Mark Rylance was the surprise winner of lead actor in a play for his performance in the farce "Boeing-Boeing." Even more of a surprise was his rambling acceptance speech that made Tony watchers wonder: Is this star of a wacky comedy losing it? Was he joking? Backstage, he explained that his words were from a prose poem by Lewis Jenkins of Duluth, Minn.

Asked about winning for a comic performance, the respected classic actor said, "I have done lots of different things, and with people not knowing who you are, having this notoriety at 48, you do not need to do just one thing."