Tony Awards: Pre-show awards go to ‘Book of Mormon’

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‘The Book of Mormon’ took some of the key creative and technical Tony awards that were handed out in a pre-ceremony event at the Beacon Theatre on Sunday.

[Updated 6:36 p.m.]: ‘Mormon’ won the Tonys for original score and orchestration of a musical. The musical comedy, which tells the story of two bumbling Mormon missionaries in Africa, is expected to dominate this year’s awards.

Kathleen Marshall won the Tony for her choreography for the revival of ‘Anything Goes.’

This year’s regional theater award went to Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Company.

Athol Fugard, the prolific South African-born playwright, received a lifetime achievement award. Fugard -- whose most notable dramas include ‘Boesman and Lena’ and ‘Master Harold ... and the Boys’ -- has explored issues of race and class in apartheid-era South Africa.

Eve Ensler, the author of ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ received the Isabelle Stevenson Award, which honors individuals who has made commitments in the fields of humanitarian and social work.

Other recipients of special awards include Philip J. Smith, William Berloni and the Drama Book Shop. The Handspring Puppet Company, which designed the equine puppetry in ‘War Horse,’ also received a special award.

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Tony Awards: ‘The Book of Mormon’ leads 2011 Tony nominations

Tony Awards: Charles McNulty picks this year’s winners

Critic’s Notebook: Broadway salutes a successful season, but has anything really changed?

-- David Ng

Photo (top): Rema Webb, Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad in ‘The Book of Mormon.’ Credit: Joan Marcus / Associated Press

Photo credit (bottom): American Theatre Wing