Tony Awards highlights: Daniel Radcliffe, Alicia Keys winners

NEW YORK (AP) — “People, stop texting me!” pleaded Kecia Lewis, with comic exasperation. The veteran Broadway performer had just won her first Tony award in a 40-year career, for the Alicia Keys musical “Hell’s Kitchen,” and was trying to read her acceptance speech off her phone. But she was being distracted by those pesky congratulatory texts.

Lewis soon had the laughing audience in tears, though, describing how in those four decades she had wanted to give up many times — but got enough encouragement from the right people to keep going. Many award winners encourage others to pursue their dreams, but Lewis, in a speech that was one of the night’s best, issued a blunt order: “Don’t. Give. Up!”

The Tonys are often the most entertaining of awards shows, with Broadway performers showing their best work. Sunday’s show was no exception, with the performances augmented by special appearances from the likes of Jay-Z and Hillary Clinton.

As always, the Tonys crowned both veterans (Jonathan Groff, best actor in a musical) and newcomers (Maleah Joi Moon, best actress in a musical), and had the added factor of making history for women: Female directors accounted for seven of 10 directing nods, including four of five best musical nominees. Danya Taymor won for directing “The Outsiders,” the second woman in her family to do so after her aunt, “Lion King” director Julie Taymor.

The lauded “Stereophonic” by David Adjmi, about a rock band trying to make a hit album and stay together, was crowned best play as expected. But the final award of the night brought an upset that had people whooping with surprise. “The Outsiders,” based on the classic youth novel, beat out “Hell’s Kitchen” for best musical. Nothing like a last-minute nailbiter to send the crowd out buzzing into the night.

Some key moments of the evening:

The audience at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater, a new venue for the Tonys, came to its feet with the first musical excerpt of the night, from “Hell’s Kitchen” — a jolt of joyous high energy. A medley of songs introduced the show’s stars — including Lewis, singing with young sensation Moon — before a piano rolled onstage with Keys herself, singing her and