The Special Tony® Award for Regional Theatre
Beginning in 1976, The American Theatre Wing agreed to a proposal on behalf of The American Theatre Critics Association to present a Special Tony Award for Regional Theatre. At the time, it was limited to theaters outside New York City, in consideration of the many awards and media focus already available there. Each year since, the Wing and the Broadway League (the producers), represented together on the Tony Administration Committee, have accepted ATCA’s confidential recommendation of a company that has displayed a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theatre nationally. In 2014 the Tony Administration Committee expanded eligibility to include New York City non-profit theaters that are not represented on Broadway. No theater has won it twice, testifying to the growing strength of professional theater nation-wide.
The Special Tony Award For Outstanding Regional Theatre is presented during the annual telecast. The Tony Awards are exclusively run by the Wing and the Broadway League. This Tony is their award and any queries about it should be sent to them. Although ATCA was instrumental in originating the award and continues to carry it forward, ATCA’s statutory role is purely advisory and the process leading to each award recommendation is strictly confidential.
- 2023: Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA
- 2022: Court Theatre, Chicago, IL
- 2021: No Award Given
- 2020: No Award Given
- 2019: TheatreWorks, Silicon Valley, CA
- 2018: La Mama E.T.C., New York, NY
- 2017: Dallas Theater Center, Dallas, TX
- 2016: Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ
- 2015: Cleveland Play House, Cleveland, OH
- 2014: Signature Theatre, New York, NY
- 2013: Huntington Theatre Company, Boston, MA
- 2012: Shakespeare Theatre Company,
Washington, DC - 2011: Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago, IL
- 2010: Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, CT
- 2009: Signature Theatre, Arlington, VA
- 2008: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago, IL
- 2007: Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, GA
- 2006: Intiman Theatre, Seattle, WA
- 2005: Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Minneapolis, MN
- 2004: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH
- 2003: Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN
- 2002: Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA
- 2001: Victory Gardens Theatre, Chicago, IL
- 2000: Utah Shakespeare Festival, Cedar City, UT
- 1999: Crossroads Theatre Company,
New Brunswick, NJ - 1998: Denver Center Theatre Company, Denver, CO
- 1997: Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, CA
- 1996: Alley Theatre, Houston, TX
- 1995: Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, CT
- 1994: McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ
- 1993: La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla, CA
- 1992: Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL
- 1991: Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT
- 1990: Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle, WA
- 1989: Hartford Stage Company, Hartford, CT
- 1988: South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, CA
- 1987: San Francisco Mime Troupe, San Francisco, CA
- 1986: American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA
- 1985: Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL
- 1984: Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA
- 1983: Oregon Shakespearean Festival Theatre,
Ashland, OR - 1982: Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
- 1981: Trinity Square Repertory, Providence, RI
- 1980: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Louisville, KY
- 1979: American Conservatory Theatre,
San Francisco, CA - 1978: Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT
- 1977: Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, CA
- 1976: Arena Stage, Washington, DC