The 2009 Tony Awards

Review By: Carey Purcell
CareyPurcell@TheCinemaSource.com

Photos by: Rachel Schwartz

The 2009 Tony Awards were held on June 7 at Radio City Music Hall. Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the evening was a festive celebration of the best theatrical accomplishments of the past season. The winners included seasoned veterans of the theater as well as some newcomers and a few very young winners.

The awards began with a montage of scenes from the nominated musicals, including Billy Elliot, West Side Story and Hair, as well as an appearance by Dolly Parton and a solo performance by Liza Minelli.

Angela Lansbury, who won her fifth Tony as Best Featured Actress for her role in Blithe Spirit, said, “Who knew at this time in my life that I should be presented with this lovely, lovely award? I can’t believe that I’m standing here…I am the essence of gratitude and happiness and joy.”

Roger Robinson, who won Best Featured Actor for his role in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, mentioned the irony of winning for that play shortly after the inauguration of the first black President. It is also ironic that August Wilson’s work has been performed in the Belasco Theater, which is the second oldest theater in use in Times Square, and the only one with a separate balcony that black people used to enter and leave.

Brian Yorkey and Tom Kit, who won Best Original Score for the show Next to Normal, said they were greatly humbled to be in the same category as Dolly Parton and Elton John, who they cited as two of their heroes.

Mathew Warkus, who was nominated as Best Director twice, for God of Carnage and The Norman Conquests, said he was surprised to win for God of Carnage, as he thought his two nominations would cancel each other out.

Karen Olivo, who on Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Anita in West Side Story admitted to having read the polls online and thinking she would not win the award. “The most rewarding thing [about the role] is that I’ve become a dancer. I was an actor who sang…it was hard and I wanted to quit all the time, and because of it, it made the entire experience richer.”

The winner of Best Featured Actor in a Musical was Gregory Jbara, for his role in Billy Elliot. “I’ve never had a role this emotional before,” he said. “I found the emotional journey is really quite healing and rejuvenating. I can show up absolutely wiped and tired and not ready to work and when I come out of the show three hours later, I’m ready to run a mile.”

Jerry Herman, who was given a Lifetime Achievement Award, thanked his mother, who had arranged a meeting for him with Frank Loesser through a friend of a friend of a hairdresser. “That afternoon changed my life,” he said. “That’s why I’m here – because of Mom and Frank Loesser.”

Diane ...