“Billy Elliott” dances away with 10 Tonys
Elton John leads a group performance at Sunday night’s Tony Awards. (Associated Press photo)
“Billy Elliot,” the grand British musical about a coal miner’s son who aspires to become a dancer, danced away with 10 Tonys, including best musical, at Sunday’s Tony Awards.
Neil Patrick Harris (TV’s “How I Met Your Mother”) hosted the awards show, which was Twittered this year.
The musical won the best actor prize, which was unusual in that the trio of actors who share the title role also shared the Tony, according to the Associated Press. David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish traded off thank-yous during their acceptance speech, shyly thanking people associated with the show, their siblings and parents.
“Billy Elliot” also won best director of a musical for Stephen Daldry, book of a musical and choreography. The British show won for featured actor (Gregory Jbara), sets, lighting, sound and tied with “Next to Normal” for best orchestrations, which composer Tom Kitt shared with Michael Starobin.
Kitt and lyricist Brian Yorkey won best score for “Next to Normal,” upsetting “Billy Elliott” composer Elton John.
Alice Ripley, whose character battles mental illness in “Next to Normal,” earned the actress musical prize.
“God of Carnage,” Yasmina Reza’s comedy of manners about two liberal, middle-class couples whose children get into a fight, won best play, plus awards for its director, Matthew Warchus, and for actress Marcia Gay Harden.
Angela Lansbury earned her fifth Tony, for her performance as the medium Madame Arcati in a revival of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit.” Her win in the featured-actress category tied the record for acting prizes held by Julie Harris, who has garnered five Tonys plus a special lifetime achievement award.
“Who would have thought,” the 83-year-old Lansbury began, drowned out by a standing ovation. “Who knew that (at) this time in my life that I should be presented with this lovely, lovely award. I feel deeply grateful.”
Lansbury gave a special lifetime achievement award to Jerry Herman, composer of Hello, Dolly!” and “Mame,” which starred Lansbury.
“Did you know that I was born on this street and my mother thought there was something special that her hospital room had a great view of the Winter Garden marquee,” Herman said. “Well, here I am 77 years later, still on 50th Street but enjoying the ultimate moment of my life.”
Liza Minnelli accepted the Tony for special theatrical event for her show “Liza’s at The Palace.”
Geoffrey Rush’s portrayal of a dying monarch in “Exit the King” took the top actor prize, while Roger Robinson’s turn as a mystical shamanlike character in “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” was honored with the featured-acting award.
The featured actress-musical Tony went to Karen Olivo for the revival of “West Side Story.”
“The Norman Conquests,” Alan Ayckbourn’s trilogy, received the revival-play prize. “Hair,” the 1960s rock extravaganza won in the musical-revival category.
Singer Bret Michaels suffered a broken nose and busted lip in the show’s opening production number when he rocked a number from “Rock of Ages.” He got knocked in the head by a descending set piece at the event, according to the AP.
See a full list of winners after the break.
Angela Lansbury smiles with her fifth Tony. (AP photo)
Winners of the 2009 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards, announced Sunday:
BEST PLAY: “God of Carnage.”
MUSICAL: “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: “Hair.”
BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Lee Hall, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE: “Next to Normal.”
REVIVAL OF A PLAY: “The Norman Conquests.”
SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: “Liza’s at The Palace.”
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Geoffrey Rush, “Exit the King.”
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Marcia Gay Harden, “God of Carnage.”
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Alice Ripley, “Next to Normal.”
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Roger Robinson, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.”
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Angela Lansbury, “Blithe Spirit.”
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Gregory Jbara, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Karen Olivo, “West Side Story.”
SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Derek McLane, “33 Variations.”
SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Ian MacNeil, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Anthony Ward, “Mary Stuart.”
COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Tim Hatley, “Shrek The Musical.”
LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Brian MacDevitt, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.”
LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Rick Fisher, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Gregory Clarke, “Equus.”
SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Paul Arditti, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Matthew Warchus, “God of Carnage.”
DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Stephen Daldry, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
CHOREOGRAPHY: Peter Darling, “Billy Elliot, The Musical.”
ORCHESTRATIONS: Martin Koch, “Billy Elliot, The Musical”; Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, “Next to Normal.”
___
SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE THEATRE: Jerry Herman.
REGIONAL THEATRE TONY AWARD: Signature Theatre, Arlington, Va.
ISABELLE STEVENSON AWARD: Phyllis Newman.
TONY HONOR FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATRE: Shirley Herz.
-BAM
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