The 2011 Tony Awards

Antoinette Perry (1888-1946) was an actress, director and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, an organization as defined by their mission statement "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre". People outside of the inner circle of theatre may not recognize her name, but they certainly know the award named after her, The Tony Award. Twenty years after Mehron Makeup was founded, the First Tony Awards were presented on April 6, 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, since 1997 the Tony Awards have been held at the historic Radio City Music Hall. In the beginner the Tony Award Winners were determined by a committee of The American Theatre Wing, today the judges for The Tony Award number over 700 from most disciplines of the Entertainment Industry. When the Tony Awards were first presented in 1947, Mehron Theatrical Makeup was mostly applied by the performers themselves, with help from costume designers, and the Mehron Ladies, the Mehron Sales Force who each day hand delivered Fresh Makeup to the Theaters throughout New York City.

Although Theatrical Makeup is an integral part of the live performances that are honored by The Tony Awards, there is still not a category to honor the Makeup Artist who works back stage at every performance physically transforming the actors into their characters. In 1947 the Tony Awards began with six categories, today there are twenty six distinct categories including over all show recognition for Best Play, Best Musical, Best Revival of a Play and Best Revival of a Musical. The Performers are awarded Tony Awards for Best Actor, Featured Actor, Best Actress and Featured Actress. Best Directors are awarded The Tony for Best Direction of a Play and for Best Direction of a Musical. Although The Tony Awards have yet to add a Best Makeup Category, the behind the scenes Technical People who make the stage a reality are recognized with Tony Awards for Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. Best Choreography and Best Orchestration categories for each season's The Tony Awards. Special Tony Awards are given each year for Lifetime Achievement and humanitarian work within the Theatrical Community, along with a Regional Theatre Tony Award that recognizes live Theatrical Production Groups around the Country, the 2011 winner was The Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois, single out for their live experimental productions of newly written plays as well as their adaptions of classic stage productions.

Through the over eight decade history of Mehron Theatrical Makeup, the Company has been a part of the Broadway Scene from the days of the building of the Palace Theaters, through the hard times and the revivals of the Great White Way, and is still there today as Broadway sets a record breaking revenue year. As we congratulate the winners of the 2011 Tony Awards, Mehron would like to applaud all of the people who make the Broadway Theatrical Experience a one of a kind live theatrical event for audiences day in and day out. To the people in the ticket booths, the ushers, the concessionaires, the stage hands, and especially the Makeup Artists , Mehron, Leaders in Theatrical Makeup since 1927, salutes all as we congratulate the Winners of the 2011 Tony Awards.