There have been many famous Tony award winners since the award was first presented in 1947, to recognize excellence in theater. Receiving a Tony Award is considered the highest honor in American Theater. While specific award categories have changed many times over the years, awards are given for all aspects of Broadway plays and musicals, including writing, composing, design and performance. Here are some notable winners through the history of the Tony Awards.

Kiss Me Kate
The 1949 musical Kiss Me Kate is the first show to win the award for Best Musical. The production won five Tonys that year, with awards for book, music, costumes and production.

Juanita Hall
In 1950, Juanita Hall became the first African-American actress to win a Tony. She won the award for Supporting or Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Bloody Mary in South Pacific. It was another 54 years before an African-American would win for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, when Phylicia Rashad won for Raisin in the Sun in 2004.

Harold Prince
Director and producer Harold Prince has won more Tony Awards than any other individual, with a total of 21. He won his first award in 1955, as producer of Best Musical winner The Pajama Game. His most recent award was a special Tony for Lifetime Achievement, given in 2006.

Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse has won more Tonys than any other choreographer, with a total of nine awards for choreography, and one for directing Pippin. It is also notable that in 1973, when Fosse won two Tonys for directing and choreographing Pippin, he also won an Oscar for his work on Cabaret and an Emmy award for the television special, "Liza with a Z."

The Producers
The Producers, the hit Mel Brooks' musical based on his film of the same name, holds the distinction of winning more Tony Awards than any other musical in Tony history. In all, it received 12 awards out of 15 nominations. The Producers is also tied with Billy Elliot for the musical with the most nominations.

The Coast of Utopia
This 2007 play by Tom Stoppard has the distinction of having won more Tony Awards than any other play in Tony History. It was nominated for a total of 10 Tonys, another record for a play.

Billy Elliot
In a rather unusual case, the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical went to three individuals in 2008. The leading role in the show Billy Elliot was shared by three young actors, and the Tony award was given to all three: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish.