The 66th Annual Tony Awards took place at the Beacon Theatre here Sunday to honor achievements in Broadway productions during the 2011-2012 season, with the musical "Once" netting eight awards.

The musical, directed by John Tiffany, won eight awards out of its 11 nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical.

Based on an Academy Award-winning film, "Once" tells the story of an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant who are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, their unexpected friendship and collaboration evolve into a powerful but complicated romance, heightened by the raw emotion of the songs they create together.

The evening's first acting award went to Judith Light for her featured performance in Jon Robin Baitz's family comedy-drama "Other Desert Cities."

"I feel like I'm the luckiest girl in New York tonight," said an emotional Light, a nominee last year for the play "Lombardi." She is also known for her TV roles in "Who's the Boss?" and "Ugly Betty."

Michael McGrath won featured actor in a musical for his role as a rumrunner in the 1920s-style musical "Nice Work If You Can Get It."

Audra McDonald won a Tony for her role in the musical "The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess." It is her fifth Tony but her first in the lead actress category.

Steve Kazee, who took home the 2012 Best Performance By An Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his work in "Once," thanked his cast and crew for helping him stay strong after the death of his mother.

"Clybourne Park," the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy-drama by Bruce Norris, won the Tony Award for Best Play.

The Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards are bestowed annually on theater professionals for distinguished achievements. The Tony is one of the most coveted awards in the entertainment industry, and the annual telecast of the awards ceremony is considered one of the most prestigious programs on television.

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