The revival of "South Pacific" dominated Broadway's top honors, the 2008 Tony Awards, with seven prizes on Sunday, followed by the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "August: Osage County" with five wins.
"South Pacific," nominated for 11 Tonys, picked up awards for best musical revival, best musical director (Bartlett Sher), best leading actor in a musical (Paulo Szot), scenery, costume, lighting and sound.
Bartlett Sher thanked the show's legendary creators, composer Richard Rodgers, lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, its original director and co-author Joshua Logan and James Michener, who wrote the novel on which the show was based.
"They were kind of incredible men, because they seem to teach me particularly that in a way I wasn't only an artist but I was also a citizen," Sher said.
"August: Osage County," the Tracy Letts play that won the Pulitzer Prize for drama this year, won Tonys for best play, best featured actress (Rondi Reed), best leading actress (Deanna Dunagan), scenic design and direction (Anna D. Shapiro).
Broadway veteran Patti LuPone won best actress in a musical for her role in "Gypsy," while her co-stars won best featured actor (Boyd Gaines) and featured actress (Laura Benanti).
The show is a revival of a musical suggested by a stripper's memoir with Stephen Sondheim lyrics. It was the second Tony for LuPone, who last won for "Evita."
"In the Heights," a musical about a largely Dominican northern Manhattan neighborhood, won three awards, including best original score for creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda. It had led the Tony nominations with 13.
But Stew, the star and co-creator of "Passing Strange" took the prize for best book of a musical.
"Boeing-Boeing," the classic farce which is the most performed French play, won best revival of a play.
The CBS telecast of the 62nd annual Tony Awards from Radio City Music Hall opened with an elaborate number from Disney's "The Lion King," now in its second decade on Broadway, and finished with host Whoopi Goldberg, walking out dressed as the crab from another Disney musical "The Little Mermaid."
The Tony Awards were established in 1947 and are named for Antoinette Perry, whose nickname was Toni. Perry, who died in 1946, was an actress, stage director and philanthropist who was a founder of the American Theatre Wing.
Complete list of winners for the 62nd annual Tony Awards:
Play (and playwrights): "August: Osage County" (Tracy Letts).
Musical: "In the Heights."
Book-Musical: "Passing Strange" (Stew).
Original Score (music and/or lyrics): "In the Heights" (Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda).
Revival-Play: "Boeing-Boeing."
Revival-Musical: "South Pacific."
Actor-Play: Mark Rylance, "Boeing-Boeing."
Actress-Play: Deanna Dunagan, "August: Osage County."
Actor-Musical: Paulo Szot, "South Pacific."
Actress-Musical: Patti LuPone, "Gypsy."
Featured Actor-Play: Jim Norton, "The Seafarer."
Featured Actress-Play: Rondi Reed, "August: Osage County."
Featured Actor-Musical: Boyd Gaines, "Gypsy."
Featured Actress-Musical: Laura Benanti, "Gypsy."
Direction-Play: Anna D. Shapiro, "August: Osage County."
Direction-Musical: Bartlett Sher, "South Pacific."
Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler, "In the Heights."
Orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman, "In the Heights."
Scenic Design-Play: Todd Rosenthal, "August: Osage County."
Scenic Design-Musical: Michael Yeargen, "South Pacific."
Costume Design-Play: Katrina Lindsay, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses."
Costume Design-Musical: Catherine Zuber, "South Pacific."
Lighting Design-Play: Kevin Adams, "The 39 Steps."
Lighting Design-Musical: Donald Holder, "South Pacific."
Sound Design-Play: Mic Pool, "The 39 Steps."
Sound Design-Musical: Scott Lehrer, "South Pacific."
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Previously announced:
Regional Theater Tony Award: Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Special Tony Award: Robert Russell Bennett.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Stephen Sondheim.
Source: Xinhua/Agencies
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