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b>Neil Patrick Harris, who did a smashing job hosting the Tony Awards on CBS last night (above), has has booked roles in two independent projects during his hiatus from “How I Met Your Mother.” In “The Best and the Brightest,” he stars as a dad who moves to Manhattan with his family and gets caught up in the brutal competition a spot in private kindergartens. He has the supporting role of a blind tutor in “Beastly,” an update of “Beauty and the Beast” starring Alex Pettyfer as the teen protagonist. Daniel Barnz (“Phoebe in Wonderland”) directs. No word on whether Harris will also reprise his hilarious role as the out-of-control “Neil Patrick Harris” in “Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam,” due out next year That’s set to begin shooting after Kal Penn starts his White House gig. That is, if Penn ever starts it.