"Once" Leads The Way At 66th Annual Tony Awards

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"Once," a musical based on a 2006 movie about a young Czech songwriter and an Irish street musician, was the big winner at the 66th Annual Tony Awards, Sunday night at the Beacon Theatre. NY1's Frank DiLella filed the following report.

Contrary to its title the intimate Irish musical "Once" was called up for a statue eight times at the 66th annual Tony Awards. Aside from nabbing the coveted Best Musical award, the show also picked up an honor for its leading man, Steve Kazee.

"The flashbulbs went off and then I was back out for the Best Musical, and we won again. It's just, it's the best night of my life," Kazee said.

Stage and screen star Neil Patrick Harris served as the evening's host for the third time, peppering the telecast with theatrical banter and song.

The racially charged Pulitzer Prize winning "Clybourne Park" won Best Play and the Peter Pan themed "Peter and the Starcatcher" picked up five Tonys, including a win for actor Christian Borle.

Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize winning "Death of a Salesman" won the award for Best Revival of a play while the Gershwins' "Porgy and Bess" nabbed Best Musical Revival.

British import James Corden won Best Actor in a Play for his turn in the farce "One Man Two Guvnors" and "Venus in Fur's" Nina Arianda took home the prize for Best Actress.

"It's inconceivable to me I would even work in this great city, let alone be, and have the lovely things happen with this play. It's been the nicest time," Corden said.

"This is unreal, it really, it's just unreal. And it's such an honor for the whole show," Arianda said.

Broadway favorite Audra McDonald made history on Sunday as she picked up her fifth award for the tattered beauty Bess in "Porgy and Bess".

McDonald ties Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris - who each have five Tonys - the most that have ever been won in an acting category.

"I don't think this will ever hit me, I don't think it will ever hit me. It's so surreal right now. It'll never hit me," McDonald said.

While Sunday marked the final chapter of the 2011/2012 season, the new Broadway season starts up on Thursday night with a revival of "Harvey" starring two-time Emmy Award winner Jim Parsons.