David Merrick | In recognition of a fabulous production record over the last seven years |
| The Theatre Guild | Organizing the first repertory to go abroad for the State Department; presented to Warren Caro[2] | |
| 1962 | Brooks Atkinson | His influential theatre critique in The New York Times |
| Richard Rodgers | All he has done for young people in the theatre and for taking the men of the orchestra out of the pit and putting them on stage in No Strings | |
| Franco Zeffirelli | His designs and direction of the Old Vic's Romeo and Juliet | |
| 1963 | Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller and Dudley Moore | Their brilliance in Beyond the Fringe, which has shattered all the old concepts of comedy |
| Irving Berlin | His distinguished contribution to the musical theatre for these many years | |
| W. McNeil Lowry | On behalf of the Ford Foundation for his and their distinguished support of the American Theatre | |
| 1964 | Eva Le Gallienne | Celebrating her 50th year as an actress, honored for her work with the National Repertory Theatre |
| 1965 | Gilbert Miller | Producing 88 plays and musicals and for his perseverance which has helped to keep New York and theatre alive |
| Oliver Smith | ||
| 1966 | Helen Menken | A lifetime of devotion and dedicated service to the Broadway theatre |
| 1967 | colspan="2" | |
| 1968 | APA-Phoenix Theatre | |
| Pearl Bailey | ||
| Carol Channing | ||
| Maurice Chevalier | ||
| Marlene Dietrich | ||
| Audrey Hepburn | ||
| David Merrick | ||
| 1969 | Leonard Bernstein | |
| Carol Burnett | ||
| Rex Harrison | ||
| The Negro Ensemble Company | ||
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Noël Coward | Multiple and immortal contributions to the theatre |
| Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt | ||
| New York Shakespeare Festival | Pioneering efforts on behalf of new plays | |
| Barbra Streisand | Star of the Decade | |
| 1971 | Ingram Ash | Decades of devoted service to the theatre |
| Elliot Norton | Distinguished theatrical commentary | |
| Playbill | Chronicling Broadway through the years | |
| Roger L. Stevens | ||
| 1972 | Fiddler on the Roof | Presented to Harold Prince for becoming the longest-running musical in Broadway history |
| Ethel Merman | ||
| Richard Rodgers | ||
| The Theatre Guild-American Theatre Society | Its many years of service to audiences for touring shows; presented to Warren Caro | |
| 1973 | John Lindsay (Mayor of New York City) | |
| Shubert Organization | ||
| The Actor's Fund of America | ||
| 1974 | Actors' Equity Association | |
| A Moon for the Misbegotten | An outstanding dramatic revival of an American classic | |
| Candide | An outstanding contribution to the artistic development of the musical theatre | |
| Peter Cook and Dudley Moore | Co-stars and authors of Good Evening | |
| Harold Friedlander | Theatre Award '74 | |
| Bette Midler | Adding lustre to the Broadway season | |
| Liza Minnelli | Adding lustre to the Broadway season | |
| The Theatre Development Fund | ||
| John F. Wharton | Theatre Award '74 | |
| 1975 | Al Hirschfeld | Fifty years of theatrical cartoons |
| 1976 | George Abbott | Lawrence Langner Award |
| Richard Burton | ||
| Circle in the Square | Twenty-five continuous years of quality productions | |
| Thomas H. Fitzgerald | Gifted lighting in countless Broadway shows and many Tony telecasts | |
| Mathilde Pincus | Outstanding service to the Broadway musical theatre | |
| 1977 | Cheryl Crawford | Lawrence Langner Award |
| Equity Liberty Theatre | ||
| Barry Manilow | ||
| National Theatre of the Deaf | ||
| Diana Ross | ||
| Lily Tomlin | ||
| 1978 | Irving Berlin | Lawrence Langner Award |
| Stan Dragoti and Charles Moss | To the creators of the I Love New York Broadway show tours and its sponsor, the New York State Department of Commerce | |
| 1979 | Walter F. Diehl | Being an active force in advancing the well-being of the Broadway theatre and of theatre nationally |
| Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theater Center | ||
| Henry Fonda | ||
| Richard Rodgers | Lawrence Langner Award | |
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Richard Fitzgerald | Installing the infrared system in Broadway theatres, thus bringing the compassion and dedication of making theatergoing for those with impaired hearing, rewarding and enjoyable |
| Goodspeed Musicals | ||
| Helen Hayes | Lawrence Langner Award | |
| Mary Tyler Moore | Her performance in Whose Life Is It Anyway? | |
| Hobe Morrison | Theatre Award '80 | |
| 1981 | Lena Horne | Her performance in |
| 1982 | Radio City Music Hall | Theatre Award '82 |
| The Actors' Fund of America | ||
| Warner Communications | Theatre Award '82 | |
| 1983 | colspan="2" | |
| 1984 | A Chorus Line | In honor of becoming Broadway's longest-running musical |
| Peter Feller | A master craftsman who has devoted forty years to theatre stagecraft and magic | |
| Al Hirschfeld | Brooks Atkinson Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | |
| La Tragedie de Carmen | Outstanding achievement in musical theatre | |
| 1985 | Yul Brynner | Honoring his 4,525 performances in The King and I |
| New York State Council on the Arts | ||
| 1986 | colspan="2" | |
| 1987 | George Abbott | On the occasion of his 100th birthday |
| Jackie Mason | His performance in The World According to Me | |
| Robert Preston | Lawrence Langner Award (posthumously) | |
| 1988 | Brooklyn Academy of Music | |
| 1989 | ||
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 – 1992 | colspan="2" | |
| 1993 | Oklahoma! | 50th anniversary |
| 1994 | Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy | Lifetime Achievement |
| 1995 | Carol Channing | Lifetime Achievement |
| National Endowment for the Arts | Tony Honor | |
| Harvey Sabinson | Lifetime Achievement after 50 years in the theater | |
| 1996 | colspan="2" | |
| 1997 | Bernard B. Jacobs | Lifetime Achievement |
| 1998 | Edward E. Colton | Lifetime Achievement |
| Ben Edwards | ||
| 1999 | Uta Hagen | Lifetime Achievement |
| Arthur Miller | ||
| Isabelle Stevenson |
| Year | Recipient | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Dame Edna: The Royal Tour | Live Theatrical Presentation | |
| T. Edward Hambleton | Lifetime Achievement | ||
| 2001 | Paul Gemignani | Lifetime Achievement | |
| 2002 | Julie Harris | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | |
| Robert Whitehead (theatre producer) | |||
| 2003 | Cy Feuer | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | |
| Russell Simmons' Def Poetry Jam on Broadway | Special Theatrical Event (Competitive) | ||
| 2004 | James M. Nederlander | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | |
| 2005 | Edward Albee | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | |
| 2006 | Sarah Jones | Her performance in Bridge and Tunnel | |
| Harold Prince | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | ||
| 2007 | colspan="2" | ||
| 2008 | Robert Russell Bennett | In recognition of his contribution to the field of orchestrations | |
| Stephen Sondheim | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | ||
| 2009 | Jerry Herman | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Alan Ayckbourn | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| Marian Seldes | ||
| 2011 | Athol Fugard | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| Philip J. Smith | ||
| 2012 | Actors' Equity Association | |
| Hugh Jackman | ||
| 2013 | Bernard "Bernie" Gersten | |
| Ming Cho Lee | ||
| Paul Libin | ||
| 2014 | Jane Greenwood | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| 2015 | John Cameron Mitchell | |
| Tommy Tune | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | |
| 2016 | Sheldon Harnick | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| Marshall W. Mason | ||
| National Endowment for the Arts | ||
| Miles Wilkin | ||
| 2017 | James Earl Jones | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| 2018 | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| Chita Rivera | ||
| John Leguizamo | ||
| Bruce Springsteen | ||
| 2019 | Rosemary Harris | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| Terrence McNally | ||
| Harold Wheeler | ||
| New York City Fire Department Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 | ||
| Marin Mazzie (posthumous) | ||
| Jason Michael Webb | ||
| Sonny Tilders and Creature Technology Company | ||
| Year | Recipient | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Graciela Daniele | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| The Broadway Advocacy Coalition | ||
| David Byrne's American Utopia | ||
| Freestyle Love Supreme | ||
| 2021 | colspan="2" | |
| 2022 | Angela Lansbury | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| James C. Nicola | ||
| 2023 | Joel Grey | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre |
| John Kander | ||
| 2024 | Alex Edelman | "Exemplary debut" for Just for Us |
| Abe Jacob | Modern theatrical sound design | |
| Nikiya Mathis | Hair and wig design for Jaja's African Hair Braiding | |
| Jack O'Brien | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | |
| George C. Wolfe | ||