15th Tony Awards

1961 theatrical awards ceremony February 2025 15th Tony Awards April 16, 1961 Waldorf-AstoriaNew York City, New York Phil Silvers Becket, Bye Bye Birdie, and Camelot (4) Bye Bye Birdie (8) WCBS-TV 14th Tony Awards 16th 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. Eligibility Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1960 season before March 18, 1961 are eligible. Original plays Advise and Consent All the Way Home Becket Big Fish, Little Fish Come Blow Your Horn Critic's Choice The Devil's Advocate Duel of Angels Face of a Hero Farewell, Farewell, Eugene The 49th Cousin The Hostage How to Make a Man Invitation to a March The Importance of Being Oscar Julia, Jake and Uncle Joe Laughs and Other Events Little Moon of Alban Love and Libel Mary, Mary Midgie Purvis Once There Was a Russian Period of Adjustment Rape of the Belt Rhinoceros A Second String Send Me No Flowers A Taste of Honey Under the Yum-Yum Tree Viva Madison Avenue! The Wall The World of Carl Sandburg Original musicals Bye Bye Birdie Camelot Christine The Conquering Hero Do Re Mi From A to Z Irma La Douce Show Girl Tenderloin 13 Daughters The Unsinkable Molly Brown Vintage '60 Wildcat Play revivals Henry IV, Part 2 The Octoroon The Plough and the Stars She Stoops to Conquer Musical revivals Finian's Rainbow H.M.S. Pinafore The Ceremony 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, Shirley Booth The performer was Eleanor Steber. Music was by Meyer Davis and his Orchestra. Winners and nominees Winners are in bold Best Play Best Musical Becket – Jean Anouilh All the Way Home – Tad Mosel The Devil's Advocate – Dore Schary The Hostage – Brendan Behan | valign="top" | Bye Bye Birdie Do Re Mi Irma La Douce Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Zero Mostel – Rhinoceros as John Hume Cronyn – Big Fish, Little Fish as Jimmie Luton Sam Levene – The Devil's Advocate as Dr. Aldo Meyer Anthony Quinn – Becket as Henry II Joan Plowright – A Taste of Honey as Josephine Tallulah Bankhead – Midgie Purvis as Midgie Purvis Barbara Baxley – Period of Adjustment as Isabel Haverstick Barbara Bel Geddes – Mary, Mary as Mary McKellaway Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Richard Burton – Camelot as Arthur Phil Silvers – Do Re Mi as Hubert Cram Maurice Evans – Tenderloin as Reverend Brock Elizabeth Seal – Irma La Douce as Irma La Douce Julie Andrews – Camelot as Guenevere Carol Channing – Show Girl as Various Characters Nancy Walker – Do Re Mi as Kay Cram Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actor in a Play Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actress in a Play Martin Gabel – Big Fish, Little Fish as Basil Smythe Philip Bosco – Rape of the Belt as Heracles Eduardo Ciannelli – The Devil's Advocate as Aurelio George Grizzard – Big Fish, Little Fish as Ronnie Johnson Colleen Dewhurst – All the Way Home as Mary Follet Eileen Heckart – Invitation to a March as Deedee Grogan Tresa Hughes – The Devil's Advocate as Nina Sanduzzi Rosemary Murphy – Period of Adjustment as Dorothea Bates Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actor in a Musical Best Performance by a Supporting or Featured Actress in a Musical Dick Van Dyke – Bye Bye Birdie as Albert Peterson Clive Revill – Irma La Douce as Bob-Le-Hotu Dick Gautier – Bye Bye Birdie as Conrad Birdie Ron Husmann – Tenderloin as Tommy Tammy Grimes – The Unsinkable Molly Brown as Molly Tobin Nancy Dussault – Do Re Mi as Tilda Mullen Chita Rivera – Bye Bye Birdie as Rosie Alvarez Best Direction of a Play Best Direction of a Musical John Gielgud – Big Fish, Little Fish Joseph Anthony – Rhinoceros Joan Littlewood – The Hostage Arthur Penn – All the Way Home Gower Champion – Bye Bye Birdie Peter Brook – Irma La Douce Garson Kanin – Do Re Mi Best Choreography Best Conductor and Musical Director Gower Champion – Bye Bye Birdie Onna White – Irma La Douce Franz Allers – Camelot Pembrode Davenport – 13 Daughters Stanley Lebowsky – Irma La Douce Elliot Lawrence – Bye Bye Birdie Best Scenic Design in a Play Best Scenic Design in a Musical 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 Oliver Smith – Camelot George C. Jenkins – 13 Daughters Robert Randolph – Bye Bye Birdie Best Costume Design in a Play Best Costume Design in a Musical Motley – Becket Theoni V. Aldredge – The Devil's Advocate Raymond Sovey – All the Way Home Adrian and Tony Duquette – Camelot Rolf Gerard – Irma La Douce Cecil Beaton – Tenderloin Best 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. Multiple nominations and awards These productions had multiple nominations: 8 nominations: Bye Bye Birdie 7 nominations: Irma La Douce 6 nominations: The Devil's Advocate 5 nominations: All the Way Home, Becket, Camelot and Do Re Mi 4 nominations: Big Fish, Little Fish 3 nominations: Tenderloin 2 nominations: The Hostage, Period of Adjustment, Rhinocéros and 13 Daughters The following productions received multiple awards. 4 wins: Becket, Bye Bye Birdie and Camelot 2 wins: Big Fish, Little Fish See also Theatre Music 33rd Academy Awards References External links Tony Awards Official Site Category:Tony Awards ceremonies Category:1961 in theatre Category:1961 awards Category:1961 in the United States Category:1961 in New York City Category:1961 awards in the United States Category:April 1961 in the United States