Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals

The 2012 Tony Award Winners - My Take

Maybe the Tonys aren't a total sham after all.

That was my first thought when I got home Sunday night and saw the results of the 66th Annual Tony Awards. I didn't watch the show live, because I was attending a concert that night, but when I fired up my iPad and saw who won, I got a sort of warm feeling in my heart, as a result of years of cynicism and outright disdain for the Tony Awards suddenly melting.

I'm certainly not the only one to feel cynical about the Tonys, but it's gotten to the point where I'd just as soon go to a concert on the night of the Tony Awards as stay home and watch them live. I won't recount all the various charges against the Tonys over the past few years, but suffice it to say that Tony Awards don't always go to the shows and the people who genuinely deserve them, but rather to the shows that people have a vested interest in promoting. For instance, the show that wins Best Musical is usually not the best musical per se, but rather the one that simply has the best chance of making money on the road. Notable exceptions occurred last year with The Book of Mormon and in 2004 with Avenue Q, and, thankfully, this year.

What follows is my take on a number of the major awards of the evening. But before I get to that, just a note about the one glaring blemish on Tony's otherwise recovering complexion this year: that ridiculous number from the Royal Caribbean production of Hairspray. Why was it there? Because Royal Caribbean was a sponsor of the TV broadcast. As Vanity Fair put it, this only served to prove that "the Tonys have descended bow first into product-placement hell." Never mind that the performers were non-Equity, and that Equity itself was getting a special award on the same broadcast. (Cue: face-palm) But the fact that the Theater Wing is bending over to accommodate an advertiser is frankly appalling. What's worse is that, because the Hairspray segment took up valuable air-time, something had to go. And you know what went? The "In Memoriam" segment paying tribute to the members of the theater community who passed away during the past year. Yeah, I know. Sort of adds egregious insult to embarrassing injury, doesn't it?

Now let's take things award by award. Not every award, mind you, just the ones about which I have something to say. Click through the links on each show name to read my reviews.

Best Musical
Leap of Faith
Newsies
Nice Work If You Can Get It
*Once
MY TAKE: The biggest upset since Avenue Q beat out Wicked, and in both situations the better show won. I'm so genuinely gratified that Once came out the big winner this year, garnering 8 awards in total. I think lots of people, myself included, were expecting a Newsies sweep. And, don't get me wrong, Newsies is a ton of fun, but Once is tender, honest, real, moving, and a ton of other warm and fuzzy adjectives. Perhaps the Tony voters have been listening to the feedback over the years and decided that they needed to do something to restore credibility.  

Best Actress in a Musical
Jan Maxwell, Follies
*Audra McDonald, Porgy and Bess
Cristin Milioti, Once
Kelli O’Hara, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Laura Osnes, Bonnie & Clyde
MY TAKE: I would love to have seen this one go to Jan Maxwell in Follies. Audra is terrific in Porgy and Bess, but she already had four Tonys. Yeah, awards shouldn't really be about the past, only the present, but Jan Maxwell rocks in everything she's in, and I'd love to see her get some love one of these seasons.

Best Actress in a Play
*Nina Arianda, Venus in Fur
Tracie Bennett, End of the Rainbow
Stockard Channing, Other Desert Cities
Linda Lavin, The Lyons
Cynthia Nixon, Wit
MY TAKE: I'm so glad this went to Nina Arianda in Venus in Fur. She one of the most appealing, animated, layered, and energetic actresses I've ever seen, and she's simply a force of nature in Venus in Fur. Word on the street had this award possibly going to Tracie Bennett in End of the Rainbow, and make no mistake Bennett is terrific. But I would have been disappointed if the Tony voters had gone for Bennett's flashy Judy Garland impersonation over Arianda's equally flashy but far more nuanced performance.  

Best Actor in a Play
*James Corden, One Man, Two Guvnors
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Death of a Salesman
James Earl Jones, The Best Man
Frank Langella, Man and Boy
John Lithgow, The Columnist
MY TAKE: Another upset. The smart money had this one going to Phillip Seymour Hoffman, a known Hollywood and stage quantity, but thankfully the Tony voters were more impressed by James Corden's virtuosic hamminess in One Man, Two Guvnors. I saw the play twice, and I will forever treasure the sheer joy that Corden was able to impart through this farcical, physical work of unadulterated silliness.

Best Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, Follies
Jeremy Jordan, Newsies
*Steve Kazee, Once
Norm Lewis, Porgy and Bess
Ron Raines, Follies
MY TAKE: Danny Burstein is another Broadway stalwart who, like Jan Maxwell, deserves a Tony one of these days. But Steve Kazee is a understated marvel in Once, a smoldering and sympathetic presence who can also bust out a killer indie-rock wail that sent shivers down my spine both times I saw the show. A genuinely moving and memorable performance. 

Best Revival of a Musical
Evita
Follies
*Porgy and Bess
Jesus Christ Superstar
MY TAKE: Another surprise, given the season-long controversy about Porgy and Bess, and the nearly universal love for Follies. I think this one might come down to the classically short memories that Tony voters often have, as Follies closed at the beginning of the year, and Porgy and Bess is still running. I really enjoyed Porgy and Bess, all three times I saw it, so this upset is by no means distressing to me.

Best Original Score
Bonnie & Clyde
*Newsies
One Man, Two Guvnors
Peter and the Starcatcher
MY TAKE: No surprise, and really no contest, although I'm a huge fan of the songs in One Man, Two Guvnors, and have the cast recording on regular rotation on my iPod. But it is nice to see Alan Menken get his first Tony, especially after the heartbreak of Leap of Faith closing so (IMHO) prematurely.

Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Elizabeth A. Davis, Once
Jayne Houdyshell, Follies
*Judy Kaye, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Jessie Mueller, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Ghost

 Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Phillip Boykin, Porgy and Bess
Michael Cerveris, Evita
David Alan Grier, Porgy and Bess
*Michael McGrath, Nice Work If You Can Get It
Josh Young, Jesus Christ Superstar
MY TAKE: I was thrilled to see Judy Kaye and Michael McGrath receive recognition for their hilarious work in Nice Work If You Can Get It. The show is a wonderful piece of throwback fluff, made especially delightful by the presence of these two Broadway pros.

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Evita
*Christopher Gattelli, Newsies
Steven Hoggett, Once
Kathleen Marshall, Nice Work If You Can Get It
MY TAKE: This one was a bit disappointing to me. Gatelli's work on Newsies is certainly impressive, not to mention omnipresent. But watching the dance numbers in Newsies reminded me too much of the American propensity toward finding things that are bigger, louder, higher, longer, and more expensive impressive simply for the sake of it. I would like to have seen this award go to either Kathleen Marshall, or preferably Steve Hoggett for his simple but wonderfully effective movement in Once.

Best Direction of a Musical - *John Tiffany, Once
Best Book of a Musical - *Enda Walsh, Once
Best Sound Design of a Musical - *Clive Goodwin, Once
Best Orchestrations - *Martin Lowe, Once
Best Lighting Design of a Musical - *Natasha Katz, Once
Best Scenic Design of a Musical - *Bob Crowley, Once
MY TAKE: On the whole, this passel of awards is really what made me happy about the Tonys this year. The Tony voters made smart choices rather than safe ones. They opted for dramatically purposeful work rather than work that was self-consciously labor-intensive and noticeably expensive. John Tiffany's direction was wonderfully heartfelt and evocative. Enda Walsh's book was spare but a marvel of economy. The sound, lighting and set for Once weren't flashy at all, but instead created this marvelous milieu in which the richness of the characterizations could shine. And the orchestrations were ingenious, and not only brought idiomatic sound to the show, but also made an asset of the potential liability of relying exclusively on the actor-musicians in the show's rather small cast.

So, on the whole, a really solid year for the Tonys. Will this usher in a new wave of quality and integrity in Tony voting? Or will the voters simply return to rewarding shows that are obvious crowd-pleasers and/or likely money-makers? Stay tuned.

The 2011 Tony Award Winners - My Take

 I haven't watched the Tony Awards yet. I know that sounds strange, but I had a concert to attend last night, and earlier this year I disconnected my TiVo and got rid of cable, and I haven't had the desire nor the ambition to do whatever it is I need to do to get my TV up and running without cable. Lately, I've been perfectly content with my DVD collection and Netflix.

Of course, as soon as I got home, I fired up my computer to see who won what. Here's a breakdown of how many awards each musical production won:

The Book of Mormon: 9
Anything Goes: 3
Catch Me If You Can: 1
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: 1
Priscilla Queen of the Desert: 1

Before I launch into my take on the individual winners, I just want to give a shout out to whoever designed the logo/poster/Playbill cover for this year's awards. I guess it wouldn't seem so remarkable if last year's poster hadn't been so heinous. Anyway, here are the winners:

Best Musical
*The Book of Mormon
Catch Me If You Can 
The Scottsboro Boys 
Sister Act
My Take: Pretty much as expected, and well-deserved. Catch Me If You Can and Sister Act were inept and lackluster, and there was no way the Tony was going to go to The Scottsboro Boys. Remember, the Tonys are about marketing, not artistic quality, and you can't market a closed show.

Best Revival of a Musical
*Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
My Take: You know, the more I think about it, the more I like the new How to Succeed more than the current Anything Goes. Both were immensely enjoyable to sit through, but I find that How to Succeed has lingered with me longer. I sort of have to actively think about Anything Goes to recall specific things about the production. So, on the whole, I would rather the Tony had gone to How to Succeed.

Best Actor in a Musical
*Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can
Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
My Take: Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells appear to have split the Book of Mormon vote, giving previous winner Butz a chance to pick up his second Tony. Don't get me wrong: Butz is great, in this show as well as in everything he does. But I kinda would have rather seen the award go to Rannells, or Gad, who both give impeccable comic performances. Why couldn't Gad and Rannells have gotten a single nomination, like those oh-so-adorable and three young men who undeservedly won a three-way Tony a few years back for Billy Elliot? Yeah, I know, the kids were all playing the same part. But Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley weren't playing the same part in Side Show, and they got a tandem nomination. I'm only half serious here, but honestly, if the Tonys can make the rules up as they go along, why can't I speculate with reckless abandon?  

Best Actress in a Musical
*Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Beth Leavel, Baby It's You!
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture
My Take: Just as it should be. Sutton Foster is a gift to musical comedy. Both Beth Leavel and Donna Murphy are remarkable performers, but they're really the only reasons to see the otherwise execrable shows that they are unfortunately appearing in. Patina Miller is a very talented newcomer, and I wish her well, but I wasn't all that thrilled with her performance in Sister Act, nor indeed with the show itself. Sister Act was very deservedly shut out in every category.

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Tammy Blanchard, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Victoria Clark, Sister Act
*Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
My Take: Word on the street had Laura Benanti winning for a second time. But Women on the Verge appears to have left far too bitter an aftertaste for many of the Tony voters. (Not to mention me.) Plus, Nikki James, although she is wonderful in her role, clearly benefited from the Book of Mormon behemoth. I would love to have seen the award go to Tammy Blanchard, who does a wonderful job of making Hedy Larue her own.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Adam Godley, Anything Goes
*John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
Rory O'Malley, The Book of Mormon
My Take: A genuine surprise. The smart money was on Rory O'Malley, who's an absolute stitch as the closeted gay Mormon. (Must...resist...redundancy reference...) Godley didn't do much for me in Anything Goes. And for Domingo and McClendon, well, nomination is its own reward. Larroquette was terrific as Bigley, evincing much of the smart comic timing that won him so many Emmy Awards. I would have given the award to John McMartin in Anything Goes, but he wasn't nominated. So I guess I'm pretty happy it went to Larroquette.

Best Book of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Alex Timbers
*The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys, David Thompson
Sister Act, Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane
My Take: Bingo. Jackpot. Straight Across. Bloody Bloody and Scottsboro were both worthy contenders, but clearly this award was going to go to the funniest book to hit Broadway in many a season. And as for Sister Act, well, the less said the better, really.

Best Costume Design of a Musical
*Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Martin Pakledinaz, Anything Goes
Ann Roth, The Book of Mormon
Catherine Zuber, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
My Take: PUH-LEEZ. Predictable and disappointing. The Tony voters appear to have caught on to the American mania for more, More, MORE! Sure the costumes for Priscilla are lavish, gaudy, expensive, and over-the-top. But are they good? I kinda wish the Tony voters had gone with the Mormon momentum and given the award to Roth. At least her costumes were genuinely witty.

Best Direction of a Musical
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
*Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
My Take: I'm thrilled to see Nicholaw get some much deserved love. My admiration for his work has only grown over time. The man really knows how to dress a stage, shape comic performances, and get the show running at a jaunty pace. I'm looking forward to seeing his career progress, both as a director and a choreographer.

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
*Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
My take: I would love to have seen this one go to Nicholaw, but really any of these fine people were deserving of this award. And Marshall's work on Anything Goes is outstanding, so it's really hard for me to gripe here.

Best Original Score
*The Book of Mormon, Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys, Music & Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb
Sister Act, Music: Alan Menken, Lyrics: Glenn Slater
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
My take: My sentimental side (and, yes, I do have one) was sort of hoping this would go to Kander and Ebb for their fine work on Scottsboro Boys. But I genuinely enjoy the score to Book of Mormon, and find new things to love in it every time I listen to the recording. Sister Act and Women on the Verge were merely placeholders this year, although the more I listen to the Women on the Verge CD, the more begrudgingly fond I become of certain numbers (especially "Island" and "Lovesick").

Best Lighting Design of a Musical - *Brian MacDevitt, The Book of Mormon
Best Scenic Design of a Musical - *Scott Pask, The Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design of a Musical - *Brian Ronan, The Book of Mormon
Best Orchestrations - *Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, The Book of Mormon
My take: Clearly, this year we saw the Tony momentum go to Book of Mormon. Much as The Producers got more Tonys than it deserved simply because the Tony voters wanted to set a record, so too Book of Mormon won in more categories than was probably warranted because the Tony voters wanted to congratulate themselves on finally having another smash hit on the boards. So Best Lighting? Best Scenic Design? Best Orchestrations? These fine upstanding professionals can, for the most part, thank the Book of Mormon juggernaut for their coveted little trophies.

TV Show - The American Theater Wing - "Working in the Theatre"

You know what's really humbling? Being in a room with a bunch of people who know a lot more than you do, about a subject that you thought you knew a whole lot about. And you know what's even more humbling? When that conversation gets taped for broadcast purposes.

A few months back, I was asked by Howard Sherman, the outgoing executive director of the American Theatre Wing, to appear on the organization's "Working in the Theatre" television program. The program airs on cable TV in New York City, but episodes are also available online and via Podcast.

The subject of this particular show was theater journalism, both online and off. And the panel featured some of the brightest theater journalists currently working. And me. My fellow panelists were: 

• Terry Teachout, theater columnist and critic for the Wall Street Journal, and author of the blog, About Last Last.
• Scott Heller, theater and book editor for the New York Times.
• Jan Simpson, former arts editor for Time Magazine, and author of the blog, Broadway & Me. 
• David Loehr, founder and editor of 2AM Theatre (2AMt), a theater-practitioner blog. 

I was deeply impressed by all of my fellow panelists, as well as moderator Howard Sherman, and their rich understanding of both the theatrical landscape as well as the past, present, and future of arts journalism. The panel made some especially incisive comments about the changing economic model for journalism, and what we can expect from the future of theater criticism. Meanwhile, I proceeded to prattle on about my dog Oliver, teaching musical theater, and, for some strange reason, Venn diagrams. 

The show should be airing sometime soon in New York City, although I haven't the slightest idea when, but you can watch it online (click here to watch the show online) or fire up iTunes and download the Podcast. The show is an hour long, but you can always skip past the parts when I'm talking.

Review - South Pacific on PBS

This past Sunday, the critically acclaimed and (presumably) financially successful revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific closed after 996 performances. That's less than half of the run for the original production, which came in at 1925 performances, but it's certainly a respectable number, especially considering that the revival was originally only supposed to run for a few months.

Just prior to closing, South Pacific aired live on PBS stations under the auspices of Live From Lincoln Center. This gave me a chance to evaluate the production, and the piece itself, afresh. Regular readers will recall that I consider South Pacific the most overrated musical of all time, and that the revival did nothing to change that view. (Read my review.) After watching the PBS broadcast, I still feel that way, but I will admit that I found more to appreciate in the show this time around.

For one, the show was making more dramatic sense this time. I've never quite understood how Nellie can go from singing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" to "(I'm in Love With) A Wonderful Guy" in a matter of mere minutes. But this time, mostly through the effectiveness of Kelli O'Hara's nuanced performance as Nellie, the sequence of emotions seemed more plausible.

I've complained before about the lack of extended musical sequences in South Pacific. The show has always felt too choppy, too stop-and-sing, especially coming from the two men who rendered plodding show structure obsolete. "Honey Bun" is simply an embarrassment, not because of the song itself, which is fine for what it is. But it represents one of the only examples I can think of when Hammerstein and Rodgers included a song for a song's sake. It serves no dramatic or thematic purpose: it's just there for entertainment. Again, Rodgers and Hammerstein were the men who obviated that kind of song. (Oh, and that reprise. When the soldiers and the nurses are walking in slow motion singing "Honey Bun." WTF?)

But this time I was captivated by the finale of act 1, which features a smart series of mini-reprises ("Wonderful Guy," "Twin Soliloquies," "Cockeyed Optimist," "Wash That Man," and "Some Enchanted Evening"), which effectively summarizes how we've arrived at this point in the show, and underscores the emotional subtext of the relationship between Nellie and Emile.

The best sequence remains the "Carefully Taught" scene, followed by Emile's moving intermezzo ("I was cheated before, and I'm cheated again, by a mean little world of mean little men..."), which then leads into the stunning "This Nearly Was Mine." This is truly thrilling theater, and for me it hints at what the show could have been. Paulo Szot's delivery here was masterful. I was particularly moved by his pianissimo delivery during the second verse. Szot seems to have gained a considerable (and distracting) amount of weight since the show opened, but the emotional impact of his singing remains undiminished.

But, on the whole, South Pacific remains hampered by labored plot machinations and emotion-sapping exposition. The pathos of the show disappears when the book stops to address the dull, obligatory military storyline. Every time those frickin' maps descended from the fly space, I audibly groaned. When we're watching Nellie and Emile, the show works. When they're not on stage, it falls flat.

When I saw South Pacific live, it was early in previews, and it seemed at that point that Loretta Ables Sayre and Danny Burstein hadn't yet grown into their respective roles as Bloody Mary and Luther Billis. I'm happy to report that both seem to have progressed over the course of the run into far richer and more effective performances. Sayre was a lot more layered and engaging, and Burstein brought a lot more of the wonderful individuality and creativity that he's exhibited in previous roles, particularly that of Adolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone. There were a few times that Burstein's performance seemed a bit too close to a Bert Lahr caricature for my tastes, but those moments were thankfully fleeting.

The major hole in the cast for me was Andrew Samonsky as Lieutenant Cable. I found Matthew Morrison bland and forgettable, but Morrison's performance was masterful compared to that of Samonsky, who came off unbearably smug and mannered beyond reason. His gait seemed borrowed from a bad John Wayne impersonator, and he had this annoying mannerism of sniffing and humming in rapid succession when he was trying to be sardonic. On the whole, Samonsky made me sort of glad that...well, let's just say that I found the denouement of the show ironically satisfying.

I recognize that South Pacific fans are legion and ardent, and I certainly wish them well. But after numerous earnest attempts at connecting with the show, which significantly predate the production at hand, I remain unconverted as to most of its supposed charms.

Who can explain it? Who can tell you why?

Fela Closing. But First, Patti LaBelle

The producers of the Broadway production of Fela recently announced that the show will close on January 2nd, 2011. At that point, the show will have run 463 regular performances and 34 previews.

That's certainly a decent run, and nothing to be ashamed of, but at about 14 months, it's probably not enough of a run to turn a profit. Granted, Wicked went into the black in that amount of time, but Wicked was running at full-price capacity. Fela has been running at a thoroughly respectable capacity of 85%, but at an average ticket of about $75.

So, all those A-list producers (Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jay-Z) most likely did have a positive effect on the show's box office, but not enough to push things into the profitability column.

But before the show folds up, the producers hope to go out with a diva-fueled bang. The fabulous Patti LaBelle will replace Tony winner Lillias White as Funmilayo, Fela's beloved mother, beginning September 14th and through the end of the show's Broadway run. LaBelle was originally only supposed to step in for White during her vacation, but LaBelle has since extended her run with the show.

Now, before you go booking your tickets expecting to see Patti LaBelle take over the stage of the Eugene O'Neill Theater, be forewarned: Funmilayo is a relatively minor role in the show. In fact, nearly every role other than the title role is minor. The story of Fela is told and sung almost entirely from Fela's point of view, which was one of the main problems I had with the show when I first saw at the now-moribund 37 Arts. (Read my review of the Off Broadway run.) I was pleased to see that the Broadway version actually gave some speaking lines to someone besides Fela, but I still found the storytelling rather inert. (Read my review of the Broadway production.)

To be sure, Funmilayo is an important role in the show, and she does sing on five of the show's 26 numbers. And a few of those songs are pivotal to the story. Just don't go expecting to see a Patti LaBelle concert. 'Sall I'm sayin'.

But, like the eponymous Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the show based upon his life will not fade quietly into the dark. The show is set to transfer to London, where it will enjoy a run at the storied National Theater, during which the show will be broadcast live to movie theaters around the world. One hopes that a DVD release will soon follow.

Yeah, I know. "Gee, Chris, I thought you didn't like the show." Actually, I genuinely appreciated what Fela was trying to do, even if I occasionally found fault with the execution. I fully support all efforts to stretch the musical theater form, and Fela's is definitely a story worth telling and retelling. Bill T. Jones has created some of his most vibrant and energetic choreography. And Sahr Ngaujah is unforgettable as Fela: dynamic, sexy, and passionate. So, I'll certainly be in a theater near me for the live cinecast. And I might even catch Fela again before it closes to see how La LaBelle fares on the Broadway stage.

The Tony Awards - Why I Didn't Care This Year

I'm sure that I don't have to tell you that the Tony Awards were presented on Sunday night. I had a concert that night (see post below), so I had to watch the proceedings on TiVo delay. But truth be told, it really didn't matter to me because this season was so lackluster with respect to new musicals. Sure, there were shows that tried to do new things, particularly Fela, American Idiot, and Come Fly Away. But none of them really succeeded, in my humble estimation. (Click on the links above for my reviews of each production.)

So it really wasn't a surprise when Memphis won Best Musical. I would have preferred that Fela win, simply because it was more ambitious. I thought the first act of Memphis was super slick, but the second act descended into predictability and essentially veered off into Hairspray country. (Click on the link above for my full review.) Why did Memphis win? Simple: the critics were dumped from the voting ranks of the Tonys and the remaining voters went for the relatively safe choice. Memphis won not because it's very good (it isn't) but rather because it's more likely to be successful on the road.

So, Memphis has now joined the ranks of Raisin, Redhead, Hallelujah Baby, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Big River, Sunset Boulevard, Fosse, Applause, and Jerome Robbins' Broadway: Big winners in a down year. Will Memphis virtually disappear from circulation as most of the above-listed shows have? Time will tell. 

The Tony Awards broadcast was rather unremarkable, although lots of people seemed to think that Sean Hayes knocked one out of the park as host. I thought he was fine, but he paled in comparison to the charm, ease, and spark that Neil Patrick Harris brought to last year's telecast.

One notable trend this year was Broadway congratulating itself on being able to attract A-list Hollywood stars. Did Scarlett Johansson, Denzel Washington, and Catherine Zeta-Jones genuinely deserve their Tony Awards? I saw neither A View From the Bridge nor Fences, so I'm in no position to judge there. (I concentrated almost exclusively on musicals this season.) But I did see A Little Night Music, and can honestly say no, I don't think she deserved it. (Click on the link for my review.) I would have been happy to see the award go to Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow), Montego Glover (Memphis), or Christiane Noll (Ragtime). I think this is another case of the skewing effect of having producers, presenters, and other business types vote for the awards. Rewarding stars for coming to Broadway means more stars come to Broadway. And in the current environment in which plays and musicals are increasingly reliant on marquee names above the title, that's a very important business proposition.

Of course, it has absolutely nothing to do with merit. Or art.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown - The Animated Special on DVD

Some musicals just stick with you. Of all the shows I've seen, performed in, read about, or lectured about, there are few that hold the emotional pull of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Which is funny, really, because I have a rather checkered history with the show.

I did Charlie Brown in high school, and it was by far the worst theatrical experience I've ever had. Lots of in-fighting, hurt feelings, and histrionic high-school drama. I was hoping to redeem that awful experience when a classmate directed the show in college, but [sigh] I wasn't cast. Fortunately, in the early '90s, I directed the show at a local high school, and it was actually a really great experience.

Despite the ups and downs, I still love the show itself. I'm sure part of it is because of my affection for the Peanuts comic strip itself, but I also love the sweet, tuneful simplicity of Clark Gesner's songs, and the wry wit of the Charles Schulz vignettes that form the spine of the show. The 1999 Broadway revival of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown left me cold, mostly because it was trying to jazz things up and expand the show, and seemed to lose sight of what made the show appealing in the first place.

I would love to track down a copy of the 1975 Hallmark Hall of Fame broadcast of the show. (Anyone?) But in the meantime, we have the 1985 animated special, which was recently released on DVD. I remember watching it at the time and being less than impressed, but when I popped the DVD in last night, I was thoroughly delighted. The special has the polished look and feel of the 1970s Charlie Brown specials, as opposed to some of the later specials that seemed a bit slapdash.

Because it needed to fit into an hour-long TV slot, the show has been cut down quite a bit, removing some rather fun numbers, such as Linus's "My Blanket and Me" and Snoopy's "The Red Baron." But what's left is charming, and very engagingly animated. I actually laughed out loud at some of the clever bits. There was something about seeing the actual Snoopy, as opposed to an adult in a white turtle neck, that made his parts a bit more effective. And including Woodstock, particularly during the song "Snoopy," was an inspired touch. 

I may have to dig out the old videos of that Charlie Brown production I directed. But, until I'm able to locate the old VHS tapes, not to mention a VCR to play them on, at least I have this new Charlie Brown DVD to tide me over.

Chess in Concert With Josh Groban

Let me get this out of the way up front: as a musical, Chess doesn't work. It didn't work in London, it didn't work on Broadway, and it hasn't worked in any of the innumerable versions that have cropped up since. And it certainly doesn't work in the recently released concert version, a mostly tasteless affair partly redeemed by the music of Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and the presence of Josh Groban.

I pay virtually no attention to popular music, so although I was aware of Josh Groban, I had never heard any of his work. I may need to seek out some of his other stuff, because I really liked what I heard. Groban has a rich, sonorous voice and terrific stage presence. And he shows admirable restraint amid the crass production (one word: choral-ography) and histrionic cast mates surrounding him.

Leading the charge toward excess is Idina Menzel as Florence. Oh, she can scream with the best of 'em, but her style has no subtlety, and her acting skills are rudimentary at best. Close on Menzel's overwrought heels is Adam Pascal, who exhibits here the same cloying vocal catches, scoops, slurs, and growls evident in the cast recording of Rent, as well as the same cardboard acting style. Although I do have to say that there seemed to be some genuine pathos in evidence during "Pity the Child."

The appeal of Chess has always been the gorgeous, chill-inducing music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, combined with Tim Rice's often-inspired but sometimes-clunky lyrics. The stripped-down book of the concert version renders the relevance of many of the songs opaque, if not incomprehensible. But even if Chess the show doesn't work, the songs do, particularly the soaring "Anthem" and the thrilling duet "You and I," both of which feature Groban to positively stirring effect.

The concert version of Chess reverts back to the structure and song list of the concept album and the London version of the show, restoring a number of admittedly fun songs that don't belong in the show, including "Embassy Lament," and "The Merchandisers," the levity of which throws off the show's tone. And "One Night in Bangkok" remains, as always, an irrelevant cheese-fest.

But the concert also includes "Someone Else's Story," which was written for the Broadway version, to be sung by Florence. However, in the concert version the song goes to Svetlana, Anatoly's wife. This makes no sense at all. Here is a song about someone deciding whether to stay or leave, but this character is not in that position; Anatoly has already left her. This change was probably made to accommodate one Kerry Ellis, who is currently playing Elphaba in the London Wicked. Which makes sense, because Ellis here has all the vocal restraint and acting talent of Idina Menzel. Which is to say, not much. 

So, there are two reasons to be interested in this concert: Josh Groban and the music. I say skip the DVD and buy the CD. Better yet, just buy the songs that have Groban on them. The folks at iTunes seem to understand this, and have priced the separate cuts accordingly: any track that features Groban costs $1.29, while the rest are 99 cents. (Heads up: All the songs are $0.99 at Amazon)

Chess has always been a show that's very close to my heart, ever since I bought the concept album in college. But I've long since given up hope that it will ever work as a show. It's probably time that the show's creators do the same.

The Tony Awards - Not as Crass as Expected

With all the pre-show hullabaloo about the Tony Awards broadcast, I went in expecting it to be one big crass-fest. Maybe that's why I came out feeling that it was the best Tony show in a number of years. Admittedly, the bar's not very high here.

I wasn't able to watch the show live and provide play-by-play on Twitter. (If you'd like to follow my random theater musings on an ongoing basis, I'm @ccaggiano.) So here are the impressions that I would have been posting, based on watching the show last night on TiVo delay.

The opening number: Was busy and frantic, and had some major sound problems. Actually, the show in general had significant sound issues, but it was most notable in the opening number, as well as during the Guys and Dolls performance. Oddest pairing: Stockard Channing and Aaron Tveit. Um, why?

Shrek number: I was pleased to see that the folks at Dreamworks decided to do an entire number from the show and not a greatest-hits montage, as so many shows have done in the past. The cast from Shrek performed "What's Up, Duloc?," featuring Tony nominee Christopher Sieber. Yeah, it's not the best number, from an admittedly lackluster score, but I give them props for not cutting and pasting bits and pieces from each of the nominees' best numbers.

Neil Patrick Harris: I thought NPH as the show's host was terrific: charming, confident, and self-effacing. I particularly liked the number with which he ended the show -- "Tonight" from West Side Story, with rewritten lyrics -- my favorite line from which was "The show could not be any gayer, if Liza was named mayor, and Elton John took flight." And I loved the sushi joke, at Jeremy Piven's well-deserved expense.

The touring-show numbers: The numbers from the touring productions of Mamma Mia, Legally Blonde and Jersey Boys were pointless. Bend over, Tony: the Broadway League wants a free commercial. The only number I didn't fast-forward through was Jersey Boys, because I found the gimmick of bringing in the five different Frankie Valli actors at least momentarily intriguing. (Be honest: by the end, you had chosen a favorite, right?) Yeah, I know: the Tony Awards in general are just one big commercial. But at least showcasing numbers from the nominated shows has a shred of credibility.

Best score: Yeah, Billy Elliot proved to be the juggernaut of the evening, but plucky little Next to Normal stopped Billy from sweeping up every award in sight. Congrats to Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt for snatching the Tony from the undeserving hands of Elton John and Dolly Parton. And props to the Tony voters for seeing beyond the stars in their eyes.

West Side Story number: "The Dance at the Gym" was a good choice for the show. It showcased the terrific playfulness between Matt Cavenaugh and Josephina Scaglione, as well as Jerome Robbins' kick-ass choreography. I wasn't so hot on the way they ended it, with a snatch from the "Tonight" duet, but again I was glad not to see a montage/commercial.

Rock of Ages number: Speaking of montages, I was rather unimpressed by the custom-made production number from Rock of Ages. Despite the effort, the number really didn't do the show justice, and failed to capture what is actually appealing about this show. If I hadn't already seen the show (twice) this number would not have induced me.

Liza: Is Liza Minnelli falling apart before our very eyes, or what? Did they have paramedics standing by in case she imploded?

Guys and Dolls number: "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" was an unfortunate choice for Guys and Dolls, since that was the number that the 1992 cast performed on the Tonys, and it created an unfortunate reminder of what the present revival is lacking. Plus, it put the miscasting of the otherwise talented Tituss Burgess into unflattering relief. And then there was the microphone trouble: we could hear the backstage folk panicking, but we couldn't hear Burgess sing until a stagehand ran on stage with a hand mike. What is this, 1950? Haven't we mastered the challenges of live TV by now? And how many people are greeting their Monday morning to the sight of a pink slip?

Best supporting actor: One of the genuine surprises of the night was when Greg Jbara won for Billy Elliot. I would have put good money on Will Swenson from Hair. But the voters were probably recognizing Jbara for admittedly strong performances past and present, and were likely caught up in the Billy Elliot tidal wave.

Next to Normal number: Alice Ripley seemed to be having some tempo problems in this number, although it might have been more sound issues with the TV production. But performing "You Don't Know/I Am the One" was a super choice, showing this moving show to its best advantage. Oh, and Alice, lovey, I applaud your winning best actress for Next to Normal, but WHY WERE YOU YELLING DURING YOUR ACCEPTANCE SPEECH?!

In Memoriam: Was anyone else annoyed by the relentless camera pans during the tribute to theater folks who died in the past year? I could barely read Marilyn Cooper's name.

The Billy Elliot monolith: Best sound design? Best SET!? Did the Tony voters actually see the Billy Elliot set? It's hideous and awkward. You might say, "Well it's supposed to be ugly. These people are living in squalor." Granted. But does that mean we have to throw an award at urban blight? Again, we're probably just witnessing the Billy momentum here. 

Frank Langella: I applaud Frank Langella for what some might consider a self-aggrandizing speech. Perhaps it was. But he did serve as a reminder to the Tony nominating committee that, um, there were a bunch of shows that opened in the fall, many of which (The Seagull, anyone?) were entirely shut out. 

Harriet Walter and Janet McTeer: "Hiss!" and "Boo!" to the TV crew for mixing up Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter. And props to the classy Marcia Gay Harden for pointing the gaffe out in her acceptance speech. 

The Hair number: Performing the title song from Hair was a very good choice, nicely capturing the exuberance of the show, which thankfully went on to win Best Revival. I loved it when Oskar Eustis said "Peace now! Freedom now! Equality now!," emphasizing the last one by pointing to his wedding ring, a clear and welcome reference to gay marriage.

Billy Elliot number: On the one hand, I was glad to see that they chose only one Billy Elliot to showcase in the "Angry Dance." (It was Trent Kowalik.) On the other hand, the number, which was one of the moments in the show that I found genuinely compelling, came off as loud, tuneless, and harsh, and was also poorly shot. Oh, and BTW, would that the Tony nominating committee and voters had shown the same strength of character and actually chosen *one* Billy as best actor. But that would hurt somebody's feelings, now wouldn't it? We can't have an awards show hurt someone's feelings, can we? (Yeah, well, talk to Frank Dolce, the poor kid who shares the part of Michael with Tony nominee David Bologna, about that one.) I didn't see David Alvarez, but I heard he's very good. I got Kiril Kulish, who is a terrific dancer, but the heavy acting scenes were a bit of a stretch for him. And now, all three of them have a Tony. Oh, isn't that just adorable?

Best Musical: As for the Billy Elliot sweep, well, all I can say is, I hated the show in London (read my review), but I was moderately engaged by the Broadway production (read my re-review). It's a great big crowd-pleaser, and there's some really solid stagecraft in evidence. But the score is awful, and the dance is IMHO overrated. Is it a classic for the ages? Will it become a stalwart part of the musical theater canon? Will community theaters and high school drama societies be performing Billy Elliot fifty years from now? Oh, sister, I have such doubts.

Let the Sun Shine In - Hair Documentary

Coinciding with the successful Broadway revival of Hair comes the DVD release of the 2007 documentary Hair: Let the Sun Shine In. The film was created by Wolfgang Held and Pola Rapaport, and it represents an attempt to examine the cultural phenomenon that was Hair in the 1960s as well as the social context that surrounded and gave rise to the show. 

Such a powerful and important musical really deserves a better testament than Held and Rapaport provide. The 55-minute film spends about 45 minutes heaping blind and unrestrained praise on the show's creators and producers. Included in the film are interviews with librettist/lyricist James Rado, composer Galt MacDermot, and director Tom O'Horgan, who passed away earlier this year. Rado's writing partner Gerome Ragni died in 1991, before the making of the film. Also on hand are various cast members, including Ben Vereen, Keith Carradine, and Melba Moore.

The film includes a lot of vague hippie speak about creating a new kind of theater and reflecting the zeitgeist and whatnot, but there really isn't any compelling social or critical analysis. To be sure, there's some interesting footage here of the original Broadway cast of Hair, as well as various international productions. And there's some illustrative stock footage of the Vietnam War and the Kent State massacre, which does help bring put the social setting in relief. But Held and Rapaport seem to have mistaken juxtaposition for synthesis. There's really no effort here to provide a coherent thesis. 

The most annoying footage involves the cast of some New York production of Hair involving Rado and O'Horgan, but it's really not clear which production this is. The footage features a lot of self-satisfied young performers showing off for the camera, very pleased with themselves to be involved in such a worthy and important show, but not reflecting for a second that they understood anything about the show.

In the last ten minutes, Held and Rapaport throw in some interesting but undeveloped references to drug use during the Broadway run, tensions between Rado and Ragni, and a sad but irrelevant mention of cast members that later died of AIDS. The one truly compelling sequence involved an actor who played Woof on the show's national tour. The show had been receiving bomb threats from various conservative groups. One night, the stage manager came up to the actor during a performance and said that they had to leave. The hotel where their respective families were staying had been fire bombed. Ultimately both men lost their wives, and the actor lost two young daughters, to the blaze. According to the film, the perpetrators were never caught.

The DVD is available at Amazon, but you can also catch it on the Sundance Channel starting in July. It's worth a watch, but it's certainly not of lasting quality. Fortunately, the shows that inspired the film is.

The 2009 Tony Award Nominations

Let the orgy of self-congratulation begin!

I haven't been paying much attention to all the awards this season. (You know, The Drama Desk Awards, The Drama League Awards, The Lucille Lortel Awards, The Outer Critics Circle Awards, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Obies, The Actor's Equity Awards, The Theater World Awards, The Left-Handed Jewish Lesbian Mud Wrestlers Awards, etc.)

I guess I'm not all that into the shiny prizes this season because there hasn't been one production that has overwhelmingly won my heart, as there has been in the last few seasons. (Xanadu, Grey Gardens, The Drowsy Chaperone, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Avenue Q). I'm certainly fond of, but not obsessed over, [title of show], although I'll certainly be rooting for Hunter Bell for best book, the show's sole nomination. But other than that, there's not really one show that I'm rooting for over all others. 

The above awards matter mostly to press agents and advertising copywriters, although the Pulitzer is certainly in a league of its own. The awards that truly matter, at least financially, are the Tony Awards, the nominations for which came out yesterday. Below are the major musical categories. (Because those are the only awards that really matter to us, right dear reader?) Here's the tally for the musical productions eligible this season:

• Billy Elliot - 15
• Next to Normal - 11
• Hair - 8
• Shrek - 8
• Rock of Ages - 5
• 9 to 5 - 4
• Pal Joey - 4
• West Side Story - 4
• Guys and Dolls - 2
• Irving Berlin's White Christmas - 2
• [title of show] - 1

The following shows were shut out entirely: 

• A Tale of Two Cities - I don't think anyone expected this abomination to get any recognition whatsoever.
• The Story of My Life - This is understandable, I suppose, since the show only lasted four regular performances, but I would love to have seen Neil Bartram get a nod for his lovely, complex, and underrated score. I strongly recommend the CD when it comes out from PS Classics on June 2nd.
• 13 - I find this thoroughly inexplicable. First of all, the show was really quite good, albeit flawed. But to ignore Jason Robert Brown's terrific score yet nominate Dolly Parton's weak and forgettable work on 9 to 5 is simply beyond me.

Here are the Tony nominations themselves, along with my own commentary on who got left out, as well as whom I'm rooting for. The Tony Awards ceremony this year is on June 7th. 

Best Musical
    Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Next to Normal
    Rock of Ages
    Shrek The Musical
WHO'S MISSING: 9 to 5, [title of show], 13
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Again, I'm not passionate about any one show, and it seems pretty clear that Billy Elliot is going to win, but at this point I'm pulling for Next to Normal. It's certainly the most moving and ambitious of the nominees.

Best Book of a Musical
    Billy Elliot, The Musical, Lee Hall
    Next to Normal, Brian Yorkey
    Shrek The Musical, David Lindsay-Abaire
    [title of show], Hunter Bell
WHO'S MISSING: 9 to 5, Rock of Ages
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: As I mentioned, I'm pulling for Hunter Bell, but I have a feeling this one is going to be a toss-up between Yorkey and Hall.

Best Original Score
    Billy Elliot, The Musical, Music: Elton John, Lyrics: Lee Hall
    Next to Normal, Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey
    9 to 5: The Musical, Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton
    Shrek The Musical, Music: Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
WHO'S MISSING: Again, inexplicably Jason Robert Brown for 13, as well as Neil Bartram for The Story of My Life
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Next to Normal, all the way. People may love Billy Elliot, but Elton John's score is weak and forgettable. Plus, he's already won for Aida, and the Tony voters often prefer to spread the wealth.

Best Revival of a Musical
    Guys and Dolls
    Hair
    Pal Joey
    West Side Story
WHO'S MISSING: Nobody. Pal Joey and Guys and Dolls got this one by default because there were only four revivals.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Hair, big time. West Side Story had the momentum for a while, but Hair seems to have overtaken it. And rightly so.

Best Actor in a Musical
    David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish‚ Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Gavin Creel, Hair
    Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical
    Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages
    J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal
WHO'S MISSING: Matt Cavenaugh for West Side Story
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: First, let me just say nominating all three Billys is annoying. So the Tony voters weren't brave enough to select one over the others? I saw Kiril Kulish, and his dancing was great, but his acting was one-dimensional. This one's a toss-up for me, between Gavin Creel and Brian D'arcy James, but I'm going to have to say BDJ, if only because I went to college with his sister. (You laugh, but do you really think the Tony voters don't take such things into account? I mean, c'mon.)

Best Actress in a Musical
    Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
    Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical
    Allison Janney, 9 to 5: The Musical
    Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
    Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story
WHO'S MISSING: Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty for 9 to 5, Lauren Graham and Kate Jennings Grant for Guys and Dolls. I think the latter two may have been penalized because so many people didn't like the show, but I enjoyed both performances very much.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I really think this is Alice Ripley's year. She absolutely kicks major amounts of butt in N2N. Janney is a contender, but the tide of opinion seems to be turning against her show.

Best Featured Actor in a Musical
    David Bologna, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5: The Musical
    Christopher Sieber, Shrek The Musical
    Will Swenson, Hair
WHO'S MISSING: The sexy and dynamic Mitchell Jarvis for Rock of Ages
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: Despite my deep affection for Christopher Sieber, and the fact that he's an absolute stitch in Shrek, I'm gonna have to go with Will Swenson, who has this unbelievable stage presence and vibrancy as Berger. Plus, he's frickin' hot as hell. (Why should that matter? Oh, please. As though the Tonys had anything to do with actual quality...)

Best Featured Actress in a Musical
    Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
    Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Karen Olivo, West Side Story
    Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
    Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot, The Musical
WHO'S MISSING: Amy Spanger for Rock of Ages, Allie Trimm from 13
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I'm gonna say Karen Olivo, who is the best thing in West Side Story. She was such a revelation in this show, after being given such an underwritten role in the overrated In the Heights.

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
    Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls
    Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Scott Pask, Pal Joey
    Mark Wendland, Next to Normal
WHO'S MISSING: The Story of My Life, with its lovely and simple all-white set, and A Tale of Two Cities. Tony Walton's skeletal, modular wonder was just about the only thing on stage at the Hirschfeld worth looking at.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: The set for Pal Joey was colorless and dull. The Billy Elliot set is hideous beyond belief. Everyone hates Guys and Dolls. So, I'm going with N2N, with its sleek and functional three-tier grid.

Best Costume Design of a Musical
    Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages
    Nicky Gillibrand, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
    Michael McDonald, Hair
WHO'S MISSING: A Tale of Two Cities: Sure the show sucked, but the costumes were glam, and period pieces, even if they're huge flops, often score a nom. Heck, even Lestat got a costume nod.
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I'm going with Shrek here. Yeah the reviews were tepid, and the show is losing money every week. But Hatley's costumes add considerable life to this lackluster affair, and all the other shows feature costumes they could have assembled from the casts' collective closets. I'm not saying that they did, but they coulda.

Best Direction of a Musical
    Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Michael Greif, Next to Normal
    Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages
    Diane Paulus, Hair
WHO'S MISSING: So many big hitters were roundly ignored this season, including Arthur Laurents for West Side Story, Joe Mantello for 9 to 5, and Richard Maltby Jr. for The Story of My Life
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: I'm going with Diane Paulus, who, with the able assistance of choreographer Karol Armitage, breathed dynamic life into a show that could easily have come off as shaky museum piece.

Best Choreography
    Karole Armitage, Hair
    Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical
    Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical
    Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin's White Christmas
WHO'S MISSING: Sergio Trujillo for Guys and Dolls, Joey McKneely for West Side Story. (Hey, if Ann Reinking can win a frickin' Tony for Chicago, why couldn't McKneely get a nom for WSS?)
WHOM I'M ROOTING FOR: He doesn't have a chance, but Randy Skinner did some pretty stellar work on White Christmas. The man is a tap whiz, and he really knows how to dress a stage. But something tells me this one is going to go to Darling. Blankenbuehler's a talented man, but his style was totally wrong for 9 to 5.

Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway

I had a rare day off today, so I made myself a big steaming bowl of Cream of Wheat (my favorite breakfast), and fired up TiVo to watch the PBS broadcast of the new Grey Gardens documentary, entitled "Grey Gardens: From East Hampton to Broadway." Not the original "Grey Gardens," mind you, nor one of the numerous followups ("The Beales of Grey Gardens," "Ghosts of Grey Gardens"), but rather a film of the process of making the "Grey Gardens" documentary into a musical, and ultimately a Broadway show. The film is currently receiving airplay on PBS under the auspices of a program called Independent Lens.

It's really a wonderful film, and I recommend it to anyone who's a fan of the Broadway musical Grey Gardens. (And why wouldn't you be?) The film provides some significant insight into why the show is structured the way it is, as well as where some of the most important and compelling songs from the show saw their genesis.

One particularly compelling segment begins with the sitzprobe for the Broadway run of the show. It starts with Christine Ebersole singing the heartbreaking "Around the World," then intersplices video from the original "Grey Gardens" documentary in which Little Edie is going through her memorabilia, then finally segues into performance footage from the Broadway show. It had me in tears. There was something about watching the inspiration for that lovely song, then seeing it show up in the context of the show, all while the song itself played on the soundtrack, that really placed the tragedy of the story in full relief. It's a sequence that could have been precious or maudlin, but it wound up working stunningly.

Another notable sequence involved modern footage of the original Jerry Torre (the guy who likes the corn), portrayed in the musical by Matt Cavenaugh. Apparently, Jerry is currently driving a cab in New York City, and the film features him showing up in front of the Walter Kerr Theater and looking up at the Grey Gardens logo. The film also shows filmmaker Albert Maysles taking Jerry for a drive out to East Hampton to visit the now refurbished Grey Gardens mansion itself. Jerry describes the formerly squalid house as containing "so much love." He goes on to say "I feel such a part of this house," then finally "I'm here, Mrs. Beale." I'm not usually one for such bald-faced sentiment, but I nevertheless found myself quite moved.

Despite the supposed honesty with which the original documentary handles the story of the Beales, the current film sidesteps some of the drama behind the musical. It never mentions, for instance, that the show wasn't financially successful, nor that it closed after only six months. It also ignores the reported backstage tsouris between the show's veteran stars and neophyte producers. But, hey, it's only an hour long, and there's only so much you can cover in that time. The film stands as more of a testament to the passion of the creators, particularly composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie.

For those of you who simply can't get enough of the Beales, there's more on the horizon. Next on the "Grey Gardens" front will be the feature-length film starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore, which is currently scheduled to air on HBO in April of 2009. You can watch the trailer here. Between that film and the new season of "Flight of the Conchords," I may just have to renew my subscription to HBO.

Grey Gardens Documentary on PBS

Grey Gardens composer Scott Frankel informs me that the long-promised documentary on bringing the original "Grey Gardens" documentary to the stage will start airing on PBS next Tuesday, December 23rd.

Of course, local PBS stations set their own schedules, so follow this link and check with your local affiliate for air times in your vicinity. In the Boston area, the program will run on December 25th at 3 AM (TiVo to the rescue!) and December 28th at 9:04 PM. You can watch a preview of the new documentary at PBS's Independent Lens Web site.

Although recent revelations about Christine Ebersole's wacky personal beliefs have soured me considerably on this admittedly talented performer, I remain an ardent fan of Grey Gardens, and of Scott Frankel. I eagerly look forward to seeing his new show, Happiness, when it premieres in February at Lincoln Center.

Patti LuPone's Gypsy May Be Filmed

Amid all the news of economic tumult and political unrest, it's nice to get some positive news for a change, albeit tentative.

Playbill.com reports that the current revival of Gypsy, starring Tony Award winner Patti LuPone, will likely be filmed before it closes in March. According to Playbill, the ticketing site Telecharge.com is featuring the following notice for those buying tickets for the final Gypsy performances:

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This performance of 'Gypsy' may be filmed for future purposes. Please be advised that stationary and moving cameras may be placed throughout the theatre as we attempt to capture this historic production on film.

A production spokesperson wouldn't confirm that the show would be filmed, but the very prospect sets my heart atwitter. (Read my original review and my revisit review.)

In other shows-on-film news, it turns out that the recent "cine-cast" of Rent will indeed receive a DVD release, which is scheduled to come out in February 2009. Now we can all throw away our copies of Chris Columbus's flaccid film version and savor a film worthy of the show and its late creator, Jonathan Larson. (Read my review of Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway.)

In other La LuPone news, I just got the CD for her legendary Les Mouches concert, and it's unbearable. It's basically a live recording Patti made way back when she was starring in Evita. The sound quality isn't very good, because it was apparently never meant for commercial release, but that's not really the problem here. What makes the CD virtually unlistenable is (1) Patti's notoriously bad diction, and (2) her insufferable, self-satisfied demeanor. Her diction has unquestionably gotten better over the years, and her career ups and downs have instilled at least a feigned modicum of humility. But, unless you're jonesing for a Patti fix, I'd say give this recording a wide berth.

Passing Strange: Revisit and Broadcast News

Over the weekend, I revisited a whole bunch of shows, including A Catered Affair, Passing Strange, Adding Machine, and Boeing-Boeing. See my Catered re-review below, and watch for my Boeing-Boeing and Adding Machine reappraisals later in the week.

As for Passing Strange, my initial enthusiasm for the show has been waning somewhat as I listen to the cast recording. (Read my first review here.) The music doesn't seem quite as compelling upon further investigation, and I find myself increasingly irritated by the over reliance on assonance (rhyming "sex" with "cigarettes") and poor scansion in the lyrics (e.g. "un-DER your wing," "far lon-GER than you," etc.).

But since I had plenty of available show slots during this trip, I figured I'd take the show in again to see how it would hold up. Plus, it was one of only five shows with matinées on July 4th, and none of the others really struck my fancy.

Even with the limited competition, Passing Strange still wasn't able to attract a full house. In fact, the show played to just 37% capacity last week. So the show's probably not long for this world; I wouldn't be surprised if we heard about a closing notice sometime soon, perhaps this week.

Which is probably for the best, because Stew and Heidi Rodewald look like they're ready to pack it in. Stew seemed to be phoning it in, although frankly he didn't really seem all that demonstrative the first time either. The crowd energy was low; there were far fewer downtown alternativo types in attendance, and not that many African Americans either. The audience seemed mainly to comprise middle-class vacationers who got their tickets at TKTS and weren't really sure what to expect. The couple next to me left at intermission.

But the supporting cast was really on, perhaps because they're trained actors, not rock musicians. Colman Domingo and Chad Goodridge were particularly sharp. The dynamic Daniel Breaker was out for this performance, but understudy Lawrence Stallings was very animated and capable.

Even so, Passing Strange remains a bold work, one that challenges Broadway conventions and demonstrates new ways of approaching the form. For those of you who won't be able to catch the show before its imminent demise, Playbill.com reports that director Spike Lee will be filming the show for a TV broadcast on a cable channel TBD. Lee will reportedly record three performances later this month, two of which will have a live audience, and then edit the three together.

For a while there, it looked as though Passing Strange might turn out to be another Hair: a safe way for the middle class to experience the counter culture all within the relative safety of Times Square and the familiar Belasco proscenium. Even though Passing Strange doesn't seem to be catching on, the show's score is more mainstream than those of most Broadway shows. Ever since Hair debuted, people have been talking about how Broadway needed to stay relevant by reflecting changing tastes in music. Forty years later, it's finally starting to occur in earnest.

Upcoming DVD Releases

There are quite a few DVDs coming out soon that should be of great interest to theater aficionados. Here's a sampling:

COMPANY: As I watch and re-watch the TV broadcast of the recent Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company, the production is really starting to grow on me. As I said in my review, when I saw this show at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, I found it smart but cold. I was seated in the balcony, which made it hard to connect with the performers; it's not really the sort of show that plays well to the back row. But there's something about the PBS-telecast version that brings out the tension and subtlety of John Doyle's direction. Raul Esparza and Barbara Walsh in particular were a lot more impressive on the small screen than in person. The street date for the DVD is May 20th, but if you order it through New York's Channel Thirteen, they'll ship it to you in March. Will I order from Channel Thirteen, or wait for the regular release? Do you even have to ask?

SWEENEY TODD: Another DVD release that I'm eagerly awaiting is Tim Burton's movie version of "Sweeney Todd." In my review, I called the movie a "masterwork," and I'll be interested to see if it holds up to repeated viewings. I imagine that it will, in particular the nuanced performances by Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. (I will probably fast-forward through most of the really gory stuff. I'm kind of a puss when it comes to graphic violence.) The film will be available in both a regular version and a two-disc special edition. Which will I be getting? Do you even have to ask?

ENCHANTED: I haven't really been going to the movies all that much lately, but in addition to "Sweeney Todd," I also saw "Enchanted" during the recent holiday season. I remember seeing the preview one time when I took my eight-year-old niece Alyssa to see something or other, and I turned to her and said, "Oh, sweetie, we have to see that." She agreed, and we both had a blast when we finally got to see it, as I mentioned in my review. I particularly had fun picking out all the theater people both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Not only was Amy Adams utterly disarming as Giselle, but the cast also included two dreamboats: Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden. What's not to love?

Also of interest: The recent ABC broadcast of A Raisin in the Sun, the 1955 film version of Kismet, and the 1961 film of Fanny. Will I be getting them all? Do you even have to ask?

BlueGobo.com: YouTube for Theater Geeks

I recently I posted about YouTube, and the plethora of musical-related videos one can find therein. Reader Scot Colford, co-author of the Just Giblets blog, tipped me off to BlueGobo.com, which is sort of a YouTube for musicals, with clips from the Tony Awards, "The Ed Sullivan show," the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades, and other sources. (Much obliged, Scot.) Lots and lots of good stuff here, and once I figure out how to post, I hope to be adding stuff from my extensive collection. Here are some clips on BlueGobo that you simply don't want to miss:

Little Shop of Horrors: When the DVD for the movie version of Little Shop first came out, it contained a black-and-white version of the original ending. You know: the one in which everybody dies, as they do in the stage version of the show. After the studio showed the movie to preview audiences, they said it was too much of a downer, so the studio re-shot the ending and made it all happy and nice nice, essentially destroying the movie, and removing whatever satirical intent it may have had. Well, apparently producer David Geffen never signed off on releasing the DVD with the original ending, and when he found out about it, he promptly ordered a recall. Of course, this made what few copies that actually got out into the hands of the general public instant collector's items, and these precious gems periodically sell on eBay for big bucks. Well, if you've always wanted to see what that original ending was like, it's now just a mouse click away.

The Will Rogers Follies: On the Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit CD, Gerard Alessandrini refers to Thoroughly Modern Millie as "the worst best musical ever." Much as I admire Alessandrini and his work, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with him. My nominee for that ignominious distinction would have to be The Will Rogers Follies, which won the 1991 Tony Award over two vastly superior shows -- The Secret Garden and Once on This Island -- and one show that would become far more successful, at least financially, Miss Saigon. Although these other shows have, to varying extents, survived in regional and international productions, Will Rogers is virtually forgotten. But the show did receive a television broadcast in Japan, probably because the original show was produced "in association with" Japan Satellite Broadcasting Inc. Although Will Rogers as a whole didn't really work, there was a lot of great stuff in it, mostly thanks to director/choreographer Tommy Tune. BlueGobo has two clips from the Japan airing, including the terrific opening number "Will-A-Mania" and the act-one finale. You can see the best number from the show -- "Favorite Son," which the cast performed on the Tony Awards broadcast -- over on YouTube.

Buck White: One of the greatest musical-theater oddities of all time, Buck White starred Cassius Clay. That's right: Muhammad Ali. It played 7 performances in 1969. The cast performed "We Came in Chains" on "The Ed Sullivan Show" after the show had closed. The number speaks for itself, but it's interesting to note that Muhammad Ali wasn't all that bad as a singer. Of course, we know he had his own stunning sense of theatricality, but he could also carry a tune. Go figure.

YouTube Broadway Treasures

When it comes to YouTube, I wasn't exactly ahead of the curve. Lots of people told me about it, but I really didn't see the point of watching other people's homemade videos.
Then I discovered that people also post clips from old TV shows, and I've found that there's a lot of musical-theater-related stuff to enjoy on YouTube. Lately I've been having a blast watching old clips from "The Ed Sullivan Show," which was quite the Broadway booster in its day, frequently featuring performances from the latest the Rialto had to offer. There's even a DVD compilation of some of the best performances from Broadway musicals.

There are lots of clips from well-known shows to choose from, including numbers from shows that received TV broadcasts, but have so far not been issued on commercial DVD. Two of my favorites are Rosalind Russell singing "100 Easy Ways to Lose a Man" from Wonderful Town, and Lauren Bacall performing "But Alive" (AKA "the gay-bar scene") from Applause.

But there are also some fascinating obscurities to be found on YouTube. For instance, there are "Ed Sullivan Show" numbers from Destry Rides Again and Donnybrook. Although both shows are virtually forgotten, Ed refers to Destry as a "smash, roaring hit" and to Donnybrook as a "tremendous hit." The shows played 472 and 68 performances respectively, so neither really qualifies for such plaudits.

But the numbers are fascinating. From Destry, there's "Are You Ready, Gyp Watson?," featuring choreography that is unmistakable Michael Kidd. Later in the same clip, we have Dolores Gray singing the gorgeous Harold Rome ballad, "I Say Hello." The Donnybrook clip features flop queen Susan Johnson and Eddie Foy, Jr. performing the awkwardly staged but terrificly tuneful "I Wouldn't Bet One Penny," followed by a clarion-voiced Joan Fagan singing the show's opening number, "Sez I." Both songs are by composer/lyricist Johnny Burke.

Dear reader, what are your favorite musical-related YouTube clips? Anything fun that you'd like to share?

Legally Blonde Reality Show on MTV

The Hollywood writers' strike seems to be affecting Broadway in some indirect ways. Faced with a lack of scribes for its scripted shows, MTV has announced a reality show  to help the producers of the Broadway musical Legally Blonde choose a successor for Laura Bell Bundy in the lead role of Elle Woods. (Reality shows employ "content producers," who are cheaper and don't belong to the writers' union.) The network recently announced national auditions in anticipation of taping the show in February and March.

It's a questionable tactic, at least from a ratings perspective. By all accounts, the reality show "Grease: You're the One That I Want" wasn't much of a Nielsen bonanza, although the Grease revival that it helped to cast seems to be holding its own at the box office. On the other hand, ticket sales for Legally Blonde got a shot in the arm from its recent airings on MTV, despite predictions from many people that running the show on TV would prove disastrous.

Many people will also likely decry this reality-show move as a publicity stunt. Well, I say, what's wrong with a publicity stunt, if it keeps a decent show running? I've long defended stunt-casting as an effective way to keep good shows up and good people employed. And Legally Blonde, while certainly not a masterpiece, is a fun bit of fluff, if a bit on the shrill side. (See my review here.) The show is an intentionally populist Broadway offering, and thus is in no danger of compromising its "artistic integrity" by relegating its central casting to a populist voting process. Plus, the show will bring increased visibility to Broadway in general beyond Broadway's typical demographic (i.e. from old, rich, white people to young, rich, white people).

Let's just hope the whole reality-show thing doesn't go too far. I mean, we certainly wouldn't want this casting-by- popular-vote thing to become a habit or anything. In a larger sense, art is not a democratic process, nor should it be.

Company Revival to Air on PBS in February

I've noticed a lot of search activity recently on my blog regarding when the telecast of the recent revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company would be happening. The show was filmed shortly before it closed in July, but there was no specific date mentioned as to when it would air. I sensed some impending anxiety in the search terms: "will company revival ever air on TV" was one typically frustrated string.

Well, search and fret no more, Sondheim fanatics. According to Playbill.com, Company will premiere on PBS on February 20, 2008.

As I mentioned in my review of the show when I saw it last December, I found the production compelling but lacking urgency. Although I had been greatly looking forward to the performances of Raul Esparza and Babara Walsh, they both wound up underwhelming me in situ.

I may have simply caught an off performance for both of these remarkably talented actors. I'm open to the possibility of watching the TV broadcast and having it change my mind. That's certainly what happened with The Light in the Piazza. When I first saw that show at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, I was left a bit cold. But upon repeated viewings of the Great Performances broadcast, as well as repeated hearings of the cast album, I've become quite enamored of this lovely and touching show.

In other musical-theater-on-television news, the recent LA Opera production of Kurt Weill's The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny will debut on PBS on December 17th. Why should we theater queens care about some smelly old opera? Because it stars Patti Lupone and Audra McDonald, that's why. And because, like Company, it was directed by Tony-winner John Doyle. And also because Kurt Weill was one of the best things to ever happen to musical theater, the recent abortive Lovemusik notwithstanding.