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The 63rd annual Tony Awards opened with a bang! It was a star-studded musical number that starred Dolly Parton, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, the casts of West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Pal Joey, Shrek, 9 to 5: The Musical, Next to Normal, Rock of Ages and Billy Elliot and finished off with a love-in: a rousing rendition of "Let the Sun Shine" from the new best-revival production of Hair.
There was one big glitch during the telecast, Rock of Love reality star Bret Michaels - who performed with his band Poison along with the cast of Broadway's Rock of Ages - ran into a piece of scenery when he missed his mark after performing Poison's hit "Nothin' But a Good Time." He was knocked to the ground. Oops.
Billy Elliot, composer Elton John's adaptation of director Stephen Daldry's 2000 film about a boy who lives to dance, sweeping the night as best musical and winning 10 Tonys in all - while French dramatist Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage was named best play. Other winning highlights from the award show were when Liza Minnelli beat Will Ferrell for Best Special Theatrical event, she referred to the funnyman as "her lovely man."
"I'm crazy about Will Ferrell," she told us in the press room. "He's so charming and so talented. I watch his films all the time. They've taken me all over the world."
Angela Lansbury, who won for Best Featured Actress in a Play for Blithe Spirit, felt "about two feet off the ground" upon winning her award, she told the press room just before joking that the fifth Tony statuette would finally fill a void on her shelf.
Click the continue reading link below for the full list of winners.
Check out all of our 2009 Tony Awards coverage here!
Gallery Info: Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Marcia Gay Harden, Alice Ripley, Kiril Kulish, Trent Kowallk, David Alvarez, Karen Olivo, Gregory Jbara, Geoffrey Rush, Angela Lansbury, Stephen Daltry, Roger Robinson, Matthew Warchus, Kristen Chenoweth, David Hyde Pierce, Anne Hathaway, Dolly Parton, Brett Michaels, Jane Fonda, Will Ferrell and Neil Patrick Harris at the 63rd annual Tony Awards.
- Play: God of Carnage
- Musical: Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Book of a Musical: Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics): Next to Normal
- Revival of a Play: The Norman Conquests
- Revival of a Musical: Hair
- Special Theatrical Event: Liza's at The Palace
- Lead Actor in a Play: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
- Lead Actress in a Play: Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
- Lead Actor in a Musical: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Lead Actress in a Musical: Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
- Featured Actor in a Play: Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
- Best Featured Actress in a Play: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
- Featured Actor in a Musical: Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Featured Actress in a Musical: Karen Olivo, West Side Story
- Direction of a Play: Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage
- Direction of a Musical: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Scenic Design of a Play: Derek McLane, 33 Variations
- Scenic Design of a Musical: Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Costume Design of a Play: Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart
- Costume Design of a Musical: Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
- Lighting Design of a Play: Brian MacDevitt, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
- Lighting Design of a Musical: Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Sound Design of a Play: Gregory Clarke, Equus
- Sound Design of a Musical: Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Choreography: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical
- Orchestrations: TIE Martin Koch, Billy Elliot, The Musical, and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
- Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: Jerry Herman
- Regional Theater: Signature Theatre, Arlington, Va.
- Isabelle Stevenson Award: Phyllis Newman
- Honor for Excellence in the Theatre: Shirley Herz
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Website: www.gettyimages.com
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