The final performance awards were presented by Liza Minnelli and David Hyde Pierce. Minnelli announced South Pacific's Paulo Szot as the winner of the Best Actor in a Musical Tony, and Hyde Pierce announced the winner of the award every diva fan had been awaiting: Best Actress in a Musical. Patti LuPone, winning her first Tony in nearly 30 years, gave the most exciting speech of the evening. I've been a fan of LuPone's since I was 11, so watching her accept this Tony was thrilling. In fact, her speech was so good, I thought I'd reprint it in its entirety:
"Thank you so much! It's such a wonderful gift to be an actor who makes her living working on the Broadway stage and then every 30 years or so, picks up one of these! [Laughs.] I was afraid to write a speech because I've written a couple before, and they never made it out of my purse. So I'm going to use one of the old ones and add a few names! [Laughs.] I want to send out first and foremost all of my love to my husband Matt and my son Joshua. I would be dead without both of you and to our extended family of friends. This won't take long, I promise. I want to thank my singing teachers, the one I forgot to mention the last time I stood up here 28 years ago, David Vosberg; Esther Scott, my high school inspiration; and the teacher who taught me how to sing, Joan Lader. All of my agents — especially Nevin, Gary and Philip. Carole Shorenstein Hays because I said I would! The Acting Company — John and Margo. Second Stage Theatre — Robin and Carole. Lincoln Center Theater — Bernie and Andre. City Center Encores — Jack, Michael, Judy and Arlene. The Ravinia Festival, where my involvement with Gypsy first began — thank you Wels and Lonny. And, for Gypsy itself, thank you Jule, Steve, my beloved Arthur, who assembled and directed the finest, most dedicated cast of actors I have ever had the privilege of working with and who is an inspiration to all of us in the theatre. Thank you Bonnie, to the designers of Gypsy, the backstage crew, front of house, stage management, ghosts of the St. James Theatre, my trusted friend and company manager Sammy, the dressing room, Angelina, Vanessa, Lyle and my very own Thelma Ritter. Friend and wrangler Pat, who gives me a shot every single night. I don't know what's in it, but I'm giving the performance of my life!! [Laughs.] My gratitude to my producers Roger, Roger, Richard, Tom, Jack, Steve, Boyd, Ted, Scott. [The orchestra begins to play.] Shut up, it's been 29 years! [Laughs.] Who took the risk with me — my acting partner, sweet Leigh Ann, beautiful, Sicilian sister Laura, and the very wise anchor of our show, my favorite leading man who breaks my heart every night, Boyd. To the real Rose Hovick, who gave all of the women that ever played this role the part of a lifetime. Thank you. Good night!"
Whoopi Goldberg presented the evening's final award, Best Musical, to In the Heights, a joyous musical that ended the evening on a joyous night.
FOR THE RECORD
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Cover art for "faith, trust & pixie dust"
Kerry Butler: "faith, trust & pixie dust"
It's been quite a year for Kerry Butler, the original Penny Pingleton of Broadway's Hairspray, who drew terrific reviews and her first Tony Award nomination for her performance as Clio/Kira in the new musical Xanadu, which recently celebrated its first anniversary at the Helen Hayes Theatre. New mom Butler has also just released her debut solo recording, "faith, trust & pixie dust," on the PS Classics label.
The 12-track recording features songs from the Disney canon: both well-known classics ("When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Colors of the Wind") and less-familiar fare ("I'll Try" and "Disneyland"). Butler, who boasts one of the smoother, rangier belts in the business, begins her Disney recital with "This Only Happens in the Movies," which was penned for an unreleased prequel to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" Other highlights include a gentle version of "It's a Small World" that melts into a forceful "God Help the Outcasts"; a beautiful "When She Loved Me," Randy Newman's "Toy Story 2" theme song; and the aforementioned "Disneyland," from Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman's Smile.
Karen Akers: "Simply Styne" Karen Akers recently ended a lengthy engagement in the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room with a brand-new program entitled Move On, which featured an eclectic mix of songwriters, including Stephen Sondheim; Maury Yeston; Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty; and Alan and Marilyn Bergman, among others. For the two previous seasons, however, Akers — whose Broadway credits include the original productions of Nine (Tony nomination) and Grand Hotel — has focused on the songbooks of John Kander and Fred Ebb and Jule Styne. Her Styne tribute, entitled "Simply Styne," was recently released on the DRG Records label and features a mix of classic and rare Styne tunes, including songs from such beloved musicals as Gypsy, Funny Girl and Bells Are Ringing.
A simple, lovely rendition of "Three Coins in the Fountain" begins Akers' exploration of the Styne catalogue, which climaxes in a terrifically moving medley of "Winter Was Warm," "The Party's Over" and "How Could I Know?" It's on the latter, which features a lyric by Bob Merrill, where Akers' skills as an actress enable her to mine the song for all its dramatic value.
Among the other highlights of the 16-track recording are touching renditions of "Time After Time" and "I Fall in Love Too Easily"; the little-heard "My Own Morning" from the Styne-Betty Comden-Adolph Green musical Hallelujah, Baby!; an upbeat "Ten Thousand Four Hundred Thirty Two Sheep"; and a wonderful pairing of "Make Someone Happy" and "Music That Makes Me Dance."
"Simply Styne" features musical director Don Rebic on piano and Dick Sarpola on bass. Eric Michael Gillett conceived and directed the original show upon which the new recording is based.
DIVA TIDBITS Betty Buckley — who scored raves for her performance in the new M. Night Shyamalan film "The Happening," the third highest-grossing film of the June 13-15 weekend (and the number one grossing film internationally) — will offer Broadway By Request next month at Lyric Stage in Irving, TX. Based on her recent By Request evenings at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in Manhattan, Buckley will perform July 9-11 at 8 PM. She will be accompanied by Chatterbox host and recent The Ritz star Seth Rudetsky on piano. The three evenings at the Irving Arts Center's Dupree Theater — directed by Richard Jay-Alexander — will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Lyric Stage. Tickets, priced $35, are available by calling (972) 252-2787 or by visiting www.lyricstage.org.
Patti LuPone, who won her second Tony Award June 15, is currently writing her memoirs, the Associated Press reported earlier this week. Harmony Books, a Random House imprint, is scheduled to publish the LuPone autobiography in 2010. The untitled book, according to the publisher, will cover LuPone's entire life to date: "From her beginnings in Northport, Long Island, where she discovered that being onstage was the one place she couldn't get into trouble, [LuPone] takes us on the roller-coaster of professional highs ... and emotional lows."
Bernadette Peters
photo by Timothy White
Two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters began filming her role in the new Lifetime film "Living Proof" over the June 13 weekend in New Orleans. Executive-produced by Renee Zellweger, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the star-studded film also boasts Angie Harmon, Amanda Bynes, Swoosie Kurtz, Regina King, Jennifer Coolidge, Trudie Styler, Tammy Blanchard, John Benjamin Hickey, Paula Cale and The Pajama Game's Harry Connick Jr., according to the Hollywood Reporter. Based on Robert Bazell's book, "Living Proof" casts Connick, Jr. as UCLA Dr. Dennis Slamon, who developed Herceptin, a drug to battle breast cancer. Peters plays the first woman to be saved by the drug. The Storyline Entertainment-Sony Pictures TV film is scheduled to air on the cable network in October.
The opening-night gala celebrating the start of Carnegie Hall's 118th season will be held at the famed Manhattan venue Sept. 24. The all-Leonard Bernstein evening will feature the San Francisco Symphony conducted by musical director Michael Tilson Thomas. Also scheduled for the 7 PM performance are two-Time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole, soprano Dawn Upshaw, baritone Thomas Hampson and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Tickets, priced $56-$190, are available by visiting www.carnegiehall.org. Carnegie Hall is located in Manhattan at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue.
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.
