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'Billy Elliot' wins 10 Tonys; 'Carnage' best play
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-08 15:54

Featured actress-musical went to Karen Olivo as the spitfire Anita in the revival of "West Side Story."

'Billy Elliot' wins 10 Tonys; 'Carnage' best play
The cast of "West Side Story" performs during the 63rd annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 7, 2009. [Agencies] 

"I'm completely unprepared for this. ... I just want to dedicate this to everyone who has a dream," Olivo said, thanking the production's 91-year-old director, Arthur Laurents, and then dissolving in tears.

'Billy Elliot' wins 10 Tonys; 'Carnage' best play
Actress Karen Olivo accepts the Tony award for best performance by a featured actress in a musical for "West Side Story" at the 63rd annual Tony Awards ceremony in New York, June 7, 2009. [Agencies]

The Tonys twittereeason, the highest number of new productions since 50 opened during the 1982-83 season.

"God of Carnage" was one of the big successes of the recently concluded Broadway season. The play recouped its more than $2 million in production costs in less than three months.

The awards were voted on in 27 competitive categories by more than 800 members of the theatrical community, including producers, actors and journalists. The Tonys are presented by the League and the American Theatre Wing, a nonprofit service organization. The Wing founded the Tonys in 1947.