‘Billy Elliot’ wins 10 Tonys; best play is ‘Carnage’
By Michael Kuchwara
Associated Press
Updated: 06/08/2009 10:28:26 AM CDT
From left, David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish, and Trent Kowalik accept the award for Best Performance by a leading Actor in a Musical, for their shared role in the show “Billy Elliot the Musical”, at the 63rd annual Tony Awards in New York, Sunday, June 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (AP)
NEW YORK — “Billy Elliot,” the big British musical about a coal miner’s son who dreams to dance, bowled over Broadway on Sunday, winning 10 Tonys, including best musical and a unique best actor prize for the three young performers who share the title character.
The trio — David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish — traded off on the “thank you” part of their acceptance speech, shyly thanking people associated with the show only by their first names. They also acknowledged siblings and parents. 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.”
“Billy Elliot” collected eight other awards, including director of a musical, book of a musical and choreography, but its composer, Elton John, was upset for best score.