New Kings of New York Theater: London, Hollywood

Some unexpected victors cleaned up at the Tonys

For much of the country outside of New York, last night marked the critical game five in the NBA playoffs. But for fans of the theater community, there was a different type of drama being played out at the 2010 Tony Awards, Broadway's "World Cup of show tunes," as host Sean Hayes put it. While the Tonys are an annual celebration of the best of American theater, many of last night's winners were anything but American or theatrical. Here's who took away top honors.

Hollywood

• In a recap of the Tony results, Chris Jones at the Chicago Tribune notes that, while author John Logan won for his play, Red, the award is just another boost for him as a Hollywood screenwriter. He says, "Broadway success was one of the few prizes left for a man who has become one of Hollywood’s more successful screenwriters."

• Josh Duboff at New York Magazine also notes that the night belonged to the celebs. "A-list movie stars Denzel Washington and Scarlett Johansson were both victorious at the Tony awards Sunday night, Washington for his leading role in Fences and Johansson for her Broadway debut in A View From the Bridge."

• Ann at Snark Food also makes note of the fact that Hollywood cleaned up. She says, "While the Tony Awards are all about honoring the actors of the stage, many of them last night also turned out to be stars from the silver screen."

London

• "Two tiny London arts venues - the Donmar Warehouse and the Menier Chocolate Factory – were celebrating today after a spectacular night of success at the Tony awards for Broadway theatre," says Mark Brown at the Guardian, noting that both theaters came out big with wins for best play (the Donmar's Red) and best revival of a musical (the Chocolate Factory's La Cage Aux Folles).

• Taking into account Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones's "crass" tribute to her husband Michale Douglas, Baz Bamigboye, Emily Sheridan and Donna McConnell at the Daily Mail focus on the fact that "It was an evening that saw London productions and British actors win a raft of golden gongs at the Tonys."

• In addition to the Donmar and the Menier Chocolate Factory, says Official London Theatre, "another Brit leaving the Tonys with an award in his pocket was playwright Alan Ayckbourn, who was honoured with the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre."

...and Sean Hayes

• Responding to an article in Newsweek earlier this year, which used the openly gay actor as an example of why gay actors have a hard time portraying straight characters, Hayes and Promises, Promises! co-star Kristin Chenoweth engaged in a long, passionate make-out session at the top of the show, winning the crowd's approval and perhaps the night. As Elizabeth Snead says on her blog, the Dish Rag, "Was all this done to dismiss the thesis of the recent Newsweek article that used Hayes as a prime example of why gay actors can't play a believable horny heterosexual lead? Oh, yeah. Big time."