The 66th annual Tony Awards honoured the best performers and productions in theatrical entertainment for 2012 and the evening's festivities were held at Bacon Theatre in New York City.

The star of the evening was Once, the story of a Dublin street performer and a Czech piano player, which won eight awards including Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical and Best Direction. Incidentally, the latter, for British director John Tiffany, was his first Tony. 

"Once is a story about when people believe in each other, they can move on in life, and so many people have believed in this project," Tiffany said in his acceptance speech. 

Clybourne Park - the 2011 Pulitzer Prize award winner for Best Play - received the same acknowledgment on the evening. In other awards, James Corden won Best Performance by an Actor for a Leading Role in a Play (for One Man, Two Guvnors), beating veteran Philip Seymour Hoffman in the process.

"To be on a list with you (Hoffman) was enough and holding this, it honestly just reminds me that there is no such thing as best. Honestly, I am overwhelmed," Corden said. 

Meanwhile, television star Neil Patrick Harris hosted the ceremony for the third straight year and Australian actor Hugh Jackman was honoured by the Tony Awards Administration Committee for his contribution to the Broadway community and for his charity work. In a romantic gesture, Jackman then called his wife on stage and thanked her for her support.

"I love you with all my heart. I know how much you hate public speaking; this is probably the greatest thing you've ever done for me. Really. It means the world to me," Jackman said to her.

Check out the major winners:

Best Play - Clybourne Park (author - Bruce Norris)

Best Musical - Once

Best Revival of Play - Death of a Salesman (author - Arthur Miller)

Best Revival of Musical -  The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play - James Corden (One Man, Two Guvnors)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play - Nina Arianda (Venus in Fur)

Check out the full list of winners here and click Start to see a slideshow of photographs from the evening of the 2012 Tony Awards in New York City

James Corden poses backstage with his award for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play for "One Man, Two Guvnors" during the American Theatre Wing's 66th annual Tony Awards in New York

Actor Jackman kisses his wife Furness after she presented him a special Tony award during the American Theatre Wing's 66th annual Tony Awards in New York

Host Harris performs with actor Borle and the cast of "Peter and the Starcatcher" during the American Theatre Wing's 66th annual Tony Awards in New York

James Corden performs from "One Man, Two Guvnors" during the American Theatre Wing's 66th annual Tony Awards in New York

Actress Arianda celebrates after winning the Tony award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her work in "Venus in Fur" during the American Theatre Wing's 66th annual Tony Awards in New York

James Corden, Audra McDonald, Nina Arianda, and Steve Kazee pose backstage with their awards during the American Theatre Wing's 66th annual Tony Awards in New York