By CATHY BURKE and TOM LIDDY
June 16, 2008
The heart of Broadway moved about 130 blocks north of Times Square last night as "In the Heights" won the Tony for Best Musical.
"We chased our dreams and they have been realized," said producer Jill Furman. The hometown fave, a musical set in Washington Heights, led the nominations with 13 nods, and took home a total of four. Besides Best Musical, creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda took home the Tony for Best Original Score. "I wrote a little show about home," he rapped in his acceptance speech.
The production also won prizes for choreography and orchestration. But Stew, the star and co-creator of "Passing Strange," took the prize for Best Book of a Musical.
Five Tonys, including Best Play, were lavished on the dysfunctional-family drama "August: Osage County," which came from Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company and was set in rural Oklahoma.
It was also an enchanted evening for the musical classic "South Pacific," which nabbed seven Tonys - more than any other show - including Best Musical Revival and Leading Actor, for Brazilian opera star Paulo Szot.
Everything also came up roses for Broadway vet and 1980 "Evita" Tony-winner Patti LuPone, who won Best Actress in a Musical for "Gypsy."
Two other "Gypsy" stars took home prizes, too: Boyd Gaines won his fourth Tony, for his portrayal of Herbie, LuPone's long-suffering boyfriend, and Laura Benanti, who plays the musical's title character.
Deanna Dunagan took the Best Actress prize.
