1996 Tony Awards results (50th) – Winners & nominees

Introducing the winners of the 1996 Tony Awards—the highest honor in American musical theatre.

1996 Tony Awards Best musical

This page lists the winners and nominees of the 50th Tony Awards, held on June 2, 1996. The 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical went to “Rent”.

Best musical

Winner: Nominees:
  • Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk
  • Chronicle of a Death Foretold
  • Swinging on a Star

Best play

Winner:
  • Master Class
Nominees:
  • Buried Child
  • Racing Demon
  • Seven Guitars

Best book of a musical

Winner:
  • Jonathan Larson (Rent)
Nominees:
  • John Weidman (Big – The Musical)
  • Reg E. Gaines (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)
  • Graciela Daniele, Jim Lewis and Michael John LaChiusa (Chronicle of a Death Foretold)

Best original score

Winner:
  • Jonathan Larson (Rent)
Nominees:
  • Daryl Waters, Zane Mark, Ann Duquesnay, Reg E. Gaines and George C. Wolfe (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)
  • Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (State Fair)

Best revival of a musical

Winner:
  • The King and I
Nominees:
  • A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
  • Company
  • Hello, Dolly!

Best revival of a play

Winner:
  • A Delicate Balance
Nominees:
  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • An Ideal Husband
  • Inherit the Wind

Best performance by a leading actor in a play

Winner:
  • George Grizzard (A Delicate Balance)
Nominees:
  • Philip Bosco (Moon Over Buffalo)
  • George C. Scott (Inherit the Wind)
  • Martin Shaw (An Ideal Husband)

Best performance by a leading actress in a play

Winner:
  • Zoe Caldwell (Master Class)
Nominees:
  • Carol Burnett (Moon Over Buffalo)
  • Rosemary Harris (A Delicate Balance)
  • Elaine Stritch (A Delicate Balance)

Best performance by a leading actor in a musical

Winner:
  • Nathan Lane (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)
Nominees:
  • Savion Glover (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)
  • Adam Pascal (Rent)
  • Lou Diamond Phillips (The King and I)

Best performance by a leading actress in a musical

Winner:
  • Donna Murphy (The King and I)
Nominees:
  • Julie Andrews (Victor/Victoria)
  • Crista Moore (Big – The Musical)
  • Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent)

Best performance by a featured actor in a play

Winner:
  • Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Seven Guitars)
Nominees:
  • James Gammon (Buried Child)
  • Roger Robinson (Seven Guitars)
  • Reg Rogers (Holiday)

Best performance by a featured actress in a play

Winner:
  • Audra McDonald (Master Class)
Nominees:
  • Viola Davis (Seven Guitars)
  • Michele Shay (Seven Guitars)
  • Lois Smith (Buried Child)

Best performance by a featured actor in a musical

Winner:
  • Wilson Jermaine Heredia (Rent)
Nominees:
  • Lewis J. Stadlen (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)
  • Brett Tabisel (Big – The Musical)
  • Scott Wise (State Fair)

Best performance by a featured actress in a musical

Winner:
  • Ann Duquesnay (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)
Nominees:
  • Joohee Choi (The King and I)
  • Veanne Cox (Company)
  • Idina Menzel (Rent)

Best scenic design

Winner:
  • Brian Thomson (The King and I)
Nominees:
  • John Lee Beatty (A Delicate Balance)
  • Scott Bradley (Seven Guitars)
  • Anthony Ward (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Best costume design

Winner:
  • Roger Kirk (The King and I)
Nominees:
  • Jane Greenwood (A Delicate Balance)
  • Allison Reeds (Buried Child)
  • Paul Tazewell (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)

Best lighting design

Winner:
  • Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)
Nominees:
  • Christopher Akerlind (Seven Guitars)
  • Blake Burba (Rent)
  • Nigel Levings (The King and I)

Best direction of a play

Winner:
  • Gerald Gutierrez (A Delicate Balance)
Nominees:
  • Peter Hall (An Ideal Husband)
  • Lloyd Richards (Seven Guitars)
  • Gary Sinise (Buried Child)

Best direction of a musical

Winner:
  • George C. Wolfe (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)
Nominees:
  • Michael Greif (Rent)
  • Christopher Renshaw (The King and I)
  • Jerry Zaks (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)

Best choreography

Winner:
  • Savion Glover (Bring in ‘da Noise/Bring in ‘da Funk)
Nominees:
  • Graciela Daniele (Chronicle of a Death Foretold)
  • Susan Stroman (Big – The Musical)
  • Marlies Yearby (Rent)

Regional theatre Tony Award

  • Alley Theatre of Houston

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