A Tony Award is a coveted prize made from a mix of brass, bronze and nickel — and if you're lucky enough to receive one, it's life changing.

What You Need To Know

  • The Tony Awards recognize the best of Broadway, and getting a nomination can be a life changing event

  • The awards were founded by the American Theatre Wing and actually began as a war time relief effort

  • The Tonys get their name from Antoinette "Tony" Perry, a producer and director and actor

The Tonys recognize the crème de la crème of Broadway and were founded by the American Theatre Wing.

"The wing was a war relief effort. It was founded over 100 years ago by suffragists and then, was the precursor to the USO founding the stage door canteens. And one of their wartime leaders, Antoinette Perry, was a producer and director and actor," Heather Hitchens, the current president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing, said.

If the name Antoinette Perry sounds familiar, it may be because that's where the Tonys got their namesake — Antoinette "Tony" Perry. Each statuette honors not only the recipients achievements, but also the memory of the theater legend.

"She was really a character. She played the horses and she used the proceeds that she won, when she did win, and funded the wing. She passed away and the women of the wing said, 'what are we going to do to honor her?' So they founded the Tony Awards, the Antoinette Perry Awards," Hitchens said.

The very first Tony Awards, eleven in total, were handed out on April 6, 1947, in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Among the first group of winners: Arthur Miller, Ingrid Bergman, Agnes de Mille and Helen Hayes. Now, the Tonys remain the highest honor a stage artist can receive in the U.S.

"To get a little bit of recognition can make a huge difference in a career. And it's also a moment to celebrate the importance of the arts, how important you know the arts are to our community," Hitchens said.

The American Theatre Wing continues that founding ethos of service, providing grants, training and resources. Whether it's for those just starting out or amplifying Broadway's biggest and brightest stars on Tony night. 

Since 1967, the awards have been co-presented by the Broadway League and were broadcast on network television the very first year. Ariana DeBose is back this year as host.

"I don't need to tell you she's amazing. If you look at last year in the midst of a writers strike and what she pulled off at the Tonys, particularly with that opening dance number, I mean, she's an extraordinary, extraordinary talent," Hitchens said.

The 77th Annual Tony Awards will take place Sunday at Lincoln Center.