'Kinky Boots' was the big winner at the Tony Awards on Sunday night taking home six prizes.

The play - about a struggling shoemaker and his drag queen business partner which is based on a 2005 movie - earned accolades for first time stage composer Cyndi Lauper, who took home the statuette for Best Original Score Written For The Theatre, and Billy Porter, who received the Best Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role In A Musical gong. Among its other honours it was also named Best Musical.

During her acceptance speech, Lauper admitted she had rehearsed her words in the shower, saying: "OK ... I can't say I wasn't practising in front of the shower curtain for a couple of days for this speech.

I've got to thank my mom for sharing all that wonderful music. I wrecked all her Broadway musicals when I was a kid, the cast albums. That's how I learned to sing ...  I want to thank my wonderful family. My son and my husband who inspire me ... and everybody else in my category. I feel honoured to be part of this community. I've never been a stranger to hard work, but your hard work is an inspiration to me."

Other notable winners included 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' - which stars David Hyde Pierce and Sigourney Weaver - which was named Best Play, and 'Matilda The Musical' which received four awards, including Best Performance By An Actor In A Featured Role In A Musical for star Gabriel Ebert.

The ceremony was held at New York's Radio City Music Hall and hosted by Neil Patrick Harris hosted for a fourth time, while a galaxy of stars handed out awards, including Matthew Morrison, Zachary Quinto Jake Gyllenhaal, Sally Field, Scarlett Johansson, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Mike Tyson.
 
The 2013 Tony awards selected winners:

Best Play
'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' by Christopher Durang

Best Musical
'Kinky Boots, The Musical'

Best Book of a Musical
'Matilda, The Musical', Dennis Kelly

Best Revival of a Play
'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

Best Revival of a Musical
'Pippin'

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
'Matilda The Musical' Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Tracy Letts, 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Cicely Tyson, 'The Trip to Bountiful'

Best Performance By An Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Billy Porter, 'Kinky Boots'

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Patina Miller, 'Pippin'

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Courtney B. Vance, 'Lucky Guy'

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Judith Light, 'The Assembled Parties'

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Gabriel Ebert, 'Matilda The Musical'

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Andrea Martin, 'Pippin'

Best Direction of a Play
Pam MacKinnon, 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

Best Direction of a Musical
Diane Paulus, 'Pippin'

Best Choreography
Jerry Mitchell, 'Kinky Boots