While accepting her award for featured actress in a musical, Nikki M. James thanked the people behind the Tony Awards for “changing the face of American theater.” James is just one of many wins associated with The Book of Mormon, which took home nine awards at last night’s show. The awards show was attended by the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Don Cheadle and Chris Rock.

James won her award for playing sweet-natured villager Nabulungi in the musical conceived by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. As James was being signaled to wrap up her acceptance speech and exit the stage, she balked and said in response, “I will not leave this stage!” Clearly emotional, the actress compared herself to bumblebees and said the comparison was true “because nobody told them they couldn’t. I come from a long line of bumblebees, and I’m grateful that nobody told me I couldn’t fly.”  

(Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)