‘Memphis,’ ‘Red’ and ‘Fences’ Win Big at the Tony Awards

The Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday.Sara Krulwich/The New York Times The Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday.

Tonight, Broadway honored the year’s best musicals, plays, performers and theater artists. ArtsBeat followed the program live. Patrick Healy’s article can be found here. A complete list of winners can be found here. A slide show of the red carpet can be found here.

11:07 p.m. |Closing Thoughts

CI: What the heck? They can’t give a speech but they get to do another splashy number? Weird.
DI: What was I saying earlier about this running smoother than the Oscars? I recant.
CI: This underlines the fact that it’s not about giving awards (or receiving them) but about hyping the shows. Rather tacky. I have to say overall this was a very conservative list of winners. Lots of British people and one of the only two traditionally structured musicals. Disaster of an ending…
DI: What an abrupt and utterly unfair ending. Sean Hayes – the real star of the evening – wasn’t even given an opportunity to say good night. But the “Glee” stars performed and some statues were given out, so mission accomplished?
CI: Uh yes. But really what was accomplished was giving all the shows’ producers minutes of precious air time. Well until the last few minutes it was fairly smooth, and I agree Sean Hayes did a fine job. After Neil Patrick Harris and Sean no one would dare suggest that openly gay men aren’t convincing as awards show hosts, I think we can assume. Good night everybody. Kind of hate that those lousy shows won everything.
DI: Well, at least we can say we won just as many awards as Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. That’s something to be proud of.

10:59 p.m. |Best Musical…

DI: Once again, Bernadette Peters – the good BP – presenting the award for best musical. The Tony Award goes to “Memphis.” Apparently every person in Radio City Music Hall was a producer on this show.

10:57 p.m. |Final Predictions

CI: I suppose we have one more to play….
DI: you think “Fela!” could pull this out?
CI: That would be a big upset. Book and score went to “Memphis”; rarely does another show take it — unless it’s a big commercial hit.
DI: I know. i know. hopeless optimist here.
CI: I’m praying for “American Idiot.” but that’s a much longer shot…

10:54 p.m. |Best Actor in a Musical…

DI: And the Tony for best actor in a musical goes to: Douglas Hodge. There’s a category, at least, where performer trumped star power.
CI: What star power?
DI: Er. If you remember Kelsey Grammer from “Frasier,” and not “Hank.”
CI: Kelsey Grammer? Well he didn’t have a chance. Behind every wife is a great husband, he just said. Exactly my problem with that show. It presents gay relationships as cutesy parodies of straight marriages. Oh never mind I’ve already registered this.

10:50 p.m. |Best Actress in a Musical

DI: And the Tony for best actress in a musical goes to: Catherine Zeta-Jones, “A Little Night Music.”
CI: This one I predicted. Though generally I’ve been madly off. What can I say? They have gone for the stars in a big way tonight.
DI: f you had your druthers (whatever those may be) would you have rather seen Montego Glover take it? Or was that just too much to hope for?
CI: Well I didn’t love “Memphis.” She was excellent though. No, I wanted Sherie Rene Scott or Kate Baldwin. What the voters have done is basically validate the stars in hopes of wooing more, realizing that stars are what are ensuring the success of Broadway shows now. Sad.

10:44 p.m. |Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth Present

DI: Surprise guests? Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth, of “The Addams Family.” Nathan Lane, recycling Bob Hope: “At my house, we call it Passover.”
CI: Delightful
DI: Bebe: Being in the theater is not about winning awards.
Nathan: I’ll say.

10:40 p.m. |An Introduction for ‘American Idiot’

DI: Billie Joe Armstrong is doing his best to introduce “American Idiot.” But the TelePrompTer is winning this battle. Ouch. Television is not the right medium for strobes.
CI: Love that blank: the subliminal bleep bleep America. And another one!
DI: Eh, by the standards of the Crystal Bowersox-Alanis Morrisette duet on “American Idol,” it’s pretty mild censorship–in that it is not causing me to laugh at the obvious changes.

10:38 p.m. |The Best Revival of a Musical…

DI: And the Tony for musical revival goes to: “La Cage aux Folles.” Oh, Menier Chocolate Factory, you almost got mentioned on the Tonys.
CI: Another non-surprise. My last visit to Peevish Carping: how ironic is it that the Weisslers, who have been lambasted on occasion for their, shall we say, economical approach to producing, are now being lionized for this stripped-down revival?

10:36 p.m. |From the Press Room

Steven McElroy: They’re coming through very quickly now, and we will likely be here in the press room while everyone else is either going to bed or switching over to the DVR for the “True Blood” premiere we missed tonight. Where we’re at: The Spider-Man interlude got a good laugh here, but then it’s always enjoyable to make fun of the endlessly in-the-offing Broadway production of “Spider-Man.” Speaking of endlessly in-the-offing, it appears that Scarlett Johansson won’t be paying us a visit in the press room this evening. So aside from the “A View From the Bridge” related disappointment for some of us (ahem) that Liev Schreiber did not win tonight, there’s this additional hurt as well. Bill T. Jones did drop by with his Tony for choreography for “Fela!,” followed by Denzel and Viola in a joint appearance, then John Logan, who wrote “Red,” and Arielle Tepper Madover, the producer.

10:35 p.m. |An Appearance From Spidey

DI: Sean Hayes recreates Lea Michele’s performance in a Spider-Man costume, unable to sing through the mask. For the 10,000 or so people who get that joke, that’s HILARIOUS.
CI: It’s brill. He’s certainly not shy about tight-fitting clothing. A tight fetishist? (JOKE)

10:24 p.m. |A Performance From ‘Glee’

CI: Here it comes. What we’ve all been waiting for. Or at least the “Glee” fans have…
DI: My wife informs me that Matthew Morrison was the original Zac Efron, or something?
CI: Now does this mean yet another “Gypsy” revival is on the way so Matthew Morrison can play Tulsa?
DI: I don’t think they could have made it clearer on the red carpet that they have TV jobs now.
CI: One misses the Jerome Robbins choreography. The mood of the song is rather lost, wonderful as he was.
DI: Will Lea and Jonathan just get married already? Think of the talented children they’re denying the industry. If that wasn’t just an audition for “Funny Girl,” I will eat the Ziegfeld Follies.
CI: Certainly she can sing, but it worked better on “Glee,” no? The emotional context of the song wasn’t there. It seemed a bit “American Idol”-ish to me. Vocally overwhelming, but not much real human feeling underneath. It will be curious to see what happens with the casting of the revival. I don’t envy whoever gets the role. There’s a reason it’s never been revived, namely Babs.
DI: People are tweeting as if there were some awkward exchange between Lea Michele and Jay-Z during that performance, but it seemed like he and Beyoncé were sufficiently charmed when she stopped at their seats.

10:22 p.m. |From the Press Room

Steven McElroy: I see out there in TV land it’s all about “Fences.” Here, Eddie Redmayne just dropped in. He’s very charismatic (and by that I don’t only mean good looking). He held court for quite awhile, talking about how much he likes performing in “Red,” his surprise at hearing that he’d won and his own fledgling work as an abstract painter in his spare time. “The arguments are so powerfully written that it’s actually much easier perhaps than it looks to get up and be passionate about it each night,” he said of “Red.” We also had a recent visit from Terry Johnson, winner of the Tony for best direction of a musical for “La Cage aux Folles.” “You have to find the quintessence of what you’re doing,” he said, speaking of his scaled down production. “You don’t use anything that shouldn’t truly be there.” He followed this up with a quick (and not half bad) imitation of Harvey Fierstein, who wrote the book. One of Mr. Johnson’s favorite rehearsal moments, he said, was when Mr. Fierstein leaned over to him after a run of the show and said “I only have notes for the author.” Other winners including Levi Kreis have been quickly parading through the press room and Katie Finneran maintained her scene-stealing reputation by hooting like an owl for us. It’s a long story, but it was very funny.

10:21 p.m. |The Tony for Best Play…

DI: Thank you very much, Scarlett Johansson. And the Tony Award for best play goes to: “Red.”
CI: Hardly a shocker at this point. I’m kind of bored of “Red.” Actually I was bored at “Red.”
DI: I learned that Alfred Molina prefers to be called Fred. That’s a thing. Nobody say “Scott Rudin” or they’ll play you off, too!

10:19 p.m. |Best Play Revival…

DI: Here to just look awesome and remind us she wasn’t on Broadway:
Cate Blanchett and to award best play and play revival. And the Tony award goes to “Fences.”
CI: Not crazy about the spacesuit with Joan Crawford shoulderpads. But the hair v chic. And here’s the first parade-of-a-thousand producers moment.
DI: Are they playing the “Fences” crew off immediately?

10:17 p.m. |From the Sports Desk

DI: This just in: a basketball game is also taking place.

10:14 p.m. |Paying Tribute

DI: The Tonys pay tribute to performers and theater industry people who have died this year, including Lynn Redgrave, Rue McClanahan, Dixie Carter, Budd Schulberg, and Michael Kuchwara.
CI: It’s always sobering to see how many are lost every year. I’m particularly moved that my friend and fellow journalist Mike Kuchwara was included.

10:07 p.m. |The Tony for Best Choreography…

DI: And the Tony goes to Bill T. Jones for “Fela!” He had a whopping 52% of the NYT readers’ vote. (I bet the support of Stephen Colbert helped, too.)
CI: I must say the sweater is a bit slobby. But the dancing in the show was amazing. A good year for dancing on Broadway, actually. Did I mention it’s a scandal that “American Idiot” was not included here?

10:04 p.m. |Paula Abdul Introduces Best Choreography

DI: Looking forward to seeing how they work Paula Abdul into this, somehow.
CI: Well you got your wish.
DI: And here to explain what the heck she meant in her farewell speech to Simon Cowell, it’s Paula Abdul. (also presenting best choreography)
CI: And this is shameless. As if she is even remotely a respectable choreographer. Or dancer. Or singer. Or anything. This “Promises, Promises” number may be the biggest dud. Especially coming after the similarly busy number from “Come Fly Away.” And, really, coat racks?

9:57 p.m. |A Bird’s-Eye View…

CI: For me the big surprises have been Terry Johnson winning directing for “La Cage” and Eddie Redmayne and Michael Grandage for “Red.” What do you think Dave? To me it seems things otherwise have been unsurprising.
DI: Despite that inept presentation for the play nominees, I’m actually surprised at how I’m enjoying the show overall. Sean Hayes has been a very charming host and the whole thing’s certainly moving more fluidly than the Oscars.
CI: I agree and it is zipping by pretty quickly. By the standards of interminable three-hour awards shows, that is.

9:50 p.m. |An Introduction for ‘Fela!’

DI: Currently the lowest-earning members of the Smith dynasty: Will and Jada Pinkett. They’re introducing the musical performance from “Fela! These audio problems are so frustrating.
CI: I wonder if this elaborate number isn’t a little too ambitious. It’s a little frenzied. But the thing about “Fela!” is also that it’s about the energy in the room. You can’t really replicate that easily.
DI: Nice to see that they actually gave the show some decent airtime. I guess that’s what happens when you have Jay-Z and Will Smith in your producing credits.
CI: Well Dave don’t be cynical. Something tells me each musical has precisely the same number of seconds to work with. Or am I being cynical?

Viola Davis and Denzel Washington won best actress and best actor in a play.Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Viola Davis and Denzel Washington won best actress and best actor in a play.
9:48 p.m. |Best Actor in a Play

DI: And the Tony award for best actor in a play goes to: Denzel Washington for “Fences.” He’s such a good actor, I almost believed he didn’t have a speech prepared.

9:45 p.m. |The Best Actress in a Play…

DI: And the Tony award for best actress in a play: Viola Davis, “Fences.” It’s all about that Act II monologue.
CI: This was the one I’d have put the most money on. Richly deserved. And I love a nice wildly emotional, choking-back-tears acceptance speech.

9:43 p.m. |Another Costume Change for Sean Hayes

DI: Sean Hayes is back in full “Annie” regalia. He says he’s celebrating the show’s planned return by dressing up as Bernadette Peters (or “the BP that isn’t ruining the planet.”)
CI: He’s quite endearing, I have to say. Neil Patrick Harris was a hard act to follow but Sean is doing himself proud, so far.
DI: Yes, he’s been very relaxed, high energy and totally willing to make himself the butt of all jokes. The three main ingredients, I’d say.

9:33 p.m. |Introducing the Nominees for Best Play Revival

DI: And here to win everything are Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. And we’re back to the Ikea showroom. Charles, how many doors from “Lend Me a Tenor” are on that stage?
CI: Too many. It’s odd, as someone pointed out, that the actors names are not mentioned here. Except for Denzel and Viola. This really isn’t working.
DI: Oh Jan Maxwell.
CI: Jan Maxwell at least mentioned Reg Rogers, but I guess it’s assumed viewers know these actors. But not the guys from, say, “Next Fall.”
DI: These introductions are invariably evoking this “Saturday Night Live” sketch.
CI: This brisk trot through every show is sort of the equivalent of the Chuck Workman Oscar-night montages that have become overworked. With bad cinematography. I mean THIS one has bad cinematography, that is.
DI: Someday the Tonys will figure out how to integrate plays into their awards show. They’ve only had 64 tries at it.
CI: Well 33 if you’re talking about the CBS telecast. But I take your point, and I fear it may be a lost cause. I mean maybe brief snippets of B roll is the best option. Or just forgetting the whole thing.

9:29 p.m. |Idina Menzel Introduces ‘Ragtime’

DI: Idina Menzel is here to introduce “Ragtime.” Later, Other Asian from “Glee” will be out to introduce that Dame Edna-Michael Feinstein show.
CI: I notice they’re holding the “Glee” performances for the second half. Keeping the tweens watching.

9:25 p.m. |From the Press Room

Steven McElroy: One thing that is always predictable at the Tonys, is that tech will fail at some point in the press room. (This update is brought to you by my iPhone.) A bit less predictable was Michael Grandage winning best director of a play for “Red,” though. He may have been a tad surprised too. “I didn’t quite recognize my name when I heard it,” he said. “It was an odd moment.”

9:20 p.m. |A Sondheim Tribute

DI: Barbara Cook introduces Catherine Zeta-Jones to sing “Send in the Clowns,” which I’m told is a Sondheim song of some sort.
CI: Didn’t Judy Collins do it once?
DI: I’m pulling for the “Muppet Show” performance, where puppets start cartwheeling across the stage.
CI: She’s overacting it as she did in the show. So unnecessary. And vulgar. But then having seen Judi Dench do it I can’t really look at other performances with equanimity.
DI: To quote my wife: “Swing your razor high, Catherine.”

9:15 p.m. |Best Featured Actor in a Musical…

DI: Kristin Chenoweth has just emerged from Sean Hayes’s pocket to present the award for featured actor in a musical.
CI: Great pratfall though.
DI: And the Tony goes to…Levi Kreis for “Million Dollar Quartet.” He was my sentimental favorite, though the house seemed to be pulling for Bobby Steggert.
CI: He’s very talented. A gracious speech, and seemed unrehearsed. Also they are doing some spreading around, so maybe that was a factor.

9:06 p.m. |Mark Sanchez Introduces “Memphis”

DI: Please welcome “theater aficionado” Mark Sanchez. Hey, Mark, save that tepid energy for the field, wouldja?
CI: From the New York Jets…” Words never heard on a Tony show before, I can confidently say. God bless him. Yay Jets. Though I rarely watch basketball.
DI: What about this music and choreography says Memphis, exactly?
CI: It could be any old uplift number, and feels derivative of “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from “Hairspray” to me. And did I just hear this lyric: “I listened to music from folks darker than me…”
DI: Ladies and gentlemen, the Tonys want to clarify that the Jets are a sports franchise and a gang from West Side Story. Sorry for the confusion.

Katie Finneran won best performance by a featured actress in a musical  for “Promises, Promises.” Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Katie Finneran won best performance by a featured actress in a musical for “Promises, Promises.”
9:03 p.m. |Best Featured Actress in a Musical…

DI: And the Tony for featured actress in a musical goes to: Katie Finneran in “Promises, Promises.” Could this be the shortest Broadway performance to win a Tony?
CI: Safest bet of the night, but I expect there have been shorter ones. It sometimes helps to steal a show that otherwise got tepidly received.

8:58 p.m. |An Honor for Angela Lansbury

DI: Angela Lansbury is nabbing more screen time than Jay-Z and Beyoncé as she is named the American Theater Wing’s honorary chairman.
CI: Although there’s a boring factor built in to this, it’s great to see her here. When she hosted back in the pre-celebrity-mad days, the show was incredibly classy and really gave you a sense of what the theater community was like.

8:56 p.m. |From the Press Room

Steven McElroy: Since last we spoke, Adam Cork (best sound design of a play) and Christopher Oram (best scenic design of play), both winners for their work on “Red” stopped by the press room followed by a pair of winners for “American Idiot” — Christine Jones (best scenic design of a musical) and Kevin Adams (best lighting design of a musical). Their wins kind of underlined the lack of a director nod for this show, and Ms. Jones made a point of mentioning Michael Mayer, said director. “Michael is a genius. When you look at his work on ‘American Idiot’ and ‘Everyday Rapture,’ and look at the range of what he can do, it’s astonishing,” she said. “We’re all sort of running to keep up with him. He really is a leader for us.” (FYI: Marian Seldes, who won a lifetime achievement award earlier, did not visit us. I was curious to see if she would actually speak audibly here after her silent acceptance “speech” in the early telecast.)

8:51 p.m. |Introducing the Nominees for Best Play

DI: Are they really going to have the actors introduce their plays before they perform their scenes? Oh – wait – they don’t even get to perform their scenes. I know this is one big commercial, but does it really have to feel like such a commercial?
CI: This doesn’t seem like a real grabber. Mere description doesn’t do much for evoking these plays. On the other hand brief snippets have never worked well before. And the bottom line is the musicals bring in the bucks, so that’s the way it goes. But I wish I could fast-forward past this. “Red” is obviously going to take it.
DI: I feel like I’m being led through an Ikea showroom. Hey, Chris Noth, stop computing your “Sex and the City” residuals, and remember to read your lines.
CI: I’ve had more fun in Ikea showrooms, Dave. Hope that didn’t sound suggestive. I mean, fun like finding great shelving bargains.

8:47 p.m. |Best Direction of a Musical…

DI: And the Tony for best director of a musical goes to: Terry Johnson, “La Cage aux Folles.” An upset?
CI: I am going to refrain from peevish carping. Which sounds like a rural British village. Revival directors often win over new musical directors. But I would never have predicted. Actually I have to go to Peevish Carping, with one query: How does a contemporary Latino drag queen from Queens get spirited back to 70s France?
DI: Terry Johnson implied he didn’t have an awards speech prepared. I don’t think he was kidding.

8:45 p.m. |Best Direction of a Play…

DI: And the Tony for best director of a play goes to: Michael Grandage for “Red”
CI: This is a real surprise. I thought Kenny Leon would win. There seems to have been a lot of bloc voting. Or can the Tony voters not get over the rampant Anglophilia?
DI: Indeed, maybe “Fences” won’t run away with the play awards tonight?

8:43 p.m. |Sean Hayes Channels Billy Eliot

DI: Sean Hayes is the #5 trending topic on Twitter right now. But Gisele Bundchen is #3.
I don’t know what that means.

8:35 p.m. |An Introduction to “La Cage aux Folles”

CI: Does anyone watching this show NOT know the plot of “La Cage”? That intro seemed stiff.
DI: I was deeply afraid they were going to go into “Full Disclosure” from “Addams Family.” So, I guess I benefited from the intro. Oh, look, Douglas Hodge went into the audience and just happened to find Matthew Morrison of “Glee.” What a coincidence.
CI: Wasn’t it though? They’re definitely going to give “Glee” a lot of face time. Macabre wig on Kelsey Grammer.
DI: Just once before the “La Cage” run ends, I’d like to see Kelsey perform as Sideshow Bob.
CI: Oh here come the Cagelles. All eight of them.

8:32 p.m. |Best Featured Actor in a Play…

DI: The Tony award for featured actor in a play goes to: Eddie Redmayne, “Red.”
CI: Wow that’s the first upset of the night. I thought it would be Stephen McKinley Henderson or Jon Michael Hill. And frankly, Eddie Redmayne was kind of a prop, basically just a foil for Alfred Molina’s speeches. Still it was a fine performance. And in a two-character play.

8:32 p.m. |A Nod to ‘The Jersey Shore’

DI: That’s hilarious – the Tonys have heard of “Jersey Shore.” I guess their 15 minutes are up.
CI: I blatantly didn’t get that reference. And am so proud to say it.
Not that there’s anything wrong with New Jersey..

8:28 p.m. |From the Press Room

Steven McElroy: Of the early award winners, Catherine Zuber was the first brave soul to venture into the press room. A roomful of people trying to simultaneously listen to the live portion of events, type things, check off names on lists, read what everyone else is writing and send text messages to friends at Tony parties, can be a tough crowd. She didn’t linger, but thanked her “great team of collaborators.” As the opening number played on television, Joe DiPietro, David Bryan and Daryl Waters came through. Mr. Bryan, talking about the development process of the show, said “I think we got it right because we ran out of things to do wrong.” Then Green Day showed up on the monitor and my attention went there – they’ll do that to you.

8:22 p.m. |Ricky Martin Presents “Million Dollar Quartet”

DI: I think I could watch a show that’s Levi Kreis at a piano for two acts.
CI: He’s phenomenal. And this number is coming across great. The self-contained ones do. And as I said before, rock has an energy that translates to TV very effectively.
DI: I also liked how they were faithful to the crude audio fidelity of the 1950s. Though maybe that wasn’t intentional.
CI: I suspect that number will sell a lot of tickets, given the Tony-watching demographic.

Scarlett Johansson won best featured actress in a play for “A View From the Bridge.” Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Scarlett Johansson won best featured actress in a play for “A View From the Bridge.”
8:18 p.m. |Best Featured Actress in a Play…

DI: The eye-level between presenters Daniel Radcliffe and Katie Holmes is unfelictious, to say the least. The Tony for best featured actress in a play goes to: Scarlett Johansson in “A View From the Bridge.” A majority of NYT readers – 40 percent had her picked, too. ScarJo in deep danger of being played off.
CI: Scarlett takes the first award. Could be a star-friendly night. Jan Maxwell was sort of the insider favorite. And much as I liked her in both shows (much though I hated one of them), I think Scarlett Johansson had the much meatier role.

Host Sean Hayes with Kristin Chenoweth.Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Host Sean Hayes with Kristin Chenoweth.
8:13 p.m. |Sean Hayes Welcomes Everyone to the Tony Awards

DI: A big smooch between Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes to open the show. Is that their Al and Tipper Gore moment?
CI: Methinks the Openly Gay Man Playing Straight is protesting a little much. And lewd kisses on awards shows are out of control. Scarlett and Sandra on the MTV Movie Awards was feeble too…
DI: Nothing says 2010 like a Carol Channing joke. Sean Hayes says Nathan Lane of “The Addams Family” is playing Gomez with a Spanish accent, “which in New York gets you overlooked, and in Arizona gets you pulled over.”

From left, Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool of Green Day arrived at the 64th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images From left, Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool of Green Day arrived at the 64th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday.
8:09 p.m. |Green Day is Here

DI: Any opening number where no one gets clocked on the head by the set has to be considered a success. But here’s Green Day to add a little energy, I hope. Strategically, I’d think you would save your Green Day number for a little later in the night. All the cynical MTV viewers will be switching away immediately after this.
CI: All 12 of them. Wow, three numbers from “American Idiot.” The “Fela!” producers must be thrilled. But I have to say they sort of blew the rest of the performances off the stage. A pure rock performance is easier to film on TV I expect.
DI: Between Green Day and the fact that Katy Perry will definitely not be involved, I’m already liking this better than the MTV Movie Awards.
CI: And the irony is the Tony nominators and maybe voters clearly didn’t much love the show. They’re probably, “Oy, enough already. I had to sit through it once…”

8:05 p.m. |A Taste of “Everyday Rapture”

CI: True but that was a bit on the chaotic side. “Up the Ladder to the Roof” from “Everyday Rapture.” I’ve always loved this obscure post-Diana Supremes song, which Bette Midler used to do…
DI: Nice to see Sherie Rene Scott on television in a role that doesn’t involve a “Law and Order” franchise.
CI: Is there a sound problem?
DI: The high frequency vocals from “Fela!” may have been a problem. But the drag queens of “La Cage” will bring the family audience back in.
CI: his has got to be an even more insane opening number mashup than even … last year’s. From the drag queens right into “American Idiot.” Restrained eye makeup on John Gallagher Jr. Doesn’t want to steal Billie Joe’s look I suppose…

8:01 p.m. |And Here We Go

DI: Sean Hayes at the piano: countdown to our first Newsweek joke of the night.
CI: Did someone malign his piano-playing abilities?
DI: He’s joined by the cast of “Million Dollar Quartet,” who might even get mic’ed, if we’re lucky. That’s our first and second “hockadoo” of the night. Help me keep track, will you, Charles?
CI: This is already getting surreal. I’m going to be saying hockadoo by the end of it.
DI: Kristin Chenoweth out to belt “I Say A Little Prayer” from “Promises, Promises.”
CI: I adore her but the problem is I don’t think that’s a song to be belted. And now we’re on to Frank…
DI: So nice how they still let people dance on these shows every once and a while.

7:58 p.m. |A Mystery Couple?

DI: I am told that a “mystery couple” will present the awards for best actor and best actress in a musical. Any guesses there?
CI: Hmm. Someone earilier joked that it would be Barack and Michelle — was that you? Nathan Lane’s absence from the show does seem odd, so maybe Nathan and Patti LuPone, or is she already presenting? Or will it be Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick?

7:51 p.m. |An Early Tally

DI: “Memphis” has already won 3 Tony Awards:
Best Book (Joe DiPietro), Best Orchestrations (Daryl Waters and David Bryan) and Best Original Score (David Bryan and Joe DiPietro)
“Red” has won for Best Scenic Design (Christopher Oram) and Best Lighting Design (Neil Austin) and Best Sound Design (Adam Cork)
“American Idiot” won Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Christine Jones) and Lighting Design of a Musical (Kevin Adams)
“Fela!” won Best Sound Design of a Musical (Robert Kaplowitz) and Best Costume Design of a Musical (Marina Draghici)
“The Royal Family” won Best Costume Design of a Play (Catherine Zuber)
CI: Looking at that list, I’d say it’s likely to be a big night for “Memphis” and “Red.” The other shows took the more minor awards. This could be a fairly predictable night.

7:35 p.m. |Too Much ‘Glee’?

DI: Charles, judging from your Arts & Leisure essay that ran today I am sensing some ambivalence about the “Glee”-ing of Broadway that took place this season and that’s on tap for tonight’s Tonys show.
CI: Well, ambivalence is right. I think in a way the “Glee”-ing has been going on for a while, since the advent of the jukebox musical. I fear new music is in a rut, or being ignored. That said, this season the most exciting new musicals didn’t use new music — I’ll take shows like “Fela!’ and “American Idiot” and “Come Fly Away” in any season.
DI: Is it too blatant a move by the Tonys organizers to have the “Glee” folks on the show tonight – or is that a shrewd choice on their part, to reach out to new viewers?
CI: It’s very shrewd, or would be if it wasn’t so obvious. Everybody in New York theater is buzzing about “Glee” as much as they’re buzzing about what’s onstage these days. Today alone there were three pieces in the New York Times referencing it. We’ll see if the ratings get an uptick…
DI: I suspect if the ratings go up, everyone will be racing to take credit:
was it because of Glee?
Or Scarlett Johansson?
Or Denzel? Or Catherine Zeta-Jones?
If they go down, I fear they’ll point at the absence of Neil Patrick Harris.
CI: True. But the Tonys are always up against it — tonight “True Blood” starts up again on HBO. Who can beat vampires these days? They should have gotten some vampire-related celebs to present…
DI: I’m not touching that “vampires” line, Charles. Let’s not also forget Lakers-Celtics, the “Breaking Bad” finale, and whatever reality show is on Bravo tonight.
CI: What time is it in South Africa? Could be some World Cup going on.

7:28 p.m. |Let the Games Begin

Dave Itzkoff: Charles, thanks again for donning your digital tuxedo and joining me here in the virtual press room (a k a our respective apartments).

Charles Isherwood: My pleasure, I hope. It’s already looking like a big night for “Memphis,” with three already and it’s just 7:30. Funny snarky comment from Joe DiPietro aimed at, um, possibly me. He said the the New York Times didn’t expect to see him up there. Props for the good joke.

DI: You’re taking it in good spirits. I also enjoyed Karen Olivo’s explanation for why she was attending tonight’s show on crutches: “This is what happens when you don’t take a note from Arthur Laurents.”
CI: A half-joke, that, I expect. Kevin Adams can’t seem to lose a Tony award. Is this his third? But I’m glad “American Idiot” will go home with a little something.
DI: According to the old IBDB.com, you are correct. But until the boys from Green Day come up to play their number, I suspect you’re right, we won’t be hearing the show’s name called too often.
CI: Kevin does great work, but this could also be a guilt nod. Glad Kevin is crediting the choreographer and orchestrator and Michael Mayer, all of whom were outrageously looked over. But I’ll stop whining about this as of now.
DI: That’s the first play-off of the night, too. But I appreciated his black-painted fingernails in solidarity.

From left, Valerie Harper, Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images From left, Valerie Harper, Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney.

Curtain up! Light the lights! Before Broadway’s amorous Swedes, cross-dressing cabaret stars, Abstract Expressionist painters, frustrated garbage collectors, classic rockers, Afrobeat rockers and punk rockers can start their summer, there’s one thing left to do before the season officially comes to a close: reveal the winners of the 64th Annual Tony Awards. Who’ll be reaping the benefits of that great come-and-get-it day, and who’ll be walking empty-handed down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams (or, at least, the part of Avenue of the Americas that goes past Radio City Music Hall)? We’ll find out in just a few hours.

This year’s awards show, hosted by the Tony-nominated “Promises, Promises” star Sean Hayes, may not promise too many close contests: most prognosticators believe the best musical category is still a toss-up between “Fela!” and “Memphis,” though the new play “Red” and the revivals of “La Cage aux Folles” and “Fences” are heavily favored in their categories.

But the Tonys broadcast, which starts at 8 p.m. on CBS, will hardly lack for excitement or star power: watch for performances from the nominated best musicals, as well as Kelsey Grammer (from “La Cage”) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (“A Little Night Music”); a special presentation on the best play and play-revival nominees including Denzel Washington and Viola Davis (“Fences”) and Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne (“Red”); plus appearances by Katie Holmes, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Angela Lansbury, and Daniel Radcliffe. And don’t go anywhere near Twitter during that special performance by the “Glee” stars Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison. (Let’s hope they still find the time to give out a few trophies between all those special guests.)

Refresh this page for updates and commentary from Charles Isherwood, theater critic for The New York Times; Dave Itzkoff, a culture reporter for The Times, and other surprise guests of our own. You can also follow coverage on Twitter at @nytimestheater.

Keep track of the winners as they are announced, and vote for your favorite nominees in this interactive ballot.