40th Tony Awards

Eligibility

Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1985–1986 season before May 1, 1986 are eligible.

;Original plays

• Benefactors
• Blood Knot
• The Boys in Autumn
• The Boys of Winter
• Corpse!
• Execution of Justice
• The House of Blue Leaves
• I'm Not Rappaport
• Lillian
• The Petition
• Precious Sons
• The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
• So Long on Lonely Street
• Social Security ;Original musicals
• Big Deal
• Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood
• Jerry's Girls
• Mayor
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• The News
• Singin' in the Rain
• Song and Dance
• Tango Argentino
• Uptown... It's Hot!
• Wind in the Willows ;Play revivals
• Arms and the Man
• The Caretaker
• Hay Fever
• The Iceman Cometh
• Long Day's Journey into Night
• Loot
• The Marriage of Figaro
• The Odd Couple ;Musical revivals
• Sweet Charity

The ceremony

The opening number was "Wanna Sing A Show Tune". The special number was "Forty Years of Broadway Show Music", which included songs from musicals including Annie, Big River, Finian's Rainbow, Hello, Dolly!, Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage aux Folles, and Sweet Charity. The finale was the company singing "Give My Regards to Broadway".

There were also vignettes from past Tony Award-winning plays.

The presenters and performers were: Debbie Allen, Susan Anton, Bea Arthur, Nell Carter, Agnes de Mille, José Ferrer, Sandy Duncan, Phyllis Frelich, Helen Hayes, Michael Kidd, Cleo Laine, Jack Lemmon, Hal Linden, John V. Lindsay, Dorothy Loudon, Karen Morrow, Bernadette Peters, Stefanie Powers, Juliet Prowse, Tony Randall, Lee Roy Reams, Ann Reinking, Lee Remick, Alfonso Ribeiro, Chita Rivera, John Rubinstein, Rex Smith, Marlo Thomas, Leslie Uggams, Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, Ben Vereen, David Wayne, Tom Wopat.

Musicals that performed were Big Deal ("Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar" - Company); Song & Dance ("Unexpected Song" - Bernadette Peters); Tango Argentino (Dance Excerpts - Company); and The Mystery of Edwin Drood ("There You Are"/"Don't Quit While You're Ahead" - George Rose and Company).

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold

Special award

• Regional Theatre Award - American Repertory Theater, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Multiple nominations and awards

These productions had multiple nominations:

• 11 nominations: The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• 8 nominations: The House of Blue Leaves and Song and Dance
• 5 nominations: Big Deal, Loot and Sweet Charity
• 4 nominations: The Iceman Cometh and Long Day's Journey into Night
• 3 nominations: I'm Not Rappaport and Tango Argentino
• 2 nominations: Benefactors, Hay Fever, The Marriage of Figaro, The Petition, Singin' in the Rain and Wind in the Willows

The following productions received multiple awards.

• 5 wins: The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• 4 wins: The House of Blue Leaves and Sweet Charity
• 3 wins: I'm Not Rappaport

References

References

1. [http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/history/ceremonies/200909161253133942703.html "Ceremony, 1986"] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-07-17 tonyawards.com, accessed June 2, 2016)
2. Gans, Andrew. [http://www.playbill.com/article/diva-talk-a-backwards-glancethe-1986-tony-awards-plus-mcdonald-and-evita-recordings-com-133869# "DIVA TALK: A Backwards Glance—the 1986 Tony Awards PLUS McDonald and 'Evita' Recordings"] Playbill, July 21, 2006, accessed June 2, 2016
3. Nemy, Enid. "Five Tonys Are Won By 'Drood'", ''The New York Times'', June 2, 1986, p.C13
4. [http://www.playbill.com/production/the-40th-annual-tony-awards-1986-minskoff-theatre-vault-0000013921# "The 40th Annual Tony Awards-1986"] PlaybillVault, accessed June 2, 2016