By Andrew Gans
Elton John introduced the Billy Elliot sequence, which featured Trent Kowalik — one of the three Tony-nominated leads — dancing Billy's frustrations with raw emotion.
The now five-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury introduced the recipient of the winner of the Tony for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, composer-lyricist Jerry Herman. Following a few video clips of Herman productions, the veteran composer said, "Wow. Thank you. It just doesn't get any better than this, does it? . . . The journey...to this iconic stage has been filled with so much joy and excitement and laughter and life-long friendships that the only way I know how to say thank you to the hundreds of thousands of people who helped get me here is to say one enormous, heartfelt thank you to every soul who has touched my life in the musical theatre."
Twelfth Night star Anne Hathaway introduced the last of the evening's nominated musical revivals, Hair. The cast, led by Gavin Creel and Will Swenson, delivered a superb rendition of the musical's title song, another of the evening's many high points.
Four-time Tony winner Audra McDonald presented the final acting award of the evening, Best Leading Actor in a Musical, to the trio of Billys — Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish and David Alvarez — who share the title role of Billy Elliot the Musical. The three young artists offered the sweetest acceptance speeches of the night. After overcoming their initial shock, the Billys thanked the show's creators, their families — Kulish: "My mom, my dad, my brother and sister"; Alvarez: "Mom, Dad, two sisters"; Kowalik: "My mom and my dad and my three sisters" — and their teachers. And, Kulish added, "We want to say to all the kids out there who might want to dance, never give up."
Three road productions — the touring companies of Mamma Mia!, Legally Blonde and Jersey Boys — also had the chance to perform. Although enjoyable — it was especially fun to see five different Frank Vallis — wouldn't it have been better to showcase some of the other new musicals of the season (9 to 5, et al.) or use the time for a proper tribute to Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jerry Herman? Lansbury was already there, and having her re-create a moment from Mame would have been thrilling.
Producers also still seem to be struggling with the best way to present the nominated Best Plays. This year, actors from the four nominated productions — God of Carnage, 33 Variations, Dividing the Estate and Reasons to Be Pretty — introduced brief film clips. Perhaps the playwright could speak about an interesting aspect of the creation of a particular scene, which could segue into the play's cast performing a minute or two from that very scene.
Top prizes of the 63rd Annual Tony Awards went to Billy Elliot the Musical (Best Musical), God of Carnage (Best Play), Hair (Best Revival of a Musical) and The Norman Conquests (Best Revival of a Play).
One of the evening's most enjoyable moments was saved for the very end when host Neil Patrick Harris finally had the chance to show off his musical theatre chops, singing Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's revised lyrics to "Tonight" and "Luck Be a Lady Tonight." Those lyrics follow:
Tonight, tonight
With heels as sore as poor Achilles
Tonight, all three
[to "Luck be a Lady Tonight"]
And Geoffrey won a Tony tonight
Credits! That's not going to stop me!
[to "Tonight"]
Chris Sieber - please!
I hope, tonight,
This show
The curtain falls
Congratulations to all the winners, and let the 2009-2010 theatre season begin!
[By the way, if you're interested in reading my Tony night blog, click here.]
DIVA TIDBITS
The first annual Born for Broadway fundraiser — to benefit the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation — will be presented June 22 at 8 PM at New World Stages in Manhattan. Richard Kind will host the concert, which will be directed by Ragtime's Marcia Milgrom Dodge. Larry Yurman is musical director. The evening will boast the talents of James Naughton, Randy Graff, Douglas Sills, Malcolm Gets, Julia Murney, Aaron Lazar, Kate Baldwin, Annaleigh Ashford, Adrian Bailey, Patrick Boyd, Barbara Folts, Rosena Hill, Doug Kreeger, Marissa Perry, Michele Ragusa, Michael Rice, Steve Rosen, Graham Rowat, Rob Sutton, Emily Swallow, Noah Weisberg, Kathleen Monteleone, Ali Stroker, Chris Pinnella, Claire Howard and Sarah Galli. New World Stages is located in Manhattan at 340 West 50th Street. Tickets, priced $50-$100, are now on sale by visiting www.telecharge.com or www.bornforbroadway.com.
BBC Radio 2's Friday Night Is Music Night concert series will continue July 1 with Lorna Luft and Friends Celebrate the Music of Judy Garland. The concert will be held at London's Mermaid Theatre and will be recorded for subsequent broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on July 31. Currently scheduled to interpret songs associated with the late singer-actress are Garland's daughter, Lorna Luft, as well as Linzi Hateley, Francis Ruffelle and John Barrowman. The singers will be backed by the 70-piece BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Mike Dixon. For ticket information call 03700 100 200 or visit www.bbc.co.uk.
Stars are lining up to take part in the 15th annual Help Is On the Way benefit concert, which is set for Aug. 2.
The 7:30 PM concert, entitled Help Is on the Way XV: No Business Like Show Business, will be held at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco, CA. Those currently scheduled to take part in the one-night-only event include Susan Anton, Jim Bailey, musical comedy duo Baulpointpen, Carole Cook, Tyne Daly, Frenchie Davis, Joely Fisher, Deborah Gibson, Ricki Lake, Kimberley Locke, Maureen McVerry, Shawn Ryan, Wesla Whitfield and John Lloyd Young. David Galligan will direct the largest annual AIDS benefit concert, which is presented by The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation, a non-profit organization established to raise funds for AIDS service provider agencies. Michael Orland will be the evening's musical director. This year's beneficiaries include Aguilas, AIDS Legal Referral Panel, PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) and Shanti. The Herbst Theatre is located at 401 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, CA. For ticket information visit www.helpisontheway.org or www.cityboxoffice.com.
Megan Hilty, who plays Doralee in the new musical 9 to 5 at the Marquis Theatre, will host the June 29 Monday Nights, New Voices concert at the Duplex Cabaret Theatre. The evening, which begins at 7 PM, will celebrate the work of composer Will Reynolds. Vocalists will include Alysa Marsiella, Jennifer Hallie Rosen, Emily Senn, Zach Trimmer and Bradley White-Dale. Reynolds will also be on hand to accompany the performers and relate stories associated with each of the presented songs. The Duplex Cabaret Theatre is located in Manhattan at 61 Christopher Street. There is a $12 music charge and a two-drink minimum; for reservations call (212) 255-5438 or visit theduplex.com.
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.
12 Jun 2009
Frank Langella, who went on a bit too long about his lack of a Tony nomination, presented the Best Leading Actress in a Play Tony Award to God of Carnage's Marcia Gay Harden. "I tell my kids every day that bad behavior and hysteria and tantrums and tears will get them nowhere," Harden said. "I don't know quite how to explain this. . . . As many of you know, the play is about marital strife, so I should probably start by thanking my husband Thaddaeus Scheel for preparing me so well for the role in our many dress rehearsals, thank you Thaddeus." Harden not only acknowledged the four other actresses in her category, but her three co-stars, playwright Yasmina Reza and director Matthew Warchus, who "without your sublime direction, we would have sent this play out to pasture long ago with all the milking for laughs, so thank you for your love of human foibles."
Marcia Gay Harden photo by Aubrey Reuben
The Tonys were tonight
And Elton's Billy was all the rage
What class, what drive
Now Angela won five
And she hooked up with Poison backstage
Three tutu-wearing Billys
Were such a winning sight
Won Tony plus they hit puberty
Karen won a Tony tonight
Liza at the Palace
Mr. Ripley's daughter Alice
They all won a Tony tonight
Performing on your knees?
Dude, that only works
To win Golden Globes
When they're high as a kite
To be there when the Hair cast disrobes
Could not be any gayer
If Liza was named mayor
And Elton John took flight
I'm off to hit some big Tony balls
Goodnight
Stephanie J. Block, who co-stars in the new musical 9 to 5, is the final addition to the starry line-up for the "all-new" Nothing Like a Dame concert, billed as "an intimate benefit concert event for The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative." Block joins the previously announced Kelli O'Hara, Andrea McArdle and Tony winners Betty Buckley, Audra McDonald and Bebe Neuwirth. Guys and Dolls' Nick Adams will also be part of the evening. (The previously announced Kristin Chenoweth has withdrawn from the concert due to a film scheduling conflict.) Hosted and "re-constructed" by Seth Rudetsky, the evening will be held June 15 at New World Stages. Show time is 7:30 PM. For tickets, priced $75, $150 and $250, call (212) 221-7300, ext. 133. Visit www.actorsfund.org for more information. New World Stages is located in Manhattan at 340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues.
DIVA TALK: 2009 Tony Awards Recap Plus News of Block, Graff and Hilty
Tony and Emmy winner David Hyde Pierce presented the Best Leading Actress in a Musical Tony to Alice Ripley for her stunning work in the rock musical Next to Normal. Ripley, who began to choke up at the start of her speech, then delivered this high-voltage message: "There's a quote in the Kennedy Center by John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and it says, 'I'm certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we too will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit!' And he's talking about art . . . and so tonight, I'm just stunned and honored beyond belief to be here with my family: Mom, Dad, Dee, Rick, Cindy, Scott, Kim, Tina, Laura, Dan, Rob and Cal, and my mother and all my friends on and off stage here tonight. To accept this award is just beyond my wildest dreams. And I have to say something about art because I think that Next to Normal fits the category of things that [JFK] was talking about. . . . Musical theatre is a fine art, and so it needs constant adjusting and constant tuning. Michael Greif, David Stone, Tom Kitt, Brian Yorkey: You all led the show to that end result of it being a fine art, and I am so honored to be a part of the show. Everybody knows that I thank them because I've been thanking them all week. So goodnight everybody, enjoy the rest of the evening. Thank you so much."
