Kansas City comes up empty at the Tony Awards

Kansas City had skin in the game but came up empty at the annual Tony Awards broadcast Sunday from Radio City Music Hall in New York.

“A Christmas Story,” which originated at Kansas City Repertory Theatre in 2009 and had a limited Broadway run in November and December, was nominated in three major categories. In each case the award went to a show still running. “Kinky Boots,” with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, won for best score and was named best musical, and Dennis Kelly, who wrote the stage adaptation of “Matilda the Musical,” won for best book.

A performance of “Don’t Shoot Your Eye Out,” a production number from “A Christmas Story,” received a boisterous response from the Radio City audience in the second hour of the broadcast.

Lauren Ward, a graduate of Hickman Mills high School, was up for best featured actress in a musical for her performance in “Matilda the Musical,” but the award went to Andrea Martin for “Pippin.” “Pippin” was also named best musical revival.

Other key awards went to Billy Porter for best leading actor in a musical (“Kinky Boots”), Patina Miller for leading actress in a musical (“Pippin”) and the legendary Cicely Tyson for actress in a play (“The Trip to Bountiful”). Tracy Letts, best known as the playwright of “August: Osage County,” took the award for leading actor for his role in a revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.”

Gabriel Ebert won featured actor in a musical for “Matilda the Musical.” Best featured actor in a play went to Courtney B. Vance for “Lucky Guy,” and Judith Light was named featured actress in a play for “The Assembled Parties.”

Christopher Durang’s brainy comedy “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” was named best play.

This story was originally published June 9, 2013 at 10:53 PM with the headline "Kansas City comes up empty at the Tony Awards."