'Utopia' and 'Spring Awakening' Dominate Tonys

'Utopia' and 'Spring Awakening' Dominate Tonys


NEW YORK (AP) -- "Spring Awakening," a pounding post-rock musical of teenage sexual anxiety, and Tom Stoppard's "The Coast of Utopia," a sprawling tale of 19th century Russian intellectuals, dominated the 2007 Tony Awards Sunday.

The musical picked up the best score award for Duncan Sheik and lyricist Steven Sater, who also received the prize for book of a musical. "Musical theater rocks," said Sheik, who also won for orchestrations.

"Steven and I definitely set out to make a new kind of musical," Sheik said. "We were trying to forge our own path. I think we got lucky timing-wise, what's happening politically. People were ready to deal with something that had teeth."

John Gallagher Jr., who portrays a manic student in the show, received the featured-actor musical prize. "Heaven must feel like this," enthused the 22-year-old Gallagher. Later backstage, he said, "I can't feel anything right now, not even my arms. It's an honor and a thrill that never in a million years would I dream for myself."