Denzel Washington, Scarlett Johansson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Viola Davis were among the Tony winners on a night when Broadway’s biggest awards went to the drama “Red” and the musical "Memphis."
“Red,” playwright John Logan’s look at the artist Mark Rothko, was the big winner of the night with six Tonys. Logan is currently working with director Kathryn Bigelow on a pilot for HBO.
"Memphis," set in the city’s musical scene around the time of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, was named Best Musical in a tight race that also included the Green Day musical “American Idiot,” the African-set “Fela!” and another musical about early rock, “Million Dollar Quartet.” "Memphis" was also honored for its book, by Joe DiPietro, and it’s score by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro.
As expected, “La Cage Aux Folles” was named Best Revival of a Musical.
Washington and Davis won the awards for Best Performance by a Leading Actor and Actress in a Play for their work in the revival of August Wilson’s “Fences,” which was also named Best Revival of a Play.
The Tonys for Best Performance by a Leading Actor and Actress in a Musical went to Douglas Hodge in "La Cage Aux Folles" and Catherine Zeta-Jones in "A Little Night Music."
Broadway neophyte Johansson (right) won the award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for the revival of Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge,” while the award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play went to Eddie Redmayne for “Red.” (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images.)
Best Performance by a Featured Actor and Actress in a Musical went to Levi Kreis in “Million Dollar Quartet” and Katie Finneran in “Promises, Promises.”
Sean Hayes, the star of the latter show, hosted the Tonys, which took place at Radio City Music Hall and also included performances by Green Day, Catherine Zeta-Jones and many other stars of the nominated productions.
His monologue referred to the Tonys as "the World Cup of show tunes," and used a steamy kiss with costar Kristin Chenoweth to poke fun at a recent Newsweek article that said that as a gay man he wouldn’t be accepted in straight roles.
The full list of winners:
Best Play: “Red”
Best Musical: "Memphis"
Best Book of a Musical: Joe DiPietro, "Memphis"
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre: David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, "Memphis"
Best Revival of a Play: “Fences”
Best Revival of a Musical: “La Cage aux Folles”
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Denzel Washington, “Fences”
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Viola Davis, “Fences”
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: Douglas Hodge, "La Cage aux Folles"
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: Catherine Zeta-Jones, "A Little Night Music"
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Eddie Redmayne, “Red”
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Scarlett Johansson, “A View from the Bridge”
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical: Levi Kreis, “Million Dollar Quarte”t
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical: Katie Finneran, “Promises, Promises”
Best Scenic Design of a Play: Christopher Oram, “Red”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Christine Jones, “American Idiot”
Best Costume Design of a Play: Catherine Zuber, “The Royal Family”
Best Costume Design of a Musical: Marina Draghici, “Fela!”
Best Lighting Design of a Play: Neil Austin, “Red”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Kevin Adams, “American Idiot”
Best Sound Design of a Play: Adam Cork, “Red”
Best Sound Design of a Musical: Robert Kaplowitz, “Fela!”
Best Direction of a Play: Michael Grandage, “Red”
Best Direction of a Musical: Terry Johnson, “La Cage aux Folles”
Best Choreography: Bill T. Jones, “Fela!”
Best Orchestrations: Daryl Waters & David Bryan, “Memphis”
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre:
Alan Ayckbourn
Marian Seldes
Regional Theatre Tony Award:
The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Connecticut
Isabelle Stevenson Award:
David Hyde Pierce
Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre:
Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York
B.H. Barry
Midtown North & Midtown South New York City Police Precincts
Tom Viola
