Every so often a megahit storms Broadway, and from the opening number until the audience cheers, people cannot get enough.

“The Book of Mormon,” a hilarious and profane musical about Mormon missionaries in Africa, leads with 14 nominations at the 65th Annual Tony Awards, airing on CBS tonight.

“The Scottsboro Boys,” a minstrel show about the 1931 travesty of justice when two white women falsely accused nine black men of rape, is next with 12 nominations. And “Anything Goes,” the Cole Porter musical revived with Sutton Foster, takes nine.

Neil Patrick Harris hosts again as the live show moves to the smaller Beacon Theatre after 13 years at Radio City Music Hall.

“He is a guy who has been on Broadway, knows Broadway and is also on a hit sitcom on CBS, so the television audience knows him as well,” says Glenn Weiss, Tony Awards director and an executive producer.

At this writing, precisely what would be on the three-hour show was still being planned, but expect production numbers from nominated musicals — “The Book of Mormon,” “Catch Me if You Can,” “Sister Act” and “The Scottsboro Boys” — with the cast of the last production reassembled for this. Two revivals, “Anything Goes” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” will be featured.

Note to Harry Potter fans: Daniel Radcliffe is the star of “How to Succeed,” so kids who wouldn’t normally tune into the Tonys have reason to watch.

Look for TV favorite Judith Light (“Who’s the Boss?”), up for her first Tony Award for her terrific turn as the wisecracking, alcohol-swilling wife in “Lombardi,” about the Packers coach.

“This is wonderful and marvelous and silly and ridiculous,” Light says.

The day after nominations were announced, some actors were stunned to have been nominated. They met in midtown Manhattan before a two-show day, and many looked as if mornings were not their preferred time.

Then there’s Patina Miller, who could not stop beaming after being nominated for her Broadway debut as Deloris Cartier. She’s an aspiring lounge singer with a fantastic voice, hot pants and thigh-high platform boots, who witnesses a murder and seeks asylum in a convent in “Sister Act.”

“My face is still hurting from smiling,” she says.

Though many actors say they will improvise an acceptance speech, Miller says, “I’ve always had a speech for something.”

“I feel I should wing it,” says Andrew Rannells, the apple-cheeked and ambitious Elder Price of “The Book of Mormon.” “I’ve been writing versions of this speech since fourth grade. There are pieces I can pull from memory if need be.”

His co-star, Josh Gad, who plays the very funny and incredibly annoying Elder Cunningham, says, “I feel like it’s kind of important. I don’t want to be that schmuck that goes up and doesn’t know what to say.”

An avowed “awards show fanatic,” Gad says, “You always dream as a kid. Maybe one day I will be there. This is so surreal.”

Some actors are thrilled that their plays, shuttered months ago, were remembered. Laura Benanti, who stole “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” the musical version of Pedro Almodovar’s film, says, “I felt it was unfairly demonized. Some people were just mean. One in particular made me angry on behalf of my fellow actors. I feel like the Tony committee washed some of that clean.”

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