Arts News

Book of Mormon dominates Tony Awards

Jun 13, 2011, 7:10 GMT

New York - The Book of Mormon, an irreverent musical about Mormon missionaries in war-torn Africa dominated the Tony Awards Sunday night, winning nine prizes including the coveted award for best musical.

The play, written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone had 14 nominations and had been widely expected to dominate the most important night of the Broadway theatre world.

The first Broadway effort by the South Park makers, The Book of Mormon tells the story of a pair of Mormon missionaries trying to convert an African tribe.

In accepting the award, Parker thanked his 'co-writer' Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon religion.

'We all wanted to have a big, happy Mormon family, and now we do,' he said. 'You did it, Joseph, you got the Tony.'

The best play award went to the British import War Horse about a boy's search for his horse across the battlefields of World War I. The play, which features a life-size horse puppet operated by three actors, also garnered the top directing prize.

The 1985 drama The Normal Heart, about the turmoil of the early days of the AIDS crisis, was named top play revival and yielded a best actress award for Ellen Barkin.

'It's the proudest moment of my career. Being involved in something this important is, I think, a once-in-a-career opportunity,' said Barkin.

The production of Cole Porter's 1934 Anything Goes, about a madcap ocean voyage, won the Tony for musical revival.