52nd Tony Awards

The 52nd Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 7, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall and was broadcast by CBS television. A documentaries segment was telecast on PBS television. The ceremony was hosted by Rosie O'Donnell, who hosted a total of three times (1997, 1998, and 2000).

This ceremony is notable for its Best Direction of a Play and Best Direction of a Musical winners both being female, the first time a female has won either award. The writer of the Best Play winner was also female, the second female winner of the award.

Ragtime had 13 nominations, the most of the night, and Ragtime, The Beauty Queen of Leenane and Cabaret each won four Tonys.

Eligibility
Shows that opened on Broadway during the 1997–1998 season before April 30, 1998 are eligible.


 * Original plays
 * Art
 * The Beauty Queen of Leenane
 * Freak
 * Golden Child
 * The Herbal Bed
 * Honour
 * Jackie
 * The Judas Kiss
 * The Old Neighborhood
 * Proposals


 * Original musicals
 * The Capeman
 * Forever Tango
 * High Society
 * The Lion King
 * Ragtime
 * The Scarlet Pimpernel
 * Side Show
 * Street Corner Symphony
 * Triumph of Love


 * Play revivals
 * Ah, Wilderness!
 * The Chairs
 * The Cherry Orchard
 * The Deep Blue Sea
 * The Diary of Anne Frank
 * Ivanov
 * The Sunshine Boys
 * A View from the Bridge
 * Wait Until Dark


 * Musical revivals
 * Cabaret
 * 1776
 * The Sound of Music

The ceremony
The opening number was "Broadway Divas", with Rosie O'Donnell and the Chicago dancers introducing: Patti LuPone ("Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from Evita); Jennifer Holliday ("And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls); and Betty Buckley ("Memory" from Cats).

Musicals represented:
 * Ragtime ("Ragtime" – Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald and Company)
 * The Sound of Music ("Wedding"/"Do-Re-Mi"/"The Sound of Music" Finale – Rebecca Luker and Company)
 * 1776 ("Sit Down, John" – Richard Poe and Company)
 * The Lion King ("Circle of Life" – Tsidii Le Loka and Company)
 * Cabaret ("Willkommen" – Alan Cumming and Company)
 * Side Show ("I Will Never Leave You" – Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner)
 * The Scarlet Pimpernel ("Into the Fire" – Douglas Sills and Company)

Winners and nominees
Winners are in bold

Special awards

 * Regional Theater Tony Award
 * Denver Center Theatre Company
 * Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
 * Ben Edwards
 * Edward E. Colton
 * Tony Honor Winner
 * The International Theatre Institute of the United States

Multiple nominations and awards
These productions had multiple nominations:


 * 13 nominations: Ragtime
 * 11 nominations: The Lion King
 * 10 nominations: Cabaret
 * 6 nominations: The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Chairs
 * 4 nominations: Side Show and A View from the Bridge
 * 3 nominations: Art, The Capeman, Golden Child, The Scarlet Pimpernel and 1776
 * 2 nominations: Ah, Wilderness!, The Diary of Anne Frank, Freak, High Society and Honour

The following productions received multiple awards.


 * 6 wins: The Lion King
 * 4 wins: The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Cabaret and Ragtime
 * 2 wins: A View from the Bridge