'Once' Wins Best Musical, Seven More at Tony Awards

Once, the stage musical based upon the 2006 film starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, won eight Tony Awards last night, including best musical. Since the show's songs were written for the screen, the production did not win awards for the music, but it did receive honors for sound design, orchestration, book and direction. Steve Kazee, the show's star, won for best actor in a musical, though female lead Cristin Milioti lost in the best actress category to Audra McDonald in the revival of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess.

Clybourne Park, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play about race and real estate, won in the best play category, and The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess won for best revival. Other winners included Mike Nichols for best direction for Death of a Salesman, Christopher Gattelli for best choreography for Newsies and Christian Borle for his role as a featured player in Peter and the Starcatcher.