Billy Elliot, the British musical about a coal miner's son who burns to dance, won 10 Tony Awards tonight in New York, including best musical and a unique best actor prize for the three young performers who share the title role. David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish shyly thanked people associated with the show only by their first name. Finally, Kulish told the cheering crowd at Radio City Music Hall: "We want to say to all the kids out there who might want to dance, 'Never give up.'"
With her fifth Tony, for her performance in Blithe Spirit, Angela Lansbury, 83, tied the record for acting prizes held by Julie Harris. God of Carnage, Yasmina Reza's comedy of manners about two couples whose children get into a fight, won for play, director, and actress (Marcia Gay Harden). Geoffrey Rush's portrait of a dying monarch in Exit the King took the top actor prize.
(More Tony Awards stories.)