Hollywood Tonys party with Tommy Tune celebrates leading ladies

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Reeve Carney of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” and fellow web-slingers take a turn onstage. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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The cast of “Mamma Mia!” takes a “Kinky Boots”-inspired turn. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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The cast of “The Phantom of the Opera” performs. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

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The cast and producers from “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” accept the award for best revival of a play. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

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Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer accept their Tony Award for lighting design for “Lucky Guy.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Cyndi Lauper is the first solo woman to win the award for best score, for the best musical winner “Kinky Boots.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Laura Osnes of “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella” performs at the Tony Awards. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

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Gabriel Ebert accepts the award for featured actor in a musical for his role in “Matilda, the Musical.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Dennis Kelly wins for book of a musical for “Matilda, the Musical.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Anthony Warlow and Lilla Crawford of “Annie” onstage. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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The cast of “Matilda, the Musical” performs. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

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The cast of “Newsies the Musical” together again. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

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Sigourney Weaver takes note of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s support for the stage during their presentation. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Huntington Theatre Company’s Managing Director Michael Maso, left, and Artistic Director Peter DuBois accept the Regional Theatre Award. (Evan Agostini / Invision/AP)

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Laura Benanti, from left, Andrew Rannells, Megan Hilty and Neil Patrick Harris perform a humorous skit about stage actors and the often-shaky move to TV. (Evan Agostini / Invision/AP)

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Arthur Darvill performs at the 67th Tony Awards. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Presenter Jesse Eisenberg. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Host Neil Patrick Harris performs the opening number with Mike Tyson at his side. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jane Krakowski take their turn as presenters. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Neil Patrick Harris has a moment with “Annie’s” Sandy. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Neil Patrick Harris starts off the 67th Tony Awards with a big musical number. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Bertie Carvel portrays the sadistic Miss Trunchbull in “Matilda, the Musical.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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The cast of “Motown The Musical” performs. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Zachary Quinto and Audra McDonald speak as presenters. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Judith Light accepts the award for actress in a featured role in a play for “The Assembled Parties.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Sound designer Leon Rothenberg accepts the award for sound design of a play for “The Nance.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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The cast of “Matilda, the Musical” performs. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Scarlett Johansson and Alan Cumming, arm in arm, as presenters. (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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John Shivers accepts the award for sound design for a musical for “Kinky Boots.” (Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images)

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Tom Hanks presents the award for actress in a featured role in a play. (Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)

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Courtney B. Vance accepts the award for featured actor in a play for “Lucky Guy.” (Evan Agostini / Invision/AP)

By Ellen Olivier

June 10, 2013 12:40 PM PT

Supporters of the Actors Fund got the jump on fellow Angelenos by securing a live feed of the Tony Awards for the 17th annual Tony Awards viewing party in Hollywood.

So while much of L.A. waited for Sunday’s tape-delayed broadcast at 8 p.m. Pacific time, more than 400 theater lovers began their Tony viewing at 5 p.m. on a movie-size screen at the Taglyan Cultural Complex.

Dressed in his signature red suit, nine-time Tony Award-winner Tommy Tune sang, danced and hosted the shindig, which honored Broadway’s leading ladies. They included Marissa Jaret Winokur of “Hairspray”; gymnast Cathy Rigby of “Peter Pan”; Nancy Dussault of “The Sound of Music”; June Lockhart, a 1948 Tony winner for “For Love or Money”; Charlotte Rae of “Li’l Abner”; and Millicent Martin of “The Boy Friend.”

Tonys 2013: Red carpet arrivals | Show highlights | Winners & Top nominees | Best & Worst moments | Full Coverage

Tune also gave a special salute to Anne Jeffreys, whom he called the “ghostess with the mostest,” referencing her role in the classic 1950s series “Topper.” The elegant actress turned 90 in January.

In a feat of impeccable timing, the tributes and live entertainment in Hollywood took place before, after and in between the television segments, in other words, during the time allotted for commercials.

“It’s like bringing the Titanic into a berth for a speedboat,” said David Rambo, the show’s writer and producer. Rambo is a writer and co-executive producer of TV’s “Revolution.”

In an audience packed with 400 veteran actors and entertainment professionals, it was not surprising to see shouts of approval for Tony winners, comments on those accepting awards and great appreciation for performers in the TV broadcast.

“Wow! Who knew?“ Tune declared, after Jane Lynch belted out “Little Girls” as Miss Hannigan in Broadway’s “Annie.”

“I knew [Lynch] could sing,” said Iqbal Theba, “but I didn’t know she could sing that well -- she was awesome.” Theba plays Principal Figgins to Lynch’s Sue Sylvester in “Glee.”

Among others in the crowd were the legendary Mickey Rooney, champion ice skater Tai Babilonia, actors Loni Anderson, Stefanie Powers, Mitzi Gaynor, Kate Linder and Ruta Lee; newscasters Wendy Burch and George Pennachio; producers Martin Massman, Nancy Malone, David Michaels and Kate Edelman Johnson; and Actors Fund representatives John Holly, Jomarie Ward, Keith McNutt and Louie Anchondo

Frances Fisher of “Titanic” and Davis Gaines of “Phantom of the Opera” participated in ceremonies, which ended with a grand finale, complete with balloons, confetti, all seven honorees onstage and Marc Cherry there to serenade them. Cherry created “Desperate Housewives” and the upcoming “Devious Maids.”

“Who better to bring them up for a final bow than the man every actress in town wants to work for?” said Tune. Cherry then sang Stephen Sondheim’s “Beautiful Girls.”

Find more of Ellen Olivier’s reports on social happenings at Society News LA.

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