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.
;Original plays

Accidental Death of an Anarchist
Alone Together
As Is
The Babe
Biloxi Blues
Dancing in the End Zone
Doubles
Home Front
Hurlyburly
Kipling
The Loves of Anatol
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
The Octette Bridge Club
Pack of Lies
Requiem for a Heavyweight

;Original musicals

;Play revivals

;Musical revivals

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 because they did not consider any of the performances or choreography outstanding or excellent."
Musicals represented:Big River Grind Leader of the Pack
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, Elvira Santamaría

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 * Grind – Larry Grossman and Ellen Fitzhugh * Quilters – Barbara Damashek	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

Multiple nominations and awards

These productions had multiple nominations:

10 nominations: ''Big River
7 nominations: Grind and Much Ado About Nothing
6 nominations: Quilters and Strange Interlude
4 nominations: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and Hurlyburly
3 nominations: As Is, Biloxi Blues, Cyrano de Bergerac, The King and I and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

The following productions received multiple awards.

7 wins: Big River
3 wins: Biloxi Blues
2 wins: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and Grind''