My journey through the decades continues, searching for clips of each of the musicals nominated for the Best Musical Tony Award. This installment covers the 70s and 80s where video opportunities are far more plentiful, including the Tony Award telecasts themselves. I hope you continue to revel in these classic clips of the Best of Broadway over the years. 

1970 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Applause – Winner

Coco

 Purlie

1971 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Company – Winner

The Me Nobody Knows

The Rothschilds

1972 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Two Gentlemen of Verona – Winner

Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death

Follies

Grease

1973 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

A Little Night Music – Winner

Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope

Pippin

Sugar

1974 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Raisin – Winner

Over Here!

Seesaw

1975 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

The Wiz – Winner

Mack & Mabel

The Lieutenant
[No media available] 

 Shenandoah

1976 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

A Chorus Line – Winner

Bubbling Brown Sugar

Chicago

Pacific Overtures

1977 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Annie – Winner

Happy End

I Love My Wife

Side By Side By Sondheim

1978 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Aint Misbehavin’ – Winner

Dancin’

On the Twentieth Century

Runaways

1979 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Winner

Ballroom

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

They’re Playing Our Song

1980 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Evita – Winner

A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine

Barnum

Sugar Babies

1981 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

42nd Street – Winner

Sophisticated Ladies

Tintypes

Woman of the Year

1982 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Nine – Winner

Dreamgirls

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Pump Boys and Dinettes

1983 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Cats– Winner

Blues in the Night

Merlin

My One and Only

1984 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

La Cage aux Folles – Winner

Baby

Sunday in the Park with George

The Tap Dance Kid

1985 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Big River – Winner

Grind

Leader of the Pack

Quilters
[No available media]

1986 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

The Mystery of Edwin Drood – Winner

Big Deal

Song & Dance

Tango Argentino

1987 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Les Misérables– Winner

Me and My Girl

Rags

Starlight Express

 1988 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

The Phantom of the Opera – Winner

Into the Woods

Romance/Romance

Sarafina!

1989 Tony Awards – Best Musical Nominees

Jerome Robbins’ Broadway – Winner

Black and Blue

Starmites

Stay tuned for the next installment: 1990s and 2000s!