War Horse

War Horse

Critical darling and box office smash “The Book of Mormon” took home nine awards at the 65th annual Tony Awards on Sunday at the Beacon Theatre in New York, including best musical, director, book, score, and featured actress. The show, centered on two Mormon missionaries in Uganda, came from “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who won their first Tonys for the production.

“War Horse,” another critically lauded show for its impressive puppetry, garnered five awards, including best play and director. Though “Mormon” and “War Horse” led the winners during Sunday’s ceremony, host Neil Patrick Harris repeatedly stole the show.

“Hello, I’m teen heartthrob Neil Patrick Harris,” quipped Harris, who has starred on stage and in film and television, opening the ceremony with an original number about Broadway titled “It’s Not Just for Gays Anymore.” Harris was hosting the awards for his second time, and his humor never shied away from the controversial, as evidenced by the opening number. He also devoted thirty seconds to mocking “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” known for its cast injuries and critical bashing.

“Spider-Man” composers Bono and The Edge came on stage later and responded. “We used to be famous for being in U2,” Bono quipped, revealing their good-natured sense of humor about the show’s negative media coverage.

Out of a category of all first-time nominees, Ellen Barkin won for best performance by an actress in featured role in a play for her Broadway debut as an impassioned doctor in “The Normal Heart.” Barkin, better known for her film career, said she was grateful and humbled to be accepted into the Broadway community. “Performing in ‘The Normal Heart’…taught me something I never believed in before that one person can make a difference,” an emotional Barkin remarked.

Last year’s Tony winner for best actress in a play Viola Davis gave the award for best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play to John Benjamin Hickey, also for “The Normal Heart. Hickey called the production the “proudest moment of my career.” In a press room, he described his experience working on “The Normal Heart” to Back Stage. “It’s been surreal…there was such a rush of adrenaline,” Hickey said. “I was doing a TV show at the same time. It was like a work drug that I was addicted to.”

Hickey also gave advice to aspiring TV and Broadway actors. “You want to show up and be ready to do your work.” he said. “Work with writers that you believe in if you can. Make relationships and make them last. I’ve known Joe Mantello for 20 years…nurture your relationships.” “The Normal Heart” also won best revival of play.

Though a “Mormon” victory was expected in many categories, Nikki M. James garnered a surprise win when she received the award for best featured actress in a musical. James, visibly shaking during her acceptance speech, said, “I tried to write a speech and I thought it was just silly." James beat out Broadway veterans Victoria Clark and Patti LuPone to win her first Tony.

James spoke again with Back Stage about her shock. “I was totally floored,” she said. “I know how good and stiff the competition was.” She then quipped, “I feel like I have to move to a new apartment that is worthy of this.”

Broadway veteran and Tony Award-winner Joel Grey introduced a performance from the musical “Anything Goes,” in which he stars. Sutton Foster and the show’s ensemble performed the title song and Act 1 closing number, showing off the production’s choreography by Kathleen Marshall, who won the award for best choreography earlier in the evening. The musical also won best revival of a musical, over “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” in the slim two-nominee category. "How to Succeed" took home one award for John Larroquette for best featured actor in a musical

Foster then won best leading actress in a musical for playing Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes." She received rave reviews for her performance and was the favorite to win. “I’ve never been happier going to a job,” she effused, thanking everyone from her partner, and fellow nominee for “The Mother****er With the Hat,” Bobby Cannavale to a very earnest thanking of her dresser. “All I wanted to be as a little girl was a performer.” Norbert Leo Butz earned a single award for "Catch Me If You Can" for best leading actor in a musical.

The show moved at a steady clip, nicely punctuated by musical numbers and jokes from Harris. The host traded barbs with three time-Tony host Hugh Jackman, and well-written and improvised remarks from presenters also helped bring some life to the show. Brooke Shields flubbed her lines during the show’s opening number, and she poked fun at herself later while presenting an award. She then accidentally dropped the curse word everyone had been avoiding when mentioning the nominated play, “The Motherf***er With the Hat.”

Comedian Chris Rock, who made his Broadway debut in “The Motherf***er With the Hat,” presented the evening’s final award to “The Book of Mormon,” and pointed out for many there was little doubt over the winner. “We all know what the best musical is. This is such a waste of time. It’s like taking a hooker to dinner….You know you’re going to get laid.”

Harris brought the ceremony to a close by rapping the night’s winners and events. His closing act thanked the performers and crew whose hard work made the evening’s ceremony and Broadway theater possible. Those professionals, however, still need viewers to come see their shows eight nights a week, prompting Harris’ final line. “Now go see a motherf***ing Broadway show.” Here is a full list of the winners in bold and nominees:
Best Musical
"The Book of Mormon"
"Catch Me If You Can"
"The Scottsboro Boys"
"Sister Act"

Best Play
"War Horse"
"Good People"
"Jerusalem"
"The Motherf**ker With the Hat"

Best Book of a Musical
Alex Timbers, "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"
Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone, "The Book of Mormon"
David Thompson, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner, and Douglas Carter Beane, "Sister Act"

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
"The Book of Mormon," music and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone
"The Scottsboro Boys," music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb
"Sister Act," music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater
"Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown," music and lyrics by David Yazbek

Best Revival of a Play
"Arcadia"
"The Importance of Being Earnest"
"The Merchant of Venice"
"The Normal Heart"

Best Revival of a Musical
"Anything Goes"
"How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Brian Bedford, "The Importance of Being Earnest"
Bobby Cannavale, "The Motherf**ker With the Hat"
Joe Mantello, "The Normal Heart"
Al Pacino, "The Merchant of Venice"
Mark Rylance, "Jerusalem"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda, "Born Yesterday"
Frances McDormand, "Good People"
Lily Rabe, "The Merchant of Venice"
Vanessa Redgrave, "Driving Miss Daisy"
Hannah Yelland, "Brief Encounter"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz, "Catch Me If You Can"
Josh Gad, "The Book of Mormon"
Joshua Henry, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Andrew Rannells, "The Book of Mormon"
Tony Sheldon, "Priscilla Queen of the Desert"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sutton Foster, "Anything Goes"
Beth Leavel, "Baby It's You!"
Patina Miller, "Sister Act"
Donna Murphy, "The People in the Picture"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Mackenzie Crook, "Jerusalem"
Billy Crudup, "Arcadia"
John Benjamin Hickey, "The Normal Heart"
Arian Moayed, "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo"
Yul Vázquez, "The Motherf**ker With the Hat"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Ellen Barkin, "The Normal Heart"
Edie Falco, "The House of Blue Leaves"
Judith Light, "Lombardi"
Joanna Lumley, "La Bête"
Elizabeth Rodriguez, "The Motherf**ker With the Hat"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Colman Domingo, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Adam Godley, "Anything Goes"
John Larroquette, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"
Forrest McClendon, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Rory O'Malley, "The Book of Mormon"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Laura Benanti, "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"
Tammy Blanchard, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"
Victoria Clark, "Sister Act"
Nikki M. James, "The Book of Mormon"
Patti LuPone, "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Todd Rosenthal, "The Motherf**ker With the Hat"
Rae Smith, "War Horse"
Ultz, "Jerusalem"
Mark Wendland, "The Merchant of Venice"

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Derek McLane, "Anything Goes"
Scott Pask, "The Book of Mormon"
Donyale Werle, "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"

Best Costume Design of a Play
Jess Goldstein, "The Merchant of Venice"
Desmond Heeley, "The Importance of Being Earnest"
Mark Thompson, "La Bête"
Catherine Zuber, "Born Yesterday"

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, "Priscilla Queen of the Desert"
Martin Pakledinaz, "Anything Goes"
Ann Roth, "The Book of Mormon"
Catherine Zuber, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, "War Horse"
David Lander, "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo"
Kenneth Posner, "The Merchant of Venice"
Mimi Jordan Sherin, "Jerusalem"

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Howell Binkley, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"
Peter Kaczorowski, "Anything Goes"
Brian MacDevitt, "The Book of Mormon"

Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners and Cricket S. Myers, "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo"
Simon Baker, "Brief Encounter"
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, "Jerusalem"
Christopher Shutt, "War Horse"

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Steve Canyon Kennedy, "Catch Me If You Can"
Brian Ronan, "Anything Goes"
Brian Ronan, "The Book of Mormon"

Best Direction of a Play
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, "War Horse"
Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe, "The Normal Heart"
Anna D. Shapiro, "The Motherf**ker With the Hat"
Daniel Sullivan, "The Merchant of Venice"

Best Direction of a Musical
Rob Ashford, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"
Kathleen Marshall, "Anything Goes"
Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, "The Book of Mormon"
Susan Stroman, "The Scottsboro Boys"

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"
Kathleen Marshall, "Anything Goes"
Casey Nicholaw, "The Book of Mormon"
Susan Stroman, "The Scottsboro Boys"

Best Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"
Larry Hochman, "The Scottsboro Boys"
Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, "The Book of Mormon"
Marc Shaiman and Larry Blank, "Catch Me If You Can"

Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-Competitive Categories

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Athol Fugard
Philip J. Smith
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Lookingglass Theatre Company (Chicago)
Isabelle Stevenson Award
Eve Ensler
Special Tony Award
Handspring Puppet Company
Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater
William Berloni
The Drama Book Shop
Sharon Jensen and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts