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Tri-State Theater

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Sunday, June 10, 2007

Tonys Post #2

The 61st Annual Tony Awards kicks off with the cast of "Chorus Line" on the street in front of Radio City Music Hall - very cool! Marvin Hamlisch is playing - live, I assume - a good start. Now the obligatory introduction of the 8 thousand presenters, which is always boring.

Now the "Chorus Line" cast is on the stage, in full glittering costume. Pretty nifty.

The first presenter - Angela Lansbury, who gets a huge ovation - much deserved. She sets up the sho0w - the usual history - then introduces Neil Patrick Harris and Christina Applegate who will actually hand out the first award. First award - best performance by an actor in a (non-musical) play. The winner: Billy Crudup for "The Coast of Utopia." He thanks them for pronouncing his name correctly (it's "Crude-up"). He thanks a few dozen people, and is finally played off - seems like a nice guy.

Next up: the award for best performance by an actor in a musical. The winner: John Gallagher, Jr. for "Spring Awakening." He's talking incredibly fast - you'll note the Tonys always end on time (unlike the Oscars) - that's because they're required to by the networks. Despite his speed, he still gets played off by the orchestra at the end.

The inevitable "Sopranos" joke (from Frazier's brother, no less) sends us to the first commercial break.

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