The 60th Annual Tony Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on June 11, 2006. The award ceremony was broadcast live on the CBS television network in the United States. The 2006 Tony Awards did not feature a host, but instead over 60 stars presented awards at the ceremony.
The biggest winner of the night was the Royal National Theatre production The History Boys by British playwright Alan Bennett winning six Tonys out of seven nominations, including Best Play, Best Direction, Best Leading Actor and Best Featured Actress.
Natasha Richardson, Phylicia Rashad and Liev Schreiber announced the nominations on May 16, 2006.
The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre and are presented by the American Theatre Wing and the League of American Theatres and Producers (now called The Broadway League) at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are for Broadway productions and performances plus several non-competitive Special Awards (such as the Regional Theatre Award).
Eligibility
Shows that opened on Broadway during the 2005–06 season before May 11, 2006 are eligible.
Original plays
After the Night and the Music
Bridge and Tunnel
Festen
The History Boys
Latinologues
The Lieutenant of Inishmore
A Naked Girl on the Appian Way
Primo
Rabbit Hole
Shining City
Souvenir
Well
Original musicals
Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone
Hot Feet
In My Life
Jersey Boys
Lennon
Lestat
Ring of Fire
Tarzan
The Wedding Singer
The Woman in White
Play revivals
Absurd Person Singular
Awake and Sing! Barefoot in the Park The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial The Constant Wife Faith Healer Mark Twain Tonight! The Odd Couple Seascape Three Days of Rain A Touch of the Poet
Musical revivals
The Pajama Game
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
The Threepenny Opera
The ceremony
Harry Connick Jr. opened the show singing three popular songs from three Broadway musicals. Connick, (who was heavily medicated to be able to perform, because of a ruptured disc in his spine,), was also a nominee and a performer with the cast of The Pajama Game. All of the sixty presenters and co-hosts joined the stage during the third song. Connick performed "Tonight" (from West Side Story), "Give My Regards to Broadway" (from Little Johnny Jones), and "There's No Business Like Show Business" (from Annie Get Your Gun).
Performances
New Musicals
The Color Purple: Felicia P. Fields, La Chanze and the company performed "Hell No!" and the reprise of the title song. The Drowsy Chaperone: Sutton Foster and Bob Martin performed "Show Off" with the ensemble. Jersey Boys: John Lloyd Young performed "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and was joined by Christian Hoff, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer to perform "Who Loves You?". The Wedding Singer: Stephen Lynch and the company performed "It's Your Wedding Day".
Revivals
The Pajama Game: Harry Connick Jr. and Kelli O'Hara performed "There Once Was a Man". Harry Connick, Jr. and Megan Lawrence with ensemble performed "Hernando's Hideaway". Sweeney Todd: The company, including Manoel Felciano, Michael Cerveris and Patti LuPone performed a medley of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", "The Worst Pies in London", "My Friends" and "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (reprise)" The Threepenny Opera: Alan Cumming and Cyndi Lauper with the ensemble performed "The Ballad of the Pimp."
Presenters
Source: tonyawards.com
Lauren Ambrose
Julie Andrews
Hank Azaria
Harry Belafonte
Kristen Bell
Norbert Leo Butz
Victoria Clark
Glenn Close
Harry Connick, Jr. Barbara Cook Jim Dale Christine Ebersole Ralph Fiennes Harvey Fierstein Ana Gasteyer Joanna Gleason Marcia Gay Harden Neil Patrick Harris Hal Holbrook Bill Irwin James Earl Jones T. R. Knight Frank Langella Josh Lucas Julianna Margulies Eric McCormack Audra McDonald Michael McKean S. Epatha Merkerson Brian Stokes Mitchell James Naughton Patricia Neal Bebe Neuwirth Cynthia Nixon Janis Paige Anna Paquin Rosie Perez Joe Pesci Bernadette Peters David Hyde Pierce Oliver Platt Jonathan Pryce Sara Ramirez Molly Ringwald Chita Rivera Paul Rudd Mark Ruffalo Julia Roberts Liev Schreiber Kyra Sedgwick Paul Shaffer Martin Short Tom Skerritt Jamie-Lynn Sigler John Tartaglia Richard Thomas Stanley Tucci Rita Wilson Oprah Winfrey Alfre Woodard