NEW YORK (AP) — Memorable quotes from the 65th annual Tony Awards ceremony Sunday night at the Beacon Theatre.
"It’s the proudest moment of my career. Being involved in something this important is I think a once-in-a-career opportunity. I’m so proud to be shouting out this message that needs to be heard, 30 years later. … Being in political theater, being allowed to rage against the machine every night, I think it just feels great." Ellen Barkin on winning featured actress in a play for the AIDS play, "The Normal Heart."
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"I really want to thank ‘South Park’ fans. If it weren’t for you guys, we wouldn’t be here." Trey Parker, on winning best direction of a musical award with Casey Nicholaw for "The Book of Mormon."
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"I didn’t expect to be standing here tonight and tried to write a speech and I feel silly," Nikki M. James in tears as she accepted the prize for actress in a featured role in a musical.
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"It’s a thrilling experience in the theater — it’s not just terribly sad. It resonates as much today as the first day I read it around 1986. … It’s still alive, this play. It’s not just a piece of art history." John Benjamin Hickey, winner of actor in a featured role in a play for "The Normal Heart," on working in Larry Kramer’s play about AIDS.
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"We quite like it when people cry." Tom Morris, winner of best direction of a play with Marianne Elliott for "War Horse."
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"I can do eight performances a week but I can’t read a TelePrompTer." Brooke Shields, who had flubbed an opening song with host Neil Patrick Harris and had to be handed a piece of paper with her lyrics.
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"Trey and Matt don’t usually write a lot of girls into their work. I was really honored to be the only chick. They’re like my brothers," Nikki M. James on being in the mostly male "The Book of Mormon."
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"Coming to Broadway next season, Moammar Gadhafi in ‘Catch Me If You Can.’" Robin Williams.