Springtime for Tonys

By ERICA ORDEN | June 11, 2007

The fresh faces of "Spring Awakening" dominated the Tony Awards, capturing awards for "Best Direction of a Musical," "Best Book of a Musical," and "Best Original Score," among others, at the 61st annual awards ceremony, held last night at Radio City Music Hall.

The rock musical, an adaptation of Frank Wedekind's 1891 play about teenage sexual awakening in 19th-century Germany, was widely favored to sweep the awards show, entering the evening with 11 nominations, the most of any show. Most of those awarded for "Spring Awakening" were firsttime Tony nominees, including John Gallagher, Jr. for "Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical" and Steven Sater for "Best Book of a Musical."

Tom Stoppard's trilogy "The Coast of Utopia" also received multiple awards. Director Jack O'Brien won for "Best Direction of a Play," and Billy Crudup took home the award for "Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play."

In a bittersweet moment, "Journey's End" won for "Best Revival of a Play" just hours after the show ended its final performance. The Tony Awards, presented by the American Theatre Wing, featured excerpts from musicals including "Curtains," "110 In the Shade," and "Mary Poppins." The winners announced before deadline include:

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play: Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play: Julie White, "The Little Dog Laughed"
Best Revival of a Play: "Journey's End"
Best Revival of a Musical: "Company"
Best Book of a Musical: Steven Sater, "Spring Awakening"
Best Original Score: Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, "Spring Awakening"
Best Direction of a Play: Jack O'Brien, "The Coast of Utopia"
Best Direction of a Musical: Michael Mayer, "Spring Awakening"
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play: Billy Crudup, "The Coast of Utopia"
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical: John Gallagher, Jr., "Spring Awakening"
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play: Jennifer Ehle, "The Coast of Utopia"
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical: Mary Louise Wilson, "Grey Gardens" Best Choreography: Bill T. Jones, "Spring Awakening"
Best Special Theatrical Event: "Jay Johnson: The Two and Only" Best Orchestrations: Duncan Sheik, "Spring Awakening"
Best Scenic Design of a Play: Bob Crowley and Scott Pask, "The Coast of Utopia"
Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Bob Crowley, "Mary Poppins"
Best Costume Design of a Play: Catherine Zuber, "The Coast of Utopia"
Best Costume Design of a Musical: William Ivey Long, "Grey Gardens"