2023 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2023 / Special Tony Award
2022 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2022 / Special Tony Award
2020 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2020 / Special Tony Award
The Broadway Advocacy Coalition
David Byrne’s American Utopia
2019 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2019 / Special Tony Award
Marin Mazzie
Honored posthumously for her advocacy and leadership within the theatre community as a brave and dedicated voice for women’s health issues and organizations
Sonny Tilders and Creature Technology Company
Creators of the character/puppet Kong for the Broadway musical “King Kong”
Jason Michael Webb
For his outstanding vocal arrangements for “Choir Boy”
2018 / Special Tony Award
2018 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2017 / Special Tony Award
Gareth Fry & Pete Malkin, Sound Designers for The Encounter
2017 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2016 / Special Tony Award
National Endowment for the Arts
2016 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2015 / Special Tony Award
2015 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2014 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2013 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2012 / Special Tony Award
Actors' Equity Association and Hugh Jackman
2012 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2011 / Special Tony Award
Handspring Puppet Company
2011 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2010 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2009 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2008 / Special Tony Award
Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981), in recognition of his historic contribution to American musical theatre in the field of orchestrations, as represented on Broadway this season by Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific.
2008 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2006 / Special Tony Award
2006 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2005 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2004 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2003 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2002 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2001 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2000 / Special Tony Award
Dame Edna: The Royal Tour. Producers: Leonard Soloway, Chase Mishkin, Steven M. Levy and Jonathan Reinis
2000 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
1999 / Special Tony Award
Fool Moon. Producers: James B. Freydberg, Jeffrey Ash, Dori Berinstein, CTM Productions
1999 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
1998 / Special Tony Award
1997 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Bernard B. Jacobs (posthumously)
1995 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
1994 / Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn
1993 / Special Tony Award
Oklahoma!--50th Anniversary
1988 / Special Tony Award
Brooklyn Academy of Music
1987 / Special Tony Award
George Abbott, on the occasion of his 100th birthday
Jackie Mason, for The World According to Me
1985 / Special Tony Award
Yul Brynner, honoring his 4,525 performances in The King and I
New York State Council on the Arts
1984 / Special Tony Award
La Tragedie de Carmen, for outstanding achievement in musical theatre
Peter Feller, a master craftsman who has devoted forty years to theatre stagecraft and magic.
A Chorus Line was presented with a special Gold Tony Award in honor of becoming Broadway's longest-running musical
Al Hirschfeld received the Brooks Atkinson Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
1982 / Special Tony Award
The Actors' Fund of America
1981 / Special Tony Award
Lena Horne, for Lena Home: The Lady and Her Music
1980 / Special Tony Award
Mary Tyler Moore, Whose Life Is It Anyway?
Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut
Richard Fitzgerald, honored for his installing the infrared system in Broadway theatres, thus bringing the compassion and dedication of making theatergoing for those with impaired hearing, rewarding, stimulating and enjoyable.
Hobe Morrison, theater editor of Variety
1979 / Special Tony Award
Walter F. Diehl, International President of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Operators, has been an active force in advancing the well-being of the Broadway theatre and of theatre nationally.
Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theatre Center, Waterford, Connecticut
1978 / Special Tony Award
To the creators, Charles Moss and Stan Dragoti (of Wells, Rich, Greene, Inc.) of the I Love New York Broadway Show Tours and its sponsor, the New York State Department of Commerce
1977 / Special Tony Award
National Theatre For the Deaf
1976 / Special Tony Award
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. (Posthumous)
Circle in the Square, for twenty-five continuous years of quality productions.
1975 / Special Tony Award
Al Hirschfeld for 50 years of theatrical cartoons.
1974 / Special Tony Award
Liza Minnelli, for adding lustre to the Broadway season.
Bette Midler, for adding lustre to the Broadway season.
Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, co-stars and authors of Good Evening.
A Moon for the Misbegotten, an outstanding dramatic revival of an American classic. Produced by Lester Osterman, Elliott Martin and Richard Hurner.
Candide, an outstanding contribution to the artistic development of the musical theatre. Produced by Chelsea Theatre Group, Harold Prince and Ruth Mitchell.
Actor's Equity Association
John F. Wharton, veteran theatrical attorney.
Harold Friedlander, the industry's foremost printing expert.
1973 / Special Tony Award
John Lindsay, Mayor of New York City
1972 / Special Tony Award
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 S. Prince.
1971 / Special Tony Award
Elliot Norton, drama critic, for distinguished theatrical commentary.
Ingram Ash, president of Blaine-Thompson Advertising, for decades of devoted service to the theatre.
Playbill, for chronicling Broadway through the years.
1970 / Special Tony Award
Sir Noel Coward for his multiple and immortal contributions to the theatre
Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
New York Shakespeare Festival, for pioneering efforts on behalf of new plays
1969 / Special Tony Award
The National Theatre Company of Great Britain
The Negro Ensemble Company
1968 / Special Tony Award
1966 / Special Tony Award
Helen Menken (posthumous), for a lifetime of devotion and dedicated service to the Broadway theatre.
1965 / Special Tony Award
Gilbert Miller, for having produced 88 plays and musicals and for his perseverance which has helped to keep New York and theatre alive.
1964 / Special Tony Award
Eva Le Gallienne, celebrating her 50th year as an actress, honored for her work with the National Repertory Theatre.
1963 / Special Tony Award
W. McNeil Lowry, on behalf of the Ford Foundation for his and their distinguished support of the American Theatre.
Irving Berlin, for his distinguished contribution to the musical theatre for these many years.
Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller and Dudley Moore, for Beyond the Fringe, for their brilliance which has shattered all the old concepts of comedy.
1962 / Special Tony Award
Brooks Atkinson, retired drama critic of the New York Times.
Franco Zeffirelli, for designs and direction of the Old Vic's Romeo and Juliet.
Richard Rodgers, for 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.
1961 / Special Tony Award
David Merrick, in recognition of a fabulous production record over the last seven years.
The Theatre Guild, for organizing the first repertory to go abroad for the State Department.
1960 / Special Tony Award
John D. Rockefeller III, for vision and leadership in creating the Lincoln Center, a landmark of theatre encompassing the performing arts.
James Thurber and Burgess Meredith, A Thurber Carnival
1959 / Special Tony Award
John Gielgud, for contribution to theatre for his extraordinary insight into the writings of Shakespeare as demonstrated in his one-man play, Ages of Man.
Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, for a collaboration that lasted longer than Gilbert and Sullivan.
Cast of La Plume de Ma Tante (Pamela Austin, Colette Brosset, Roger Caccia, Yvonne Constant, Genevieve Coulombel, Robert Dhery, Michael Kent, Jean Lefevre, Jacques Legras, Michael Modo, Pierre Olaf, Nicole Parent, Ross Parker, Henri Pennec), for contribution to the theatre.
1958 / Special Tony Award
New York Shakespeare Festival, for presenting free performances in Central Park and the Hecksher Theater.
Mrs. Martin Beck, for fifteen years of untiring dedication to the American Theatre Wing, which she served as treasurer, secretary and chairman of the board of directors. Presented by Elaine Perry, daughter of Antoinette Perry.
1957 / Special Tony Award
American Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, Connecticut
Jean-Louis Barrault--French Repertory
1956 / Special Tony Award
Fourth Street Chekov Theatre
The Threepenny Opera, distinguished Off-Broadway production; Carmen Capalbo, Stanley Chase, producers.
The Theatre Collection of the N.Y. Public Library on it's twenty-fifth anniversary, for its distinguished service to the theatre. George Freedley, founder and curator, accepted.
1955 / Special Tony Award
Proscenium Productions, an Off-Broadway company at the Cherry Lane Theatre, for generally high quality and viewpoint shown in The Way of the World and Thieves Carnival. Presented to Warren Enters, Robert Merriman and Sybil Trubin.
1953 / Special Tony Award
Beatrice Lillie, for An Evening with Beatrice Lillie.
Danny Kaye, for heading a variety bill at the Palace Theatre.
Equity Community Theatre.
1952 / Special Tony Award
Judy Garland, for an important contribution to the revival of vaudeville through her recent stint at the Palace Theatre.
Edward Kook, for his contributing to and encouraging the development of stage lighting and electronics.
Charles Boyer, for distinguished performance in Don Juan in Hell, thereby assisting in a new theatre trend.
1951 / Special Tony Award
Ruth Green, for her services as a volunteer in arranging reservation and seating for the five Tony Awards.
1950 / Special Tony Award
Maurice Evans, for work he did in guiding the City Center Theatre Company through a highly successful season.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt presented a special award to volunteer worker Philip Faversham of the American Theatre Wing's hospital program.
Brock Pemberton, founder of awards and its original chairman (posthumous).
1948 / Special Tony Award
Rosalind Gilder, editor, Theatre Arts
Experimental Theatre Inc., John Garfield accepting.
The cast of The Importance of Being Earnest
Robert W. Dowling, president of City Investing Company, owner of several theatres in New York. Paul Beisman, operator of the American Theatre, St. Louis.
George Pierce, for twenty-five years of courteous and efficient service as a backstage doorman (Empire Theatre).
Mary Martin, Annie Get Your Gun
1947 / Special Tony Award
Dora Chamberlain (for unfailing courtesy as treasurer of the Martin Beck Theatre)
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Katzenberg (for enthusiasm as inveterate first-nighters)
Jules Leventhal (for the season's most prolific backer and producer)
Burns Mantle (for the annual publication of The Ten Best Plays)
P. A. MacDonald (for intricate construction for the production of If the Shoe Fits
Vincent Sardi (for providing a transient home and comfort station for theatre folk at Sardi's for 20 years)