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Big Tony Award Wins For <em>Once, Peter And The Starcatcher</em>
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 11, 2012
Modified Jun 11, 2012
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Joan Marcus
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 11, 2012
Modified Jun 11, 2012
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In a surprise twist, this year's Tony Awards favored lower-budget, ensemble-driven productions that transferred from off-Broadway, instead of the usual glut of "honors" for big-budget spectacles. The bittersweet rock musical Once racked up the most awards, eight in all, including Best Musical and Best Book. In his acceptance speech for Best Book, playwright Enda Walsh, who adapted Once but is better known for his dark comedies such as The Walworth Farce, told the crowd he was an unlikely choice for such romantic material: "It’s like getting the rights to ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and then getting Charles Manson to write it."
As usual, Neil Patrick Harris hosted the show, which we did not watch, because we were extremely busy last night color coding our pewter Franklin Mint lint roller collection. (Fine, we were watching the Bonnaroo simulcast and Mad Men.) But here's a video of the opening musical number, in which NPH posits that life would suck less if it were more like a Broadway show. What we wouldn't give to make Jersey Boys our daily reality!
Later in the show, NPH was dangled above the stage dressed like Spider-Man, because that dead horse can never be beaten enough. (The technically-challenged spectacle was nominated for two awards, but walked away empty-handed.) Perhaps the biggest upset of the night was James Corden besting Philip Seymour Hoffman (Death of a Salesman) for best actor in a leading role in a play, for his comic performance in the British play One Man, Two Guvnors. Nina Arianda won a well-deserved award for her hilariously daffy turn in Venus in Fur, and Peter and the Starcatcher—which, like Once, emerged out of New York Theater Workshop off-Broadway—racked up five awards.
Mike Nichols won for directing Death of a Salesman, while the dark comedy Clybourne Parkwon for best play. Here's the full list of winners:
Musical: "Once."
Play: "Clybourne Park."
Revival of a Play: "Death of a Salesman."
Revival of a Musical: "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess."
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: James Corden, "One Man, Two Guvnors."
Performance by an Actress in Leading Role in a Play: Nina Arianda, "Venus in Fur."
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Steve Kazee, "Once."
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Audra McDonald, "The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess."
Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Christian Borle, "Peter and the Starcatcher."
Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Judith Light, "Other Desert Cities."
Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Michael McGrath, "Nice Work If You Can Get It."
Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Judy Kaye, "Nice Work If You Can Get It."
Book of a Musical: Enda Walsh, "Once"
Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre: "Newsies."
Direction of Play: Mike Nichols, "Death of a Salesman."
Direction of a Musical: John Tiffany, "Once."
Choreography: Christopher Gattelli, "Newsies."
Orchestration: Martin Lowe, "Once."
Sound Design of a Play: Darron L. West, "Peter and the Starcatcher."
Sound Design of a Musical: Clive Goodwin, "Once."
Costume Design of a Play: Paloma Young, "Peter and the Starcatcher."
Costume Design of a Musical: Gregg Barnes, "Follies."
Scenic Design Play: Donyale Werle, "Peter and the Starcatcher"
Scenic Design of a Musical: Bob Crowley, "Once."
Lighting Design of a Play: Jeff Croiter, "Peter and the Starcatcher."
Lighting Design of a Musical: Natasha Katz, "Once"
Tagged
broadway
neil patrick harris
once
peter and the starcatcher
tony awards
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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