Happy Anniversary to Little Love

Four years ago today, at the final performance of Bernadette Peters' Gypsy, I met my Little Love Noah. What a beautiful day it was and every day since has been even better. If you know what's good for you, you'll get your own Little Love.

No more magic brownies at the Met

Ew, the Metropolitan Opera has mice. I'm no fraidy cat, but this means no more magic brownies during intermission.

The Visit

The Visit is based on Friedrich Dürrenmatt's 1956 play of the same title. It premiered on Broadway in 1958 and starred Lynn Fontanne as Claire Zachanassian and Alfred Lunt as Anton Schill. It was produced as film in 1964 and starred Ingrid Bergman as Claire and Anthony Quinn as Anton. It has been revived twice on Broadway, in 1973 and again in 1992. I have seen the film and found it creepy yet heartbreaking and fascinating. Sometime before 2000, producer Barry Brown pitched the idea for a musical of the play to lyricist Fred Ebb, composer John Kander and bookwriter Terrence McNally to be written for Angela Lansbury. This was a sure recipe for success. The project progressed and Angela even recorded a demo. It was headed straight for Broadway when, sadly, Angela withdrew to care fulltime for her dying husband. Enter Chita Rivera. In 2001, director Frank Galati and choreographer Ann Reinking joined the team and Barry Brown produced the effort for the Goodman in Chicago. John McMartin starred as Anton. The show only garnered mixed reviews and despite talk for a move to the Public in New York, still with Chita but replacing John with Frank Langella, it wasn't able to get the backing it needed.

Now seven years later, magic has happened. A few new songs were added (before Fred Ebb's death in 2004), some staging and choreography was reworked. Terrence McNally revised his book. This time it's at the not-for profit Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. Chita is still with the show as Claire, but the rest of the cast is different, notably replacing Anton with two-time Tony winner George Hearn. The effort is a result of a truly brilliant story told through song. It captures the dark humor of the original play. I knew what would happen because of the film, but I was still on the edge of my seat via this heartwrenching telling. Reinking's choreography is subtle, at times gorgeous, at times hysterically funny. The music is haunting and tells the story with clever lyrics. Chita wore the part of Claire, the world's richest woman, like a queen, gracefully sweeping along the stage at a pace that made everybody stare in awe. She's a celebrated dancer and it shows in her presence, but she only gets one number to show off her moves. It's in her subtle looks that at times convey hurt and anger or disdain that makes this her best venture as a singing dramatic actress. George Hearn's Anton was humble and hopeful, yet fearful, rarely remorseful of the crime that he was accused of in his youth. Finally, he accepts his punishment for justice and love. His voice is astounding and it was as if he was born to sing these Kander and Ebb tunes. The most hauntingly beautiful song of the evening, You, You, You was sung as almost as twin soliloquies with a pas de deux featuring dancers a younger Claire and Anton. It was both visually and audibly breathtaking with the very distinct voices of Chita and George. The bonus of the evening was Mark Jacoby as the town's self-important mayor and Jeremy Webb as the guilt-ridden and reluctant schoolmaster. At times, the supporting cast seems campy, in both song, dance and costume, but it merely lends to the ridiculous and sad revenge that Claire seeks against Anton.

Overall, this love story is cerebral, intimate, sad, shocking, funny, heartbreaking and above all, beautiful. It's the perfect adult musical and nobody does dark comedy better than Kander and Ebb. The stage at the Signature was in the round so my first thought for a Broadway transfer would be the Circle in the Square, but somehow I can't imagine that Chita's presence wouldn't overwhelm that space. I know it will work in any theatre, but my choice would be the Lyceum. The Visit officially opened last night and runs through June 22, 2008. Although most reviews have yet to be inked, if Variety's rave is any indication, this is a regional hit with a Broadway transfer just around the corner.

More True Love: The Visit at the Signature Theatre

One of the greatest blessings of moving to New York and pursuing my passion for entertainment was meeting dear Wanda and Cordellia. They are my personal Vera and Mame and teach me to live, live, live every minute. How lucky I am to know them and lucky that they host me in my pursuit. The added blessing in pursuing entertainment and writing about it has been to meet some really incredible like-minded friends, who seek fun and adventure as I do. Two of those people are Steve and Doug. Steve writes the eloquent, informative and ever entertaining Steve on Broadway (sob). Thank God that wherever Steve goes, Doug goes, together. This time we were all together in the pursuit of entertainment - the first time in the theatre together at The Signature, which completely coincidental, serendipitous and wonderful. I knew Wanda, Cordelia, Steve and Doug would hit it off - I'm never wrong about these things - and the result was just about the most fun ever had in a theatre, before, during and definitely after. We visited with George, Chita, Mark, Jeremy, Eric Schaeffer and Matthew Gardiner. We took a million pictures and laughed through the night. At one point, I told George, "George, I can't believe I'm standing here next to you." I actually should amend that to, "George, Wanda, Cordelia, Steve and Doug, I can't believe I'm standing here next to you."

From one dysfunctional family to another

Playbill reports that Robert Foxworth will replace August: Osage County original cast member Francis Guinan when he steps into the role of Charlie on June 17th. I saw him in Twelve Angry Men and he was fierce. I mostly remember him from Falcon Crest , which I rarely missed as a teenager. Of course, the real news will be who the replacements are for Deanna Dunagan, Amy Morton and Rondi Reed.

Gypsy on GMA

This morning, Patti, Boyd and Laura sang Together, Wherever We Go on Good Morning America. In case you were out of the country, say Greece, watch it here.

Chris: Everything is indeed 'coming up roses' for this great cast of Gypsy. Called the most perfect musical of all time. Too big?
Patti: NO!

Cubby's Steps and Later Today, Cub-Cakes at the Helen Hayes

*update* Damn, I got there too late to get a cub-cake, which is basically good news because Xanadu sold 300 cupcakes for BC/EFA. I did catch a glimpse of the very dapper Cubby and I saw Kerry outside the theatre. I also got a fabulous Cubby pin and his business card for future reference.


Come and buy a cupcake for charity from Cubby Bernstein and friends. With award season in full swing, famed and notoriously private Tony Campaign Manager Cubby Bernstein will make a rare public appearance to deliver a much anticipated speech outside the Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 West 44th Street on Wednesday, May 28th and it is not to be missed! Cubby along with the cast of XANADU will be on site to sell cub-cakes to the public, as he instructed Julie White to do before her Tony Award win last year. The producers of XANADU, Robert Ahrens, Brian Swibel, Tara Smith, Cari Smulyan, Dale Smith and Dan Vickery have chosen that all proceeds will go directly to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

As many people know, Cubby Bernstein is a legend in Tony campaign strategy and chooses one show a season to put his stamp on. This year, after a great deal of thought, Cubby has chosen XANADU as the show to guide through award time.

Come celebrate the first year of Broadway's surprise musical hit, XANADU with 2008 Tony nominations for Best Book, Best Actress, Best Choreography and the coveted Best Musical Award. It has already received the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Best Book.

For information on XANADU, go to www.xanaduonbroadway.com.

And don't forget to check out www.cubbybernstein.com as well.

Inner Voices: Solo Musicals at the Zipper Factory Theatre

Inner Voices: Solo Musicals at the Zipper Factory Theatre Victoria Clark in TRES NIÑAS by Ellen Fitzhugh and Michael John LaChiusa is extraordinary! Barbara Walsh in A THOUSAND WORDS COME TO MIND by Michele Lowe and Scott Davenport Richards is extraordinary! The music is extraordinary! The stories are extraordinary! Okay, I didn't care for Jennifer Daminao in ALICE UNWRAPPED by Michele Lowe and Scott Davenport Richards, nor did I care much for the story (I saw her in Next to Normal and didn't care for her there either- she just has some growing to do I think). Victoria Clark was breathtaking. At times she was a young child and at others a world weary single mother making all the wrong choices. I kept thinking, my God, Margaret Johnson is sexy. Barbara Walsh told the story of discovering her dying mother's past and passions. The music was transportive and so interesting, quiet and intimate, yet uplifting and rapturous. You have just three more chances to see this extraordinary work. Go!

Expecting Mayhem for Renée's Debut at the WNO, but we already have our tickets. So there.

Another Memorial Day

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary since my dad, at the age of eighteen, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served for twenty years, retiring as a First Sergeant. He traveled the world in duty, including Cuba (the Missile Crisis), Viet Nam, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Okinawa, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and California. Today marks the seventh year that we've had to include him in remembrance on Memorial Day.

Washington National Opera's Elektra at the Kennedy Center

This production is a revival of Elektra at the WNO. I can't imagine why they brought it back because it is beyond understanding, BUT Strauss' opera itself is fierce. The sopranos Susan Bullock and Christine Goerke and the mezzo Irina Mishura were nothing less than a dream. Christine arguably has the biggest soprano voice in the world and it is beautiful. We'll have Christine as the Foreign Princess in Rusalka at the Met next season. Watch out for her to rattle the gold rafters. I'm not kidding. Susan Bullock was unbelievable as Elektra. This one was Sally's choice, it being one of her favorites. I don't blame her. I wouldn't mind hearing this one over and over, especially if it included this cast. It was also our first opera at the WNO - her first outside of New York.

Performers
Elektra Susan Bullock
Chrysothemis Christine Goerke
Klytemnästra Irina Mishura
Orest Daniel Sumegi†
Aegisth Alan Woodrow
Tutor Robert Cantrell
Overseer Vivian Tierney
Klytemnästra's Trainbearer Alia Waheed
Klytemnästra's Confidante Lisa Eden
Young Servant Yingxi Zhang
Old Servant David B. Morris
Maidservants Aundi Marie Moore
Elizabeth Andrews Roberts
Magdalena Wór
Claudia Huckle
Yvette Smith
Conductor Heinz Fricke
Director David Kneuss
Set and Costume Design Robert Israel
Lighting Design Mimi Jordan Sherin

True Love

New Tunes for the Road Trip to DC

Just cutting thru, but damn it felt good to be in the 'hood

Quote of the Day: It ain't a juke-box musical thankfully.

Hoda Kotb: "[Bernadette Peters] is going to sing on our show today!"
Kathie Lee Gifford: She's going to sing on our show today and it's going to show you what you missed by seeing this particular production of Sunday in the Park with George, which we went to see yesterday and it's a lovely production. It's a British Production with two new stars, they're both Tony-nominated. I saw the original with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette! It was very, very different, that's the thing. This wasn't your first Sondheim experience?
HK: Gypsy was my first one!
KLG: How different are these two shows?
HK: They're very different. Let me tell you, this one, the thing that struck me about this one, was there's a lot of 'gee whiz' to me, because you're watching, it starts off with this blank canvas, it's all white and suddenly you see what looks like a chalk drawing that starts and you're watching this painting develop and you're constantly the 'oh my gosh look over there, oh my gosh look over there'. I think it's such, it's eye-candy, for people, I thought it was really beautifully done.
KLG: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, nine Tony nominations. And it's a little cerebral for some people. It's not your, it ain't a juke-box musical thankfully, and you really, Sondheim makes you think.

Kathie Lee Gifford & Hoda Kotb, The Today Show, 5/21/08

Love Song of Bernadette: Kramer's Song

My style is cramped!

I used all of my entertainment strength at Pamela's First Musical this afternoon. It was completely worth it. But then I had to admit that there was no way I could "work" at the Drama Desk Awards tonight, so I'm home feeling sorry for myself. At least I can watch it via webcast on theatermania.com.

The nominees are (my picks are in bold - although I didn't see all of these)(actual winner in italics):

Outstanding Play
Alan Ayckbourn, Intimate Exchanges
Rinde Eckert, Horizon
Liz Flahive, From Up Here
Horton Foote, Dividing the Estate
Tracy Letts, August: Osage County
Tom Stoppard, Rock 'n' Roll

Outstanding Musical
A Catered Affair
Adding Machine
Passing Strange
The Glorious Ones
The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Xanadu

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Boeing-Boeing
Happy Days
Macbeth
The Country Girl
The Dining Room
The Return of the Prodigal

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Black Nativity
Gypsy
South Pacific
Sunday in the Park with George
Take Me Along

Outstanding Revue
Forbidden Broadway: Rude Awakening
Fugitive Songs
Make Me a Song

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Bill Champion, Intimate Exchanges
Kevin Kline, Cyrano de Bergerac
Bill Pullman, Peter and Jerry
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing
Tobias Segal, From Up Here
Rufus Sewell, Rock 'n' Roll

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Sinead Cusack, Rock 'n' Roll
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
Frances McDormand, The Country Girl
Amy Morton, August: Osage County
Fiona Shaw, Happy Days
Julie White, From Up Here

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange
André De Shields, Black Nativity
Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park with George
Cheyenne Jackson, Xanadu
Matthew Morrison, 10 Million Miles
Paulo Szot, South Pacific

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Sierra Boggess, The Little Mermaid
Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Kelli O'Hara, South Pacific
Faith Prince, A Catered Affair
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
John Cullum, The Conscientious Objector
Conleth Hill, The Seafarer
Francis Jue, Yellow Face
Arian Moayed, Masked
Jeff Perry, August: Osage County
Michael T. Weiss, Scarcity

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Elizabeth Ashley, Dividing the Estate
Johanna Day, Peter and Jerry
Zoe Kazan, 100 Saints You Should Know
Linda Lavin, The New Century
Rondi Reed, August: Osage County
Marisa Tomei, Top Girls

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, South Pacific
Christopher Fitzgerald, Young Frankenstein
Boyd Gaines, Gypsy
Shuler Hensley, Young Frankenstein
Bobby Steggert, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Gypsy
Leslie Kritzer, A Catered Affair
Andrea Martin, Young Frankenstein
Mary Testa, Xanadu
Amy Warren, Adding Machine
Mare Winningham, 10 Million Miles

Outstanding Director of a Play
David Schweizer, Horizon
Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County
Leigh Silverman, From Up Here
Jonathan Silverstein, The Dining Room
Matthew Warchus, Boeing-Boeing
Deborah Warner, Happy Days

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Xanadu
Sam Buntrock, Sunday in the Park with George
David Cromer, Adding Machine
John Doyle, A Catered Affair
Bob McGrath, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Bartlett Sher, South Pacific

Outstanding Choreography
Karole Armitage, Passing Strange
Rob Ashford, Cry-Baby The Musical
Shana Carroll and Gypsy Snider, Traces
Dan Knechtges, Xanadu
Peter Pucci, Queens Boulevard (the musical)
Susan Stroman, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Music
John Bucchino, A Catered Affair
Stephen Flaherty, The Glorious Ones
Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
Mark Mulcahy, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Joshua Schmidt, Adding Machine
Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange

Outstanding Lyrics
Lynn Ahrens, The Glorious Ones
Mel Brooks, Young Frankenstein
John Bucchino, A Catered Affair
Ben Katchor, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt, Adding Machine
Stew, Passing Strange (didn't show up at the awards - that's classy, not)

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Douglas Carter Beane, Xanadu (woohoo!)
Harvey Fierstein, A Catered Affair
Ben Katchor, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt, Adding Machine
Stew, Passing Strange
Eric H. Weinberger, Wanda's World

Outstanding Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, Young Frankenstein
Jason Carr, Sunday in the Park with George (ARE YOU KIDDING ME????!!!!)
Michael Starobin, The Glorious Ones
Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange
Jonathan Tunick, A Catered Affair
Tim Weil, 10 Million Miles

Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Spain
Scott Bradley, Eurydice
David Korins, Hunting and Gathering
Santo Loquasto, Trumpery
Scott Pask, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Clint Ramos, The Return of the Prodigal

Outstanding Set Design of a Musical
David Gallo, A Catered Affair
Takeshi Kata, Adding Machine
Derek McLane, 10 Million Miles
George Tsypin, The Little Mermaid
Robin Wagner, Young Frankenstein
Michael Yeargan, South Pacific

Outstanding Costume Design
Mara Blumenfeld, The Glorious Ones
Michael Bottari and Ronald Case, Jessica Jahn, Die Mommie Die!
Ann Hould-Ward, A Catered Affair
Ana Kuzmanic, August: Osage County
Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
William Ivey Long, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Lighting Design
Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps
Ken Billington, Sunday in the Park with George
Maruti Evans, Slaughterhouse-Five
Donald Holder, South Pacific
Natasha Katz, The Little Mermaid
Keith Parham, Adding Machine

Outstanding Sound Design
Adam Cork, Macbeth
Jorge Cousineau, Opus
Joseph Fosco, The Conversation
Scott Lehrer, South Pacific
Mic Pool, The 39 Steps
Tony Smolenski IV, Adding Machine

Outstanding Solo Performance
Kris Andersson, Dixie's Tupperware Party
Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood
Stephen Lang, Beyond Glory
April Yvette Thompson, Liberty City

Outstanding Projection and Video Design
Paul Barritt, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Timothy Bird and The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with GeorgeZachary Borovay, A Catered Affair
Jim Findlay and Jeff Sugg, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Lorna Heavey, Macbeth
Tal Yarden, The Misanthrope

Unique Theatrical Experience
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Cut to the Chase
Fabrik
The 39 Steps
Traces

Special awards: Edward Albee, James Earl Jones, 59 E 59 Theaters, Playwrights Horizons

Today: Pamela's First Musical for BC/EFA

A concert performance of...

PAMELA’S FIRST MUSICAL

Music by CY COLEMAN Lyrics by DAVID ZIPPEL
Book by WENDY WASSERSTEIN

Starring
DONNA MURPHY

also starring
LYNN AHRENS; CHRISTIAN BORLE; CAROLEE CARMELLO; SANDY DUNCAN; GREGG EDELMAN; CHRISTINE EBERSOLE; STEPHEN FLAHERTY; KATHIE LEE GIFFORD; ADAM HELLER; DONNA McKECHNIE; MICHAEL RIEDEL; TOMMY TUNE; LILLIAS WHITE

(Appearances subject to change)

Special Guests
DAVID GARRISON
and
LILA COOGAN as "Pamela"

Directed by
GRACIELA DANIELE

Sunday, May 18th, 2008: 3:00pm - Matinee
Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd Street

A portion of proceeds to benefit
Theatre Development Fund’s OPEN DOORS Program

Now that's acting: Adam Riegler is Cubby Bernstein

Over at Talkin'Broadway, Ncassidine shared his discovery of the brilliant young actor who is Cubby Bernstein. Adam will be Young Shrek in the upcoming production of Shrek. I'm sure he'll be great, but I think Cubby will remain my favorite role.

For Stritchay in Endgame: All the way to Brooklyn with little ado

Kari and I traveled all the way to BAM to see Elaine Stritch in Endgame. She was in it only briefly and I would have been more disappointed if the rest of the cast - Max Casella, Alvin Epstine and John Turturro - had not been so brilliant. At least they seemed brilliant although I had no idea what the hell they were talking about. I found myself laughing at delivery rather than meaning. The best part was taking a cab back that only cost $23 plus tip - I feared that it was going to cost over $100. Whew, I survived in more than one way. I think I'm glad I saw a Beckett play. It's sure as hell better than Pinter's The Homecoming even if I understood it a million times less.

If these don't cure me, nothing will

Little Love sent me a Bernadette video and Kev sent me The Merm and Gypsy Rose Lee as much needed medicine. Kev says the Merm video is "the video to end all videos." Do these boys know me or what?

I was a no show at the Met

Cries! It rarely happens, but I had to sit out last night's La Clemenza di Tito at the Met. It was the last chance to see Susan Graham at the Met this season too. My representatives procured a signed playbill for me, but sigh, I wanted to hear as well as see her. I have to get well by tomorrow afternoon because there are many adventures scheduled for the next few days. Thus, I return to my boudoir for further convalescence.

And the Tony for Best Tony Campaign Goes To:

Bernadette on the Bandstand

The Mystery of the Missing Puppy

"Well, actually, I haven't had a dog in a number of years," she told us. Lansbury is 82, but it's not for lack of vitality that she's going without (she couldn't get a cab to the party, so she walked). No, the reason is much simpler: heartache. "I can't bear to leave them. I did have a dog, a little poodle, which, sadly, was so upset when I went to do a play in New York that he just walked away." She was living in California at the time, and when she got home, she led extensive efforts to locate the wandering poodle, but with no success. It "walked away"??? This is perhaps the saddest thing we ever heard. These days she lets her grandchildren handle the dogs in the family, because she's still too busy to commit. "I refuse to have a dog now unless I can stay in one place to nurture it."
A Very Sad Story: The Day Angela Lansbury's Puppy Walked Away, New York Magazine, 5/13/08 at Bernadette Peters' book launch party for Broadway Barks.

Perhaps she should have hired a certain sleuth to find that puppy.

Free Cubby Bernstein!

Mrs. Bernstein has grounded Cubby! Call 1-877-GET-TONY & tell Mrs. Bernstein to free our Cubby!

Tonight: A $1000 Dinner

Because I did some pro bono work for the New York Bankruptcy Assistance Project, I snagged an invitation to the Legal Aid Society Servant of Justice Awards from my friend Byrne Harrison who is the Pro Bono Coordinator at my firm. Well, I did do some hours for this, but mostly nobody else wanted to go. I was on the line of whether to go or not but when the words "the dessert is really good" and "that guy from Wait Wait Don't Tell Me is the MC", I said why the hell not. It's at the Waldorf too. And Byrne loves theatre which is always a plus with me. Surely, there must be some adventure in entertainment in this.

I <3 Cubby Bernstein!

Cubby Bernstein, Tony Campaign Manager

Now we bite our nails for the next 33 days

We'll be counting down until the big night.

Nominations for the 2008 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®
Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing

Best Play
August: Osage County
Author: Tracy Letts
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler, Jerry Frankel, Ostar Productions, Jennifer Manocherian, The Weinstein Company, Debra Black/Daryl Roth, Ronald & Marc Frankel/Barbara Freitag, Rick Steiner/Staton Bell Group, The Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Rock 'n' Roll
Author: Tom Stoppard
Producers: Bob Boyett, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ostar Productions, Roger Berlind, Tulchin/Bartner, Douglas G. Smith, Dancap Productions, Jam Theatricals, The Weinstein Company, Lincoln Center Theater, The Royal Court Theatre London

The Seafarer
Author: Conor McPherson
Producers: Ostar Productions, Bob Boyett, Roy Furman, Lawrence Horowitz, Jam Theatricals, Bill Rollnick/Nancy Ellison Rollnick, James D'Orta, Thomas S. Murphy, Ralph Guild/Jon Avnet, Philip Geier/Keough Partners, Eric Falkenstein/Max OnStage, The National Theatre of Great Britain

The 39 Steps
Author: Patrick Barlow
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Bob Boyett, Harriet Newman Leve/Ron Nicynski, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley, Manocherian Golden Prods., Olympus Theatricals/Douglas Denoff, Marek J. Cantor/Pat Addiss, Huntington Theatre Company/Nicholas Martin/Michael Maso, Edward Snape for Fiery Angel Ltd.

Best Musical
Cry-Baby
Producer: Adam Epstein, Allan S. Gordon, Élan V. McAllister, Brian Grazer, James P. MacGilvray, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Anne Caruso, Adam S. Gordon, Latitude Link, The Pelican Group, Philip Morgaman, Andrew Farber/Richard Mishaan

In The Heights
Producers: Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, Jill Furman, Sander Jacobs, Goodman/Grossman, Peter Fine, Everett/Skipper

Passing Strange
Producers: The Shubert Organization, Elizabeth Ireland McCann LLC, Bill Kenwright, Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, Broadway Across America, Emily Fisher Landau, Peter May, Boyett Ostar, Larry Hirschhorn, Janet Pailet/Steve Klein, Elie Hirschfeld/Jed Bernstein, Spring Sirkin/Ruth Hendel, Vasi Laurence/Pat Flicker Addiss, Wendy Federman/Jackie Barlia Florin, Joey Parnes, The Public Theater, The Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Xanadu
Producers: Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Tara Smith/B. Swibel, Sarah Murchison/Dale Smith

Best Book of a Musical
Cry-Baby
Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan

In The Heights
Quiara Alegría Hudes

Passing Strange
Stew

Xanadu
Douglas Carter Beane

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Cry-Baby
Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum & 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

Best Revival of a Play
Boeing-Boeing
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Bob Boyett, Act Productions, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert G. Bartner, The Weinstein Company, Susan Gallin/Mary Lu Roffe, Broadway Across America, Tulchin/Jenkins/DSM, The Araca Group

The Homecoming
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jam Theatricals, Ergo Entertainment, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, Michael Gardner, Herbert Goldsmith Productions, Terry E. Schnuck, Harold Thau, Michael Filerman/Lynne Peyser, Ronald Frankel/David Jaroslawicz, Love Bunny Entertainment

Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy

Macbeth
Producers: Duncan C. Weldon & Paul Elliott, Jeffrey Archer, Bill Ballard, Terri & Timothy Childs, Rodger Hess, David Mirvish, Adriana Mnuchin, Emanuel Azenberg, BAM, The Chichester Festival Theatre

Best Revival of a Musical
Grease
Producers: Paul Nicholas and David Ian, Nederlander Presentations Inc., Terry Allen Kramer, Robert Stigwood

Gypsy
Producers: Roger Berlind, The Routh-Frankel-Baruch-Viertel Group, Roy Furman, Debra Black, Ted Hartley, Roger Horchow, David Ian, Scott Rudin, Jack Viertel

Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Bob Boyett

Sunday in the Park with George
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Bob Boyett, Debra Black, Jam Theatricals, Stephanie P. McClelland, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley, Barbara Manocherian/Jennifer Manocherian, Ostar Productions, The Menier Chocolate Factory/David Babani

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


* * *

Regional Theatre Tony Award
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Special Tony Award
Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981), in recognition of his historic contribution to American musical theatre in the field of orchestrations, as represented on Broadway this season by Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific.

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Stephen Sondheim


* * *


Tony Nominations by Production
In The Heights - 13
Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific - 11
Sunday in the Park with George - 9
August: Osage County - 7
Gypsy - 7
Passing Strange - 7
Boeing-Boeing - 6
Macbeth - 6
The 39 Steps - 6
Les Liaisons Dangereuses - 5
Cry-Baby - 4
Rock 'n' Roll - 4
The Seafarer - 4
Xanadu - 4
A Catered Affair - 3
The Homecoming - 3
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein - 3
The Little Mermaid - 2
Come Back, Little Sheba - 1
Cyrano de Bergerac - 1
Grease - 1
Is He Dead? - 1
Mauritius - 1
November - 1
Thurgood - 1
Top Girls - 1

Time for Tony

The 2007-2008 Tony Awards® Nominating Committee is sequestered tonight and the nominations annoucement will take place tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. eastern on CBS and locally in New York City on NY1.

I have a couple of favorites who I'm sure will be nominated. No doubt, you already know who they are.

YES, YES, NANETTE!

Dear Mr. Producer, Please move No, No Nanette to Broadway as fast as you can. It's ready: cast, choreography, music, costumes, the whole shebang. You know you want to be happy but you can't be happy until you make me happy! Do it! I promise that I'll come see it again and again and again and I'll bring all of my friends to see it, especially if you bring Sandy Duncan and Beth Leavel with it.

Love, SarahB xoxo

P.S. Be sure to watch some rehearsal on Rosie's blog here

*photo by Sara Krulwich/TheNew York Times

Tonight: No, No, Nanette

Tonight:
No, No, Nanette at Encores!

Book By Otto Harbach & Frank Mandel
Lyrics By Irving Caesar & Otto Harbach
Music By Vincent Youmans

Starring
Sandy Duncan, Charles Kimbrough, Beth Leavel, Michael Berresse
Mara Davi, Shonn Wiley
Also Starring
Nancy Anderson, Jennifer Cody, Angel Reda
And
Rosie O’Donnell

David Baum, Brandon Davidson, Leah Edwards, Sara Edwards, Zak Edwards, Mary Giattino, Luke Hawkins, Matthew J. Kilgore, Cara Kjellman, Todd Lattimore, Deborah Lew Ryan Malyar Brent Mcbeth, Alessa Neeck, Carolann M. Sanita, Kiira Schmidt, Chad Seib, Kelly Sheehan, Anna Aimee White, Jacob ben Widmar

Choreographed By Randy Skinner
Featuring The Encores! Orchestra
Guest Music Director Rob Fisher
Directed By Walter Bobbie


I'm going because I have been persuaded by Little Love who was sending frantic text messages last night:

1. This is the best encores yet! All tap all happy. Sandy duncan did a huge fabulous solo

2. I IMPLORE YOU TO SEE IT. SO FANTASTIC. SMILED FROM EAR TO EAR. Sandy stopped the show

3. Nanette was musical comedy HEAVEN. Get a seat for tomorrow. Just so wonderful

4. Seriously never had this much fun in a long time. Its so so so well done

5. beth leavel is fantastic! And sandy duncan should be on broadway again now. A DREAM

All the tales I remember from Camelot

I worked on our Kermit High School production of Camelot. I think I was in the chorus. Did I also help with make-up? I think so. Anyway, Sheree Ferris was Guenevere and Eric Hindman was King Arthur. I can't remember who played Lancelot. I really only remember Sheree singing the hell out of The Lusty Month of May. Since then, I have loved the original cast recording. Its just divine - that voice of Robert Goulet on If Ever I Would Leave You and then Julie Andrews' I Loved You Once in Silence. Sigh. I bought my ticket to last night's Camelot thrown by the NY Philharmonic back in January. I anticipated that Audra McDonald would would be Guenevere and I cared little about the rest of the cast. But as the time finally drew near, my anxiety level grew and I feared that it would only be horrors of stunt casting. Fortunately, there was no reason for anxiety. Instead of Audra, it was Marin Mazzie and she was absolutely lovely and her voice equally so. Heretofore, I had only heard Marin in various one song appearances and of course on the dvd of Passion. I thought she was rather bland. But she was anything but bland as Guenevere. Of course, Nathan Gunn as Lancelot was fabulous. He's born to be on stage. I've loved him in operas (my favorite An American Tragedy and also The Magic Flute) but he seems like he would be the perfect leading man of musical theatre. Perhaps we'll see him in a revival of Carousel. I really liked Gabriel Byrne as King Arthur. He sounded a bit hoarse, but I loved his delivery. He had the perfect lilt and hesitation and bumbling for believable self-doubt. I absolutely loved the knights of the round table played by some of the best of Broadway's men, Mark Kudish (Sir Lionel), Will Swenson (Sir Sagramore) and Christopher Sieber (Sir Dinadan). These guys are comedy greats with voices that don't stop. The rest of cast rounded out by Christopher Lloyd (Pellinore), Fran Drescher (Morgan Le Fey), Stacy Keach (Merlyn) was adequate I suppose, at least enough to move the story. Overall it was an absolutely beautiful production, but that's thanks to the gorgeous score by Music by Frederick Loewe played by New York Philharmonic and fabulous lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner sung by those gorgeous voices. Lonny Price's direction was a mess. Irritating dancers dressed all in red moved boring boxes around the stage and he didn't know what to do with the chorus. They would have been more affective just lending their voices as seated from risers or standing as a choir. However, I enjoyed the production so much that I was barely distracted by the woman next to me who flossed her teeth or the woman behind me who sang along and then stomped her feet and clapped during Guenevere. Audience members, can't live without them, can't live with them...

Tonight: Camelot at the NY Phil

Camilla and I watched a tiny bit of Camelot on the PBS broadcast on Thursday night. She's a fan of Nathan Gunn's If Ever I Would Leave You too. She couldn't come with me to see it live tonight, but at least I've already started her Broadway Baby Training.

That's Doctor Lansbury to you

Angela Lansbury, who was so busy becoming an actress that she didn't even graduate from high school, has been bestowed the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Miami (Jerry Herman's alma mater, by the way). Watch her speech beginning at 34:58 in the Friday 5/9 5:00 pm link on Real Player. She's so wise. God knows, I've learned a thing or two from her over the years. And I can't even remember who delivered my commencement speech all those boring years ago - I think it was some air force general. Oh well. Frankly, I was just glad to graduate at all.













So, I'm back in NYC after a week of Little Loves. It's back to our regularly scheduled programming!

Sugar and spice and everything nice

They got big long roads out there

Every day I've driven 64 miles between Midland (where Cody, Camilla & Cara are) and Kermit (mom's house), to and from, from and to. We don't count the miles, just the hour it takes. And you can drive 75 mph between Kermit and the caprock. And I saw my piano teacher and my typing teacher when I was in Kermit.