June 16, 2008

'In the Heights,' 'August' 'South Pacific' win big at Tonys

The first Broadway revival of "South Pacific" dominated the Tony Awards last night, taking home seven statues, while two distinctly American shows -- "In The Heights" and "August: Osage County" took home the honors for best new musical and new play.

The revival of "Gypsy" also made out well, with Patti LuPone securing the award for best performance by a leading actress in a musical; Boyd Gaines grabbed best performance by a featured actor in a musical; and Laura Benanti won best performance by a featured actress in a musical for her turn as Gypsy Rose Lee.

The wins for "South Pacific" included best revival of a musical; Paulo Szot as best performance by a leading actor in a musical; Bartlett Sher as best direction of a musical as well as best costumes, scenic design, lighting and sound.

"August: Osage County" wins included the best performance by a leading actress in a play for Deanna Dunagan, and best performance by a featured actress in a play for Rondi Reed, but both those actresses have recently ended their runs in the show, which continues at the Music Box Theatre.

Tracy Letts, who earlier this year won the Pulitzer Prize in drama for writing "August: Osage County," in his speech thanked the play's producers: "They did an amazing thing – they decided to produce an American play on Broadway with theatre actors."

The presenters for that category, best play, were a pair of Brits -- Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths -- who appeared together in the "Harry Potter" movies and will be on Broadway come fall in the British import "Equus." Griffiths won a Tony for "The History Boys," in 2006, a year when there was an especially lot of talk about British imports dominating Broadway.

"In the Heights," set in Upper Manhattan's Washington Heights, took home three trophies in addition to best new musical: best original score, best choreography and best orchestrations.

The full list of winners is after the jump, but first, here's a little news from the red carpet as aired on NY1.

Liza Minelli hopes to return to Broadway soon. “I think I’m going to bring the Kate Thompson show to Broadway.� (She's also playing a free concert August 7 at Coney Island, according to her website.)

Jeremy Irons said "Impressionism" may arrive earlier than expected. "“I think February/March we’ll be opening,� he said.

Keith Carradine (who walked the carpet with his "Top Girls"-nominated daughter Martha Plimpton,) said he's "in discussion to maybe do something in the fall� on Broadway.

Harry Connick Jr. said his "Nice Work if You Can Get It" will head to Broadway next year.

Michael Cerveris said he has “a few things percolating for the fall, back on stage here, so we’ll see.�

Cheyenne Jackson mentioned he's taking July off from "Xanadu" to do "Damn Yankees" at City Center.

Brooke Shields said she's ready to try something new in a new work for Broadway, “Now I’m ready, the wheels are oiled enough I’m ready to try.�

Daniel Radcliffe said he's going to see "Sunday in the Park with George" this Wednesday.

The full list of the 2008 Tony Award winners

Best Play
August: Osage County
Author: Tracy Letts
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler, Jerry Frankel, Ostar Productions, Jennifer Manocherian, The Weinstein Company, Debra Black/Daryl Roth, Ronald & Marc Frankel/Barbara Freitag, Rick Steiner/Staton Bell Group, The Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Best Musical
In The Heights
Producers: Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, Jill Furman, Sander Jacobs, Goodman/Grossman, Peter Fine, Everett/Skipper

Best Book of a Musical
Passing Strange - Stew

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
In The Heights - Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Best Revival of a Play
Boeing-Boeing
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Bob Boyett, Act Productions, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert G. Bartner, The Weinstein Company, Susan Gallin/Mary Lu Roffe, Broadway Across America, Tulchin/Jenkins/DSM, The Araca Group

Best Revival of a Musical
South Pacific
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Bob Boyett

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Paulo Szot, South Pacific

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Patti LuPone, Gypsy

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Jim Norton, The Seafarer

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Rondi Reed, August: Osage County

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Boyd Gaines, Gypsy

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Gypsy

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Todd Rosenthal, August: Osage County

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Michael Yeargan, South Pacific

Best Costume Design of a Play
Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Catherine Zuber, South Pacific

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Donald Holder, South Pacific

Best Sound Design of a Play
Mic Pool, The 39 Steps

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Scott Lehrer, South Pacific

Best Direction of a Play
Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County

Best Direction of a Musical
Bartlett Sher, South Pacific

Best Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, In The Heights

Best Orchestrations
Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman, In The Heights

Regional Theatre Tony Award
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Special Tony Award
Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981), in recognition of his historic contribution to American musical theatre in the field of orchestrations, as represented on Broadway this season by South Pacific

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Stephen Sondheim

Earlier: 'In the Heights' 'So. Pacific' grab most Tony nominees
'Spring Awakening,' 'Utopia' dominate Tony Awards (2007)
'History Boys' and 'Jersey Boys' big Tony winners (2006)
'Doubt' and 'Spamalot' among big Tony winners (2005)

June 16, 2008 8:22 AM in Broadway

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