# 39th Tony Awards

The 39th Annual Tony Awards was broadcast by CBS television on June 2, 1985, from the Shubert Theatre. Instead of a formal host, there was a group of performers/presenters. Some paid tribute to the songs of Jule Styne, Cy Coleman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, with these composers ending the broadcast by playing songs from their respective new shows. Mary Martin introduced the Special Award for Yul Brynner.

## Eligibility

Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1984–1985 season before May 9, 1985 are eligible.

## The ceremony

For the first time in the history of the Tonys, awards were not presented for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, or Best Choreography. According to The New York Times, "Theater historians and Tony administrators say they cannot recall an instance when one category was dropped from the awards, much less three." According to the Associated Press, "The award for best actress, musical was eliminated this season because there was only one eligible candidate," and "The nominating committee declined to give nominations [in those categories] because they did not consider any of the performances or choreography outstanding or excellent."
Musicals represented:
* Big River ("Muddy Water"/" River in the Rain"- Daniel Jenkins, Ron Richardson and Company)
* Grind ("This Must Be the Place" - Ben Vereen and Company)
* Leader of the Pack ("I Wanna Love Him So Bad/Do Wah Diddy" - Company)
Presenters and Performers: Danny Aiello, Susan Anton, Hinton Battle, Deborah Bauers, Deborah Burrell, Terry Burrell, Jim Dale, Loretta Devine, Jackie Gleason, Julie Harris, Rex Harrison, George Hearn, Van Johnson, Raul Julia, Rosetta LeNoire, Mary Martin, Millicent Martin, Maureen McGovern, Rita Moreno, Mike Nichols, Stefanie Powers, Juliet Prowse, Tony Randall, Lee Roy Reams, Lynn Redgrave, Chita Rivera, Wanda Richert, Tony Roberts, Rex Smith, Leslie Uggams, Dick Van Dyke, Ben Vereen, Tom Wopat

## Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold
Source: InfoPlease
| Best Play | Best Musical |
| Biloxi Blues – Neil Simon As Is – William M. Hoffman Hurlyburly – David Rabe Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – August Wilson | Big River Grind Leader of the Pack Quilters |
| Best Revival | Best Book of a Musical |
| A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Cyrano de Bergerac Much Ado About Nothing Strange Interlude | William Hauptman – Big River Fay Kanin – Grind Michael Stewart – Harrigan 'N Hart Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek – Quilters |
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play |
| Derek Jacobi – Much Ado About Nothing as Benedick Jim Dale – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Bri Jonathan Hogan – As Is as Rich John Lithgow – Requiem for a Heavyweight as Harlan "Mountain" McClintock | Stockard Channing – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Sheila Sinéad Cusack – Much Ado About Nothing as Beatrice Rosemary Harris – Pack of Lies as Barbara Jackson Glenda Jackson – Strange Interlude as Nina Leeds |
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play | Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play |
| Barry Miller – Biloxi Blues as Arnold Epstein Charles S. Dutton – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Levee William Hurt – Hurlyburly as Eddie Edward Petherbridge – Strange Interlude as Charles Marsden | Judith Ivey – Hurlyburly as Bonnie Joanna Gleason – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg as Pam Theresa Merritt – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Ma Rainey Sigourney Weaver – Hurlyburly as Darlene |
| Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical |
| Ron Richardson – Big River as Jim René Auberjonois – Big River as The Duke Daniel H. Jenkins – Big River as Huckleberry Finn Kurt Knudson – Take Me Along as Sid Davis | Leilani Jones – Grind as Satin Evalyn Baron – Quilters as Daughter of the Frontier Mary Beth Peil – The King and I as Anna Leonowens Lenka Peterson – Quilters as Sarah |
| Best Direction of a Play | Best Direction of a Musical |
| Gene Saks – Biloxi Blues Keith Hack – Strange Interlude Terry Hands – Much Ado About Nothing Marshall W. Mason – As Is | Des McAnuff – Big River Barbara Damashek – Quilters Mitch Leigh – The King and I Harold Prince – Grind |
| Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Best Scenic Design |
| Big River – Roger Miller (music and lyrics) Grind – Larry Grossman (music) and Ellen Fitzhugh (lyrics) Quilters – Barbara Damashek (music and lyrics) | Heidi Landesman – Big River Clarke Dunham – Grind Ralph Koltai – Much Ado About Nothing Voytek and Michael Levine – Strange Interlude |
| Best Costume Design | Best Lighting Design |
| Florence Klotz – Grind Patricia McGourty – Big River Alexander Reid – Cyrano de Bergerac Alexander Reid – Much Ado About Nothing | Richard Riddell – Big River Terry Hands – Cyrano de Bergerac Terry Hands – Much Ado About Nothing Allen Lee Hughes – Strange Interlude |

## Special awards

* Regional Theatre Award - Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, Illinois
* Yul Brynner honoring his 4,525 performances in The King and I
* New York State Council on the Arts