Tony Time

Back in January when a show was closing everyday, it seemed like a dark time for Broadway, but this season was pretty incredible, especially in terms of acting performances. I really wish the Tonys had a best ensemble award. This year has had some of the best ensemble work I've ever seen (Hair, God of Carnage), and I haven't even seen The Norman Conquests yet. A best replacement category would also be nice so Norbert Leo Butz and William H. Macy could be nominated for their fantastic work in Speed-the-Plow. I can't say I'm pleased with all the nominations, but read them here, as well as some early predictions and some unsolicited opinion:

Best Play
Dividing the Estate
God of Carnage
Reasons to be Pretty
33 Variations
I missed Dividing the Estate, but I've seen the other three. I loved reasons to be pretty and it would be really great if it could win, since it's not doing well at the box office, but I think God of Carnage might take it. I loved the acting, but wasn't so crazy about the play itself. 33 Variations is probably the weakest of the lot and I think the least likely to win.


Best Musical
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Next to Normal
Rock of Ages
Shrek The Musical
What??? Rock of Ages got a nomination?! I'm outraged. This just shows what a weak year this was for new musicals. Rock of Ages is one of the worst musicals I've ever seen and the only thing that saves it is the supporting cast. I haven't seen 9 to 5 yet, but I refuse to believe it could be worse than Rock of Ages. Billy Elliot has 15 nominations, and I expect it will win best musical, which is fine with me, though I really liked Shrek.

Best Book of a Musical
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Lee Hall
Next to Normal
Brian Yorkey
Shrek The Musical
David Lindsay-Abaire
[Title of Show]
Hunter Bell
Yeah! Hunter Bell got nominated! I'm so excited for him! He probably wanted this more than anybody. If he won, it would be amazing, but I doubt it will happen. I'm guessing Billy Elliot or Next to Normal. I haven't seen the new and supposedly improved Next to Normal, but I hated the off-Broadway book.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Billy Elliot, The Musical
Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Lee Hall
Next to Normal
Music: Tom Kitt
Lyrics: Brian Yorkey
9 to 5: The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton
Shrek The Musical
Music: Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
I hope [title of shows]'s Jeff Bowen is happy for Hunter Bell and not too disappointed he didn't get nominated. 9 to 5 didn't get completely shut out. I love the Shrek score, but again, I'm not expecting it to win. It's a strange year when I'm more excited about the play categories than the musical categories.

Best Revival of a Play
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Mary Stuart
The Norman Conquests
Waiting for Godot
Way to completely forget about the first half of the season. The Seagull should have been nominated. I also loved Speed-the-Plow, but this was a crowded year. All four of these are on my must see list, but based on the reviews, it will go to The Norman Conquests or Joe Turner.

Best Revival of a Musical
Guys and Dolls
Hair
Pal Joey
West Side Story
Hair will and should win. Its only competition is West Side Story and that's barely competition.

Best Special Theatrical Event
Liza's at The Palace
Slava's Snowshow
Soul of Shaolin
You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush
I've only seen You're Welcome America, which I really enjoyed, but I think Liza will take it, and I'm sure rightfully so.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage
Raúl Esparza, Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini, God of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski, Reasons to Be Pretty
Finally a category I completely agree with. I loved all five of these performances. Rush will probably take it, but I wish they could give it to all of them. This was a competitive year, but I wish Daniel Radcliff could have been nominated as well. Equus was largely forgotten, and the excellent Seagull was completely shut out. Congrats to Raúl Esparza for being the only actor other than Boyd Gaines to be nominated in all four acting categories.


Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Hope Davis, God of Carnage
Jane Fonda, 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart
Will the votes be split between the Mary Stuart ladies? Jane Fonda is a sentimental favorite and much as I love her, I don't think she deserves it for this show. Marcia Gay Harden has a good shot too. Congrats to the cast of God of Carnage for all earning nominations.


Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish ‚ Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gavin Creel, Hair
Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical
Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal
Seriously??? Constantine Maroulis? The guy has no personality on stage. There are some great actors in Rock of Ages and he is not one of them. Brian d'Arcy James should get a special award for having to get into that costume every night. I would love to see him or Gavin Creel win, but the Billy Elliot boys might take it. I saw David Alvarez and loved his dancing and his acting, but not so much his singing.


Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical
Allison Janney, 9 to 5: The Musical
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story
Alice Ripley is the favorite here and I'll refrain from commenting until I see Next to Normal on Broadway.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
John Glover, Waiting for Godot
Zach Grenier, 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan, The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
I haven't seen enough of these to comment yet.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Hallie Foote, Dividing the Estate
Jessica Hynes, The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland, Reasons to Be Pretty
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests
Angela Lansbury hasn't won a Tony in 30 years and everyone loves her, so she will probably win. She was delightful in Blithe Spirit. Carey Mulligan should have been nominated for The Seagull, but I'm happy that Marin Ireland was recognized.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
David Bologna, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5: The Musical
Christopher Sieber, Shrek The Musical
Will Swenson, Hair
I love these guys. I was not expecting David Bologna to be nominated, but he deserves it for his performance as Michael. I think Will Swenson should win, but Christopher Sieber stole the show in Shrek and could easily take it. Nominations I wasn't expecting but would have loved to see: Bryce Ryness, Hair; Curtis Holbrook, West Side Story; Wesley Taylor, Rock of Ages (you heard right, I said something nice about Rock of Ages).

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Karen Olivo should win for owning the stage in West Side Story. Jennifer Damiano is extremely talented and she's still a teenager. Martha Plimpton was the best thing about Pal Joey. I wouldn't rule out Haydn Gwynne.

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests
Derek McLane, 33 Variations
Michael Yeargan, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
I haven't seen these all yet, but didn't find the sets of 33 Variations or Exit the King particularly memorable.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls
Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Scott Pask, Pal Joey
Mark Wendland, Next to Normal
Guys and Dolls, really? I thought it was an eyesore myself. Next to Normal should win. Shrek and 9 to 5 got ignored on this one.


Best Costume Design of a Play
Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Jane Greenwood, Waiting for Godot
Martin Pakledinaz, Blithe Spirit
Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart
Based on pictures and reviews, I think Waiting for Godot will win this one.

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages
Nicky Gillibrand, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
Michael McDonald, Hair
I love the Hair costumes. They are time-period appropriate without being too over the top. The Shrek costumes are the most show-y.


Best Lighting Design of a Play
David Hersey, Equus
David Lander, 33 Variations
Brian MacDevitt, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Hugh Vanstone, Mary Stuart
I can't really comment on this one.

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, Hair
Kevin Adams, Next to Normal
Howell Binkley, West Side Story
Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot, The Musical
I hope Kevin Adams wins for Hair and not Next to Normal.


Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, Mary Stuart
Gregory Clarke, Equus
Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
I can't really comment on this one either.

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, Hair
Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Peter Hylenski, Rock of Ages
Brian Ronan, Next to Normal
Or this one.


Best Direction of a Play
Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage
Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests
Matthew Warchus for The Norman Conquests or Bartlett Sher. Ian Rickson should have been nominated for The Seagull.

Best Direction of a Musical
Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Greif, Next to Normal
Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages
Diane Paulus, Hair
I'm really hoping Diane Paulus will win. Last year, Bartlett Sher won for his revival of South Pacific. That was the best possible revival of South Pacific and Diane Paulus is giving us the best possible revival of Hair. But will Billy Elliot sweep? Or will Michael Greif be rewarded for completely turning around his musical? I don't think Arthur Laurents deserved to get nominated for West Side Story, but I do kind of feel bad for him. He deserved it over Kristin Hanggi for Rock of Ages, anyway.

Best Choreography
Karole Armitage, Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin's White Christmas
White Christmas got some nominations. I think Peter Darling will win.

Best Orchestrations
Larry Blank, Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Martin Koch, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
Danny Troob and John Clancy, Shrek The Musical
I don't really understand award shows. Shouldn't the nominees for best score and best orchestrations be the same?

JONAS or the Poor Man's Monkees

In the Disney Channel vehicle for the Jonas Brothers, aptly titled JONAS, the brothers play pop stars who go to school, but don't hide their identity. I guess they didn't want the best of both worlds. The show borrows a lot from The Monkees in that the brothers live in a cool apartment and get into crazy situations and the scenes are interspersed with music videos. In the first episode, Nick falls hard for a girl in the way Davy Jones used to fall in love with a girl in every episode.

It's not necessarily a bad thing that the show is basically Monkees redux, but the quality of the show is not very good. I'm not saying that The Monkees was a masterpiece, but it was entertaining. The Jonas Brothers don't look very comfortable in front of the camera when they're not singing. I admire the decision not to use a laugh track, but it does create an awkward silence in certain points where you can imagine the laughs should be.

Given the fact that tweens will not watch anything that the Jonas Brothers are in, Disney better step its game up.

You know you're a theatre nerd when...

you walk by the Vitamin Water storefront in Soho and think to yourself, "I wonder if Kevin Adams did that lighting design."

Vitamin Water 10 store (It's not really a store, but they do have free Vitamin Water there. It's a pretty nice place.):



Kevin Adams's Passing Strange lighting:

Better Than Radiohead's Pay What You Want Strategy

My boss alerted me to a price menu for drummer Josh Freese's new album. The prices range from $7 to $75,000 and packages include anything from dinner at Sizzler to a trip to Disneyland (both with Freese, of course). The site assures that this is not a joke. Honestly, I hadn't heard of Josh Freese before today, but I think this is pretty awesome. I hope this catches on. I would definitely pay $50 to get a phone call from Paul McCartney or $250 to go on a lunch date with him. Not that Sir Paul would ever do this, but a girl can dream. Which musicians would you like to see adopt this pricing strategy?

I Heart (TO)NY

I'm really enjoying Time Out New York's theatre coverage of late. First, the critics made a really silly video called "Chekhov 101". I love it when critics have a sense of humor. Then, David Cote had a genius casting idea for the upcoming Spider-Man musical. Sure beats Jim Sturgess, who is rumored for the role.

I know I'm probably in the minority of people who read this kind of thing (Entertainment Weekly's theatre column lasted about a week), but I hope that more publications will expand their theatre coverage beyond reviews and have some fun. New York Magazine is doing a pretty good job as well.

Glory, Glory: Pippin at the Mark Taper Forum

In 2003, Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of Big River with hearing-impaired and hearing actors transferred from Los Angeles to Broadway, and one hopes that their production of Pippin, at the Mark Taper Forum through March 15, will have a similar fate. There hasn't been a revival of Pippin on Broadway since its original production in 1972 and this refreshing take suggests that it might be time (with a few minor tweaks).

In the show, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson, the "players" are performing the story of Pippin, the son of King Charlemagne (his name has been updated to Charles), trying to find his purpose. In this production, directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, some of the characters are played by a single actor, who sings and signs, while others are played by a hearing-impaired actor and voiced by a hearing actor. Only Pippin is double cast, and this is where the production works best. Tyrone Giordano is first presented as our Pippin for the night, but when he starts to sign, Ty Taylor as the Leading Player brings out Michael Arden to provide his voice. Pippin is a character struggling with his identity, and the two actors play different sides of his personality, often at odds with each other. Giordano and Arden work very well together and Arden's lovely voice combined with Giordano's charm and innocence make for a likable leading man.

Hands are obviously very important to a show where everything is signed, and hands appear from the stage at various points in the show. During the song "With You," when Pippin explores sex, the two Pippins are first seduced by these hands, then they make their way to a bed, where men and women appear and disappear through the sheets in one of the best, and most seductive, moments of the show.

Spoilers are to follow, so if you're not familiar with the story, you may want to stop reading. At the end of the show, Pippin veers from the script and chooses love instead of the grand finale. He is stripped of his clothes, make-up, all the "magic." What makes this moment all the more powerful is when Arden is taken away from him as well, so he is left with no voice. Who knew that even in moments of silence, a musical could be so powerful.

Not Exactly What I Had In Mind

Although I've been lamenting the fact that so few new musicals are opening this spring, that doesn't mean I'm happy about the sudden announcement that Next to Normal is transferring to Broadway. In my initial review, I wrote that if many changes were made to the show, a Broadway transfer wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but now I have to say, I was actually angry when I read this news. Maybe it's because of the fans and critics who think this show is genius, maybe it's because there are so many better off-Broadway shows that never see the light of day again (How about Slug Bearers on Broadway. Anyone?). Now I'm angry because this seems to be a rush to get the show on Broadway before the Tonys, since there is not much competition this year. This is an interesting season because with the economy being what it is, many shows closed or were canceled or postponed, but at the same time, more risks are being made because there is more room for shows that wouldn't normally make it. I don't know how much work was done when it recently played in Virginia, but I hope that the producers respect their audience enough to give them the best product possible and really think it's the best it could be before bringing it to the Broadway stage.

Initial Oscar Reactions

With all the excitement about the new President and inauguration activities (I even watched the Kids Inaugural, which was pretty cute), I almost forgot about the Oscars. You can read the nominations here. I'm a little disappointed that Wall-E wasn't nominated for best picture, a little surprised that Dark Knight wasn't either, and a lot excited that Robert Downey, Jr. was nominated for best supporting actor, even though he won't win.

Just The Bitch Of Living

I've never really understood why fans get so upset when shows close. I never like to see people lose their jobs and I certainly don’t like to see so many shows closing at once, but everything has to close sometime (except maybe Phantom), and if shows didn't close, there wouldn't be room for new shows to come in. So I'm surprised at myself for how I'm feeling today, the day of Spring Awakening's closing on Broadway. Yesterday, "The Mirror-Blue Night" (one of my favorite scenes in the show) came up on my iPod, and I got a little emotional. Of all the shows closing this month, it's the only one I feel compelled to write about. Two Sundays ago (January 4), nine shows closed on Broadway. Last Sunday, three more closed. Some were limited runs like White Christmas and All My Sons. Some, though I was surprised to see them go, had pretty healthy runs, like Hairspray and Spamalot. And some, though I’m sorry for all those that lost their jobs, didn’t really deserve to be on Broadway in the first place, like 13 and Young Frankenstein. But Spring Awakening lasted only two years, which is a pretty good run for a show that seemed risky to bring to Broadway, but after all its critical success, it should have lasted longer. In my opinion, it's one of the best new musicals in recent years, and I wish there was still a place for it on Broadway. There will always be teenagers who were too young to see the show before who may not get a chance to see it, depending on how long the tour runs.

I wouldn’t say Spring Awakening is my favorite show, not that I have one, different shows affect me for different reasons, and I don’t think it’s a perfect show by any means, but somehow I’ve seen it more times than any other show on Broadway. Somewhat unintentionally (not that anyone forced me, but I usually try to see everything once, twice at the most), I ended up seeing it six times.

I saw it for the first time a few months after it opened on Broadway. The glowing reviews had already come out, but it wasn’t at the height of its popularity. I had an internship in the city at the time, and one day after work, I walked up to the box office at around 6:30 p.m. and was still able to get a rush ticket (this was before students started camping out at 6 in the morning, and I heard for tonight's show, they started camping out at 5 p.m. last night). I avoid reading reviews before I see a show, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I just sat that in my little box seat and fell in love with the music. The moment that sticks out most in my mind is when John Gallagher Jr. took out his microphone to sing the first words of the rocking anthem of teenage boys "The Bitch of Living." It was a similar experience to the first time I heard RENT, the score was just electric. The choreography was unlike anything I'd seen before--it seemed so representative of what teenagers go through, bursting with energy to experience something, to get out, to grow up. I was also impressed by the cast. When I got back to Syracuse, I read some articles on them and couldn't believe how young they were. I was so excited when I left the theatre that I called my sister to tell her I just saw a new musical that she was going to love and that she would be crushing on some of the actors (she was 15 at the time). I was right on both counts. The second time I saw the show, my mom and sister were visiting for my sister's 16th birthday. It was still as good as I remembered it, but this time I knew what to expect. Seeing it through my sister's eyes was almost as thrilling as seeing it for the first time, in a way, even more so, because she is the right age to really connect with the material. Though I remember what it was like to be a teenager, and am sure that Spring Awakening would have really spoke to me at that time, I have a little bit of a distance from that stage of my life.

As I said, it's a flawed show. There are some cheesy moments, especially when Moritz and Wendla come back and start singing to Melchior. "The Song of Purple Summer" is tacked on as if they didn't know how to end the show. Some of the original Wedekind has been toned down to market the show as more of a love story when it's really a lust story, but then again, the ambiguity of some of the scenes allows for discussion and disagreement, which is a good thing.

My third viewing of the show was about a year after it opened. Some friends were going, so I decided to join them, but I didn’t enjoy it as much. The cast seemed to be growing tired and I didn't find myself as drawn in. But a few months later, we surprised my sister with onstage seats for her birthday, and seeing the show from a different angle brought back that same excitement as the initial viewing. I thought I would feel self-conscious sitting onstage, but seeing the cast jump around, especially during numbers like "Totally Fucked," is an exhilarating experience. Because the cast sits onstage as well, I noticed that the cast, who I thought seemed so tired of the show just a few months earlier, seemed genuinely involved in the material, still crying and laughing even during some of the scenes that they weren't in.

I thought that would be my last visit to the show, until I won a contest to interview Hunter Parrish. Although it was strange to see a new cast, I loved the dynamic between Hunter Parrish and Alexandra Socha and seeing the different interpretations of the characters made it almost like seeing a new show.

I saw the show one last time a few weeks ago, again with my sister, who was visiting (yeah, she's spoiled) and wanted to see it one last time. We got standing room, which actually turned out to offer yet another new perspective. I've never had such a centered view and even noticed some aspects of the set I hadn't before (like a full moon).

In my six viewings, I rarely saw understudies. I went to see the show, and didn't pick dates based on who would be in that day. Spring Awakening fans LOVE their understudies and sometimes camp out if they hear a certain cast member will go on. I'm a little old to be obsessing over cast members, so I never really cared who I saw, but today I find myself regretting not seeing different casts. I wonder whether Matt Doyle's (who was terrific in both the ensemble and as Hanschen) Melchior was really that good or what it would have been like to see Zach Reiner-Harris and Morgan Karr (who I loved at the Spring Awakening holiday show) in any role. But then I realize I don't really need to see every interpretation of every role--I'm sure these cast members will have bright futures ahead and I'll get to see them in other roles. So yes, I'm ready to let the show go personally, but it is too soon for it to close, and will leave the new musical selection on Broadway sadly underwhelming. Looking at the new shows coming in, there are so few new musicals. Shrek was actually much better than I expected and I enjoyed Billy Elliot, but I don't remember much about either score. The Story of My Life, which I don't expect to last very long, and 9 to 5 are coming in, but that's about it. Everything else will be revivals. Avenue Q and In The Heights are just about the only original musicals left (I know Spring Awakening wasn't truly original being based on a centuries-old play, but it did break new ground in other ways). I'm left thinking about the teenager who never liked musical theatre, who might have seen Spring Awakening and loved it, and been tempted to discover other theatre, who now might not get that chance.

It's A Christmas Miracle

I exaggerate a little about the miracle part, but Norbert Leo Butz and Raul Esparza are going to be on the same Broadway stage. Sadly, neither of them will be singing, but I'll take what I can get. Jeremy Piven had to leave Speed-the-Plow due to illness and Butz is now taking over. Speed-the-Plow was one of my favorite shows of the year, but this will undoubtedly make it even better. I must get back to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and hope for a technical difficulty.

My Year in Lists

I have no idea where the year went, but I do know that I lasted a year in New York City. Here are some of my favorites of 2008.

Top 5 Movies:
1) Wall-E: Pixar consistently makes the best and most original movies today. Wall-E is visually stunning and told a very sweet story. Plus, Wall-E and Eve are just so darn adorable.
2) Iron Man: I know Dark Knight was the superhero movie this summer, but Iron Man was more enjoyable. Robert Downey Jr. is my kind of superhero.
3) Milk: Not a weak link in the cast (I was especially impressed by James Franco) and very timely.
4) Prince Caspian: Though not as good as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, it remains faithful to the series, except for that ridiculous Susan/Caspian romance.
5) Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist: Though the book was better, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie, which is that rare teenage film where most of the teenagers are not annoying, yet still realistic.

Top 5 Albums:
1) 5to Piso, Ricardo Arjona: He's one of the few artists that I can buy a new album without hearing any of the songs and know I won't be disappointed, and so far, I haven't been. He's a brilliant storyteller as well as musician.
2) goddammed, Jay Brannan: His lyrics range from clever and biting to poignant, sometimes all in one song.
3) Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, The New Broadway Cast: Just because a show is great, doesn't necessarily mean the cast album will hold up, but this is one of the most well-done cast albums I own, perfectly capturing the magnificent orchestra and cast.
4) Hold On Now, Youngster..., Los Campesinos!: So much fun. And still better than We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, also released this year. The title of this blog post is taken from a song off this album.
5) Volume One, She & Him: I've loved Zooey Deschanel since Elf, and now I love M. Ward too.

Top 5 Concerts:
1) Ray Davies, Hammerstein Ballroom, Dec. 12: I actually saw him for the first time on March 29 at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, but this concert slightly topped that one because I was closer to the stage and he played three songs from The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society, as well as "Dedicated Follower of Fashion," "Apeman," and "Father Christmas."
2) The Swell Season, Rumsey Playfield, Sept. 18: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova seem to love playing together and for an audience. Were it not for the strict rules in Central Park, they might have played all night.
3) REM with The National and Modest Mouse, Madison Square Garden, June 19: Not one, but two good opening acts, plus REM. Good deal. Although I would have liked a bit more variation in the set list from the 2004 show I saw, also at MSG.
4) Jay Brannan, Highline Ballroom, July 16: I wasn't too familiar with his work beforehand, but I loved everything he played. Plus, he had good stage banter, which I always enjoyed. After seeing him live, I bought his album, which as you can see, made my top album list as well.
5) A Spring Awakening Holiday Concert to Benefit SafePlace, Joe's Pub, December 15: I was debating whether to include this since I already come across enough as a Broadway fangirl without admitting that I went to this, but it really was amazing, especially the arrangements of classic Christmas songs done by Spring Awakening vocal arranger Ann Marie Milazzo. I loved the haunting harmonies in the big group numbers, but the highlight was this number (even though it's more of a Passover song), which showcased two ensemble members of the current cast, Morgan Karr and Zach Reiner-Harris:


Top 5 Broadway:
To narrow it down, I took this list from shows that opened this calendar year (not Broadway season) and am therefore excluding shows that I saw this year that opened last year, such as Xanadu and August: Osage County.
1) Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific: Beautiful production. A full orchestra. Perfect cast. Amazing score. This is the only show in recent memory for which I paid full price, and it was worth every penny.
2) Gypsy: Patti LuPone, Boyd Gaines, and Laura Benanti deserved their Tony's. I know it's all about Lupone, but Benanti's transformation during the show is incredible to watch. It's really a shame that it's selling so poorly and will be closing in January (along with everything else on Broadway).
3) In The Heights: Although the book isn't perfect, the innovative rap/hip-hop infused score and dancing make up for it. Extra points for the best YouTube channel ever, usnavi.
4) Boeing Boeing: One of the funniest shows I've ever seen, thanks in large part to Mark Rylance, and I don't usually like farce.
5) Speed-the-Plow: It's hard to narrow down my favorites to 5. Maybe I should have included The Seagull instead or even [title of show], but I love Mamet, especially this one, and if Raul Esparza doesn't finally get a Tony, there is no justice.

Top 5 Off-Broadway:
Same rules as above, which is why I'm not including Speech and Debate.
1) Hair at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park: If you didn't know I was going to pick this, you haven't been paying attention, as this was one of my favorite productions ever. I just hope the Broadway production is able to capture at least some of what was created in the park last summer.
2) Black Watch at St. Anne's Warehouse: Didn't think it could live up to the hype, but it did.
3) The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island at The Vineyard: Talk about an original musical. The story was weird and the sets were made up of Ben Katchor's animation. I wish more people would have seen this or that there would have been a recording of some kind.
4) On The Town at New York City Centers: I'd never seen a City Center's Encores! production, but even from my awful seats, I loved it. I'm a sucker for big orchestras, dancing, Bernstein, and Tony Yazbeck.
5) Fifty Words at MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel Theatre: Norbert Leo Butz and Elizabeth Marvel gave two of the best and most realistic performances of the year in this two-person show about marriage.

Top 5 Books:
I have to cheat on this one because I don't know if I even read 5 books that came out this year, so I'm going to choose from the books I read this year. I'm currently reading What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell and The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross, which are both very good, but since I haven't finished them, won't make the list.
1) A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: Although Dickens is my favorite author, I hadn't read it yet, but I'm glad I finally got around to it. I hadn't read Dickens in a while and he had the ability to write descriptions and characters like nobody else.
2) Attack of The Theatre People by Marc Acito: The sequel to How I Paid For College and just as funny. I don't think you'd need to be a theatre nerd to enjoy the crazy situations Edward Zanni gets himself into, though you'd probably miss some of the references.
3) Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan: For such a short book, it's pretty substantive, and Cohn and Levithan do an excellent job of getting into the mind of a teen.
4) Unaccostumed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri: I usually prefer novels to short stories, but these stories were so well-crafted and each one fit together to form a larger picture.
5) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: O.K. I've since become disenchanted with the series and the fans kind of scare me, but when I read the first one, I was totally engrossed in the love story. Meyer is a repetitive writer, but she can weave a nice fairy tale.

A Razzle Dazzle Episode of Pushing Daisies

Pushing Daisies's writers apparently love the underappreciated 1977 Disney movie Pete's Dragon as much as I do. Wednesday's episode, "The Legend of Merle McQuoddy," featured numerous references to the movie. At first I thought maybe it was just a coincidence that the lighthouse keeper's name was Nora like in the movie and her last name McQuoddy which sounds a lot like the town name Passamaquoddy. But then her son's name was Elliot, as in the name of the dragon. Plus they wore the same cute yellow raincoats and hats and then there was that a capella rendition of "Candle on the Water." Awesome. I'm glad I watched the movie when I was home over Thanksgiving, or I'd be really in the mood to watch it now.

What Is New Line Thinking?

Playbill reports that New Line bought the screen rights to Rock of Ages, an off-Broadway musical playing at the New World Stages. I'm not in the film business, but this doesn't seem like a great idea, especially in these troubled times. This musical has a fan base, but it is by no means a well-known hit. It's also not very good, a weak and unoriginal story that's basically filler to showcase '80s songs. The audience members that enjoyed the show when I saw it seemed to be more into the alcohol (which can be ordered during the show right to your seat) than anything else. It's also a show that encourages audience participation, so I can't see how these aspects will be brought to the big screen.

Sad News Friday

I've been in a good mood lately. It's almost Thanksgiving. It's time for gingerbread and eggnog. But I'm sad about two things today:

Sorry for yet another post about Hair, but Playbill reports that Jonathan Groff will not be making the move with the show to Broadway. He was replaced during the extensions at the Delacorte run (due to a prior commitment) by Christopher J. Hanke. Hanke was good in the role, but I didn't think he connected to the material or cast the way Groff did. The real shame is that there wasn't a Delacorte cast recording. No casting announcements have been made yet, but I'm sure this will still be a production worth seeing.

I also read that the television show Pushing Daisies has been canceled, which is a real shame because it was an original concept with a good cast and endearing characters.

Of course, there are worse things that could happen, and I'm sure the cast and crew of Pushing Daisies will find other projects. Also, I think my blog has become too theatre-dominant since I moved to New York and I'll try to change that soon. In the meantime, here is something that I wrote that has nothing to do with theatre (unless Conor Oberst was in a regional production of West Side Story that I don't know about).

3 War Shows, Just In Time For Veteran's Day

I didn't plan this, but in the 4 days before Veteran's Day, I saw 3 shows related to wars and military--The Roundabout Theatre production of Streamers, The National Theatre of Scotland's Black Watch, and a York Theatre Company reading of Yank!.

This season, both on and off Broadway is all about the testosterone, with two Mamet shows and Billy Elliot, to name a few. Perhaps this is a reaction to last year's season of women, with shows like August: Osage County and Top Girls. The only woman in any of the three shows I saw was Nancy Anderson in Yank!, who played all the female roles. It's a boy's life, indeed.


Though very different in their approach, the three shows deal with questions about what it means to be a man. Streamers, directed by Scott Ellis and written by David Rabe in 1976, takes place during the Vietnam War. Though it is the only one in which the characters are not actually fighting, but waiting to go to go to war, it is the goriest of the three. Black Watch, directed by John Tiffany and Gregory Burke, is about members of the Black Watch regiment of the Scottish Army during the Iraq War. Although it is not a musical, the whole piece is beautifully choreographed. Yank!, directed by Igor Goldin with music by Joseph Zellnik and book and lyrics by David Zellnik, mostly focuses on the relationship between two men in the army during World War II.


It's sad how little has changed in the over 60-year time span during which the three shows take place. We're in a war with many similarities to Vietman. In Yank!, the main character wants homosexuality to become acceptable and makes a comment about how things will change probably by 1949 or 1950, which gets a laugh from the audience. In light of the passage of Proposition 8, there is still a long way to go.

I'm looking forward to seeing what change President-elect Barack Obama will bring in the future. For now, I think I'll take a break from all this heavy war stuff, at least until Prayer for My Enemy opens at Playwrights Horizons next month.

Happy Election Day

Out of all the election-related videos on YouTube, I think this is my favorite because Mr. McFeely is awesome. Enjoy.

By the way, my polling station still used the lever machines and they did not have any "I Voted" stickers, which I'm still a little bitter about.

High School Musical Too

Nickelodeon is releasing its own teen musical movie, Spectacular!, to be released sometime in 2009. It sounds a lot like Disney's High School Musical, except instead of a basketball player who reluctantly joins the musical, it's about a rock star who reluctantly joins the show choir. It doesn't look very good, but I'm kind of hoping it does well, if only so I don't have to hear about those HSM kids anymore.

13 Creators Could Have Done a Little More Homework

Saturday night at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre was filled with teens, tweens, and even very young children with their families. It was the final preview of 13, a new Broadway musical by composer Jason Robert Brown. It's no wonder families would want to take their children, the show stars an all-teen cast, but those expecting High School Musical might be in for a surprise. The adult humor may go over some heads.

In 13, Evan Goldman (played on Saturday night by Corey J. Snide, but usually by Graham Phillips), has to move from New York City to Appleton, Indiana after his parents' divorce, and right after his bar mitzvah. He wants to have the best party, which means all the cool kids have to be there, but he might have to hurt his new neighbor Patrice (Allie Trimm) in order to make that happen.

Evan's struggle to fit in is realistic, as are many of the actions of the characters, but the dialogue in the book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn often doesn't ring true. I am not naive enough to think that girls of this age don't call each other sluts, but I don't think 13-year-olds would make as many jokes about inbreeding, terminal illnesses, and Judaism.

The show is 90 minutes long with no intermission, apparently cut down from two acts. Although I'm a fan of the tight one-act, in this case, the show may have benefitted from a little more time for the characters to develop. Archie (Aaron Simon Gross), the boy with the never fully explained terminal illness, is very clever, but we never get to see the pain that he must be going through.

The score is as hit-and-miss as the rest of the show. The standout song is "Bad Bad News," sung by Al Calderon, Malik Hammond, Joey La Varco, and easily the most talented in the cast with sadly one of the smallest roles, Eamon Foley.

Christopher Gattelli's choreography is energetic and fitting, but again, there isn't enough of it, which is a shame because dancing is clearly the strong suit for most of the cast. That might explain the tacked on number "Brand New You" after the curtain call, which serves no purpose other than to showcase the dancing skills of the cast and the excellent all-teen band.

It's easier to write about a show when it's truly awful or amazing, but this show was a little of both, and ultimately forgettable.

If 9 People Read This Blog...

I don't know how many people read this blog, probably not many, but I want to do my part to help the lovely cast of [title of show] reach its dream of playing packed houses until the show closes (far too soon) on October 12. If you need convincing, watch the [title of show] show and don't forget to watch it through episode 10, which is a doozy of a cliffhanger.

A little backstory: [title of show] is a musical about writing and putting on a musical, written by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, who star as themselves in the show alongside their friends, Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell. Yes, it is very theatre insider-y, but you don't need to get the references to enjoy the show (I don't know anybody who understood every reference). Everybody can relate to the concept of vampires, but if you want to know more about that, you have to see the show. So go see it. Tell 9 people. Or 90.

After that, go see Xanadu, which is also set to close on the 12th (incidentally, I became more interested in seeing Xanadu after seeing Cheyenne Jackson on the [title of show] show). It'll be a sad day for musical theatre lovers.

Edit: Xanadu is closing on Sunday now.

More Exciting Than a Hair Transfer

Read my interview with Hunter Parrish on Broadwayworld.com.*

I was able to see the show again (thanks Broadwayworld and Spring Awakening!) and was very impressed with Parrish. He and Alexandra Socha played Melchior and Wendla quite a bit differently than Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele, who originated the roles. They had great chemistry, as did Groff and Michele, but Socha came on much more aggressive, which worked, but made my question about whether the sex scene was a rape kind of a moot point (I had to submit my questions before I saw the show).

*That was kind of bossy. You don't have to read it if you don't want to.

Edit: I feel like a mini-celebrity now. I went to Barnes and Noble last night to see Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik speak about Spring Awakening and was recognized, so now there are more pictures of me on the site.

It's Official

So, I got to work a little early today and was checking Playbill.com because I'm a nerd, and it was finally announced--Hair is transferring to Broadway! The cast, theatre, and dates have yet to be announced, but I'm hoping the cast will be able to transfer. While I don't think the experience of seeing the show in the park can ever be recreated, I'm excited for a few reasons.
1) A cast album (I'm assuming).
2) Tony nominations (I'm assuming).
3) More people will be able to see this amazing production.
4) More exposure for the talented cast.

Goodbye, Love

I was around 13 or 14, visiting family in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was hanging out with my cousins at their house and they asked me if I heard of a new musical called RENT (the three of us were and still are musical theatre fans). I hadn't. They told me the plot of the show and the story of Jonathan Larson's tragic death and then played me the cast recording. I was blown away. My cousins had made a cassette tape for me of The Beatles Anthology 2, which I didn't have yet (we also share a love of the Beatles), and there was some room left at the end of the cassette, so they added a few RENT songs (I think they were "Rent," "One Song Glory," "Happy New Year," and "Seasons of Love"), which I listened to over and over again when I returned to California until I bought the complete album (I have also since bought the Beatles Anthology 2 on CD).



RENT will finally close this Sunday after a 12-year run, and I think it's time, but I can't help feeling a little emotional. Had I grown up in New York, I would probably have been a RENT-head, but I had to wait for the touring company before I was able to see the show and then I was blown away again. I felt like this show had been written for my generation, which seems a little silly now. What did I know then (or even to an extent now) about AIDS or loss or not having money to pay rent? Yet something about the show spoke to me. The characters felt so real to me. At that point, I had never met anyone who was openly gay, but the show made me sympathetic to gay rights. I loved the idea of no day but today.

I saw the show for a second and final time towards the end of high school with some friends, who used to sing RENT with me in between classes. I have never seen the show in New York and was considering going before it closed, but I am afraid that after such a long run, it won't be the same. I'd rather remember RENT when it was still new and groundbreaking. I can always listen to the soundtrack or watch the movie, which was a disappoint (how dare they live out "Christmas Bells"), but as close as I'd ever get to seeing the original cast. I'm glad RENT came around when it did, and I only hope they don't revive it in two years.

An Internal Struggle with the Twilight Series

Note: This blog post contains spoilers on the Twilight series, including Breaking Dawn.

I consider myself a fan of the Twilight series, but I always struggled with loving a series that romanticized what in many ways is an unhealthy relationship.

In Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Bella is human girl who moves to Forks, Washington, and falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen. In the first book, they fall hard for each other, but they are still testing each other, they tease each other, flirt playfully, and Bella still spends time with her human friends. They seemed to have the perfect relationship and I found myself joining the teenage girls crushing on the fictional Edward.

In the sequel, New Moon, Edward leaves for a long period in the book because he wants her to have a better life. She completely falls apart. It's described as something more than love. They need each other, they feel whole when they are together. What girl doesn't want to imagine herself with a guy who would do anything for her? Who only sees her? Yet, Edward also thirsts for her blood. He has to balance loving her, with the fact that he wants to kill her. He makes up for this by protecting her from everything. He never wants her out of her sight.

In Eclipse, he forbids her to see her best friend, Jacob Black. He goes so far as to stop her car from working and have his sister kidnap her (he has an unfair advantage, he can read minds and his sister can see the future). There is something wrong with this picture. It's not healthy for a teenager to spend all her time with her boyfriend and for him to demand that she stop seeing her other friends. He lightens up later in the book, but because Edward is seen as the perfect boyfriend, young adults might think this is acceptable and might mistake their own controlling boyfriends for just being protective and loving.

None of these books were particularly well written, but I was quick to overlook the faults because I was so invested in the story. I eagerly went to a midnight Breaking Dawn party, participating in a heated Team Edward/Team Jacob debate (I was one of the few on Team Jacob, but my reasons for that would be another post entirely). After reading the much-anticipated Breaking Dawn, though, I can no longer overlook the fact that Stephenie Meyer is a lazy writer.

It's not very fair to compare Meyer to J.K. Rowling, but since they both have such die-hard fans, comparisons are inevitable. I never thought Rowling was a great writer either, but she took her time with the series, whereas Meyer seems to be tackling a lot in a short amount of time--the Twilight series, as well as her first adult novel, The Host, and other projects she is apparently working on. As a fairly new writer who has said in interviews that she wants to improve as a writer, she should slow down. I guess it's a little too late for this series though.

I will admit that I was shocked about Bella's pregnancy, especially since I wrongly misinterpreted the fact that vampires could not have babies to assume that it also meant they could not have babies with humans. After that, however, the book went in far too predictable and easy directions. I was hoping that Bella would not become a vampire, but of course she did. At the core of the first three books is the story of a beautiful vampire in love with a clumsy ordinary girl. If she's also a vampire, it's just two vampires in love, and that's pretty boring. Plus, Bella got to be a vampire and didn't end up having to make any sacrifices. What's that about? She got to keep a relationship with her father. She got to stay best friends with Jacob and will eventually have him as a son-in-law (anyone else creeped out by the Oedipal implications in this, let alone the fact that he imprinted on a baby). Everyone wins, except the reader.

A novel has to have conflict, but the only conflicts in this book were forced as when Bella was sure that she and Edward were going to die and that Alice had actually left them. Plot devices like this only work if you believe them. I suspected early on that Stephenie Meyer was a happy ending writer and it was obvious throughout the book that nobody would die and everyone would be paired off (in some cases with no development as with Charlie and Sue). There was no suspense in the final confrontation with the Volturi and everything leading up to it.

The main reason I was quick to forgive the faults of the first three books was my love for the characters, who felt three-dimensional. In this book, many characters were barely in it (Alice, Emmett), and the others felt like their personalities were missing. Edward was always there, but not as much of a presence as in the other books. The only character who was consistent with the other books was Jacob and the chapters from his perspective were the most enjoyable to read.

I've been reading reactions to the book online and while many were unhappy, there are many "Twihards" or "Twilighters" who say that all the books are perfect. They call Stephenie Meyer a "genius." As I said before, I love it when books get teenagers so excited that they will wait in line at midnight, but I would hope that they would realize it's OK to love a book and be critical. They should want to engage in the books, think about and discuss them. I'm not saying that because I thought Breaking Dawn was bad, that everyone should, but I hope that for those that did love the book, they think about why they did.

What I Learned Last Week

As some of you may know, when my mom and sister come to town, it's always a Broadway extravaganza (I guess that's not that different from when they're not here, but at least when they come, I have an excuse to see a show every night).

We had a cramazing time and were lucky enough to see both South Pacific (totally worth paying full price) and Hair (totally worth waiting in line for), though sadly not In the Heights. I think the most important thing I learned is, Xanadu really is as good, silly, and fun as everyone says, and not just because of Cheyenne Jackson's short shorts.

But they do help.

In all honesty, though, the highlight of the week was Hair in Central Park. All three of us love the music and have always wanted to see it live. Seeing it with them, outside in the park, with such an amazing cast (especially the charismatic Will Swenson as Berger, the comic Bryce Ryness as Woof, and sweet-voiced Alison Case as Crissy), for free, and then dancing onstage at the end, was one of my favorite theatre memories ever, and I have a lot. I'm so happy it's getting the reviews it deserves. Congratulations, cast and crew of Hair.

I've always loved the music from Hair, but I'd always heard that the show didn't have much of a plot. I was surprised to find three-dimensional characters that greatly moved me.

What a piece of work is man.

How Far Would You Go For A Guest Spot in a Musical Video?

As much as I hate High School Musical, I was curious about the new ABC show High School Musical: Get in the Picture, a reality show in the style of American Idol. Young adults show off their vocal talents or lack thereof in the first audition to make it to the semi-finals. In the first five minutes, many hopefuls speak about how this is the most important audition of their lives, how they want this so bad. The coaches talk about how they will change someone's life. What do they win? A chance to sing in the new High School Musical film? A chance to star in the rumored High School Musical 4? No, they win a guest spot in a music video. As far as I can tell, the winner will not sing at all. So why all the drama? Maybe they just wanted to meet Zac Efron.

Week in Review

Monday: Ricky Gervais at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden: Hilarious, of course. His stand-up comedy performance is a little bit The Office's David Brent, in that he is politically incorrect, a little bit Extras' Andy Millman, in that he makes it seem as if he doesn't mean to be, the words are just coming out wrong. I was disappointed that there were no special guests (apparently last time David Bowie introduced Gervais). Maybe if he didn't spend the money on the big bright letters that spelled out RICKY. The show felt a little short for how much it cost, but still worth it.

Tuesday: Some Americans Abroad at the Second Stage Theatre, directed by Gordon Edelstein: The plot summary on the website mislead me into expecting a comedy about partying college students, but it was actually about the professors and the innerworkings of the English department and it wasn't that much of a comedy. I liked the play itself and some of the performances, but I wasn't a fan of the production. There wasn't so much a set as tables and chairs that would be moved to the back of the room after each scene, resulting in a cluttered mess at the end. I was very impressed with Tom Cavenaugh, who came into the production at the last minute, and gave a very compelling performance. I find Second Stage to be very hit or miss. See below for a hit.

Wednesday: Jay Brannan at the Highline Ballroom: Loved it. I'm reviewing this for 52shows.com.

Thursday: Animals Out of Paper at the Second Stage Uptown, directed by Giovanna Sardelli: I wasn't a huge fan of the only other show I've seen at Second Stage Uptown, Len Asleep in Vynl, so I didn't have high hopes for this one. But, wow, this was the highlight of my week that included seeing my favorite comedian and an amazing concert. The play was both hilarious and moving and the characters were well-developed and likeable, despite their many faults. Kellie Overbey plays Ilana, an origami artist who just went through a divorce and lost her dog. A teacher named Andy, played by the hilarious and heartbreaking Jeremy Shamos, visits her unexpectedly and asks her to mentor his genius student, Suresh, played by Utkarsh Ambudkar, who brilliantly captured every nuance of his character.

Saturday: Mamma Mia! (the movie), directed by Phyllida Lloyd: Full disclosure: I really enjoy the stage musical. It may be cheesy, but it's a lot of fun, and never tries to be more than what it is, which is why I think it's the jukebox musical that succeeds most at being a jukebox musical. The movie was also fun and not as much of a disappointment as I thought it would be. Only a few songs were cut and only a few scenes changed. It works better on stage, in a movie it just looks too cheesy, but I was impressed that most of the actors pulled off their roles. I've never liked Meryl Streep (sorry A.O. Scott). I found that she overacts, but I didn't hate her in this. I found Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper to be charming.

Why Didn't I Know About This?

Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Bendham director) is directing a film adaptation of one of the first book in one of my favorite teen series, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. The film will be called Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. The trailer doesn't look great. It seems to tone down the wit and craziness of the books, but it's hard to tell from a preview. I couldn't find anything about a U.S. release, but I must find a way to see this film.

Tony Highlights

I have to say, I loved the Tony telecast this year. It was very entertaining, especially the acceptance speeches. My major complaint is the fact that they didn't televise a bunch of the major awards, including best revival of a play and best book of a musical. I really wanted to see Boeing Boeing and Stew win. I got 19/26correct as there were no major surprises this year. Here are some of my thoughts/favorite moments:

-Whoopi Goldberg did a good job as host, but I thought she could have done more with her appearing in scenes from musicals. Instead of just showing up and singing the word "Tony," she could have done spoofs on the shows themselves.

-Performances: I like medley performances the best. They allow for more actors to performs and gives the audience a better sense of the show. I wanted to see South Pacific and In the Heights before, but now I really want to see them. If Paulo Szot sounded that good on television, I can only imagine how he sounds live. I don't think the shows that weren't nominated (The Little Mermaid, A Catered Affair, and Young Frankenstein) should have performed. It only reminded me why those shows weren't nominated. Cry Baby chose a good number ("A Little Upset") to showcase the choreography (Rob Ashford should have won) and the ensemble, the two best things about the show. Sunday in the Park with George chose the wrong song, "Move On," from act two. Act one of the show is far superior. I loved seeing the RENT original cast, especially the ensemble, but where was Jesse L. Martin? I miss him. Daniel Evans from Sunday was totally rocking out.

-Acceptance speeches: There were so many good ones. Of course, the best speech has to go to Lin-Manuel Miranda who rapped his speech for best score. I really hope he didn't write any of that ahead of time. Best line--"Mr. Sondheim, look, I made a hat where there never was a hat. And it's a Latin hat at that." Brilliant. That speech alone would get me to buy tickets to his show. Runner-up goes to Patti LuPone for being such a diva, for being so unapologetic about it, and for telling the orchestra to shut up. I also loved Laura Benanti's heartfelt speech. She seemed genuinely moved that Arthur Laurents stood up for her. And finally, Mark Rylance, who totally deserved his win for one of the best comedic performance EVER, for totally confusing everyone in the audience by reciting prose by Louis Jenkins instead of thanking people. I have to add, yeah Boyd Gaines! I don't remember his speech too well, but I love him in general and as Herbie.

-Did anyone notice how when Mary-Lousie Parker presented the award for leading actor in a play, she rightly called Macbeth "the Scottish play," as it's bad luck to say the name in a theatre. Alec Baldwin, however, actually said the name. I guess that's the difference between theatre actors and movie actors.

-I don't really know where to put this, but I love how awkward Daniel Radcliffe is.

-Surprises: There weren't really any, but I did kind of think they'd give it to Raul Esparza because they felt bad about last year. I'm glad they didn't because it wasn't his best performance and I'm sure he'll have plenty more Tony-worthy performances ahead of him. I did think Sunday in the Park with George would win scenic design of a musical, but I haven't seen South Pacific yet.

Too Soon?

I was walking around Soho on my lunch break, when I noticed a poster for a new VH1 show, I Love the New Millenium. I'll admit, I was amused by I Love the '80s and would occasionally be sucked into the marathons. I thought it was a too early to have the right perspective for I Love the '90s, but now this is getting ridiculous. The decade isn't even over yet.

On a more positive note, in the fall, TopShop will open in Soho. It will be like having a little piece of London where I work.

I Say Twilight You Say Rock

I must admit, I was late to the Twilight party, but I've been completely sucked in (if you'll excuse the lame vampire pun) to this vampire/human love story. My sister described this addiction nicely before she finished the series, "When I'm not reading, I'm thinking about when I can read." I've been so into these books, I almost forgot how much fun it is to be a Harry Potter fan until I went to a Harry and the Potters concert last week.

Since Twilight author Stephenie Meyer is being compared to J.K. Rowling, I got to wondering if Twilight rock would be the new wizard rock. So far, I've only found two Twilight theme bands. The Bella Cullen Project, a mellow all female trio, and the Mitch Hansen Band, a mellow one-man band. Neither of these bands are really doing it for me. I'd like to see something with a little more energy and wit. Maybe some bands that sing in character, as Harry and the Potters do. Jacob and the Blacks anyone? Edward and the Cullens? Or how about Stupid Shiny Volvo Owners? If anybody knows of any other Twilight bands, I'd love to hear about it. If you read the books, what would you name your Twilight band?

There's No Business Like Show Business

It's that time of year again: Tony nominations. The biggest surprise was all the love for Cry-Baby. Best musical? Seriously? I would have liked more nominations for Is He Dead?, especially for Norbert Leo Butz, but at least David Pittu was nominated. And it closed a while ago so I wasn't really expecting it to do well. Here is the full list of nominees as well as some early predictions/thoughts. I haven't seen everything yet, but I'm hoping that will change before June 15.

Best Play:
August: Osage County
Rock 'n' Roll
The Seafarer
The 39 Steps

I think it's a pretty safe bet that August will win, deservedly so.

Best Musical:
Cry-Baby
In the Heights
Passing Strange
Xanadu

I have yet to see In the Heights, but considering it got the most noms this year (13), I think it might win. Maybe Passing Strange will take it (it did win the NY Drama Critics Circle Award), but I don't think there's a definite front runner yet.

Best Book of a Musical:
Cry-Baby
Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan
In the Heights
Quiara Alegria Hudes
Passing Strange
Stew
Xanadu
Douglas Carter Beane

I hope Stew wins something, but I don't think it will be for book, because that was not the strongest part of the show. Maybe In the Heights, but from what I've heard about Xanadu (which I also have not seen yet), this might be its category.

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre:
Cry Baby
Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger
In the Heights
Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Little Mermaid
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Passing Strange
Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald
Lyrics: Stew

Well, The Little Mermaid does have a great score, but how is this nominated for best original score? Anyway, it's not going to win. I think this is the category that Passing Strange is most likely to win. It's interesting that two of the big front runners this year in the new musical categories are off Broadway transfers starring the man who also wrote the music for the show (Miranda and Stew).

Best Revival of a Play:
Boeing-Boeing
The Homecoming
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Macbeth

Tough category this year, but I hope Boeing-Boeing wins. I encourage everyone to see this play. I am usually not a huge fan of farce, but I don't know if I've ever laughed so hard in a theatre.

Best Revival of a Musical:
Grease
Gypsy
Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Sunday in the Park with George

This might be the most competitive category this year (except for Grease, how'd that get in there?). I haven't seen South Pacific, but I from what I heard about it, it will probably win over Gypsy.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play:
Ben Daniels, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing
Rufus Sewell, Rock 'n' Roll
Patrick Stewart, Macbeth

Patrick Stewart doesn't have a Tony, so maybe it will go to him, but Mark Rylance, who is generally known as a Shakespearean actor, gave a brilliant comedic performance that deserves to be recognized. I've heard amazing things about Ben Daniels as well.

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play:
Eve Best, The Homecoming
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
Kate Fleetwood, Macbeth
S. Epatha Merkerson, Come Back, Little Sheba
Amy Morton, August: Osage County

It's all about the August women, and they are both deserving, but I think Amy Morton might take it.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical:
Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park with George
Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights
Stew, Passing Strange
Paulo Szot, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair

I haven't seen either of these performances, but I believe it will be between Paulo Szot and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Stew's narration doesn't really seem like acting. I didn't care much for Evans and Wopat gave a good performance in an underwhelming musical.

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical:
Kerry Butler, Xanadu
Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Kelli O'Hara, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Faith Prince, A Catered Affair
Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George

Another tough category. This really was a good year for Broadway overall. I'll be surprised if LuPone doesn't win, but you never know.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play:
Bobby Cannavale, Mauritius
Raul Esparza, The Homecoming
Conleth Hill, The Seafarer
Jim Norton, The Seafarer
David Pittu, Is He Dead?

Will they give it to Esparza as a sorry for last year gesture? I sort of hope so, even though this wasn't his strongest performance.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play:
Sinead Cusack, Rock 'n' Roll
Mary McCormack, Boeing-Boeing
Laurie Metcalf, November
Martha Plimpton, Top Girls
Rondi Reed, August: Osage County

I'm so happy for Mary McCormack. I hope she wins.

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical:
Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange
Danny Burstein, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Robin De Jesus, In the Heights
Christopher Fitzgerald, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Boyd Gaines, Gypsy

Patti LuPone gets most of the glory for Gypsy, but the rest of the cast is just as deserving, and Boyd Gaines should win.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical:
de'Adre Aziza, Passing Strange
Laura Benanti, Gypsy
Andrea Martin, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Olga Merediz, In the Heights
Loretta Ables Sayre, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

What I said about Gaines, but for Benanti.

Best Scenic Design of a Play:
Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps
Scott Pask, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Todd Rosenthal, August: Osage County
Anthony Ward, Macbeth

August

Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with George
Anna Louizos, In the Heights
Robin Wagner, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Michael Yeargan, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Sunday

Best Costume Design of a Play:
Gregory Gale, Cyrano de Bergerac
Rob Howell, Boeing-Boeing
Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps

I loved the costumes from Boeing-Boeing, but I haven't seen any of these other plays.

Best Costume Design of a Musical:
David Farley, Sunday in the Park with George
Martin Pakledinaz, Gypsy
Paul Tazewell, In the Heights
Catherine Zuber, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

I'll totally have to guess on this one for now, but South Pacific or Sunday.

Best Lighting Design of a Play:
Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps
Howard Harrison, Macbeth
Donald Holder, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Ann G. Wrightson, August: Osage County

Macbeth, maybe. Or The 39 Steps because Kevin Adams is brilliant.

Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Ken Billington, Sunday in the Park with George
Howell Binkley, In the Heights
Donald Holder, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Natasha Katz, The Little Mermaid

Sunday, maybe Mermaid, but probably Sunday.

Best Sound Design of a Play:
Simon Baker, Boeing-Boeing
Adam Cork, Macbeth
Ian Dickson, Rock 'n' Roll
Mic Pool, The 39 Steps

Macbeth, maybe, or The 39 Steps.

Best Sound Design of a Musical:
Acme Sound Partners, In the Heights
Sebastian Frost, Sunday in the Park With George
Scott Lehrer, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Dan Moses Schreier, Gypsy

I don't know too much about sound, so I won't even try to guess.

Best Direction of a Play:
Maria Aitken, The 39 Steps
Conor McPherson, The Seafarer
Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County
Matthew Warchus, Boeing-Boeing

Since I'm assuming August will win for best play, Anna D. Shapiro.

Best Direction of a Musical:
Sam Buntrock, Sunday in the Park with George
Thomas Kail, In The Heights
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
Bartlett Sher, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific

Considering Laurents already has a Tony for Gypsy, Bartlett Sher. Correction, Laurents has never won a Tony for Gypsy, but I still stand by my original prediction.

Best Choreography:
Rob Ashford, Cry-Baby
Andy Blankenbuehler, In The Heights
Christopher Gattelli, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific
Dan Knechtges, Xanadu

Cry-Baby actually deserved this nomination. The choreography was really creative and the best part of the show, so hopefully Rob Ashford will win.

Best Orchestrations:
Jason Carr, Sunday in the Park with George
Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman, In The Heights
Stew & Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange
Jonathan Tunick, A Catered Affair

Is anyone still reading this? Maybe they'll be nice and give one award to A Catered Affair, but I kind of doubt it. Probably Sunday.

I'm very excited to see what happens. This is an interesting year and I think the winners will be all over the place, (see this New York Times article). Congrats to all the nominees.

Schadenfreude

Playbill just announced that the new musical, Glory Days, is closing after only one performance and 17 previews. The show was written by two 23-year-olds (one of who was also in Cry Baby, poor guy) and stars four young actors. I feel really bad for them, I hope their spirits aren't totally crushed by the negative reviews, and I do think they have potential (especially actor Jesse JP Johnson, who gives the most real and touching performance in the group), but I can't help but be excited. I saw this show on Saturday and it wasn't horrible, but definitely not Broadway material. The closing notice puts that Saturday afternoon in a new perspective because now I can say that I've seen a show that will be remembered for how quickly it closed (see: Carrie), and that kind of makes me happy.

And now a word from our sponsors...

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Nothing is too Wonderful to be True

It's a little early to be excited about this, but broadwayworld.com reports that a Houdini musical is in the works, aiming to open on Broadway in the spring of 2010. Danny Elfman, one of my favorite film composers, is set to do the music and David Yazbek will write the lyrics. Yazbek wrote the music and lyrics for one of my favorite musicals in recent years, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. The two seem to have a similar sense of humor and I'm excited to see the results of this brilliant partnership.

Linda Recommends

I haven't posted in a few weeks and it's a slow Friday, so I'm going to do a round-up post. Consider this sort of like my Must List (sorry EW):

Music: She & Him Volume One: Even though this album was released on Tuesday, I feel a little late to this party. Still, better late than never. She & Him is one of my favorite actresses, Zooey Deschanel and singer/songwriter M. Ward. Aside from the Beatles cover (or covers, depending on whether you consider "You Really Got a Hold on Me" a Beatles song), it's quite an endearing album--wistful, folk-y, with a hint of 60s girl groups. The best part, all the tracks are available on the duo's MySpace.

Live Music: Juanes La Vida Tour. You can read a review I wrote of his album on the middle of this page. He really knows how to get a crowd going.

Television: Since I don't have a TV yet, I'm addicted to www.hulu.com, a website which offers full-length television episodes and films for free. I'm currently on the first season of Doogie Howser, M.D. I watched it sometimes when I was younger, but I think a lot of it went over my head, and it's much better than I remember. And thanks to the internet, I was able to watch the return of How I Met Your Mother, which included a brilliant line that probably only I enjoyed, "That's not so Raven."

Theatre: Macbeth is transferring to Broadway and I was lucky enough to see it at BAM. There's nothing I can say that the rave reviews haven't said, except seeing Patrick Stewart live is almost as cool as seeing him in Extras.

Food: For breakfast, I'm addicted to Nature's Path Organic Toaster Pastries, especially the Cherry Pomegran™. So much better (and better for you) than Pop-Tarts.