The Tony Award for Best Choreography is awarded to acknowledge the contributions of choreographers in both musicals and plays. The award has been given since 1947, but nominees were not announced until 1956.
Winners and nominees
1940s Year Production Choreographer 1947(1st) Brigadoon Agnes de Mille Finian's Rainbow Michael Kidd 1948(2nd) High Button Shoes Jerome Robbins 1949(3rd) Lend an Ear Gower Champion
1950s Year Production Choreographer 1950 Touch and Go Helen Tamiris 1951 Guys and Dolls Michael Kidd 1952 Pal Joey Robert Alton 1953 Wonderful Town Donald Saddler 1954 Can-Can Michael Kidd 1955 The Pajama Game Bob Fosse 1956 Damn Yankees Bob Fosse Phoenix '55 Boris Runanin Pipe Dream Red Roses for Me Anna Sokolow The Vamp Robert Alton 1957 Li'l Abner Michael Kidd Bells Are Ringing Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins The Most Happy Fella Dania Krupska My Fair Lady Hanya Holm 1958 West Side Story Jerome Robbins The Music Man Onna White New Girl in Town Bob Fosse 1959 Redhead Bob Fosse Flower Drum Song Carol Haney Goldilocks Agnes de Mille Whoop-Up Onna White
1960s Year Production Choreographer 1960 Destry Rides Again Michael Kidd Fiorello! Peter Gennaro Greenwillow Joe Layton Happy Town Lee Scot Take Me Along Onna White 1961 Bye Bye Birdie Gower Champion Irma La Douce Onna White 1962 Kwamina (TIE) Agnes de Mille No Strings (TIE) Joe Layton The Happiest Girl in the World Dania Krupska Subways Are for Sleeping Michael Kidd 1963 Little Me Bob Fosse Bravo Giovanni Carol Haney 1964 Hello, Dolly! Gower Champion Anyone Can Whistle Herbert Ross Funny Girl Carol Haney High Spirits Danny Daniels 1965 Fiddler on the Roof Jerome Robbins Bajour Peter Gennaro Golden Boy Donald McKayle Half a Sixpence Onna White 1966 Sweet Charity Bob Fosse Mame Onna White Man of La Mancha Jack Cole Skyscraper Michael Kidd 1967 Cabaret Ron Field Annie Get Your Gun Danny Daniels The Apple Tree Lee Theodore A Joyful Noise Michael Bennett Walking Happy Danny Daniels 1968 The Happy Time Gower Champion Hallelujah, Baby! Kevin Carlisle Henry, Sweet Henry Michael Bennett Illya Darling Onna White 1969 George M! Joe Layton Canterbury Tales Sammy Bayes Promises, Promises Michael Bennett Zorba Ron Field
1970s Year Production Choreographer 1970 Applause Ron Field Billy Grover Dale Coco Michael Bennett Purlie Louis Johnson 1971 No, No, Nanette Donald Saddler Company Michael Bennett The Rothschilds Michael Kidd 1972 Follies Michael Bennett Grease Patricia Birch Two Gentlemen of Verona Jean Erdman 1973 Pippin Bob Fosse Irene Peter Gennaro Much Ado About Nothing Donald Saddler Sugar Gower Champion 1974 Seesaw Michael Bennett Over Here! Patricia Birch Raisin Donald McKayle 1975 The Wiz George Faison Dance with Me Joel Zwick Doctor Jazz Donald McKayle Mack and Mabel Gower Champion Shenandoah Robert Tucker Where's Charley? Margo Sappington 1976 A Chorus Line Bob Avian and Michael Bennett Bubbling Brown Sugar Billy Wilson Chicago Bob Fosse Pacific Overtures Patricia Birch 1977 Annie Peter Gennaro I Love My Wife Onna White Music Is Patricia Birch Your Arms Too Short to Box with God Talley Beatty 1978 Dancin' Bob Fosse The Act Ron Lewis Ain't Misbehavin' Arthur Faria Runaways Elizabeth Swados 1979 Ballroom Bob Avian and Michael Bennett The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Tommy Tune Eubie! Henry LeTang and Billy Wilson Whoopee! Dan Siretta
1980s Year Production Choreographer 1980 A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine Tommy Tune and Thommie Walsh Barnum Joe Layton Evita Larry Fuller Sugar Babies Ernie Flatt 1981 42nd Street Gower Champion Can-Can Roland Petit The Pirates of Penzance Graciela Daniele Sophisticated Ladies Henry LeTang, Donald McKayle and Michael Smuin 1982 Dreamgirls Michael Bennett and Michael Peters Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Tony Tanner Little Me Peter Gennaro Nine Tommy Tune 1983 My One and Only Tommy Tune and Thommie Walsh Cats Gillian Lynne On Your Toes Donald Saddler Porgy and Bess George Faison 1984 The Tap Dance Kid Danny Daniels Baby Wayne Cilento La Cage aux Folles Scott Salmon The Rink Graciela Daniele 1985 colspan="3" The category was not given due to an insufficient number of musicals during the season. 1986 Big Deal Bob Fosse The Mystery of Edwin Drood Graciela Daniele Song and Dance Peter Martins Tango Argentino Tango Argentino Dancers 1987 Me and My Girl Gillian Gregory The Mikado Brian Macdonald Rags Ron Field Starlight Express Arlene Phillips 1988 Anything Goes Michael Smuin Into the Woods Lar Lubovitch The Phantom of the Opera Gillian Lynne Sarafina! Ndaba Mhlongo and Mbongeni Ngema 1989 Black and Blue Cholly Atkins, Henry LeTang, Frankie Manning and Fayard Nicholas Largely New York Bill Irwin and Kimi Okada Legs Diamond Alan Johnson Starmites Michele Assaf
1990s Year Production Choreographer 1990 Grand Hotel Tommy Tune Dangerous Games Graciela Daniele and Tina Paul Meet Me in St. Louis Joan Brickhill 1991 The Will Rogers Follies Tommy Tune Miss Saigon Bob Avian Oh, Kay! Dan Siretta Once on This Island Graciela Daniele 1992 Crazy for You Susan Stroman Dancing at Lughnasa Terry John Bates Guys and Dolls Christopher Chadman Jelly's Last Jam Hope Clarke, Gregory Hines and Ted L. Levy 1993 The Who's Tommy Wayne Cilento Ain't Broadway Grand Randy Skinner The Goodbye Girl Graciela Daniele Kiss of the Spider Woman Rob Marshall and Vincent Paterson 1994 Carousel Kenneth MacMillan Damn Yankees Rob Marshall Grease Jeff Calhoun She Loves Me Rob Marshall 1995 Show Boat Susan Stroman How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Wayne Cilento Smokey Joe's Cafe Joey McKneely Sunset Boulevard Bob Avian 1996 Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk Savion Glover Big: the musical Susan Stroman Chronicle of a Death Foretold Graciela Daniele Rent Marlies Yearby 1997 Chicago Ann Reinking Dream Wayne Cilento The Life Joey McKneely Steel Pier Susan Stroman 1998 The Lion King Garth Fagan Cabaret Rob Marshall Forever Tango Forever Tango Dancers Ragtime Graciela Daniele 1999 Swan Lake Matthew Bourne Footloose A. C. Ciulla Little Me Rob Marshall Parade Patricia Birch
2000s Year Production Choreographer 2000 Contact Susan Stroman Kiss Me, Kate Kathleen Marshall The Music Man Susan Stroman Swing! Lynne Taylor-Corbett 2001 The Producers Susan Stroman Blast! Jim Moore, George Pinney and Jonathan Vanderkolff 42nd Street Randy Skinner The Full Monty Jerry Mitchell 2002 Thoroughly Modern Millie Rob Ashford Into the Woods John Carrafa Oklahoma! Susan Stroman Urinetown John Carrafa 2003 Movin' Out Twyla Tharp Flower Drum Song Robert Longbottom Hairspray Jerry Mitchell Urban Cowboy Melinda Roy 2004 Wonderful Town Kathleen Marshall Bombay Dreams Farah Khan and Anthony Van Laast Never Gonna Dance Jerry Mitchell Wicked Wayne Cilento 2005 La Cage aux Folles Jerry Mitchell Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Jerry Mitchell Monty Python's Spamalot Casey Nicholaw Sweet Charity Wayne Cilento 2006 The Pajama Game Kathleen Marshall The Color Purple Donald Bryd The Drowsy Chaperone Casey Nicholaw The Wedding Singer Rob Ashford 2007 Spring Awakening Bill T. Jones Curtains Rob Ashford Legally Blonde The Musical Jerry Mitchell Mary Poppins Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear 2008 In the Heights Andy Blankenbuehler Cry-Baby Rob Ashford Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific Christopher Gattelli Xanadu Dan Knechtges 2009 Billy Elliot the Musical Peter Darling Hair Karole Armitage 9 to 5 Andy Blankenbuehler White Christmas Randy Skinner
2010s Year Production Choreographer 2010 Fela! Bill T. Jones Come Fly Away Twyla Tharp La Cage aux Folles Lynne Page Promises, Promises Rob Ashford 2011 Anything Goes Kathleen Marshall The Book of Mormon Casey Nicholaw How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Rob Ashford The Scottsboro Boys Susan Stroman 2012 Newsies Christopher Gattelli Evita Rob Ashford Nice Work If You Can Get It Kathleen Marshall Once Steven Hoggett 2013 Kinky Boots Jerry Mitchell Bring It On Andy Blankenbuehler Matilda the Musical Peter Darling Pippin Chet Walker 2014 After Midnight Warren Carlyle Aladdin Casey Nicholaw Bullets Over Broadway Susan Stroman Rocky the Musical Kelly Devine and Steven Hoggett 2015 An American in Paris Christopher Wheeldon The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett The King and I Christopher Gattelli On the Town Joshua Bergasse Something Rotten! Casey Nicholaw 2016 Hamilton Andy Blankenbuehler Dames at Sea Randy Skinner Fiddler on the Roof Hofesh Shechter On Your Feet! Sergio Trujillo Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed Savion Glover2017BandstandAndy BlankenbuehlerCome from AwayKelly DevineGroundhog DayPeter Darling and Ellen KaneHoliday InnDenis JonesNatasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812Sam Pinkleton2018CarouselJustin PeckHarry Potter and the Cursed ChildSteven Hoggett Mean GirlsCasey Nicholaw My Fair Lady Christopher Gattelli SpongeBob SquarePants2019Ain’t Too ProudSergio TrujilloChoir BoyCamille A. BrownHadestownDavid NeumannKiss Me, KateWarren CarlyleTootsieDenis Jones
2020s Year Production Choreographer2020Moulin Rouge! The MusicalSonya TayehJagged Little PillSidi Larbi CherkaouiTina: The Tina Turner MusicalAnthony Van Laast2022 MJ Christopher Wheeldon for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf Camille A. Brown The Music Man Warren Carlyle Paradise Square Bill T. Jones SIX: The Musical Carrie-Anne Ingrouille2023Some Like It Hot Casey Nicholaw & Juliet Jennifer Weber KPOPNew York, New YorkSusan Stroman Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Steven Hoggett 2024 Illinoise Justin Peck Hell's KitchenCamille A. Brown Here Lies Love Annie-B ParsonThe Outsiders Jeff Kuperman and Rick KupermanWater for Elephants Shana Carroll and Jesse Robb 2025Buena Vista Social Club Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck BOOP! The Musical Jerry Mitchell Death Becomes Her Christopher GattelliGypsy Camille A. BrownSmash Joshua Bergasse2026Cats: The Jellicle Ball Omari Wiles and Arturo LyonsThe Lost Boys Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree GrantRagtime Ellenore ScottThe Rocky Horror Show Ani Taj Schmigadoon! Christopher Gattelli
Notes
Multiple wins
8 Wins Bob Fosse
5 Wins Michael Bennett Gower Champion Michael Kidd
4 Wins Susan Stroman Tommy Tune
3 Wins Andy Blankenbuehler Kathleen Marshall Jerome Robbins Justin Peck
2 Wins Bob Avian Agnes de Mille Ron Field Bill T. Jones Joe Layton Jerry Mitchell Donald Saddler Christopher Wheeldon
Multiple nominations
11 nominations Bob Fosse Susan Stroman
10 nominations Michael Bennett
8 nominations Graciela Daniele Michael Kidd Jerry Mitchell Onna White
7 nominations Rob Ashford Gower Champion Christopher Gattelli Casey Nicholaw
6 nominations Wayne Cilento Tommy Tune
5 nominations Patricia Birch Andy Blankenbuehler Peter Gennaro Kathleen Marshall Rob Marshall
4 nominations Bob Avian Camille A. Brown Ron Field Steven Hoggett Joe Layton Donald McKayle Jerome Robbins Donald Saddler Randy Skinner
3 nominations Warren Carlyle Danny Daniels Peter Darling Agnes de Mille Carol Haney Bill T. Jones Henry LeTang Justin Peck
2 nominations Robert Alton Joshua Bergasse Matthew Bourne John Carrafa George Faison Savion Glover Denis Jones Dania Krupska Gillian Lynne Joey McKneely Dan Siretta Michael Smuin Twyla Tharp Sergio Trujillo Thommie Walsh Jennifer Weber Christopher Wheeldon Billy Wilson
See also Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography Laurence Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer List of Tony Award-nominated productions
References
External links The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards official website