32nd Tony Awards

Eligibility

Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1977–1978 season before May 15, 1978 are eligible.

;Original plays

• 13 Rue de l'Amour
• An Almost Perfect Person
• Bully
• Chapter Two
• Cheaters
• Cold Storage
• A Condition of Shadow
• Da
• Deathtrap
• Diversions and Delights
• Do You Turn Somersaults?
• The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
• The Gin Game
• Golda
• The Merchant
• The Mighty Gents
• Miss Margarida's Way
• Mr. Happiness
• The Night of the Tribades
• The November People
• Patio
• Porch
• Paul Robeson
• Some of My Best Friends
• Stages
• The Water Engine ;Original musicals
• The Act
• Ain't Misbehavin'
• Angel
• Beatlemania
• Dancin'
• A History of the American Film
• On the Twentieth Century
• Runaways
• Working ;Play revivals
• Dracula
• The Importance of Being Earnest
• Saint Joan
• Tartuffe
• A Touch of the Poet ;Musical revivals
• Hair
• Hello, Dolly!
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• Man of La Mancha
• Timbuktu!

The ceremony

Presenters were Ed Asner, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carol Channing, Bonnie Franklin, Robert Guillaume, Julie Harris, Helen Hayes, Bob Hope, Gene Kelly, Linda Lavin, Jack Lemmon, Hal Linden, Roy Scheider and Dick Van Patten.

Bonnie Franklin introduced each segment from her seat in the audience. Bob Hope presented the "Lawrence Langer" Special Award to Irving Berlin, who was not present at the ceremony. The theme of the ceremony was "footlights", with each presenter telling of the first time they saw live theatre.

Musicals represented:

• The Act ("City Lights" – Liza Minnelli and Company)
• Ain't Misbehavin' ("Ladies Who Sing with the Band"/"Off Time" – Company)
• Dancin' ("Sing, Sing, Sing" – Company)
• On the Twentieth Century ("On The Twentieth Century" – Company)
• Runaways (Medley – Company)

Winners and nominees

*Winners are in bold *

Special awards

• Lawrence Langner Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre – Irving Berlin
• Theatre Award '78 – To the creators, Charles Moss and Stan Dragoti (of Wells, Rich, Greene, Inc.) of the I Love New York Broadway Show Tours and William S. Doyle, Deputy Commissioner, the New York State Department of Commerce
• Regional Theatre Award – The Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut

Multiple nominations and awards

These productions had multiple nominations:

• 9 nominations: On the Twentieth Century
• 7 nominations: Dancin'
• 6 nominations: The Act and Working
• 5 nominations: Ain't Misbehavin', Dracula and Runaways
• 4 nominations: Chapter Two, Da, Deathtrap, The Gin Game and Timbuktu!
• 2 nominations: The Mighty Gents, Tartuffe and A Touch of the Poet

The following productions received multiple awards.

• 5 wins: On the Twentieth Century
• 4 wins: Da
• 3 wins: Ain't Misbehavin'
• 2 wins: Dancin' and Dracula

References

References

1. Thomas, Robert Jr.''New York Times'', "Ain't Misbehavin" and Da Win Tonys", June 5, 1978, p.C18