Neil Patrick Harris, host of the evening was wardrobed by Calvin Klein
Neil Patrick Harris, host of the evening was wardrobed by Calvin Klein

NEW YORK, Jun 8, 2009 / FW/ — Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris who was wearing Calvin Klein for the evening, the 63rd Annual TONY Awards proved to be a big night for ‘Billy Elliot, the Musical’ and ‘God of Carnage’.

Based on the 2000 Oscar-nominated movie, ‘Billy Elliot, the Musical’ won a total of 10 awards including Best Musical and the Lead Actor in a musical, the prize being shared by the three teenagers who rotate in the title role.

‘Billy Elliot’ also won for direction, choreography and featured actor in a musical.

‘God of Carnage’, a black comedy about two pairs of parents, one of whose child has hurt the other at school, who meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner but as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos, won Best Play, garnering French playwright Yasmina Reza her second TONY award.

God of Carnage’ also gave Marcia Gay Harden “Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play” and Matthew Warchus, “Best Direction of a Play.”

The ‘Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play’ went to Geoffrey Rush, who accepted his award wearing Calvin Klein, for his role in “Exit the King”, an absurdist drama by Eugene Ionesco.

Geoffrey Rush accepted his TONY award wearing Calvin Klein
Geoffrey Rush accepted his TONY award wearing Calvin Klein

First staged in 1962, ‘Exit the King’ opened on Broadway in a limited engagement at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, with previews starting March 7, 2009, opening March 26, and closing June 14. Directed by Armfield, the cast stars Geoffrey Rush, Susan Sarandon, William Sadler, Andrea Martin and Lauren Ambrose.

Below is the list of winners as released by the American Theater Wing’s Tony Awards

  • Best Play: God of Carnage Author: Yasmina Reza
  • Best Musical: Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Best Book of a Musical: Billy Elliot, The Musical Lee Hall
  • Best Original Score: Next to Normal Music: Tom Kitt; Lyrics: Brian Yorkey
  • Best Revival of a Play: The Norman Conquests
  • Best Revival of a Musical: Hair
  • Best Special Theatric Event: Liza’s at The Palace
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Geoffrey Rush Exit the King
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Marcia Gay Harden God of Carnage
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical: Alice Ripley Next to Normal
  • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Roger Robinson Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
  • Piper Perabo on the red carpet wearing Calvin Klein
    Piper Perabo on the red carpet wearing Calvin Klein

    Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Angela Lansbury Blithe Spirit

  • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Gregory Jbara Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical: Karen Olivo West Side Story
  • Best Direction of a Play: Matthew Warchus God of Carnage
  • Best Direction of a Musical: Stephen Daldry Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Best Choreography: Peter Darling Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Best Orchestrations: a tie between Martin Koch Billy Elliot, The Musical and Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt Next to Normal
  • Best Design of a Play: Derek McLane 33 Variations
  • Best Design of a Musical: Ian MacNeil Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Best Costume Design of a Play: Anthony Ward Mary Stuart
  • Best Costume Design of a Musical: Tim Hatley Shrek The Musical
  • Best Lighting Design of a Play: Brian MacDevitt Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
  • Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Rick Fisher Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Best Sound Design of a Play: Gregory Clarke Equus
  • Best Sound Design of a Musical: Paul Arditti Billy Elliot, The Musical
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Jerry Herman
  • Regional Theater Tony Award: Signature Theatre, Arlington, Va.
  • Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award: Phyllis Newman
  • Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theather: Shirley Herz