Jeff Lunden

Early in the evening, it very much looked like Cats, the Jellicle Ball, a reinvention of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical set in the drag ballroom scene, would pick up the award.

It won Best Direction of a Musical, Best Choreography, and the first openly trans costume designer won in her category.

But Ragtime, the epic musical based on the E.L.

Doctorow novel, was named Best Revival.

It picked up three other awards as well.

For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.