15th Tony Awards

The 15th Annual Tony Awards took place on April 16, 1961 in the Waldorf-Astoria Grand Ballroom in New York City. The ceremony was broadcast on local television station WCBS-TV (Channel 2) in New York City. The Master of Ceremonies was Phil Silvers.

Presenters: Anna Maria Alberghetti, Anne Bancroft, Ray Bolger, Carol Channing, Henry Fonda, Joan Fontaine, Robert Goulet, Helen Hayes, Celeste Holm, Fredric March, Mary Martin, Helen Menken Patricia Neal, Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Sidney Poitier, Robert Preston, Jason Robards, Gig Young.

The performer was Eleanor Steber.

Music was by Meyer Davis and his Orchestra.

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold

Production

Outstanding Play

• Becket by Jean Anouilh, translated by Lucienne Hill. Produced by David Merrick.
• All the Way Home by Tad Mosel. Produced by Fred Coe in association with Arthur Cantor.
• The Devil's Advocate by Dore Schary. Produced by Dore Schary.
• The Hostage by Brendan Behan. Produced by S. Field and Caroline Burke Swann.

Outstanding Musical

• Bye, Bye Birdie. Book by Michael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Lee Adams. Produced by Edward Padula in association with L. Slade Brown.
• Do Re Mi . Book by Garson Kanin, music by Jules Styne, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Produced by David Merrick.
• Irma La Douce. Book and lyrics by Alexandre Breffort, music by Marguerite Monnot. English book and lyrics by Julian More, David Heneker, and Monty Norman. Produced by David Merrick in association with Donald Albery and H. M. Tennent, Ltd.

Performance

Distinguished Dramatic Actor

• Zero Mostel (Rhinoceros)
• Hume Cronyn (Big Fish, Little Fish)
• Sam Levene (The Devil's Advocate)
• Anthony Quinn (Becket)

Distinguished Dramatic Actress

• Joan Plowright (A Taste of Honey)
• Tallulah Bankhead (Midgie Purvis)
• Barbara Baxley (Period of Adjustment)
• Barbara Bel Geddes (Mary, Mary)

Distinguished Musical Actor

• Richard Burton (Camelot)
• Phil Silvers (Do Re Mi)
• Maurice Evans (Tenderloin)

Distinguished Musical Actress

• Elizabeth Seal (Irma La Douce)
• Julie Andrews (Camelot)
• Carol Channing (Show Girl)
• Nancy Walker (Do Re Mi)

Distinguished Supporting or Featured Dramatic Actor

• Martin Gabel (Big Fish, Little Fish)
• Philip Bosco (The Rape of the Belt)
• Eduardo Ciannelli (The Devil's Advocate)
• George Grizzard (Big Fish, Little Fish)

Distinguished Supporting or Featured Dramatic Actress

• Colleen Dewhurst (All the Way Home)
• Eileen Heckart (Invitation to a March)
• Tresa Hughes (The Devil's Advocate)
• Rosemary Murphy (Period of Adjustment)

Distinguished Supporting or Featured Musical Actor

• Dick Van Dyke (Bye, Bye Birdie)
• Clive Revill (Irma La Douce)
• Dick Gautier (Bye Bye Birdie)
• Ron Husmann (Tenderloin)

Distinguished Supporting or Featured Musical Actress

• Tammy Grimes (The Unsinkable Molly Brown)
• Nancy Dussault (Do Re Mi)
• Chita Rivera (Bye, Bye Birdie)

Craft

Outstanding Director (Dramatic)

• John Gielgud (Big Fish, Little Fish)
• Joseph Anthony (Rhinoceros)
• Joan Littlewood (The Hostage)
• Arthur Penn (All the Way Home)

Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical

• Gower Champion (Bye, Bye Birdie)
• Peter Brook (Irma La Douce)
• Garson Kanin (Do Re Mi)

Outstanding Choreographer

• Gower Champion (Bye, Bye Birdie)
• Onna White (Irma La Douce)

Scenic Designer (Dramatic)

• Oliver Smith (Becket)
• Roger Furse (Duel of Angels)
• David Hays (All the Way Home)
• Jo Mielziner (The Devil's Advocate)
• Rouben Ter-Arutunian (Advise and Consent)

Scenic Designer (Musical)

• Oliver Smith (Camelot)
• George Jenkins (13 Daughters)
• Robert Randolph (Bye, Bye Birdie)

Costume Designer (Dramatic)

• Motley (Beckett)
• Theoni V. Aldredge (The Devil's Advocate)
• Raymond Sovey (All the Way Home)

Costume Designer (Musical)

• Adrian and Tony Duquette (Camelot)
• Rolf Gerard (Irma La Douce)
• Cecil Beaton (Tenderloin)

Conductor and Musical Director

• Franz Allers (Camelot)
• Pembrode Davenport (13 Daughters)
• Stanley Lebowsky (Irma La Douce)
• Elliot Lawrence (Bye, Bye Birdie)

Stage Technician

• Teddy Van Bemmel (Becket)

Special awards

• David Merrick, in recognition of a fabulous production record over the last seven years.
• Theatre Guild, for organizing the first repertory to go abroad for the State Department.

See also

Tony Awards

External links

• [1] Tony Awards Official Site