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Updated: June 18, 2009, 10:50 am	Share    Print    Email

A very proud Sir Elton John with his Tony winning Billys – David Kulish, Trent Kowalik and David Alvarez. Photos by Ann Watt

New York City - The 63rd Annual Tony Awards chalked up, not only, a ratings winning performance packed three hours but a number of firsts. Taking a page from the Peter Gelb, Metropolitan Opera playbook of bringing great music to the masses via the Clear Channel Spectacolor Screen in Times Square, the veritable center of Broadway life, Tony producers screened the arrivals and whole performance to thousands who sat in beach chairs in the corridor from Fr. Duffy Square to 42nd Street. As you may have heard Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been closing this strip of Broadway on Sundays and turned it into a pedestrian mall and it was put to great use as theater lovers cheered on their favorite performers.

David Burtka and Tony Awards host Neil Patrick Harris at Montenapo Restaurant.

Howard Sherman, executive director of The American Theatre Wing said. "Just as the Tony Awards have become an iconic event, we hope that the simulcast in Times Square will become a tradition for theatre fans and families right here in New York City."

Another first was Broadway finally accepting new technology. Mark Indelicato star of ABC's "Ugly Betty," was brought on to be the official TonyAwards.com Celebrity Tweeter for Tony Awards weekend. Mark worked with TonyAwards.com to cover all the Tony events this past weekend, with backstage and behind-the-scenes access to rehearsals and live coverage from the telecast.
All weekend he was tweeting messages and photos about his experiences backstage - his encounters with Tony winners as they first step off-stage, what performers are doing right before they take the stage, and sneak-peeks at what happens in the wings of Radio City Music Hall.

Fans fill the bleachers to watch the Tony Awards in simulcast in Times Square.

But the biggest departure this year was the inclusion of the national touring companies of hit Broadway musicals which bring the Great White Way to Main Street, USA and are the means for producers to hopefully recoup the millions spent to launch a Broadway show.

Celebrating Broadway across America - this year's Tony telecast featured some of Broadway's favorites who are currently touring cities across the United States - "Jersey Boys." "Legally Blonde The Musical" and "Mamma Mia!"

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Becky Gulsvig, who is on tour as Elle Woods in Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley's "Legally Blonde, The Musical," performed a number from the hit show. "The Jersey Boys" performance featured five current actors who are currently playing the role of Frankie Valli, in various performances - Joseph Leo Bwarie, representing the Toronto company;Rick Faugno, representing the Las Vegas company, Courter Simmons, representing the national tour and Dominic Scaglione, Jr., representing the Chicago company, performed a number together from the show. Michelle Dawson, Kittra Wynn Coomer and Rachel Tyler, currently on stage, as the Three Dynamos at the Pioneer Center in Reno, Nevada performed a number from "Mamma Mia!"

The celebration actually began the evening before with an elegant pre-Awards party for the nominees hosted by Southampton hospitality king Henry Kallan and Jozef Juck at their just opened Montenapo an elegant Italian restaurant overlooking the serene atrium of The New York Times Building, Kallan, the chairman of HK Hotels knows a bit about hospitality. He owns four of Manhattan's chicest boutique hotels including The Library, The Giraffe, The Casablanca and The Elysee. Swirling around the beautifully designed eatery were Neil Patrick Harris, Jane Fonda, on a cane as a result of a recent hip replacement operation, Christopher Sieber a/k/a Shrek, Phyllis Newman, Lucia Arnaz, Constantine Maroulis, Martha Plimpton and scores more dazzling stars.

Clearly the previous night's party had little effect on any of the performers as Broadway put on the biggest, most expensive, most thrilling commercial for live theater in history. From the rousing opening number featuring the casts of seven musicals the show barreled through the night with seemingly endless show stopping moments.

Tony nominees Christopher Sieber ("Shrek") and John Tartaglia ("Avenue Q") dropped into Henry Kallan's Tony Eve Party.

Highlights of this remarkable evening include veteran actor Roger Robinson accepting the award for his featured role in August Wilson's "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" and telling the crowd, "It took me 46 years to come up from that seat to this microphone;" Angela Lansbury picking up Tony #5 - tying with Julie Harris for most wins; Geoffrey Rush saying "French absurdest comedy rocks" as he hoisted his Tony for "Exit The King;"; the 10 awards - deserved by all - for "Billy Elliot," including the three "Billys" for Best Actor(s); double nominated director Matthew Warchus who scored for both "God of Carnage" and the revival of "The Norman Conquest;" Karen Olivo winning for her Anita in "West Side Story" with a shout out to legendary writer director Arthur Laurents' of Quogue, "Thank you Arthur for believing in me and giving me the confidence to do it;" Elton John - passed over unfairly many feel for best score - with his "Billy Elliot" cast taking the best musical; Liza Minnelli winning for her extraordinary solo turn and Neil Patrick Harris' hilarious closing number re-inventing the lyrics to "Tonight." A Tony Awards that was unforgettable. To read about the Awards and see a full list of winners go to www.TonyAwards.com.

Henry Kallan, producer Barry Weissler and Jozef Juck.

Presenters for the 63rd Annual Tony Awards included, Lucie Arnaz, Kate Burton, Kristin Chenoweth, Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Edie Falco, Will Ferrell, Carrie Fisher, Jane Fonda, Hallie Foote, James Gandolfini, Lauren Graham, Colin Hanks, Marcia Gay Harden, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Lange, Frank Langella, Angela Lansbury, Samantha Mathis, Audra McDonald, Lin-Manuel Miranda, David Hyde Pierce, Piper Perabo, Oliver Platt, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Spacey, John Stamos and Chandra Wilson.

The 2009 Tony's are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Nina Lannan is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is Executive Director. At the American Theatre Wing, Theodore S. Chapin is Chairman and Howard Sherman is Executive Director. For Tony Award Productions, Alan Wasser and Allan Williams of Alan Wasser Associates are the General Managers.
Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss/White Cherry Entertainment were Executive Producers of the 2009 Tony Awards and Weiss also served as Director of the 2009 Tony Awards.

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2009 Tony Awards Pack A Punch With Performance Filled Show