The 54th Annual Tony Awards was an event held at

Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...

on June 4, 2000, and broadcast by

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

. "The First Ten" awards ceremony was telecast on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

. It was hosted, for the third time since 1997, by

Rosie O'Donnell Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...

, with special guest

Nathan Lane Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane; February 3, 1956) is an American actor. Since 1975, he has been Nathan Lane on screen and stage, on stage and screen in both comedic and dramatic roles. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Na ...

Eligibility

Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1999–2000 season, before May 2, 2000, were eligible. ;Original plays *''

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

'' *'' Dirty Blonde'' *''

The Green Bird ''The Green Bird'' (Italian: ''L'augellino belverde'') is a 1765 commedia dell'arte play by Carlo Gozzi. It is a sequel to '' The Love of Three Oranges''. The main plot of ''The Green Bird'' has several similarities with the widespread tale ''The ...

'' *'' The Ride Down Mt. Morgan'' *''Rose'' *''Taller Than a Dwarf'' *'' True West'' *''Voices in the Dark'' *'' Waiting in the Wings'' *''Wrong Mountain'' ;Original musicals *''

Aida ''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 De ...

'' *'' Contact'' *'' James Joyce's The Dead'' *''

Kat and the Kings ''Kat and the Kings'' is a South African musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by David Kramer (singer), David Kramer and music by Taliep Petersen. Set in late-1950s South Africa, it focuses on teenager Kat Diamond, who believes he's t ...

'' *''

Marie Christine ''Marie Christine'' is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Michael John LaChiusa. It opened on Broadway in 1999. While loosely based on the Greek play ''Medea'', it is set in the 1890s, in New Orleans and Chicago, and draws heavily on the bi ...

'' *''

Putting It Together ''Putting it Together'' is a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Drawing its title from a song in ''Sunday in the Park with George'', it was devised by Sondheim and Julia McKenzie. The revue has received several productions, b ...

'' *'' Riverdance – On Broadway'' *''

Saturday Night Fever ''Saturday Night Fever'' is a 1977 American Dance in film, dance Drama (film and television), drama film directed by John Badham and produced by Robert Stigwood. It stars John Travolta as Tony Manero, a young Italian Americans, Italian-America ...

'' *''

Swing! ''Swing!'' is a musical conceived by Paul Kelly with music by various artists. It celebrates the music of the Swing era of jazz (1930s–1946), including many well-known tunes by artists like Duke Ellington, William "Count" Basie, Benny Goodm ...

'' *'' The Wild Party'' ;Play revivals *''

Amadeus Amadeus may refer to: People and fictional characters * Amadeus (name) Amadeus is a theophoric name, theophoric given name derived from the Latin words ' – the Imperative mood, imperative of the word ' ("to love") – and ' ("god"). As a Compou ...

'' *''

Epic Proportions ''Epic Proportions'' is a play by Larry Coen and David Crane. Set in the 1930s, it tells the story of brothers Benny and Phil, who go to the Arizona desert to work as extras in the Biblical epic film ''Exeunt Omnes'', directed by the mysterio ...

'' *''

A Moon for the Misbegotten A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient ...

'' *'' The Price'' *'' The Rainmaker'' *'' The Real Thing'' *''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897, and first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre, directed by Konstan ...

'' ;Musical revivals *''

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Life of Jesus in the New Testament, Gospels' accounts of Passion of Jesus, the Passion, the work interprets ...

'' *''

Kiss Me, Kate ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Bella and Samuel Spewack. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and the conflict on and off- ...

'' *''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical theatre, musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns a confidence trick, con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and ...

'' *'' Tango Argentino''

Ceremony

The opening number was "A Tony Opening", performed by Rosie O'Donnell,

Jane Krakowski Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress and singer. She starred as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Out ...

, Jesse L. Martin, and

Megan Mullally Megan Mullally (born November 12, 1958) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Karen Walker in the NBC sitcom '' Will & Grace'' (1998–2006, 2017–2020), for which she received eight Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outst ...

. Production numbers from musicals included '' Contact'',

Boyd Gaines Boyd Payne Gaines (born May 11, 1953) is an American actor. During his career, he has won four Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards. Gaines is best known for playing Mark Royer on ''One Day at a Time (1975 TV series), One Day at a Time'' (1981 ...

and the Girl in the Yellow Dress, Deborah Yates; ''

'', "Too Darn Hot"; ''

'', "Superstar" and "Gethsemane"; ''

'',

Craig Bierko Craig Philip Bierko (born August 18, 1964) is an American actor. Early life Bierko was born in Rye Brook, New York, where, for a brief time, his mother Pat was president of The Harrison Players, a local community theatre. After graduating Bl ...

in "Seventy-Six Trombones"; '' The Wild Party'', medley from

Mandy Patinkin Mandel "Mandy" Bruce Patinkin (; born November 30, 1952) is an American actor and singer, known for his work in musical theatre, television, and film. As a critically acclaimed Broadway (theatre), Broadway performer he has collaborated with Step ...

Eartha Kitt Eartha Mae Kitt (née Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress. She was known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby" ...

and

Toni Collette Toni Collette (born Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television, blockbusters and independent films, her accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, wit ...

; ''

'', medley from company and

Ann Hampton Callaway Ann Hampton Callaway (born May 30, 1958) is an American jazz singer, songwriter, and actress. She wrote and sang the theme song for the TV series ''The Nanny''. Career Callaway is a native of Chicago. Her father, John Callaway, was a journalis ...

and

Laura Benanti Laura Ilene Benanti (née Vidnovic; born July 15, 1979) is an American actress and singer. Benanti made her Broadway debut as an ensemble member and later as Maria von Trapp in the 1998 revival of '' The Sound of Music''. Benanti went on to ...

; and '' James Joyce's The Dead'', "Parnell's Plight."Lefkowitz, Davi
"Putting It Together For PBS: How the First Tony Hour Is Created"
playbill.com, June 2, 2000 Ten awards were presented prior to the main ceremony and were broadcast on Public Television in a show titled "The First 10 Awards: Tonys 2000." The show had interviews and showed clips from the season's productions, and presented the awards: Direction (Play and Musical), Choreography, Original Score, Book of a Musical, Costume Design, Scenic Design, Orchestration, Lighting Design and Regional Theater.

Michael Blakemore Michael Howell Blakemore AO OBE (18 June 1928 – 10 December 2023) was an Australian actor, writer and theatre director who also made some films. A former Associate Director of the National Theatre, in 2000 he became the only individual to ...

is the only director to win Tony Awards as Best Director of a Play and Best Director of a Musical in the same year. He won this year for ''Copenhagen'' (play) and ''Kiss Me, Kate'' (musical). The television ratings for this broadcast were 7.2, down from the 1999 Tony Award broadcast of 7.9. In prior years in which O'Donnell hosted, the program had ratings of 11.2 (1997) and 10.3 (1998).

''Contact'' controversy

The winner of the award for Best Musical, ''Contact'', raised controversy about what constitutes a musical, as it is a dance musical with no singing and minimal dialogue; and instead of original music, it uses pre-recorded music and songs. As a result of the controversy, a new category was created for the Tony Awards: Best Special Theatrical Event.Hofler, Robert
"Legit lightning strikes twice"
Variety.com, May. 1, 2006, accessed April 27, 2011

Winners and nominees

''Winners are in bold''

Special awards

Regional Theatre Award :*The Utah Shakespearean Festival Special Lifetime Achievement Tony Award :*T. Edward Hambleton Special Tony Award For a Live Theatrical Presentation :*

Dame Edna Dame Edna Everage, often known simply as Dame Edna, is a character created and portrayed by Australian comedian Barry Humphries, known for her lilac-coloured ("wisteria hue") hair and cat eye glasses ("face furniture"); her favourite flower, ...

: The Royal Tour

Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre The Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre is a non-competitive award created by the American Theatre Wing in 1990. They are presented to institutions, individuals and/or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary achievement in theatre, bu ...

Eileen Heckart Anna Eileen Heckart ( Herbert; March 29, 1919 – December 31, 2001) was an American stage and screen actress whose career spanned nearly 60 years. Early life Heckart was born Anna Eileen Herbert in Columbus, Ohio. Her mother Esther () wed Leo ...

:*Sylvia Herscher :*

City Center A city centre, also known as an urban core, is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms that exist in ...

Encores! Encores! is a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, Tony-honored concert series dedicated to reviving United States, American Musical theatre, musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, E ...

Multiple nominations and awards

These productions had multiple nominations: *''12 nominations:'' ''

'' *''8 nominations:'' ''

'' *''7 nominations:'' '' Contact'' and '' The Wild Party'' *''6 nominations:'' ''

'' *''5 nominations:'' ''

'', '' Dirty Blonde'', '' James Joyce's The Dead'', ''

'' and '' The Real Thing'' *''4 nominations:'' ''

'' and '' True West'' *''3 nominations:'' ''

'' *''2 nominations:'' ''

'', ''

'', '' The Ride Down Mt. Morgan'', ''

'' and '' Waiting in the Wings'' The following productions received multiple awards. *''5 wins:'' ''

'' *''4 wins:'' ''

'' and '' Contact'' *''3 wins:'' ''

'' and '' The Real Thing''

References

External links

Official Site Tony Awards
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tony Awards, 54 Tony Awards ceremonies 2000 in theatre 2000 theatre awards 2000 awards in the United States 2000 in New York City 2000s in Manhattan

Eligibility

Ceremony

''Contact'' controversy

Winners and nominees

Special awards

Multiple nominations and awards

See also

References

External links