Thoughts on the Tonys

I actually didn't remember the Tonys were on until I was approaching Times Square so I sat down with the crowd and watched them outside. I did miss the first several awards though and am bummed I didn't get to see my Ryan in his number. :(

* Hey, I just found out that Shrek on Best Costumes! Well, it certainly deserved it, those costumes were gorgeous, imaginative and fun. I strongly feel Christopher Sieber should've won for Featured Actor in a Musical as well--Billy Elliott is a fine show but I'm not sure it deserved ALL those awards. if You HAD to give the Featured Actor in a Musical award to BE, it should've gone to the kid, David Bologna who blew me out of the theater, he is staggeringly talented.

* Yay, Karen Olivo! I loved her speech and am thrilled that she won. Although--she played Anita, the Tony-maker. (Much like Richard Neville was Warwick the Kingmaker. A little theater/history fusion geekery there.)

* Loved the Hair number, although I would've preferred that they perform "Aquarius." It's interesting, when our cast performed for the Helen Hayes awards at the Kennedy Center back in '98, we also did "Hair" and not "Aquarius." I don't know, I just like that latter better, I think it's a cooler song with more interesting staging opportunities for an awards show, but I guess "Hair" rocks out more, and of course it constantly reminds you of the name of the show! That cast is just so awesome though--loved seeing Creel fondle Anne Hathaway (who was bouncing adorably in her seat) and Will Swenson who was playing with someone who was bald! I was rocking out in Duffy Square. Oh, and when the cast stormed the stage when they won Best Revival, that is EXACTLY what our cast did! We all just took off for the stairs--I remember clustering behind our director and at one point during his speech I was so excited I quietly yelped.

* I have to say, I kind of want to see Rock of Ages now! It looks like a ton of fun. Some terrific vocal talent, I'll say that.

* REALLY want to see God of Carnage, but I've wanted to see that for awhile.

* Hated the number from Guys and Dolls. I'd heard bad things about that revival and I must say, the naysaying was borne out by what they showed last night. "Sit Down" is NICELY'S big number--no one should be allowed to upstage him during that number. Extrenely tacky. And General Cartwright slapping herself on the ass? Are they on dope? NO ONE did that in the '30s. That is a recent gesture, maybe only about 15 years old. And if anyone, by some anachronistic twist of fate, were to be doing so, it CERTAINLY wouldn't be the uptight head of the Salvation Army. Yes, I understand that they're trying to make the point that everyone has been so turned around by the number that they've all been "converted" but they're "converted" in character. It just screamed anything for a cheap, tasteless joke. I was embarrassed for all of them.

* WHAT was the point of the Legally Blonde and Jersey Boys numbers???

* Jerry Herman. Just--awwwwww. Very sweet, classy speech.

* I didn't understand Ripley's over-the-topness, but maybe she was just excited. And I definitely applaud her sentiment.

* I literally gasped when the Billys won--such an unconventional nomination--but they should be very proud of themselves. They really are the reason that show has won so many awards--in my opinion, it's a good but not great show (I think the score is a little weak although I really like some of the songs, like that last miner number). It's the talent that distinguishes that show--those boys' talent. They're incredible.

* How hilarious was Neil Patrick Hyde's last song? Also loved his dig at SushiMan.

In the News

I have to say, I find the whole David Carradine story extremely depressing. I feel so awful for his family. What kind of filthy newspaper would actually publicize a picture like that? What a cruel, inhuman thing to do. I hope the family is dealing with this as best as they can.

There's no place like London!

Oh, and I have some exciting news. Last week I noticed an ad in AM New York or whatever that subway newspaper is called. The ad was for British Airways, advertising a very low rate to visit several different European cities. The one that interested me the most was round trip to London, including 3 nights at a hotel--for the low, low price of $599. I checked out the BA site and with additional charges it comes to $750. Going by what I paid in Rome and Venice, 3 nights at a decent hotel would cost at least $100/night--so basically that's a round trip flight to London for $300. UNBELIEVABLE.

I called my Mom, to plant the seed. She said she needed to think about it and we talked about logistics--I want to check out the fine print and see if we can add an additional night or two (for an extra price, of course) just so we can stay a little longer than 3 days (although for such a great price, even three days is great). Mom wanted to look at her finances and figure out if she could do it (she has a lot of house stuff coming up--paint job, pressure-treat the deck, etc.), so I called back yesterday. She said "yes, I think we need to do this." Frankly, I knew she'd come around--I know exactly how to get Mom to do stuff :) See London with her daughter? London, the seat of kings, the fount of so much of the history that we both love, the love she inculcated in me? Of course she'd do it.

She's not 100% committed yet but she definitely wants to do it--it's just a question of watching her finances. I also had the idea that it would be fun if my Mom's sister, my aunt and godmother Jenny, came with us. The two of them visited me in the Western Med when I did my cruise ship contract and had a blast.

London--the Tower, punts on the Thames, London bridge, Kensington Gardens, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Globe, the British Museum, all those Plague sites! (like Charing Cross)...