So the Tony Awards didn't have Tom Cruise cursing and dancing up a storm. It had Katie Holmes standing there looking pretty. The Tonys didn't have an exclusive sneak preview of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It had Daniel Radcliffe standing there and looking, well, kind of short. And while the Tonys did have Scarlett Johansson, she was not kissing Sandra Bullock.
That's right, it may not be the biggest, edgiest or most-watched awards show (though these days, what is?), but tonight's 64th Annual Tony Awards brought out its big guns nonetheless. Yep, this year, Broadway went Hollywood.
Overall, Red walked away the biggest winner of the night, taking home six Tonys, including Best Play. Memphis was next with five, including Best Musical, while Fences and La Cage aux Folles nabbed three apiece. But the biggest winners tonight were the audience, who got to watch as people they've actually heard of (Johansson, Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angela Lansbury) one by one made their way up to the podium to collect their statuettes.
Green Day, Zeta-Jones, Kelsey Grammar and—OMG—Broadway babes turned Gleeks Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison were among the night's big-name performers, belting out tunes from the nominated musicals. And that wasn't the end of the night's razzle-dazzle.
Also gracing the Great White Way stage tonight were Holmes, Radcliffe, Paula Abdul, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Raquel Welch, Kristin Chenoweth, Chris Noth, Idina Menzel, Mark Sanchez (yeah, that Mark Sanchez), Cate Blanchett, Helen Mirren, Michael Douglas, David Hyde Pierce (who reunited with his Frasier bro Grammar to hand out an award and induce nostalgic awws from the crowd), Ricky Martin and host Sean Hayes, who helped kick off tonight's proceedings with a mega mashup opening number from the musical nominees, including no less than three from Green Day (the competition must have been thrilled).
Hayes continued the night not by mentioning the Magazine That Shall Not Be Named, but by dressing up like Billy Elliot, Annie and Spider-Man. Eat your heart out, Neil Patrick Harris.
First up to the podium and helping the show live up to its Hollywoodified billing was ScarJo, who accepted the Best Featured Actress in a Play award from Holmes and Radcliffe for her role in A View From the Bridge.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be on Broadway," she said, smiling down at hubby Ryan Reynolds. "And here I am."
Fellow movie maker Viola Davis took home the Tony for Best Actress in a Play for Fences.
"I don't believe in luck," she said. "I believe in the presence of God in my life."
Her costar Washington took home the Best Actor award, adding a Tony to his awards show haul.
"My mother always said man gives you the award and God gives you the reward. I guess I got both tonight."
Glee stars Morrison and Michele took to the stage to perform Gypsy's "All I Need is the Girl" and Funny Girl's "Don't Rain on My Parade," respectively, to rabid TV fans and a mildly amused-looking Beyoncé and Jay-Z (one of the producers of Fela!, for those wondering).
To present the musical awards, surprise presenters Nathan Lane (the King of Broadway) and Bebe Neuwirth (Frasier reunion nearing dangerous completion), combined their star power to award Zeta-Jones with the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for A Little Night Music.
The Queen of Broadway, Bernadette Peters, handed out the final award of the night, for Best Musical. Memphis took the prize.
Here's the full list of winners for tonight's Tony Awards:
• Best Musical: Memphis
• Best Play: Red
• Best Musical Revival: La Cage aux Folles
• Best Play Revival: Fences
• Best Featured Actress in a Play: Scarlett Johansson, A View From the Bridge
• Best Featured Actor in a Play: Eddie Redmayne, Red
• Best Actress in a Play: Viola Davis, Fences
• Best Actor in a Play: Denzel Washington, Fences
• Best Actress in a Musical: Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music
• Best Actor in a Musical: Douglas Hodge, La Cage aux Folles
• Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises
• Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Levi Kreis, Million Dollar Quartet
• Best Choreography: Bill T. Jones, Fela!
• Best Direction of a Play: Michael Grandage, Red
• Best Direction of a Musical: Terry Johnson, La Cage aux Folles
• Best Book: Memphis
• Best Orchestrations: Memphis
• Best Original Score: Memphis
• Best Scenic Design: Red
• Best Lighting Design: Red
• Best Sound Design: Red
• Best Scenic Design of a Musical: American Idiot
• Best Lighting Design of a Musical: American Idiot
• Best Sound Design of a Musical: Fela!
• Best Costume Design of a Musical: Fela!
• Best Costume Design of a Play: The Royal Family
• Honorary Award: Angela Lansbury, American Theater Wing's Honorary Chairman
(Originaly published Sunday, June 13 at 9:00 p.m. PDT)
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Check out which stars were in the house with a look through our 2010 Tony gallery!