Tony Award Winning Musicals Theme

Tony Award Winning Musicals

*A great, and rather easy, idea for a recital theme is to base your show on Broadway musicals that won a Tony award for best musical. I am going to base my list by the winning year, but you could also rearrange the order to fit your show. Between dances, you could also have various students come out on stage in formal wear to present the names of the winning musicals or to present interesting facts about the shows. You can create the "awards show feel".*

1949- Kiss Me Kate- Too Darn Hot

Choose some red costumes that maybe have a flapper flare. You could also use a combination of red, orange, and bright yellow costumes. Use the colors to create patterns on stage.

1950- South Pacific- I'm Going To Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair

Choreography some head scrubbing moves and experiment with towels and wrapping them around their heads while dancing.

1951- Guys & Dolls- Bushel & A Peck or Luck Be A Lady

Bushel & A Peck can be used for little kids. Dance with baskets or toy wheelborrows. The song can also be used for beginning tap. For luck be a lady, use tuxedo costumes, saloon girl style costumes, or a combo of both.

1952- The King And I- Getting To Know You

Use this song for beginning or intermediate ballet students.

1956- The Pajama Game- Steam Heat

Choreograph Fosse style and choose simple costumes in a "steamy" color or just go all black.

1958- Music Man- 76 Trombones

Think parade. You could use this song for a tumbling class or a baton twirling class if you happen to offer that at your dance school.

1960- The Sound Of Music- Favorite Things

This song is great for beginning to intermediate point or ballet students. Choose long tutus with a light blue sashes.

1961- Bye Bye Birdie- Put On A Happy Face

This is a fun song for little kids. Read my "happy face" blog under the theme No Business Like Show Business.

1963- A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum- Comedy Tonight

This is a fantastic song to open your show with.

1966- Man Of La Mancha- Man Of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)

Choreograph and costume in a Spanish flare for ballet.

1967- Cabaret- The song Cabaret

Costume Cabaret style and get fishnet tights for your dancers.

1975- The Wiz- Ease On Down The Road, Everyone Rejoice

For Ease On Down The Road, see my blog in "No Business Like Show Business." The song Everyone Rejoice is a good choice to place at the end of your show, right before intermission, or even try it at the beginning of the show. Use lots of different groups and lots of transitions on and off stage.

1976- A Chorus Line- One

Go with classic chorus line look, leotards with a top coat with tails and a top hat. Also, stick with the classic choreography style.

1977- Annie- Hard Knock Life, Tomorrow

Have kids 6 to 8 years old dance and act to Hard Knock Life. Choose a class with lots of personality that you feel can really play up the characters. Tomorrow is a good song for a solo or beginning pointe.

1980- Evita- Don't Cry For Me Argentina

You may want to pick the dance mix by Madonna of Don't Cry For Me Argentina.

1981- 42nd Street- We're In The Money, Shuffle Off To Buffalo

Just about any age dancers can tap to We're In The Money. You can go for bright green, gold, or silver costumes. Dancers can also use large round coins made out of wood for props and/or to tap on top of.

1983- Cats- Jellicle Ball

Costume dancers in different color unitards and trim in soft fur or marabou feathers. Experiment with full cat makeup. Choreograph jazz, ballet, modern, or a mixture.

1987- Les Miserables- On My Own, Castle On A Cloud

On my own should be used for high school age ballet. It would be good for a solo or even a duet. Pick a simple A-line lyrical dress in a dim color. Castle On A Cloud should be for little girls. You can costume them in simple tutus and even give them a little wand to dance with.

1988- Phantom Of The Opera- The Phantom Of The Opera song, The Music Of The Night, or All I Ask of You

Use these songs for Jr. high or high school students. Pick basic black, white, or combination of both colored dance dresses.

1991- The Will Rodger Follies- Favorite Son, Willamania

Choreograph your own version of the Favorite Son routine from this musical. Willamania is also a fun energetic song for a large tap number.

1992- Crazy For You- Slap That Bass

This music is great to tap to for some of your best tap students. Try using a younger group and an older group to dance together and pair up as couples.

1996- Rent- Seasons Of Love

Choreograph a modern or contemporary piece and dress in casual drab with bare feet.

1998- Lion King- Circle Of Life, I Just Can't Wait To Be King

For Circle Of Life, you can do a larger piece with a stage full of dancers. You can dress dancers as different animals by picking different animal print unitards. Incorporate modern and African dance. I Just Can't Wait To Be King is for smaller kids. Find lion costumes and just order bright yellow costumes and have them wear a crown. If you oder tutus, you can have them even wear the tutu around their face like a lion's mane.

1999- Fosse- Big Spender, Razzle Dazzle, or Sing Sing Sing

Use one of these songs or a medley of all. Have fun with Fosse inspired choreography and go for the Fosse look of black leotards and fishnet tights. For Razzle Dazzle, have dancers spontaneously throw larger cut silver confetti into the air as they dance.

2000- Contact- Simply Irresistible

Have your older students get down and have them wear yellow dresses.

2003- Hairspray- (It's Hairspray,) Welcome To The 60's, Good Morning Baltimore, or You Can't Stop The Beat (Medley)

These songs are so fun. Pick costumes with different colored dresses with a crinoline underneath. If you can pump up the hair, do it.

2006- Jersey Boys- Big Girls Don't Cry, December 1963 (Oh, What A Night,) Heard It Through The Grapevine, or Peppermint Twist

These songs are great for little kids or younger dancers. Have 4 year old students do Big Girls Don't Cry. Have beginning to intermediate girls tap to Peppermint Twist. Think red striped costumes. Heard I Through The Grapevine can be used for young beginning tap students. If you want a comical surprise in your show, have a group of dads do a choreographed amateur dance wearing purple balloons, big sunglasses, and white gloves. It will be silly, but sometimes that is what people remember the most.