The Tony Awards for Best Sound Design of a Play and Best Sound Design of a Musical recognize excellence in sound design for Broadway theatre. They were first given in the 2007–2008 season. In 2014, the Tony Awards Administration Committee announced that starting with the 2014–2015 season the Tony Awards for Best Sound Design of a Play and of a Musical would be eliminated, but that they would consider awarding "a special Tony award for certain productions that have excelled in this particular design realm". This resulted in considerable industry backlash, including thousands of signatures on a petition and a viral social media campaign by sound designer John Gromada, #TonyCanYouHearMe, and was a catalyst for the formation in 2014 of the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association, to protest for its reinstatement. In 2017, the committee presented a Special Tony Award to Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin for their sound design of Complicité's The Encounter. In 2017, the committee announced that the two Sound Design awards would again be presented starting in the 2017–2018 season.
List of winners and nominees 2000s YearProductionNominees 2008Sound Design in a Play The 39 Steps Mic Pool Boeing-Boeing Simon Baker Macbeth Adam CorkSound Design in a MusicalRodgers & Hammerstein's South PacificScott LehrerGypsyDan Moses SchreierIn the HeightsAcme Sound PartnersSunday in the Park with GeorgeSebastian Frost Rock 'n' Roll Ian Dickinson 2009Sound Design in a Play Equus Gregory Clarke Exit the King Russell Goldsmith Joe Turner's Come and Gone Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg Mary Stuart Paul ArdittiSound Design in a MusicalBilly Elliot the MusicalPaul ArdittiHairAcme Sound PartnersNext to NormalBrian RonanRock of AgesPeter Hylenski
2010s {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;" |- style="background:#bebebe;" ! style="width:5%;"| Year ! style="width:45%;"|Production ! style="width:50%;"|Nominees |- | rowspan="10" align="center" | 2010 ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Play |- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Red | Adam Cork |- | Enron | Adam Cork |- | Fences | Acme Sound Partners |- | A View from the Bridge | Scott Lehrer |- ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Musical |- |- style="background:#B0C4DE" |Fela! |Robert Kaplowitz |- |La Cage aux Folles |Jonathan Deans |- |A Little Night Music |Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen |- |Sondheim on Sondheim |Dan Moses Schreier |- | rowspan="10" align="center" | 2011 ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Play |- style="background:#B0C4DE" | War Horse | Christopher Shutt |- | Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo | Acme Sound Partners and Cricket S. Myers |- | Brief Encounter | Simon Baker |- | Jerusalem | Ian Dickinson |- ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Musical |- |- style="background:#B0C4DE" |The Book of Mormon |Brian Ronan |- |Anything Goes |Brian Ronan |- |Catch Me If You Can |Steve Canyon Kennedy |- |The Scottsboro Boys |Peter Hylenski |- | rowspan="10" align="center" | 2012 ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Play |- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Peter and the Starcatcher | Darron L. West |- | Death of a Salesman | Scott Lehrer |- | End of the Rainbow | Gareth Owen |- | One Man, Two Guvnors| Paul Arditti |- ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Musical |- |- style="background:#B0C4DE" |Once|Clive Goodwin |- |Follies|Kai Harada |- |Nice Work If You Can Get It|Brian Ronan |- |Porgy and Bess|Acme Sound Partners |- | rowspan="10" align="center" | 2013 ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Play |- style="background:#B0C4DE" | The Nance| Leon Rothenberg|- | Golden Boy | Peter John Still and Marc Salzberg |- | The Testament of Mary | Mel Mercier |- | The Trip to Bountiful | John Gromada |- ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Musical |- |- style="background:#B0C4DE" |Kinky Boots |John Shivers |- |Motown: The Musical |Peter Hylenski |- |Pippin |Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm |- |Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella |Nevin Steinberg |- | rowspan="10" align="center" | 2014! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Play |- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill| Steve Canyon Kennedy|- | Act One | Dan Moses Schreier |- | The Cripple of Inishmaan | Alex Baranowski |- | Machinal | Matt Tierney |- ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Musical |- |- style="background:#B0C4DE" |Beautiful: The Carole King Musical|Brian Ronan|- |After Midnight |Peter Hylenski |- |Hedwig and the Angry Inch |Tim O'Heir |- |Les Misérables |Mick Potter |- | rowspan="12" align="center" | 2018! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Play |- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Harry Potter and the Cursed Child| Gareth Fry|- | Angels in America | Ian Dickinson |- | The Iceman Cometh | Dan Moses Schreier |- | 1984 | Tom Gibbons |- | Travesties | Adam Cork |- ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Musical |- |- style="background:#B0C4DE" |The Band's Visit |Kai Harada|- |Carousel |Scott Lehrer |- |Mean Girls |Brian Ronan |- |Once on This Island |Peter Hylenski |- |SpongeBob SquarePants |Mike Dobson and Walter Trarbach |- | rowspan="12" align="center" | 2019! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Play |- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Choir Boy| Fitz Patton|- | The Ferryman | Nick Powell |- | Ink | Adam Cork |- | Network | Eric Sleichim |- | To Kill a Mockingbird | Scott Lehrer |- ! colspan="2" |Sound Design in a Musical |- |- style="background:#B0C4DE" |Hadestown|Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz''' |- |Ain’t Too Proud|Steve Canyon Kennedy |- |Beetlejuice| rowspan="2" |Peter Hylenski |- |King Kong|- |Oklahoma!|Drew Levy
2020s YearProductionNominees 2020Sound Design in a Play A Christmas Carol Simon Baker The Inheritance Paul Arditti and Christopher Reid Sea Wall/A Life Daniel Kluger Slave Play Lindsay Jones The Sound Inside Daniel KlugerSound Design in a MusicalMoulin Rouge! The MusicalPeter HylenskiJagged Little PillJonathan DeansTina: The Tina Turner MusicalNevin Steinberg2022Sound Design in a Play Dana H. Mikhail Fiksel for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf Justin Ellington The Lehman Trilogy Dominic Bilkey and Nick Powell Macbeth Mikaal Sulaiman The Skin of Our Teeth Palmer HefferanSound Design in a MusicalMJGareth OwenCompanyIan Dickinson for AutographGirl from the North CountrySimon BakerSixPaul GatehouseA Strange LoopDrew Levy2023Sound Design in a Play Life of Pi Carolyn Downing Ain't No Mo' Jonathan Deans and Taylor J. Williams A Christmas Carol Joshua D. Reid A Doll's House Ben Ringham and Max Ringham Prima FacieSound Design in a MusicalSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetNevin Steinberg& JulietGareth OwenInto the WoodsScott Lehrer and Alex NeumannNew York, New YorkKai HaradaShuckedJohn Shivers 2024Sound Design in a PlayStereophonic Ryan RumeryAppropriate Will Pickens and Bray Poor Grey House Tom Gibbons Jaja's African Hair Braiding Stefania Bulbarella and Justin EllingtonMary Jane Leah GelpeSound Design in a MusicalThe OutsidersCody SpencerCabaret at the Kit Kat ClubNick Lidster for AutographHell's KitchenGareth OwenHere Lies LoveM. L. Dogg and Cody SpencerMerrily We Roll AlongKai Harada2025Sound Design in a PlayStranger Things: The First ShadowPaul ArdittiGood Night, and Good LuckDaniel KlugerThe Hills of CaliforniaNick PowellJohn Proctor Is the VillainPalmer HefferanThe Picture of Dorian GrayClemence WilliamsSound Design in a MusicalBuena Vista Social ClubJonathan DeansFloyd CollinsDan Moses SchreierJust In TimePeter HylenskiMaybe Happy EndingSunset Blvd.Adam Fisher2026Sound Design in a Play Death of a Salesman Mikaal Sulaiman Bug Josh Schmidt The Fear of 13 Lee Kinney Joe Turner's Come and Gone Justin Ellington Oedipus Tom GibbonsSound Design in a Musical Ragtime Kai Harada Cats: The Jellicle Ball Kai Harada The Lost Boys Adam Fisher The Rocky Horror Show Brian Ronan Schmigadoon! Walter Trarbach
Multiple wins 2 Wins Gareth Fry Kai Harada Brian Ronan Nevin Steinberg
Multiple nominations
10 nominations Peter Hylenski
7 nominations Scott Lehrer
6 nominations Kai Harada Brian Ronan Dan Moses Schreier
5 nominations Acme Sound Partners Paul Arditti Jonathan Deans Gareth Owen
4 nominations Simon Baker Adam Cork Ian Dickinson Nevin Steinberg
3 nominations Steve Canyon Kennedy Justin Ellington Tom Gibbons Daniel Kluger Nick Powell
2 nominations Adam Fisher Palmer Hefferan Drew Levy Ben Ringham Max Ringham Leon Rothenberg John Shivers Cody Spencer Mikaal Sulaiman Walter Trarbach
Historic nominations & wins 2011: Acme Sound Partners and Cricket S. Myers – Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo Cricket S. Myers is the first woman to receive a Tony nomination for Sound Design of a Play.
2019: Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz – Hadestown''
Jessica Paz is the first woman to receive a Tony nomination for Sound Design of a Musical and the first woman to win a Tony Award for Sound Design.
See also Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design Laurence Olivier Award for Best Sound Design List of Tony Award-nominated productions
References
External links Tony Awards official website