Hey, if you haven't checked out the comments section on the recent Censorship and Local Theatre entry, you're missing a good discussion!
Just click on the word "Comments" at the bottom of the entry to read it - and feel free to add to the discussion. With 23 comments (at last count), it holds the record for most comments to this blog in its nine-month existence!
Update: Now we're up to 25 comments!
Another Update: Make it 28!
One last update: OK, 29 it is!
It's not over yet: Make it 31!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
More on "The Prayer List"
Speaking of "The Prayer List" (did I mention that it plays one night only this Friday?), our pal Dave Lavender has a story about it in today's Herald-Dispatch - you can read it right here.
On Stage - The Prayer List
Mike Murdoch (who is everywhere these days, directing, acting - I even hear he has a book being published) sent this information about a show Friday night in downtown Huntington:
"The Prayer List"
By Jon Joy
When: THIS FRIDAY, June 22 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: the Jeslyn Performing Arts Center (the old Camelot Theatre)
Tickets are $6.00
ONE NIGHT ONLY!!
This is a 1-hour monologue play written by local playwright Jon Joy, and is also his entry in Charleston's FestivALL. It will have a second performance at the Clay Center in Charleston at 4:00 p.m. THIS SUNDAY!
The show features the talents of: Dwight Slappe, Melissa Langham, Tressa Preston, Karah Markins, Travis McElroy, Justin McElroy and Mike Murdock (imagine that!)
It's a really funny show, and it's only happening once, and it's only an hour, and it will be a lot of fun, and, and, and...if you don't have anything to do Friday night, JOIN US!
The show contains adult language.
"The Prayer List"
By Jon Joy
When: THIS FRIDAY, June 22 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: the Jeslyn Performing Arts Center (the old Camelot Theatre)
Tickets are $6.00
ONE NIGHT ONLY!!
This is a 1-hour monologue play written by local playwright Jon Joy, and is also his entry in Charleston's FestivALL. It will have a second performance at the Clay Center in Charleston at 4:00 p.m. THIS SUNDAY!
The show features the talents of: Dwight Slappe, Melissa Langham, Tressa Preston, Karah Markins, Travis McElroy, Justin McElroy and Mike Murdock (imagine that!)
It's a really funny show, and it's only happening once, and it's only an hour, and it will be a lot of fun, and, and, and...if you don't have anything to do Friday night, JOIN US!
The show contains adult language.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
In Our Thoughts and Prayers
I wanted to take a moment and send out my condolences to the family and friends of Chris Withers and Bobby Gleason, the two young men who were taken from us much too soon after a tragic car accident in Alabama.
Both had ties to the local theatre community - Chris was a member of Huntington High School's Chamber Choir, and Bobby had appeared in First Stage shows - he was one of the wild boys in "Peter Pan."
Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones.
Both had ties to the local theatre community - Chris was a member of Huntington High School's Chamber Choir, and Bobby had appeared in First Stage shows - he was one of the wild boys in "Peter Pan."
Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones.
Spring Awakening on the Tony Awards
By the way, in case you missed it, here's the Spring Awakening performance from the Tony Awards, including Zack Braff's introduction. Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The Tony Effect
So even though it didn't exactly kill in the ratings, the Tony Awards still had a strong effect in terms of Broadway tickets sales - both good and bad.
The big winner, Spring Awakening, has been playing to sold-out crowds. Other shows that didn't do as well are closing their doors. You can read more about it right here at Broadway.com.
The big winner, Spring Awakening, has been playing to sold-out crowds. Other shows that didn't do as well are closing their doors. You can read more about it right here at Broadway.com.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Coming Soon: the New Works Festival
In case you missed this recent comment, here's some information about a series of performances coming up that you won't want to miss:
<< Incredibly talented and devilishly handsome Mike Murdock here (hey, your words, Chuck, not mine), with the info requested about the Marshall New Works Festival coming up week after next.
What: Robert Hinchman New Works Festival 2007
Where: The Marshall University Experimental Theatre in the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse
When: Thursday, June 28th; Friday, June 29th; Saturday, June 30th, 2007, starting at 8 p.m. each night.
This is the official Marshall School of Theatre production for the Summer.
Here's how it works:
Thursday, June 28th at 8 p.m.
Wedding Bells by Adriana Echeverri (from Middle Tennessee State)
Interrogation by M.A. Cantrell (also of MTSU)
Lunch at the Fork 'N Finger by Jon Joy
Each short play will be read by a full cast of actors, the playwrights will be in attendance, and a talkback will be held after each show to discuss the work.
Friday, June 29th, 8 p.m.
Serious Business - a feature length screenplay by Mike Murdock (yeah, that's me. And?)
Again, this will be read with a full cast of actors, as well as a viewing of filmed segments throughout, and a talkback will be held afterward. It's where I get to stand against the wall with a blindfold and a cigarette and everybody gets to take their shot.
Saturday, June 30th, 8 p.m.
Collis P! - a new musical by Clint McElroy with music by Larry Gross (of MountainStage fame) (Editor's Note: The show is based on the life of Collis P. Huntington, the founder of the city.)
This will be read by a full cast, and selections of music will be played for the first time ANYWHERE!
As always, there will be a talkback afterward for everyone to ask Clint why there's an exclamation point at the end of the title.
So that's the skinny. Tickets will be $5 on the night of the show, or you can get a $12, 3-night pass to see all of 'em!
Everybody has given up a lot of time to work on these pieces, and not only is there good writing (if I do say so myself), but also great performances by the actors. It's gonna be a great 3 day event for theatre lovers and people that want to see the process by which plays make it to the stage, or, in my case, the silver screen.
None of these shows have been performed anywhere before, so be the first on your block to be able to say "Hey, I remember that show! I supported that from the outset!!"
In the meantime, thanks, Chuck, for getting this out there, and I look forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks! >>
<< Incredibly talented and devilishly handsome Mike Murdock here (hey, your words, Chuck, not mine), with the info requested about the Marshall New Works Festival coming up week after next.
What: Robert Hinchman New Works Festival 2007
Where: The Marshall University Experimental Theatre in the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse
When: Thursday, June 28th; Friday, June 29th; Saturday, June 30th, 2007, starting at 8 p.m. each night.
This is the official Marshall School of Theatre production for the Summer.
Here's how it works:
Thursday, June 28th at 8 p.m.
Wedding Bells by Adriana Echeverri (from Middle Tennessee State)
Interrogation by M.A. Cantrell (also of MTSU)
Lunch at the Fork 'N Finger by Jon Joy
Each short play will be read by a full cast of actors, the playwrights will be in attendance, and a talkback will be held after each show to discuss the work.
Friday, June 29th, 8 p.m.
Serious Business - a feature length screenplay by Mike Murdock (yeah, that's me. And?)
Again, this will be read with a full cast of actors, as well as a viewing of filmed segments throughout, and a talkback will be held afterward. It's where I get to stand against the wall with a blindfold and a cigarette and everybody gets to take their shot.
Saturday, June 30th, 8 p.m.
Collis P! - a new musical by Clint McElroy with music by Larry Gross (of MountainStage fame) (Editor's Note: The show is based on the life of Collis P. Huntington, the founder of the city.)
This will be read by a full cast, and selections of music will be played for the first time ANYWHERE!
As always, there will be a talkback afterward for everyone to ask Clint why there's an exclamation point at the end of the title.
So that's the skinny. Tickets will be $5 on the night of the show, or you can get a $12, 3-night pass to see all of 'em!
Everybody has given up a lot of time to work on these pieces, and not only is there good writing (if I do say so myself), but also great performances by the actors. It's gonna be a great 3 day event for theatre lovers and people that want to see the process by which plays make it to the stage, or, in my case, the silver screen.
None of these shows have been performed anywhere before, so be the first on your block to be able to say "Hey, I remember that show! I supported that from the outset!!"
In the meantime, thanks, Chuck, for getting this out there, and I look forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks! >>
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Home Again
I just got back in town after a quick trip to North Carolina, only to find the debate still raging over content in local shows. It's a great discussion with lots of interesting and informed opinions - thanks to all who have taken part, and keep those comments coming!
If you've missed it, you can catch up by clicking on the "Comments" link at the bottom of this page.
If you've missed it, you can catch up by clicking on the "Comments" link at the bottom of this page.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Breaking and Entering
Most theatre groups are non-profit, which means they exist on the tightest of budgets and the slimmest of margins.
For that reason, it's distressing to hear that some lowlife (or group of lowlifes) has once again broken into the storage facility of Huntington Outdoor Theatre (HOT). A few incidents like that can mean serious problems for most groups - hopefully the culprit will be apprehended soon. You can read more about it here.
For that reason, it's distressing to hear that some lowlife (or group of lowlifes) has once again broken into the storage facility of Huntington Outdoor Theatre (HOT). A few incidents like that can mean serious problems for most groups - hopefully the culprit will be apprehended soon. You can read more about it here.
Friday, June 15, 2007
A Fun Discussion
I've been enjoying the discussion about censorship and local theatre - you can read it (or better yet, join in) by clicking the "comment" button at the bottom of the entry titled "Censorship and Local Theatre."
By the way, this evening at Tascali's (try the spaghetti!) I ran into my pal, the incredibly talented (and devilishly handsome) Mike Murdoch. He reminded me that there will be a dramatic reading of his screenplay coming up at Marshall University in a couple of weeks. I should know this, since sons Evan and Justin were recruited to perform in it (though only Evan is able to take part). It's part of a weekend of dramatic readings, which will include a musical written by my former tag team partner (during our oh-so-brief wrestling career), Clint McElroy!
I'll have more about the performances as soon as someone involved sends me more information! (HINT, HINT!)
By the way, this evening at Tascali's (try the spaghetti!) I ran into my pal, the incredibly talented (and devilishly handsome) Mike Murdoch. He reminded me that there will be a dramatic reading of his screenplay coming up at Marshall University in a couple of weeks. I should know this, since sons Evan and Justin were recruited to perform in it (though only Evan is able to take part). It's part of a weekend of dramatic readings, which will include a musical written by my former tag team partner (during our oh-so-brief wrestling career), Clint McElroy!
I'll have more about the performances as soon as someone involved sends me more information! (HINT, HINT!)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Censorship and Local Theatre
During the recent voting for favorite stage shows, my pal (and local actor and artist) Ryan Hardiman sent in a comment that included a brief editorial about censorship and community theatre. I thought it was definitely worth more discussion. Here's his comment:
And we're not the only offenders in that area - I've received copies of scripts that had been used by groups in other states where entire scenes have been crossed out and obviously were not included in the show.
I've certainly seen alterations happen in local shows. Perhaps it's understandable for children's theatre or church shows. Perhaps we worry too much about not offending people in the audience - there's always someone who will get offended over almost anything, even the most innocent innuendo.
Still, you'd think an adult theatre group wouldn't worry about changing "Hell" to "Heck" or "Damn" to "Darn," but I've certainly seen it happen - sometimes just as a production is about to take the stage.
So readers, what do you think? Is a little censorship ok, or should the plays be left in their original form? As Ryan says, you'll certainly see and hear worse things in movies. Should local theatre groups be a little more daring in their presentations? Send us your comments!
<< ... I'm not saying we need to always be safe...we're often too safe. I'd love to see us stretch... I believe the best theatre should provoke, which is not necessarily the same as being offensive. It's interesting to me what most people will watch and accept in a film, yet are afraid to put on the stage. I'd like to explore that as a topic sometime and get the theatre community's feelings about why that is. I remember doing "South Pacific" a few years ago where the decision was made to change every "Damn" to "Darn" in the songs "Nothing Like a Dame" and "Bloody Mary"... it was just odd and unnecessary. I mean, it's Rodgers and Hammerstein! And it's not just language... it just seems in general that if a show is not absolutely squeaky clean and happy, it's dangerous territory for us.No need for apology, Ryan - you raise a very good point. It's a bit of a touchy subject, because community theatre groups regularly make little edits to scripts to try to avoid offending someone in the audience - and certainly our area is a bit more conservative when it comes to language and adult themes on stage.
Anyway, sorry about the soapbox. >>
And we're not the only offenders in that area - I've received copies of scripts that had been used by groups in other states where entire scenes have been crossed out and obviously were not included in the show.
I've certainly seen alterations happen in local shows. Perhaps it's understandable for children's theatre or church shows. Perhaps we worry too much about not offending people in the audience - there's always someone who will get offended over almost anything, even the most innocent innuendo.
Still, you'd think an adult theatre group wouldn't worry about changing "Hell" to "Heck" or "Damn" to "Darn," but I've certainly seen it happen - sometimes just as a production is about to take the stage.
So readers, what do you think? Is a little censorship ok, or should the plays be left in their original form? As Ryan says, you'll certainly see and hear worse things in movies. Should local theatre groups be a little more daring in their presentations? Send us your comments!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
So Long, Mr. Wizard
I'm sorry to hear of the passing of "Mr. Wizard" - Don Herbert - who was almost 90 years old. I have fond memories of watching his show when I was young, as he made science fun and interesting. He wasn't particularly flashy or showy - but he knew how to keep the attention and capture the imagination of young viewers. Those of us who grew up in the '50s and '60s learned a lot from these shows.
Here's the story from today's AP wire:
TV's 'Mr. Wizard' Don Herbert Dies at 89
By LYNN ELBER
AP Television Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Don Herbert, who as television's "Mr. Wizard" introduced generations of young viewers to the joys of science, died Tuesday. He was 89. Herbert, who had bone cancer, died at his suburban Bell Canyon home, said his son-in-law, Tom Nikosey.
"He really taught kids how to use the thinking skills of a scientist," said former colleague Steve Jacobs. He worked with Herbert on a 1980s show that echoed the original 1950s "Watch Mr. Wizard" series, which became a fond baby boomer memory.
In "Watch Mr. Wizard," which was produced from 1951 to 1964 and received a Peabody Award in 1954, Herbert turned TV into an entertaining classroom. On a simple, workshop-like set, he demonstrated experiments using household items.
"He modeled how to predict and measure and analyze. ... The show today might seem slow but it was in-depth and forced you to think along," Jacobs said. "You were learning about the forces of nature."
Herbert encouraged children to duplicate experiments at home, said Jacobs, who recounted serving as a behind-the-scenes "science sidekick" to Herbert on the '80s "Mr. Wizard's World" that aired on the Nickelodeon channel.
When Jacobs would reach for beakers and flasks, Herbert would remind him that science didn't require special tools.
"'You could use a mayonnaise jar for that,'" Jacobs recalled being chided by Herbert. "He tried to bust the image of scientists and that science wasn't just for special people and places."
Herbert's place in TV history was acknowledged by later stars. When "Late Night with David Letterman" debuted in 1982, Herbert was among the first-night guests.
Born in Waconia, Minn., Herbert was a 1940 graduate of LaCrosse State Teachers College and served as a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot during World War II. He worked as an actor, model and radio writer before starting "Watch Mr. Wizard" in Chicago on NBC.
The show moved to New York after several years.
He is survived by six children and stepchildren and by his second wife, Norma, his son-in-law said. A private funeral service was planned.
Don't Miss Jazz - MU - Tazz
Hey, don't miss out on the great music festival that starts tonight at Marshall University. You can read all about Jazz - MU - Tazz right here!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
And the Winner Is...
The votes are in (including a late ballot from Ryan – but we’re easy-going at the Tri-State Theatre blog). To recap, we invited readers to name the shows they’d like to see a local theatre group present. Who know, this may help one of the local groups choose an upcoming show!
As expected, there are lots of shows on the list, and most of them got a single vote. By the slimmest of margins, though, our winner is: “Guys and Dolls!” The gangster musical was last staged locally several years back by Huntington Outdoor Theatre (HOT) – looks like it’s time for a revival!
There's a three-way tie for second place: “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Man of La Mancha” and “1776.” “Drowsy” is still on Broadway and it’ll probably be at least a few years before it’s available to community theatre, but it’s definitely one to look forward to. “La Mancha” is a terrific show, and it’s hard to understand why this one hasn’t been produced locally (although it’s no doubt a challenging show). “1776” has been on stage a few times locally, with Marshall, HOT and ARTS tackling it – but it’s a great show, and I'd be glad to see it again.
The rest of the shows got only a single vote, but they’re all well worth considering. Here they are in alphabetical order with a brief comment from yours truly:
“A Year With Frog and Toad” - (I love this show)
“Beauty and the Beast” - (Ditto, but a huge undertaking financially)
“Evita” - (I’d love to see this one locally)
“The Full Monty” - (Ditto, but don’t expect me to audition for it) ;-)
“A Gilbert & Sullivan musical” – (This would be awesome. Hello, MU?)
“Jekyll & Hyde” – (I believe this was staged in Ashland – a great show)
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – (An all-time favorite, last presented by First Stage)
“The Last Five Years” – (I know lots of people who love the music to this one)
“Little Women” – (Excellent suggestion!)
O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" – (Another great suggestion, and a real challenge)
“Meet Me in St. Louis” – (This one would be a lot of fun)
“The Producers” – (Another fave – can’t wait to see it locally)
“Rent” – (The adult content makes it a tough show to do locally, but it has terrific music)
“The Secret Garden” – (Great choice and a literary classic)
“Shenandoah” – (Surely someone has done this locally. If not, what are you waiting for?)
“Sweeney Todd” – (This would be awesome, but a major challenge)
“Tommy” – (I’d buy a ticket right now)
“Urinetown” – (Ditto)
“White Christmas” – (Surely someone will do this soon – it’s a natural)
“Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” – (As long as it’s based on the original movie, I’ll be there. Gene Wilder rules!)
And that’s our list for 2007. So there you go, local groups – some ready-made suggestions for great shows to add to your schedule.
Readers, thanks for taking part in our informal poll! Shall we try this again next year, just for fun?
As expected, there are lots of shows on the list, and most of them got a single vote. By the slimmest of margins, though, our winner is: “Guys and Dolls!” The gangster musical was last staged locally several years back by Huntington Outdoor Theatre (HOT) – looks like it’s time for a revival!
There's a three-way tie for second place: “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Man of La Mancha” and “1776.” “Drowsy” is still on Broadway and it’ll probably be at least a few years before it’s available to community theatre, but it’s definitely one to look forward to. “La Mancha” is a terrific show, and it’s hard to understand why this one hasn’t been produced locally (although it’s no doubt a challenging show). “1776” has been on stage a few times locally, with Marshall, HOT and ARTS tackling it – but it’s a great show, and I'd be glad to see it again.
The rest of the shows got only a single vote, but they’re all well worth considering. Here they are in alphabetical order with a brief comment from yours truly:
“A Year With Frog and Toad” - (I love this show)
“Beauty and the Beast” - (Ditto, but a huge undertaking financially)
“Evita” - (I’d love to see this one locally)
“The Full Monty” - (Ditto, but don’t expect me to audition for it) ;-)
“A Gilbert & Sullivan musical” – (This would be awesome. Hello, MU?)
“Jekyll & Hyde” – (I believe this was staged in Ashland – a great show)
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” – (An all-time favorite, last presented by First Stage)
“The Last Five Years” – (I know lots of people who love the music to this one)
“Little Women” – (Excellent suggestion!)
O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" – (Another great suggestion, and a real challenge)
“Meet Me in St. Louis” – (This one would be a lot of fun)
“The Producers” – (Another fave – can’t wait to see it locally)
“Rent” – (The adult content makes it a tough show to do locally, but it has terrific music)
“The Secret Garden” – (Great choice and a literary classic)
“Shenandoah” – (Surely someone has done this locally. If not, what are you waiting for?)
“Sweeney Todd” – (This would be awesome, but a major challenge)
“Tommy” – (I’d buy a ticket right now)
“Urinetown” – (Ditto)
“White Christmas” – (Surely someone will do this soon – it’s a natural)
“Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” – (As long as it’s based on the original movie, I’ll be there. Gene Wilder rules!)
And that’s our list for 2007. So there you go, local groups – some ready-made suggestions for great shows to add to your schedule.
Readers, thanks for taking part in our informal poll! Shall we try this again next year, just for fun?
Monday, June 11, 2007
A Short Delay...
OK, I know I said I'd have the results today of our informal poll about your favorite shows, but between live-blogging the Tonys and keeping up with real-life stuff, I'll have to postpone it until tomorrow. Sorry for the delay!
The Morning After
Well, the sun is shining and my typing fingers have recovered, so I guess it was a successful Tony Award show!
The big winners were definitely the alternate rock musical "Spring Awakening," which won eight Tonys, and the non-musical (and no longer running) "The Coast of Utopia" with seven wins. Only 25 awards were handed out, and of the ten left over, only "Grey Gardens" (with three) won more than one award.
For a complete recap (including lots of info about each show), you can check out the Broadway.com site.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Tony Post #13
The final stretch! It's 10:56pm as we return - look for a quick wrap-up as they hand the "Best Musical" award to "Spring Awakening."
Angela Lansbury is back to present the award - the winner: "Spring Awakening." Who'da thunk it? Seriously, of all the musical performances tonight, it's the only one that stands out. Congrats to the show for what looks like a near-clean sweep!
A quick wrap up and we're off to the local news. Didn't I tell you they'd finish on time?
So, a solid show, though not filled with the kind of awesome song-and-dance numbers we might expect. Still, classy, in good taste (aside from one blooper) and devoid of the usual over-the-top "aren't we great" feeling you get from most award shows.
Thanks to all for tuning in to our live-blogging experiment. It's been fun! I'll have a final recap of the show tomorrow, assuming I'm still able to type. Good night!
Angela Lansbury is back to present the award - the winner: "Spring Awakening." Who'da thunk it? Seriously, of all the musical performances tonight, it's the only one that stands out. Congrats to the show for what looks like a near-clean sweep!
A quick wrap up and we're off to the local news. Didn't I tell you they'd finish on time?
So, a solid show, though not filled with the kind of awesome song-and-dance numbers we might expect. Still, classy, in good taste (aside from one blooper) and devoid of the usual over-the-top "aren't we great" feeling you get from most award shows.
Thanks to all for tuning in to our live-blogging experiment. It's been fun! I'll have a final recap of the show tomorrow, assuming I'm still able to type. Good night!
Tony Post #12
Another "Viva" commercial - thank goodness, I had almost forgotten about it!
It's 10:40pm as we return - hey, I see light at the end of the tunnel!
As we return: Jane Alexander honors the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta - the group received its award earlier. Hey, here's Fantasia to honor the award to the Alliance by singing. She's terrific, of course, as an "American Idol" winner should be. Her voice seems a bit distorted, though - her voice is probably too strong for the mic. Again, the perils of live performance.
Next: Bernadette Peters (who has apparently not aged in two decades) and Harvey Fierstein. The award: Best Performance by a leading actor in a musical - this is the one Michael Cerveris is nominated for. The winner: David Hyde Pierce for "Curtains." (Sorry, Michael.) He honors his fellow nominees, and seems genuinely shocked to win. Great speech.
Next up: Ben Vereen and Usher. The award: Best Performance by a leading actress in a musical. This is the one Kentucky's Laura Bell Bundy is nominated for. The winner: Christine Ebersole for "Grey Gardens." (Sorry, Laura.)
Seven minutes left, they'd better kick it in gear. Commerical break.
It's 10:40pm as we return - hey, I see light at the end of the tunnel!
As we return: Jane Alexander honors the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta - the group received its award earlier. Hey, here's Fantasia to honor the award to the Alliance by singing. She's terrific, of course, as an "American Idol" winner should be. Her voice seems a bit distorted, though - her voice is probably too strong for the mic. Again, the perils of live performance.
Next: Bernadette Peters (who has apparently not aged in two decades) and Harvey Fierstein. The award: Best Performance by a leading actor in a musical - this is the one Michael Cerveris is nominated for. The winner: David Hyde Pierce for "Curtains." (Sorry, Michael.) He honors his fellow nominees, and seems genuinely shocked to win. Great speech.
Next up: Ben Vereen and Usher. The award: Best Performance by a leading actress in a musical. This is the one Kentucky's Laura Bell Bundy is nominated for. The winner: Christine Ebersole for "Grey Gardens." (Sorry, Laura.)
Seven minutes left, they'd better kick it in gear. Commerical break.
Tony Post #11
It's 10:28pm as we return - I'm hoping to get my second wind any second now.
Christopher Plummer steps out - he mentions the passing of Vincent Sarde (sp?), who ran a famous restaurant and was such a great supporter of Broadway. Next award: Best Play. The winner: "The Coast of Utopia." (I know, I'm shocked, too.)
It's a nice touch, by the way, that the poster of each show is projected behind the winners. I'm not sure why it looks like it's on fire, but it's a nice visual. Not a big deal, but I like it.
Next: Zach Braff, who admits that he likes musical theatre (the audience applauds his confession). He introduces the musical performance from "Spring Awakening." High-energy rock number - impressive! Looks like they censored themselves a few times there for the national audience, but it's definitely the best number of the night.
Commercial time!
Christopher Plummer steps out - he mentions the passing of Vincent Sarde (sp?), who ran a famous restaurant and was such a great supporter of Broadway. Next award: Best Play. The winner: "The Coast of Utopia." (I know, I'm shocked, too.)
It's a nice touch, by the way, that the poster of each show is projected behind the winners. I'm not sure why it looks like it's on fire, but it's a nice visual. Not a big deal, but I like it.
Next: Zach Braff, who admits that he likes musical theatre (the audience applauds his confession). He introduces the musical performance from "Spring Awakening." High-energy rock number - impressive! Looks like they censored themselves a few times there for the national audience, but it's definitely the best number of the night.
Commercial time!
Tony Post #10
Could they run more ads for the TV show "Viva Laughlin?" Are theatre fans also gambling addicts?
It's 10:09pm as we return. I can't feel my hands, either.
A performance from "Jersey Boys" kicks off the segment. Wow, it's easy to see why the show is a hit - these guys are awesome. They lead into a recap of the "Creative Arts" Tony Awards - once again, virtually every award went to "Spring Awakening" and "The Coast of Utopia" (though there are some exceptions. Hey, "Mary Poppins" won one for Best Scenic Design!
Next up: Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a (non-musical) Play. The winner: Frank Langella for "Frost/Nixon." It's his third Tony. He gives a classy acceptance speech.
Next: a performance from he musical "Grey Gardens." Looks like a funny show, but the problem with live performances (which is what we get with the Tonys): the orchestra seems to be trying to drown out Christine Ebersole - and is largely succeeding. Again, a strong performance - but not the show-stopper you would expect from Broadway.
Commercial break, with a tease of a performance from "Spring Awakening" and Fantasia (who's in "The Color Purple").
It's 10:09pm as we return. I can't feel my hands, either.
A performance from "Jersey Boys" kicks off the segment. Wow, it's easy to see why the show is a hit - these guys are awesome. They lead into a recap of the "Creative Arts" Tony Awards - once again, virtually every award went to "Spring Awakening" and "The Coast of Utopia" (though there are some exceptions. Hey, "Mary Poppins" won one for Best Scenic Design!
Next up: Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a (non-musical) Play. The winner: Frank Langella for "Frost/Nixon." It's his third Tony. He gives a classy acceptance speech.
Next: a performance from he musical "Grey Gardens." Looks like a funny show, but the problem with live performances (which is what we get with the Tonys): the orchestra seems to be trying to drown out Christine Ebersole - and is largely succeeding. Again, a strong performance - but not the show-stopper you would expect from Broadway.
Commercial break, with a tease of a performance from "Spring Awakening" and Fantasia (who's in "The Color Purple").
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)