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What a Tony Week it Was!

6/20/2017

Problem: I don't know how to adequately describe the magnificent theatre week I had last week. It was filled with all the great things!

Solution: I'll just give a few of my own personal awards in this post-Tony Awards bliss state:

Most Glorious Performances By Two Leading Ladies: Cynthia Nixon and Laura Linney in The Little Foxes. This was the last show I saw, and what a way to close out the week! Cynthia was in the role of Regina, while Laura played Birdie. I think what struck me most, was that each was indelibly her character; I didn't even want to imagine them reversing the roles, as they do in alternating performances. Cynthia was such a perfect, terrifyingly taught and simmering Regina. Laura was a just as perfect a heartbreakingly wounded and gentle Birdie. When Birdie has her final breakdown, and wrestles herself free from her niece’s helping grasp to walk defiantly out of her own power, the audience erupted in applause. The entire cast was wonderful, the set and costumes are marvels. I loved it all, but Cynthia and Laura took my breath away.

Most Enchanting Musical: Anastasia. Disclaimer: I’ve never seen the animated film, so was not comparing, good or bad. That's the way I always prefer to “meet” a staged theatrical production (same was true of Groundhog Day for me; I've never seen the movie). What a wonderful surprise! It is simply gorgeous in its visuals, costumes and sets, and the principals give delightful, and sufficiently weighted performances. Christy Altomare in the title role, in particular, is so appealing, and sings like an angel. That said, John Bolton’s Vlad stole my heart. He's warm and funny and goofy and poignant and adorable all at once. I really am happy to say I'd go back to see Anastasia again!

Most Thrilling Diva Duel: It's still a tad unbelievable to me that I watched the perfection that is Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole on stage together, as iron-willed corporate titans in War Paint. They each own every note, every line, every step. Just when one of them finishes a number, and you're thinking “well, that can't be outdone!”, the other steps out and all bets are off. Another lusciously designed show that is a true treat to experience.

Favorite Show of the Week: A Doll’s House Part 2. This was a truly unexpected delight. I, along with others presumably, and incorrectly, believed that if I had not seen Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, I would not understand or appreciate this new work by Lucas Hnath. I am so glad I was curious enough about the buzz to take the chance! Laurie Metcalf, Jayne Houdyshell, Condola Rashad and Chris Cooper are an electrifying cast. Laurie and Jayne, in particular, just completely charge every inch of that theater with personality, truth and humanity. The play is deeply funny; by which I mean, the kind of funny that makes you laugh from your soul at the relatability of it all. Laurie Metcalf certainly earned that Tony Award. And Condola Rashad is simply luminous.

Most Dream Come True Moment: Meeting Allison Janney at the stage door of Six Degrees of Separation. She is wickedly funny, and it was fantastic!

Favorite Stage Doors of the Week: A Doll’s House Part 2 & Groundhog Day. Every cast member from each of these shows signed, and took lots of time with those waiting. Special thanks and kudos to the Groundhog Day folks, who were performing on the Monday night after the Tony Awards, at which they had not received even one win out of 7 nominations. The show’s motto is #championsadjust, and they proved it at that Monday performance. It was full out and fabulous. Congratulations to Andy Karl and all!

A Doll's House Part 2

Laurie Metcalfe

Condola Rashad

Jayne Houdyshell

Groundhog Day

Andy Karl

Barrett Doss

Composer Tim Minchin

Best Freewheeling Cabaret Performance: Tim Minchin, composer of Matilda and this season’s Groundhog Day was wildly entertaining in his stream-of-consciousness performance at Feinstein’s/54 Below that included songs from his shows, songs from other people's shows, non-show songs, and storytelling. I found him immensely likable, and a very generous post show guy, chatting up the long line of fans that wanted to meet him.

Best Way to Watch the Tony Awards: The Tony Awards party, also at Feinstein’s/54 Below, and hosted by one of my favorite non-profits, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Great food, intimate venue, great group of people to cheer along with; it's the next best thing to being in Radio City. Bonus: no formal wear required! Subaward for Best Drink Named After a Musical: The Great Gimlet of 1812. YUM!

Best Serendipitous Moment of the Week: Walking back from the above-noted Tony party, on a mostly deserted stretch of Broadway, we ran into the lovely Betsy Wolfe (she's just taken over for Sara Bareilles as Jenna in Waitress), who was walking back from Radio City (her previous show, Falsettos, was nominated for Best Revival of a Musical). She and her friend were taking photos on the empty street, with Times Square in the background, and we acknowledged her enthusiastically as we passed. That became a full on photo shoot with her and of her (and that gorgeous gown!). Betsy is just the sweetest, and it was such fun to be able to tell her how much we love her performances, and wish her the best for Waitress!

Favorite Non-cast Person to Emerge From the Stage Door: Any Law & Order: SVU fans out there? Well, I got a real kick out of seeing one of my favorite “judges” from the show come out from visiting with the cast of Present Laughter, Joanna Merlin (Judge Lena Petrovsky), who originated the role of Tzeital in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway, and has been a casting director and collaborator with Stephen Sondheim on multiple shows, as well as acting steadily over the years.

Joanna Merlin (L)

Best Bit of Luck With a Theatrical Theme: Did you know there are Broadway trading cards? They're called Lights of Broadway, and people trade them, take them to stage doors for signing, etc. The artist who created the cards is named Squigs Robertson, and he's a great guy! Anyway, on a whim I bought a pack of the new Spring '17 release, and the first three cards I pulled out included 2017 Tony nominees Paula Vogel (Playwright, Indecent) and Tim Minchin! The third was one of my absolute favorite actors on or off Broadway, Adam Chanler-Berat, who starred on Broadway in Amelié this past season.

So, as the title says, what a week it was!! By the way, as far as the results of the Tony Awards go, I wouldn’t argue with any of the results (but did have some personal favorites that didn’t win). Having seen all of the nominated shows, and watched and met many of the nominated performers, I can honestly say that the awarded work was richly deserved, and truly good people were rewarded. This is unquestionably true for everyone involved with Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away and Indecent, three of my favorite shows this past season.

On to the new season! 2017-18, we’re coming for you!

p.s. Phil is proud to bear the signatures of his talented friends at Groundhog Day Musical , Andy Karl & Tim Minchin... On this first day of summer, Phil thinks you shouldn't have been complaining about some extra winter, but talk to the paw at this point...

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In Honor of Tony Awards Week!

6/7/2017

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In honor of Tony Awards Week, some thoughts:

Even if you are not a regular theater-goer, be glad the Tony Awards are telecast (and please watch if you can!), because the art of the stage has, for millennia, been a vital part of the history of civilization~without live storytelling, we would be lost as a species. We must celebrate this art form, particularly so that it will continue to speak on behalf of the often-voiceless in our society.

The shows you see on the Tony Awards are only a small fraction of the shows, on Broadway, Off Broadway, touring, regional, kids in backyards that play out every day. The fact that a show is on Broadway does not automatically make it better or more to your liking than the one put on by your local theater company. This means that you are not handicapped because you don’t get to see Broadway shows. If you see theater at all, you understand the magic of the stage.

A show that arrives on Broadway was not dropped there by a theater-obsessed stork, it has been YEARS in the making, and, unlike with a film, the work continues long after Opening Night, if the show is successful. The difference between a show making it to a Broadway theater is often merely the nature of the show (it may be better in a more intimate setting and not suitable for a Broadway house), the star-power of the cast, the deep pockets and risk-friendly producers who get on board, or the particular array of shows all aiming for Broadway that season. There is a finite number of Broadway theaters. Think of those commutes on freeways where three lanes all of a sudden merge into one, with a stream of cars coming in from the entrance ramp. Do not think of a show as less successful because it didn’t go to Broadway. But be glad for Broadway shows drawing audiences into theaters, and being visible, and inspiring young people to put on a show in their backyard. They may be on Broadway one day.

It is absolutely true, because this is a live art form, that every single performance, including the one you will see, is absolutely unique; sometimes twice in a day. When you attend a show with your audience, your cast, your serendipity, you have been part of a once-in-a-lifetime event. And make no mistake, what you bring to that theater with you, your enthusiasm, willingness to be transported, gratefulness for the actors impacts that show and that experience. You will often hear actors at stage doors say “You guys were such a great audience,” or “Thank YOU for being a wonderful audience.” It really does make a difference.

The performers you see on the Tony Awards get paid for performing 8X a week. Again, unlike with a film, the cast does not wrap up, take their paychecks and move on. Stage performers spend years punishing their bodies to tell us stories that may (and do) change the world.

This season alone, there were stories inspired by history, by fantasy, by human suffering, by human triumph, by human foibles, by human kindness, by cultural evolution, by gut-bustingly funny circumstances, by the need to offer hope, by curiosity, by the simple wish to entertain. Never mind if it was a movie first…who cares? When it hits that stage to tell a story, it is on its own. It may be more successful at telling the story, less successful at telling the story, but it is telling a story in its own way…let it do its thing.

I like awards because they bring attention to the amazing work being done, but they won’t ever get it completely “right.” There are too many variables impacting the process. The Tony Awards are only one of the several revered awards a show could receive, and several of the shows you will see on the Tony Awards may have won multiple awards already, or none at all yet. And some of the shows that arrived on Broadway after being successful Off Broadway, were highly awarded during their Off Broadway runs, but may not get a Tony Award.

Broadway is not a synonym for “musical.” Musicals get the most attention, usually, but plays are powerhouses in terms of impact. If you think you don’t like musicals, that doesn’t mean you don’t like Broadway. The plays this season were/are amazing.

Liking theater doesn’t make you “elitist” or “high brow.” Yes, being able to afford expensive Broadway tickets is a limiting factor, but again, stage-based, live storytelling is the most equalizing of art forms. Just stand up and tell a story. There, you have the first breath of theater. The kind of theater you like does not make you more intelligent, more savvy, more hip, more right…what it makes you is you. And that’s what theater is all about, telling each other about each other.

Go see a show. Go tell a story. Go be kind to one another.

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What a Tony Week it Was!

In Honor of Tony Awards Week!

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