'The Band's Visit' and 'Harry Potter' winning big at Tonys

The acclaimed and sprawling British import "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and the shimmering, American, grown-up musical "The Band's Visit" were the big winners at the Tony Awards on Sunday.

Laurie Metcalf, left, kisses presenter Carey Mulligan as she accepts the award for best featured actress in a play for "Edward Albee's Three Tall Women" at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

"The Band's Visit," based on a 2007 Israeli film of the same name about an Egyptian band that goes to the wrong Israeli town, won seven — best direction, orchestration, sound design, best book of a musical, lighting and featured actor Ari'el Stachel, who gave a heartfelt speech about his past.

The cast of "My Fair Lady" performs at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

"For so many years of my life I pretended I was not a Middle Eastern person," he said, addressing his parents in the audience. He thanked the creators of the show "for being courageous for telling a small story about Arabs and Israelis getting along at a time that we need that more than ever."

Lindsay Mendez accepts the award for best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical for "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel" at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

He added: "I am part of a cast of actors who never believed that they'd be able to portray their own races, and we're doing that."

The show's director, David Cromer, said the musical is also about loneliness and despair, and asked everyone to reach out to anyone for whom "despair is overwhelming."

Co-hosts Josh Groban, left, and Sara Bareilles appear on stage at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

The two-part spectacle "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" had captured six, including best play, book, lighting, sound design, orchestrations and director John Tiffany, who asked the crowd to sing "Happy Birthday" to his boyfriend. They obliged.

Andrew Garfield won his first Tony, for best leading actor in a play, for playing a young gay man living with AIDS in the sprawling, seven-hour revival "Angels in America" opposite Lane. He won his third, for best-featured actor in a play.

Bruce Springsteen accept the Special Tony award at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. Looking on at left is Billy Joel. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

Garfield dedicated the win to the LGBTQ community, who he said fought and died for the right to love. He said the play is a rejection of bigotry, shame and oppression.

"We are all sacred and we all belong," Garfield said. He then referenced last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision which ruled in favor of a baker's right to deny a gay couple a wedding cake based on his beliefs.

Students from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama department react after performing "Seasons of Love" at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

"(Let's) just bake a cake for everyone who wants a cake to be baked," he said, to rousing applause. Lane said the play still speaks to society in the midst of "political insanity."

In a mesmerizing moment, Melody Herzfeld, the heroic drama teacher who nurtured many of the young people demanding change following the February school shooting in Parkland, Florida, was honored from the Tony Award stage.

Andrew Garfield accepts the award for best leading actor in a play for "Angels in America" at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

Herzfeld, the one-woman drama department at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was cheered by the crowd at Radio City Music Hall. Herzfeld saved 65 lives by barricading students into a small classroom closet on Valentine's Day when police say a former student went on a school rampage, killing 17 people.

The cast of "My Fair Lady" performs at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

She then later encouraged many of her pupils to lead the nationwide movement for gun reform, including organizing the March For Our Lives demonstration and the charity single "Shine." Members of Herzfeld's drama department took the Tony stage to serenade her with "Seasons of Love" from "Rent."

Bruce Springsteen accepts the Special Tony award at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

In other wins, Glenda Jackson added to her impressive resume with a Tony Award for best actress in a play for her work in a revival of Edward Albee's "Three Tall Women." That show also yielded the featured actress win to "Rosanne" star Laurie Metcalf.

Billy Joel gave his friend Bruce Springsteen a special Tony Award. "This is deeply appreciated, and thanks for making me feel so welcome on your block," The Boss said. Later, Springsteen will perform "My Hometown" on the piano from his sold-out one-man show.

Ethan Slater, left, of "SpongeBob SquarePants:The Musical" performs at the 72nd annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 10, 2018, in New York. Looking on from right are co-hosts Josh Groban, and Sara Bareilles. (Photo by Michael Zorn/Invision/AP)

Co-hosts Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles kicked the show off with a self-parodying duet on piano for all the losers out there — including them.

Neither Bareilles nor Groban have won a Grammy or a Tony despite selling millions of albums and appearing on Broadway. They turned that into a playful song.

"Let's not forget that 90 percent of us leave empty-handed tonight. So this is for the people who lose/Most of us have been in your shoes," they sang in the upbeat opening number. "This one's for the loser inside of you."

Two new musicals led the nominations for the top Tony Award crown, with Tina Fey's "Mean Girls" and "SpongeBob SquarePants" receiving 12 nods each. The revival of "Angels in America" had 11 and the two-part play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" had 10. Many critics have tapped "The Band's Visit" as their odds-on favorite to be crowned best new musical.

The revival of "Carousel" won two awards — choreography and for Lindsay Mendez, who won best featured actress in a musical. She accepted in tears, recounting that when she moved to New York, she was told to change her last name to Matthews or she wouldn't work. She said she was happy to be in a production that "celebrates diversity and individuality." To all artists out there, she said: "Just be your true self and the world will take note."

One of the show highlights was the lively performance by the cast of "Once on This Island" that included a sand-filled beach, real water and a goat. Onstage guests were volunteers and staffers from three organizations that bring relief to areas impacted by natural disasters.

Getting buzz from appearing on the telecast can dictate a show's future, both on Broadway and on tour. Broadway producers will be thankful this year that the telecast won't have to compete with any NBA Finals or Stanley Cup playoff games.

For most of the previous awards season, shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes have acknowledged the issue of sexual misconduct and abuse of power. Bareilles and Groban will try to do that while also eviscerating any memory of last year's Tony host, Kevin Spacey, who since then has been accused by at least 24 men of sexual misconduct or assault.

The pair will also hope to end a ratings slide following the 2016 edition that was led by "Hamilton," which drew 8.73 million viewers. Spacey's ceremony last year drew 6 million viewers, which represented a drop of approximately 31 percent in total viewers from the previous year.

The show is a sort of victory lap for a Broadway season that saw grosses hit another record high by pulling in $1.7 billion — up 17.1 percent over last season's $1.45 billion. Attendance was also up, coming in a 13.79 million, an increase of 3.9 percent at last season's 13.27 million.

BOSTON (AP) — Hellen Obiri's legs were carrying her closer to Boston, but her mind was thinking about Paris.

“I'm not giving up. I'm not going to let this one go," the two-Olympic medalist recalled thinking still miles away from arriving at the Boston Marathon finish line.

She didn't relent, and her latest trip down the world's oldest annual marathon course put her in rare company and in line to add to her Olympic medal count.

Obiri broke away from a large pack late to become the first woman to repeat as Boston Marathon champion since 2005, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 37 seconds on Monday.

“Defending the title was not easy. Since Boston started, it’s only six women. So I said, ’Can I be one of them?' If you want to be one of them, you have to work extra hard,” she said. “And I’m so happy because I’m now one of them. I’m now in the history books in Boston.”

The 34-year-old Obiri split from more than a dozen runners in the second half of the race, then outfought a challenge from Kenyan Sharon Lodeki over the final three miles for the victory. It led a Kenyan sweep of the podium, with Lodeki crossing second in 2:22:45. Two-time champion and 44-year-old Edna Kiplagat was third in 2:23:21. Kiplagat finished 30th a year ago.

Kenya’s Catherine Ndereba was the last repeat Boston champion in ’05, part of her run of four titles in five years. Obiri won both her Boston debut last April and last year's New York Marathon. She is a provisional member of Kenya’s Olympic team.

Emma Bates, who led in the second half of the race, was the top American finisher in 12th (2:27:14). Sara Hall came in 15th (2:27:58), followed by 2018 Boston winner Des Linden in 16th (2:28:27).

Bates surged into the lead between the 18th and 19th mile, ahead of a chase pack of more than a dozen runners. That group included Linden, who also led briefly and appeared to say something to Bates between the 14 and 15-mile mark in Wellesley before falling off the pace.

Bates said Linden came up and asked her what pace she was running.

“I said around 5:30. She said, ‘OK, let’s do this,'” Bates said.

For awhile, she did.

Spectators chanted, “Emma! Emma! Emma!” as Bates attempted to add to her advantage just past 20 miles. She embraced the moment, even slapping high-fives with members of the crowd near Wellesley College. But a group led by Mary Nugui (Kenya), Vibian Chepkirui (Kenya) and Obiri (Kenya) closed the gap to about three seconds.

"I was really just trying to test myself and I didn't really have anything to lose," Bates said.

But her edge evaporated in the next mile on Heartbreak Hill, as Kiplagat and Sharon Lokedi ran to the front of a group while Bates quickly fell back and out of contention.

“I wasn't able to have the wheels at the end,” Bates said.

Obiri pushed to the front in Mile 23, followed closely by Lokedi and Kiplagat. Obiri stayed in front in Mile 24, as Lokedi stayed on her shoulder and Kiplagat fell back by 20 seconds.

Obiri began her kick soon after, pulling away over the final mile.

She's now hopeful of representing Kenya in France, with the triumph in Boston serving as the perfect proving ground.

“(The) Paris course is a tough course. It’s even tougher than Boston,” she said.

Associated Press Reporter Jennifer McDermott contributed to this report.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

Hellen Obiri, of Kenya, raises the trophy after winning the women's division at the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

American women finishers celebrate with the crowd at the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. At right are Sara Hall, Emma Bates and Des Linden. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Emma Bates, center, gives high fives to spectators at Wellesley College as she and the other leaders of the women's division run through Wellesley, Mass., during the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024. Bates was the top American finisher. (AP Photo/Jennifer McDermott)

Emma Bates takes the lead after the start of the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Hopkinton, Mass. Bates was the top American finisher. (AP Photo/Jennifer McDermott)

Hellen Obiri, of Kenya, raises her arms as she wins the women's division at the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Hellen Obiri, of Kenya, celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the women's division at the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Kenya's Hellen Obiri, center, surges ahead of Sharon Lodeki, left, and Edna Kiplagat, right, just past mile 23 in Brookline, Mass., during the Boston Marathon, Monday April 15, 2024. Obiri won the women's division. (AP Photo/Jennifer McDermott)

Boston Marathon men's division winner Sisay Lemma, of Ethiopia, left, and women's division winner Hellen Obiri, of Kenya hold up the trophy at the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Hellen Obiri, of Kenya, displays the trophy on finish line after winning the women's division at the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, left, places a wreath on Hellen Obiri, of Kenya, right, winner of the women's division of the Boston Marathon, during ceremonies, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)