‘Titanic,’ ‘Last Night’ Capture Top Tonys

NEW YORK — “Titanic,” a lavish retelling of the 1912 sea disaster, upended “The Life” Sunday, winning five 1997 Tony Awards, including the prize for best musical.

“The Last Night of Ballyhoo” by Alfred Uhry, author of “Driving Miss Daisy,” was named best play. It celebrates a Jewish family’s joys and tribulations in 1939 Atlanta.

“Titanic” also picked up awards for best score and book of a musical, scenic design and the first-ever prize for orchestration.

It was a sweet and surprising victory for the creators of the $10-million musical, which was plagued by technical problems--including canceled preview performances--before its opening.

“This is overwhelming,” said an ecstatic Maury Yeston, composer and lyricist of “Titanic.”

A revival of Kander and Ebb’s “Chicago” also was a big winner, receiving six awards, including best musical revival.

A gracious Bebe Neuwirth, who plays a vampy murderess in the show, as expected, won the prize for best actress in a musical.

“Chita Rivera is a goddess of the theater, and I bow to her when I accept this and I thank her for creating such a delicious role,” said Neuwirth as she saluted the actress who originated the part in 1975.

Neuwirth’s co-star, James Naughton, who plays a conniving lawyer, received the best actor-musical prize.

Ann Reinking, who also stars in “Chicago,” won the choreography award for creating the show’s dances in the style of Bob Fosse.

“This one’s for you, Bobby,” she said tearfully, saluting the late Fosse, the show’s original director and choreographer.

“Chicago’s” current director, Walter Bobbie, was named best director of a musical and Ken Billington took a prize for the show’s lighting.

“A Doll’s House,” another critically acclaimed revival, was also a multiple-award winner. Henrik Ibsen’s drama was named best revival of a play, and stars Janet McTeer, as the distraught Nora, and Owen Teale, as her domineering husband, were also honored. As was director Anthony Page.

Christopher Plummer was chosen best actor in a play for his portrayal of legendary actor John Barrymore in William Luce’s two-character drama “Barrymore.”

Lynne Thigpen, who plays a black Jewish feminist in Wendy Wasserstein’s “An American Daughter,” won the prize for featured actress in a play.

“The Life,” about sex and sleaze in Times Square, was expected to be “Titanic’s” main competition. It swept the featured actor-musical categories. Chuck Cooper, who plays a coolly cruel pimp in the show, and Lillias White as a man-weary prostitute, were popular winners. “Love brought me here tonight,” White shouted, as the crowd roared its approval.

“Candide” received one prize for costume design (Judith Dolan). Shut out of any awards was the musical “Steel Pier,” which had received 11 nominations.