For the last four days I’ve been in Ashland, Ore., reviewing shows at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for the San Francisco Chronicle (more on that later), and while the Tonys were on Sunday night, I was at the opening of a new musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. Of course I’ll watch the whole awards show on TiVo when I get home, but I was able to catch glimpses here and there (thanks to the spotty www.tonyawards.com online coverage), and of course I couldn’t wait to find out the winners.
I must say I’m disappointed that Passing Strange only one award (for best book of a musical). I guess I’m feeling territorial because the show had its world premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Still, it’s better than nothing. Here’s what co-creator and star Stew had to say about his win:
“Music is something that comes easy to me, and I’ve received numerous accolades for my songs – but to be honored for my writing means a whole hell of a lot, especially when it comes from theatre people for whom words really mean something. Those words took shape at Berkeley Rep, a place that makes space for people like me to take risks and try out things that theatre isn’t used to seeing. We loved working there, and we miss that Berkeley scene.”
More on the Tonys later. In the meantime, here’s a complete list of winners:
Play (and playwrights): “August: Osage County” (Tracy Letts).
Musical: “In the Heights.”
Book-Musical: “Passing Strange” (Stew).
Original Score (music and/or lyrics): “In the Heights” (Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda).
Revival-Play: “Boeing-Boeing.”
Revival-Musical: “South Pacific.”
Actor-Play: Mark Rylance, “Boeing-Boeing.”
Actress-Play: Deanna Dunagan, “August: Osage County.”
Actor-Musical: Paulo Szot, “South Pacific.”
Actress-Musical: Patti LuPone, “Gypsy.”
Featured Actor-Play: Jim Norton, “The Seafarer.”
Featured Actress-Play: Rondi Reed, “August: Osage County.”
Featured Actor-Musical: Boyd Gaines, “Gypsy.”
Featured Actress-Musical: Laura Benanti, “Gypsy.”
Direction-Play: Anna D. Shapiro, “August: Osage County.”
Direction-Musical: Bartlett Sher, “South Pacific.”
Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler, “In the Heights.”
Orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman, “In the Heights.”
Scenic Design-Play: Todd Rosenthal, “August: Osage County.”
Scenic Design-Musical: Michael Yeargen, “South Pacific.”
Costume Design-Play: Katrina Lindsay, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.”
Costume Design-Musical: Catherine Zuber, “South Pacific.”
Lighting Design-Play: Kevin Adams, “The 39 Steps.”
Lighting Design-Musical: Donald Holder, “South Pacific.”
Sound Design-Play: Mic Pool, “The 39 Steps.”
Sound Design-Musical: Scott Lehrer, “South Pacific.”
Previously announced:
Regional Theater Tony Award: Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Special Tony Award: Robert Russell Bennett.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Stephen Sondheim.
For the first time, there will be pre-ceremony Tony Concert chock full of juicy musical numbers from all the nominated shows. In the Bay Area the concert will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 15 on KPIX-TV. Mario Lopez (currently playing Zach in A Chorus Line) hosts, and we’ll see numbers from 10 musicals: A Catered Affair, Cry-Baby, Grease, Gypsy, In The Heights, Passing Strange, South Pacific, Sunday in the Park with George, The Little Mermaid and Xanadu—on stage at the Allen Room at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, with its spectacular, floor-to-ceiling views of Central Park South visible to viewers of the telecast. 
In March of 2009, Grease is the word. This is the production directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall that got famous for being the first Broadway musical to cast its leads on national television (through the NBC show “Grease: You’re the One That I Want.” This is also the production that marries the original stage version with the movie version, so songs such as “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “You’re the One That I Want” are included.
