Awards & Winners

Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play

Tony Award

The Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play has been given since 1960. Before 1960 there was only one award for both play direction and musical direction, then in 1960 the award was split into two categories: Dramatic and Musical. In 1976 the Dramatic category was renamed to Play. For pre-1960 direction awards please reference Tony Award for Best Director.

Check all the winners of Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play presented under Tony Award since 1960 .


Kenny Leon

Honored for : A Raisin In The Sun

Nominations 2014 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tim Carroll Twelfth Night
Michael Grandage The Cripple of Inishmaan
Kenny Leon A Raisin In The Sun
John Tiffany The Glass Menagerie

Pam MacKinnon

Honored for : Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Pam MacKinnon Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Bartlett Sher Golden Boy
George C. Wolfe Lucky Guy
Nicholas Martin Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Mike Nichols

Honored for : Death of a Salesman

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nicholas Hytner One Man, Two Guvnors
Mike Nichols Death of a Salesman
Pam MacKinnon Clybourne Park
Roger Rees Peter and the Starcatcher
Alex Timbers Peter and the Starcatcher

Marianne Elliott, Tom Morris

Honored for : War Horse

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marianne Elliott War Horse
Tom Morris War Horse
Daniel J. Sullivan The Merchant of Venice
George C. Wolfe The Normal Heart
Joel Grey The Normal Heart
Anna D. Shapiro The Motherfucker with the Hat

Michael Grandage

Honored for : Red

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gregory Mosher A View from the Bridge
Sheryl Kaller Next Fall
Michael Grandage Red
Kenny Leon Fences

Matthew Warchus

Honored for : God of Carnage

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Bartlett Sher Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Phyllida Lloyd Mary Stuart
Matthew Warchus God of Carnage
Matthew Warchus The Norman Conquests: Round and Round the Garden","The Norman Conquests: Living Together","The Norman Conquests: Table Manners

Anna D. Shapiro

Honored for : August: Osage County

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Matthew Warchus Boeing Boeing
Anna D. Shapiro August: Osage County
Conor McPherson The Seafarer
Maria Aitken The 39 Steps

Jack O'Brien

Honored for : The Coast of Utopia: Voyage, The Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck, The Coast of Utopia: Salvage

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Melly Still Coram Boy
David Grindley Journey's End
Michael Grandage Frost/Nixon
Jack O'Brien The Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck","The Coast of Utopia: Salvage","The Coast of Utopia: Voyage

Nicholas Hytner

Honored for : The History Boys

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Wilson Milam The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Nicholas Hytner The History Boys
Daniel J. Sullivan Rabbit Hole
Bartlett Sher Awake and Sing!

Doug Hughes

Honored for : Doubt: A Parable

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Crowley The Pillowman
Scott Ellis Twelve Angry Men
Doug Hughes Doubt: A Parable
Joe Mantello Glengarry Glen Ross

Jack O'Brien

Honored for : Henry IV

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jack O'Brien Henry IV
Doug Hughes Frozen
Moisés Kaufman I Am My Own Wife
David Leveaux Jumpers

Joe Mantello

Honored for : Take Me Out

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joe Mantello Take Me Out
Laurence Boswell A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
Robert Falls Long Day's Journey Into Night
Deborah Warner Medea

Mary Zimmerman

Honored for : Metamorphoses

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mary Zimmerman Metamorphoses
Daniel J. Sullivan Morning's at Seven
Howard Davies Private Lives
Richard Eyre The Crucible

Daniel J. Sullivan

Honored for : Proof

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Daniel J. Sullivan Proof
Marion McClinton King Hedley II
Ian McElhinney Stones in His Pockets
Jack O'Brien The Invention of Love

Michael Blakemore

Honored for : Copenhagen (2000 Broadway)

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Michael Blakemore Copenhagen (2000 Broadway)
James Lapine Dirty Blonde
David Leveaux The Real Thing
Matthew Warchus True West

Robert Falls

Honored for : Death of a Salesman

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Falls Death of a Salesman
Trevor Nunn Not About Nightingales
Howard Davies The Iceman Cometh
Garry Hynes The Lonesome West

Garry Hynes

Honored for : The Beauty Queen of Leenane

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Garry Hynes The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Michael Mayer A View from the Bridge
Matthew Warchus Art
Simon McBurney The Chairs

Anthony Page

Honored for : A Doll's House

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Anthony Page A Doll's House
Richard Eyre Skylight
John Caird Stanley
Charles Nelson Reilly The Gin Game

Gerald Gutierrez

Honored for : A Delicate Balance

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gerald Gutierrez A Delicate Balance
Peter Hall An Ideal Husband
Gary Sinise Buried Child
Lloyd Richards Seven Guitars

Gerald Gutierrez

Honored for : The Heiress

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gerald Gutierrez The Heiress
Emily Mann Having Our Say
Sean Mathias Indiscretions
Joe Mantello Love! Valour! Compassion!

Stephen Daldry

Honored for : An Inspector Calls

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stephen Daldry An Inspector Calls
Gerald Gutierrez Abe Lincoln in Illinois
George C. Wolfe Angels in America: Perestroika
Michael Langham Timon of Athens

George C. Wolfe

Honored for : Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
George C. Wolfe Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
David Leveaux Anna Christie
Daniel J. Sullivan The Sisters Rosensweig
Eric Simonson The Song of Jacob Zulu

Patrick Mason

Honored for : Dancing at Lughnasa

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Patrick Mason Dancing at Lughnasa
Daniel J. Sullivan Conversations with my Father
Peter Hall Four Baboons Adoring the Sun
Jack O'Brien Two Shakespearean Actors

Jerry Zaks

Honored for : Six Degrees of Separation

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jerry Zaks Six Degrees of Separation
Richard Jones La Bête
Gene Saks Lost in Yonkers
Mark Lamos Our Country's Good

Frank Galati

Honored for : The Grapes of Wrath

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Frank Galati The Grapes of Wrath
Michael Blakemore Lettice and Lovage
Peter Hall The Merchant of Venice
Lloyd Richards The Piano Lesson

Jerry Zaks

Honored for : Lend Me a Tenor

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jerry Zaks Lend Me a Tenor
Bill Irwin Largely New York
Gregory Mosher Our Town
Daniel J. Sullivan The Heidi Chronicles

John Dexter

Honored for : M. Butterfly

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Dexter M. Butterfly
Clifford Williams Breaking the Code
Lloyd Richards Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Gregory Mosher Speed-the-Plow

Lloyd Richards

Honored for : Fences

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lloyd Richards Fences
Carole Rothman Coastal Disturbances
Howard Davies Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Mbongeni Ngema Asinamali!

Jerry Zaks

Honored for : The House of Blue Leaves

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jerry Zaks The House of Blue Leaves
Jonathan Miller Long Day's Journey Into Night
John Tillinger Loot
José Quintero The Iceman Cometh

Gene Saks

Honored for : Biloxi Blues

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gene Saks Biloxi Blues
Marshall W. Mason As Is
Terry Hands Much Ado About Nothing
Keith Hack Strange Interlude

Mike Nichols

Honored for : The Real Thing

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Nichols The Real Thing
David Leveaux A Moon for the Misbegotten
Gregory Mosher Glengarry Glen Ross
Michael Blakemore Noises Off

Gene Saks

Honored for : Brighton Beach Memoirs

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gene Saks Brighton Beach Memoirs
Tom Moore 'night, Mother
Trevor Nunn All's Well That Ends Well
Marshall W. Mason Angels Fall

John Caird, Trevor Nunn

Honored for : The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Caird The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Trevor Nunn The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Athol Fugard Master Harold...and the Boys
Melvin Bernhardt Crimes of the Heart
Geraldine Fitzgerald Mass Appeal

Peter Hall

Honored for : Amadeus

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Hall Amadeus
Peter Coe A Life
Marshall W. Mason Fifth of July
Austin Pendleton The Little Foxes

Vivian Matalon

Honored for : Morning's at Seven

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Vivian Matalon Morning's at Seven
Peter Hall Betrayal
Gordon Davidson Children of a Lesser God
Marshall W. Mason Talley's Folly

Jack Hofsiss

Honored for : The Elephant Man

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jack Hofsiss The Elephant Man
Peter Hall Bedroom Farce
Alan Ayckbourn Bedroom Farce
Paul Giovanni The Crucifer of Blood
Michael Lindsay-Hogg Whose Life is it Anyway?

Melvin Bernhardt

Honored for : Da

Nominations 1978 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Melvin Bernhardt Da
Robert Moore Deathtrap
Dennis Rosa Dracula
Mike Nichols The Gin Game

Gordon Davidson

Honored for : The Shadow Box

Nominations 1977 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gordon Davidson The Shadow Box
Ulu Grosbard American Buffalo
Mike Nichols Comedians
Mike Nichols Streamers

Ellis Rabb

Honored for : The Royal Family

Nominations 1976 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ellis Rabb The Royal Family
Arvin Brown Ah, Wilderness!
Marshall W. Mason Knock Knock
Peter Wood Travesties

John Dexter

Honored for : Equus

Nominations 1975 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Dexter Equus
Ronald Eyre London Assurance
Gene Saks Same Time, Next Year
Frank Dunlop Scapino!
Athol Fugard Sizwe Banzi is Dead
Athol Fugard The Island
Arvin Brown The National Health

José Quintero

Honored for : A Moon for the Misbegotten

Nominations 1974 »

Nominee Nominated Work
José Quintero A Moon for the Misbegotten
Edwin Sherin Find Your Way Home
Burgess Meredith Ulysses in Nighttown
Mike Nichols Uncle Vanya
Stephen Porter Chemin de Fer

A. J. Antoon

Honored for : That Championship Season

Nominations 1973 »

Nominee Nominated Work
A. J. Antoon That Championship Season
A. J. Antoon Much Ado About Nothing
Michael Rudman The Changing Room
Alan Arkin The Sunshine Boys

Mike Nichols

Honored for : The Prisoner of Second Avenue

Nominations 1972 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Nichols The Prisoner of Second Avenue
Peter Hall Old Times
Jeff Bleckner Sticks and Bones
Gordon Davidson The Trial of the Catonsville Nine

Peter Brook

Honored for : A Midsummer Night's Dream

Nominations 1971 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Brook A Midsummer Night's Dream
Lindsay Anderson Home
Clifford Williams Sleuth
Stephen Porter The School for Wives

Joseph Hardy

Honored for : Child's Play

Nominations 1970 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Joseph Hardy Child's Play
Thomas MacAnna Borstal Boy
Milton Katselas Butterflies Are Free
Robert Moore Last of the Red Hot Lovers

Peter Dews

Honored for : Hadrian VII

Nominations 1969 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Dews Hadrian VII
Michael Schultz Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
Harold Pinter The Man in the Glass Booth
Joseph Hardy Play It Again, Sam

Mike Nichols

Honored for : Plaza Suite

Nominations 1968 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Nichols Plaza Suite
Michael Blakemore Joe Egg
Derek Goldby Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Alan Schneider You Know I Can't Hear You When The Water's Running

Peter Hall

Honored for : The Homecoming

Nominations 1967 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Hall The Homecoming
Donald Driver Marat/Sade
John Dexter Black Comedy/White Lies
Alan Schneider A Delicate Balance

Peter Brook

Honored for : Marat/Sade

Nominations 1966 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Brook Marat/Sade
Hilton Edwards Philadelphia, Here I Come!
Noel Willman The Lion in Winter

Mike Nichols

Honored for : Luv

Nominations 1965 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Nichols Luv
Mike Nichols The Odd Couple
William Ball Tartuffe
Ulu Grosbard The Subject Was Roses
Alan Schneider Tiny Alice

Mike Nichols

Honored for : The Odd Couple

Nominations 1965 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Nichols Luv
Mike Nichols The Odd Couple
William Ball Tartuffe
Ulu Grosbard The Subject Was Roses
Alan Schneider Tiny Alice

Mike Nichols

Honored for : Barefoot in the Park

Nominations 1964 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Nichols Barefoot in the Park
June Havoc Marathon '33
Alan Schneider The Ballad of the Sad Café
Herman Shumlin The Deputy

Alan Schneider

Honored for : Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Nominations 1963 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alan Schneider Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
George Abbott Never Too Late
Peter Glenville Tchin-Tchin
John Gielgud The School for Scandal

Noel Willman

Honored for : A Man for All Seasons

Nominations 1962 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Noel Willman A Man for All Seasons
Tyrone Guthrie Gideon
Donald McWhinnie The Caretaker
José Quintero Great Day in the Morning

John Gielgud

Honored for : Big Fish, Little Fish

Nominations 1961 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Gielgud Big Fish, Little Fish
Arthur Penn All the Way Home
Joseph Anthony Rhinoceros
Joan Littlewood The Hostage

Arthur Penn

Honored for : The Miracle Worker

Nominations 1960 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Arthur Penn The Miracle Worker
Lloyd Richards A Raisin in the Sun
Elia Kazan Sweet Bird of Youth
Joseph Anthony The Best Man
Tyrone Guthrie The Tenth Man