'Hairspray' is Big Hit at Tony Awards

Broadway's biggest night was last Sunday, the night of the prestigious Tony Awards for theater and musical performances. This year, the musical 'Hairspray' was the most popular, winning seven awards, including Best Musical. 'Hairspray' is based on a very successful film by John Waters, and Harvey Fierstein won the award for Best Actor for this show. Fierstein, who plays 'Edna Turnblad' in 'Hairspray', has received four Tony Awards to date. At the ceremony, he said, 'The theater community is a big, loving family, and I thank every day that I am part of this family. I love each and every one of you. I wish I were the mother of your children! And I promise to take good care of them, thank you very much.' Marissa Jaret Winokur, who plays the role opposite Fierstein in 'Hairspray' and won the Best Actress award, stated that her short stature and weight are proof that one does not need to be physically perfect to succeed on Broadway. She said, 'Years ago, my sister drew a painting and wrote underneath it that fairy tales come true. If I, a chubby New York girl with a short height, can play a lead role in a Broadway show and win a Tony Award, then anything is possible in life. Thank you.' Other awards that the hit show 'Hairspray' received included Best Score, Best Featured Actor, and Best Costume Design. Jack O'Brien won the Best Direction award for the same show. Another show that was very successful on awards night was 'Take Me Out', a drama by Richard Greenberg about a gay baseball player. The awards for Best Play, Best Supporting Actor, and Direction were also given to this show. Joe Mantello accepted the award on behalf of his colleagues. It was expected that Eugene O'Neill's classic piece, 'Long Day's Journey Into Night', would win the Best Direction award, but instead, it received the Best Revival and Best Actors awards for Brian Dennehy and Vanessa Redgrave for their performances in the drama. The show 'Nine', featuring film actor Antonio Banderas singing and dancing, won the award for Best Revival of a Musical. This season has been a time for revivals of old shows and musicals. It has been a fruitful year for Broadway, the American theater hub in New York, with revenues of $720 million by the end of the season that ends on May 31; an unprecedented income with a 12% increase from the same season last year. The number of spectators also reached eleven million, showing a 4% increase compared to the previous year, a year that witnessed the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Tony Award judges are more than 700 journalists and members of the theater community.