NEW YORK — Steve Kazee, an Ashland native and Fairview High School graduate, has won the Tony Award for best lead actor in a musical for his heartfelt and touching performance in “Once.”

The 2012 awards were announced in a three-hour singing/dancing extravaganza Sunday night on CBS.

Kazee plays an Irish street musician and vacuum cleaner repairman in Dublin who falls in love with a Czech flower seller. It’s based on the 2007 film that featured the Oscar-winning song “Falling Slowly.”

In accepting the award, Kazee paid tribute to his cast, his Tony nominated co-star Cristin Milioti and his mother, who died after a long battle with cancer on April 8.

"My mother passed on Easter Sunday, and I came back to this show, and this cast has carried me around and made me feel alive, and I will never be able to fully repay them," Kazee said in his speech.

Choking up while looking at the award, he said, "My mother told me once, she always told me before shows to get up there and show them whose little boy you are. And I'm showing today that I am the son of Kathy Withrow Kazee, who lost a fight on Easter Sunday with cancer. And I miss you every day, and I feel you with me tonight."

A 36-year-old rising star and guitar player with matinee idol looks, Kazee has gone from replacement parts in “Spamalot” to an understudy role in “Seascape” to starring in “110 in the Shade.” He also starred in CMT’s series “Working Class.”  

The Morehead State University graduate beat out Danny Burstein and Ron Raines, both from “Follies,” Jeremy Jordan from “Newsies” and Norm Lewis from “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”

“Once” also won the best musical prize. It beat out “Newsies,” “Nice Work If You Can Get It” and “Leap of Faith.”

Other winners:

Choreography: Christopher Gattelli, “Newsies.”

Orchestration: Martin Lowe, “Once.”

Book of a Musical: Enda Walsh, “Once.”

Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play:  Judith Light, “Other Desert Cities.”

Sound Design of a Musical: Clive Goodwin, “Once.”

Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Michael McGrath, “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”

Sound Design of a Play: Darron L. West, “Peter and the Starcatcher.”

Direction of a Musical: John Tiffany, “Once.”

Direction of Play: Mike Nichols, “Death of a Salesman.”

Costume Design of a Play: Paloma Young, “Peter and the Starcatcher.”

Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Christian Borle, “Peter and the Starcatcher.”

Costume Design of a Musical: Gregg Barnes, “Follies.”

Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Judy Kaye, “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”

Scenic Design Play: Donyale Werle, “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Original Score (Music and-or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre: “Newsies.”

Scenic Design of a Musical: Bob Crowley, “Once.”

Revival of a Play: “Death of a Salesman.”

Lighting Design of a Musical: Natasha Katz, “Once.”

Play: “Clybourne Park.”

Lighting Design of a Play: Jeff Croiter, “Peter and the Starcatcher.”

Revival of a Musical: “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Steve Kazee, “Once.”

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: James Corden, “One Man, Two Guvnors.”

Performance by an Actress in Leading Role in a Play: Nina Arianda, “Venus in Fur.”

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Audra McDonald, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”

Musical: “Once.”