This is a list of Black creatives who have been nominated for a Tony Award for outstanding achievement in Broadway theatre.
While some American people of African ancestry prefer "Black," and others prefer "African American"; "African American" is considered a less appropriate umbrella term for people of African ancestry worldwide because it obscures other ethnicities or national origins. Thus, "Black" is a more inclusive umbrella term.
Facts and figures Multiple nominations As of 2026 ceremony: George C. Wolfe – 24 LaChanze – 11 Audra McDonald – 11 Paul Tazewell – 11 August Wilson – 9 Kenny Leon – 8 Stephen Byrd – 7 Rashad V. Chambers – 7 Harold Wheeler – 7 Dede Ayite – 6 Alia Jones-Harvey – 6 Lloyd Richards – 6 Ron Simons – 6 Emilio Sosa – 6 Camille A. Brown – 5 Gregory Hines – 5 Bill T. Jones – 5 Debra Martin Chase – 5 Donald McKayle – 5 Lamar Richardson – 5 Diane Scott Carter – 5 André De Shields – 4 Brandon Victor Dixon – 4 Savion Glover – 4 David Alan Grier – 4 Joshua Henry – 4 Allen Lee Hughes – 4 Toni-Leslie James – 4 James Earl Jones – 4 Brian Stokes Mitchell – 4 Brian Moreland - 4 Mbongeni Ngema – 4 Condola Rashad – 4 Phylicia Rashad – 4 Ruben Santiago-Hudson – 4 Stew – 4 Daryl Waters – 4 Kara Young – 4 Hilton Battle – 3 Vinnette Carroll – 3 Viola Davis – 3 Justin Ellington – 3 Cynthia Erivo – 3 Irene Gandy - 3 Micki Grant – 3 Jeremy O. Harris – 3 Geoffrey Holder – 3 Henry LeTang – 3 Lynn Nottage – 3 Leslie Odom, Jr. – 3 Wendell Pierce – 3 Tonya Pinkins – 3 Jeremy Pope – 3 Gilbert Price – 3 LaTanya Richardson Jackson - 3 Melvin Van Peebles – 3 Courtney B. Vance – 3 Saheem Ali – 2 Mary Alice – 2 Debbie Allen – 2 Gretha Boston – 2 Charles Brown – 2 RuPaul Charles – 2 Chuck Cooper – 2 Jordan E. Cooper – 2 Cleavant Derricks – 2 Colman Domingo – 2 Ann Duquesnay – 2 Charles S. Dutton – 2 George Faison – 2 Laurence Fishburne – 2 K. Todd Freeman – 2 Whoopi Goldberg – 2 Corey Hawkins – 2 Luther Henderson – 2 Stephen McKinley Henderson – 2 Jon Michael Hill – 2 Linda Hopkins – 2 James Monroe Iglehart – 2 Ernestine Jackson – 2 Michael R. Jackson – 2 Samuel L. Jackson - 2 Branden Jacobs-Jenkins - 2 Nikki M. James – 2 Qween Jean – 2 Quincy Jones – 2 Joaquina Kalukango – 2 John Kani – 2 Eartha Kitt – 2 John Legend – 2 Adriane Lenox – 2 Claudia McNeil – 2 S. Epatha Merkerson – 2 Patina Miller – 2 Zakes Mokae – 2 Dominique Morisseau - 2 Sahr Ngaujah – 2 Winston Ntshona – 2 Sophie Okonedo – 2 Billy Porter – 2 Josephine Premice – 2 Vivian Reed – 2 Roger Robinson – 2 Anika Noni Rose – 2 Diana Sands – 2 Anna Deavere Smith – 2 Mikaal Sulaiman – 2 Ron Taylor – 2 Lynne Thigpen – 2 Tamara Tunie – 2 Leslie Uggams – 2 Ben Vereen – 2 Lena Waithe – 2 Adrienne Warren – 2 Kerry Washington – 2 Denzel Washington – 2 Jason Michael Webb – 2 Lillias White – 2 Whitney White – 2 Dick Anthony Williams – 2 Billy Wilson – 2 Oprah Winfrey – 2 Jeffrey Wright – 2 Samuel E. Wright – 2
Multiple wins As of 2026 ceremony: Audra McDonald – 6 LaChanze – 5 George C. Wolfe – 5 Debra Martin Chase – 4 Ron Simons – 4 Hinton Battle – 3 Rashad V. Chambers – 3 Lamar Richardson - 3 James Earl Jones – 3 Viola Davis – 2 Geoffrey Holder – 2 Branden Jacobs-Jenkins - 2 Bill T. Jones – 2 Billy Porter – 2 Phylicia Rashad – 2 Paul Tazewell – 2 Kara Young – 2
Book of a Musical Tony Award for Best Book of a MusicalYearNomineeShowResult 1972 Melvin Van Peebles Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death 1973 Don't Play Us Cheap Micki Grant Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope 1977 Vinnette Carroll Your Arms Too Short to Box with God 1992 Clarke Peters Five Guys Named Moe George C. Wolfe Jelly's Last Jam 1996 Reg E. Gaines Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk 1999 Ron Taylor, Lita Gaithers, Charles Bevel It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues 2000 George C. Wolfe The Wild Party 2008 Stew Passing Strange 2010 Bill T. Jones Fela! 2016 George C. Wolfe Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed 2019 Dominique Morisseau Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations 2020 Katori Hall Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 2022 Lynn Nottage MJ Christina Anderson Paradise Square Michael R. Jackson A Strange Loop 2023 Sharon Washington New York, New York Amber Ruffin Some Like It Hot
Choreography Tony Award for Best ChoreographyYearNomineeShowResult 1965 Donald McKayle Golden Boy 1970 Louis Johnson Purlie 1974 Donald McKayle Raisin 1975 Doctor Jazz George Faison The Wiz 1976 Billy Wilson Bubbling Brown Sugar 1977 Talley Beatty Your Arms Too Short to Box with God 1979 Henry LeTang and Billy Wilson Eubie! 1981 Henry LeTang and Donald McKayle Sophisticated Ladies 1983 George Faison Porgy and Bess 1988 Ndaba Mhlongo and Mbongeni Ngema Sarafina! 1989 Cholly Atkins, Henry LeTang, Frankie Manning, and Fayard Nicholas Black and Blue 1992 Hope Clarke, Ted L. Levy, and Gregory Hines Jelly's Last Jam 1996 Savion Glover Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk 2006 Donald Byrd The Color Purple 2007 Bill T. Jones Spring Awakening 2010 Fela! 2016 Savion Glover Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed 2019 Camille A. Brown Choir Boy 2022 for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Bill T. Jones Paradise Square 2024 Camille A. Brown Hell's Kitchen 2025 Gypsy 2026 Arturo Lyons, Omari Wiles Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Costume Design Tony Award for Best Costume DesignYearNomineeShowResult 1975 Geoffrey Holder The Wiz 1978 Timbuktu! 1991 Judy Dearing Once on This Island 1992 Toni-Leslie James Jelly's Last Jam 1996 Paul Tazewell Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk
Costume Design of a Musical Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a MusicalYearNomineeShowResult 2006 Paul Tazewell The Color Purple 2008 In the Heights 2010 Memphis 2012 Emilio Sosa The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess 2016 Paul Tazewell Hamilton 2019 Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations 2022 Toni-Leslie James Paradise Square Paul Tazewell MJ 2024 Dede Ayite Hell's Kitchen Paul Tazewell Suffs 2025 Dede Ayite Buena Vista Social Club Paul Tazewell Death Becomes Her 2026 Qween Jean Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Costume Design of a Play Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a PlayYearNomineeShowResult 2012 Paul Tazewell A Streetcar Named Desire 2017 Toni-Leslie James August Wilson's Jitney 2019 Bernhardt/Hamlet 2020 Dede Ayite Slave Play A Soldier's Play 2022 Sarafina Bush for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf Emilio Sosa Trouble in Mind 2023 Dominique Fawn Hill Fat Ham Emilio Sosa Ain't No Mo' Good Night, Oscar 2024 Dede Ayite Appropriate Jaja's African Hair Braiding Emilio Sosa Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch 2026 Qween Jean Liberation Emilio Sosa The Balusters Paul Tazewell August Wilson's Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Direction of a Musical Tony Award for Best Direction of a MusicalYearNomineeShowResult 1972 Gilbert Moses Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death 1973 Vinnette Carroll Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope 1974 Donald McKayle Raisin 1975 Geoffrey Holder The Wiz 1977 Vinnette Carroll Your Arms Too Short to Box with God 1988 Mbongeni Ngema Sarafina! 1992 George C. Wolfe Jelly's Last Jam 1996 Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk 2004 Caroline, or Change 2010 Bill T. Jones Fela! 2016 George C. Wolfe Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed 2025 Saheem Ali Buena Vista Social Club 2026 Zhailon Levingston Cats: The Jellicle Ball
Direction of a Play Tony Award for Best Direction of a PlayYearNomineeShowResult 1960 Lloyd Richards A Raisin in the Sun 1987 Mbongeni Ngema Asinamali! Lloyd Richards Fences 1988 Joe Turner's Come and Gone 1990 The Piano Lesson 1993 George C. Wolfe Angels in America: Millennium Approaches 1994 Angels in America: Perestroika 1996 Lloyd Richards Seven Guitars 2001 Marion McClinton King Hedley II 2010 Kenny Leon Fences 2011 George C. Wolfe The Normal Heart 2013 George C. Wolfe Lucky Guy 2014 Kenny Leon A Raisin in the Sun 2016 Liesl Tommy Eclipsed 2017 Ruben Santiago-Hudson August Wilson's Jitney 2018 George C. Wolfe Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh 2019 Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus 2020 Kenny Leon A Soldier's Play Robert O'Hara Slave Play 2022 Lileana Blain-Cruz The Skin of Our Teeth Camille A. Brown for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf 2023 Saheem Ali Fat Ham Stevie Walker-Webb Ain't No Mo' 2024 Kenny Leon Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch Whitney White Jaja's African Hair Braiding 2026 Kenny Leon The Balusters Whitney White Liberation
Excellence in Theatre Education Award Excellence in Theatre EducationYearNomineeSchoolResult 2015 Corey Mitchell Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, N.C. 2016 Marilyn McCormick Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI 2022 Roshunda Jones-Koumba G. W. Carver Magnet High School in Houston, Texas 2024 CJay Philip Dance & BMore in Baltimore, MD 2025 Gary Edwin Robinson Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Lighting Design Tony Award for Best Lighting DesignYearNomineeShowResult 1983 Allen Lee Hughes K2 1985 Strange Interlude 1991 Once on This Island
Lighting Design in a Play Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a PlayYearNomineeShowResult 2020 Allen Lee Hughes A Soldier's Play 2026 Stacey Derosier August Wilson's Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Musical Tony Award for Best MusicalYearNomineeShowResult 1975 Ken Harper (as producer) The Wiz 1996 George C. Wolfe (as producer) Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk 2000 The Wild Party 2002 Whoopi Goldberg (as producer) Thoroughly Modern Millie 2004 George C. Wolfe (as producer) Caroline, or Change 2006 Oprah Winfrey (as producer), Quincy Jones (as producer) The Color Purple 2007 Tamara Tunie (as producer) Spring Awakening 2010 Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter (as producer), Will Smith (as producer), Jada Pinkett Smith (as producer) Fela! 2011 Whoopi Goldberg (as producer) Sister Act 2014 Wynton Marsalis (as producer) After Midnight Ron Simons (as producer) A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder 2019 Stephen Byrd (as producer), Rashad V. Chambers (as producer), Alia Jones (as producer), Ron Simons (as producer) Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations 2020 Tina Turner (as producer) Tina - The Tina Turner Musical 2022 Stephen C. Byrd (as producer) MJ Sheila C. Johnson (as producer) Paradise Square RuPaul Charles (as producer), Debra Martin Chase (as producer), Don Cheadle (as producer), Robyn Coles, Bridgid Coulter Cheadle (as producer), Jennifer Hudson (as producer), Billy Porter (as producer), Cody Renard Richard (as producer), Tre’ Scott (as producer), Zach Stafford (as producer), Paul Oakley Stovall (as producer) A Strange Loop 2023 LaChanze (as producer) Kimberly Akimbo Ron Simons (as producer), Lamar Richardson (as producer), Christen James (as producer), Dale Mott (as producer), Gregory Carroll (as producer) New York, New York Mariah Carey (as producer), Kenny Leon (as producer) Some Like It Hot 2024 LaChanze (as producer), Debra Martin Chase (as producer) The Outsiders Diane Scott Carter (as producer) Suffs 2025 LaChanze (as producer) Buena Vista Social Club Debra Martin Chase (as producer) Death Becomes Her 2026 Ayesha Curry (as producer), Stephen Curry (as producer) The Lost Boys Deborah Cox (as producer) Titanique
Orchestrations