The big winners at the Tony Awards: Memphis won for best musical, Red won best play and five other Tonys and Catherine Zeta-Jones took home a Tony for best actress in a musical.
Read the complete list of winners AFTER THE JUMP ...
But last night was the first time in the history of the Tony Awards that black performers won best actor and best actress in a play for the same theater season. Two time Oscar-winner Denzel Washington and Viola Davis triumphed for Fences, the 1987 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner by August Wilson.
"Washington took the prize for his performance as Troy, a one-time
baseball star turned sanitation worker who struggles to reconcile his
past and present. Critics drew favorable comparisons with James Earl
Jones, who originated this role for which he won the second of his two
Tonys. Oscar nominee Viola Davis ("Doubt") won the lead actress award
for her work as the long-suffering wife Rose. That part won Mary Alice
the featured actress Tony for the original production but producers
petitioned to boost Davis to the lead race."
Viola Davis had some very powerful words to say about homophobia and anti-gay bigotry when she nominated for her tour de force role in Doubt. Glad to see that she took home a Tony.
Watch Davis and Washington discuss their awards—and read the complete list of winners—AFTER THE JUMP ...
BEST PLAY: "Red."
BEST MUSICAL: "Memphis."
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL:
"Memphis."
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE
THEATER: "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 Quartet."
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED
ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Katie Finneran, "Promises, Promises."
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 and David Bryan,
"Memphis."
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!"
___
SPECIAL TONY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE
THEATER: Alan Ayckbourn and Marian Seldes.
REGIONAL THEATER TONY
AWARD: The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Conn.
ISABELLE
STEVENSON AWARD: David Hyde Pierce.
TONY HONORS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE
THEATER: B.H. Barry and Tim Viola.
congrats to them both!
Posted by: blk | 14 June 2010 at 10:45
Congrats to Denzel and Viola. Both was oustanding in Fences.
Posted by: Barry A. | 14 June 2010 at 11:05
BRAVO!
I am so proud of them both cuz this play IS NO JOKE! It's powerful and poignant and painful to watch in parts: GREATNESS INDEED!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 14 June 2010 at 11:08
I'm happy for all the winners! Now that broadway has gone hollywood I wonder if this means more realistic acting for onscreen performances or that stage actors will be more in demand.
Posted by: duttybama | 14 June 2010 at 11:22
My 1st cousin directed the original production, Claude Purdy. He would be so proud.
Posted by: DWJazzlover | 14 June 2010 at 11:36
Your first cousin, DWJazzlover, did a lot more than direct the original production of "Fences." He caused Wilson to be a playwright in the first place, and gave Wilson's career its start.
Posted by: Jim | 15 June 2010 at 00:44
@Jim,You are so right..Thanks Bro...Claude was a Special man.
Posted by: DWJazzlover | 15 June 2010 at 07:09
This production was absolutely stunning. I was sorry that Kenny Leon did not win for best director, he crafted an incredible theatrical experience with this production of Fences.
Posted by: steve | 15 June 2010 at 08:55