Tony Walton, an iconic award-winning designer and director for theater, film, television, ballet, and opera died on March 2, 2022 at his apartment in New York City after complications from a stroke. He was 87. His stepdaughter, Bridget LeRoy announced his death on Facebook, posting “A fond and loving farewell to the most fabulous stepdad and human being in the world. Love you forever, Tony Walton. Have a great trip.”
Walton’s work on Broadway was honored with three Tony Awards—Guys and Dolls, 1992, The House of Blue Leaves, 1986, and Pippin, 1973. He received 16 Tony nominations throughout his career. In addition to his theater work, he worked as a production designer for movies and had 20 film credits. He won an Academy Award for Art and Set Decoration for All That Jazz. He also won an Emmy Award for design of Death of a Salesman in 1986. He was also nominated for three additonal Academy Awards, for the films Mary Poppins, The Boy Friend, The Wiz, and Murder on the Orient Express.
As a director he helmed productions of Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Noel Coward, and others for New York’s Irish Rep, San Diego’s Old Globe, Sarasota’s Asolo Rep, Guild Hall’s John Drew Theater, and Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. He also produced shows, including co-producing three with Hal Prince, in both London and New York. Walton was born on October 24, 1934 in Walton-on-Thames, England.
We at Stage Directions at PLSN send our sincere condolences to his wife, Gen LeRoy, daughters, Emma Walton Hamilton and Bridget LeRoy; and five grandchildren as well as to his colleagues and friends around the world.
We will have more about the life and work of Tony Walton in the coming days. For now here is a wonderful video conversation from May 2020 with Irish Rep Artistic Director Charlotte Moore and Producing Director Ciarán O’Reilly, speaking with Walton about his long and wonderful career:
