'In the Heights' wins Tony Award for best musical
Source: The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (Original Article)
NEW YORK — Sizzling with Latin music and streetwise dancing, “In the Heights” hip-hopped into the winner’s circle as best new musical in the Tony Awards
It was some enchanted evening as well for “South Pacific.”
A 59-year-old musical classic, staged in its first-ever Broadway revival, “South Pacific” won seven awards — more than any other show, new or vintage — cited in the 62nd annual Tonys.
The awards for Broadway excellence were announced from Radio City Music Hall last night during ceremonies hosted by Whoopi Goldberg and aired live over CBS.
Winning the best score prize for his Latin pop music, 28-year-old “In the Heights” songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda rapped out his thanks and noted in part, “Look, Mister Sondheim, I wrote a hat — a Latin hat at that!” The high-energy reggaeton romance set in Washington Heights also won awards for its choreography and its spicy orchestrations
Considered the hottest competition to “In the Heights,” the coming-of-age rock saga “Passing Strange” was cited for its book.
A hilarious new production of a sexy farce about a bachelor wildly juggling three stewardess girlfriends — a Broadway flop back in 1965 — “Boeing-Boeing” flew over its nightmarish competitor, “Macbeth,” to be named best revival of a play. A Shakespearean expert on a comical holiday, Mark Rylance was named best leading actor for his depiction of an unlikely ladies’ man.
The seven awards for “South Pacific” included musical revival. Bartlett Sher was named best director of a musical for staging Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical about love, war and racism. Making his Broadway debut, Brazilian opera baritone Paulo Szot was accorded best actor in a musical for his charismatic Emile de Becque. Early in the evening, the Lincoln Center Theater production dominated the technical categories for musicals, nabbing awards for its set, costume, lighting sudoku strategy and sound designs.
“It’s such a wonderful …continue reading