"Billy Elliot" dominated Sunday night's Tonys, collecting eight awards, including director of a musical, book of a musical and choreography, but the show and its composer Elton John were upset for best score.
That award was taken by "Next to Normal" — which seemed to stun "Normal" composer Tom Kitt and lyricist Brian ! Yorkey.
"God of Carnage," the satiric comedy by French playwright Yasmina Reza, took the best play prize.
Reza, who previously won a best-play Tony for "Art," said: "Maybe you missed my accent; you wanted to hear it again. I'm very grateful for all the people who gave their best for the production."
The play about the clash between two liberal, middle-class couples whose children get into a fight, stars James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis.
Harden also won the actress-play award and the production's director, Matthew Warchus, also picked up a prize.
Said Harden: "I tell my children every day that tantrums and bad behavior will get you nowhere. I don't know how to explain this. ... ! I feel like I've been given custody of a family that has four ! parents, four deranged parents."
The director/musical award went to Stephen Daldry of "Billy Elliot."
"I have been blessed in my life to spend the majority of last 10 years of my life working on the story of 'Billy Elliot,'" said Daldry, who called it "a long, extraordinary journey."
