Tony Love--Tuesday Journal

I loved, loved, loved Sunday's Tony Awards broadcast.


Jillian joined Mark and me as we gathered in our living room, surrounded by veggie pizza, shrimp, salads, chips and hummus, and Jillian's homemade cupcakes, for our Third Annual Tony Award party.


As Neil Patrick Harris launched into his opening number about how Broadway is "Not Just For Gays Anymore", our spirits were high and remained there for the whole evening.


I enjoy the Tony Awards more than any other award show. Even though I feel more personal stake in the Oscars, for pure enjoyment and creative inspiration nothing beats the Tony telecast.  I love to learn about the newest plays in New York, and my anticipation of their eventual arrival in Chicago increases my interest.  Sure, I make mental picks and predictions; this year I was especially fascinated by what I read about "The War Horse". 

But since I have never seen any Broadway production before the Tony's were presented, I don't have the same anxiety as I do for the Academy Awards.  So I relax and simply enjoy whatever happens.  I have the same giddy feeling I had when I started watching the Oscars as a kid, before I became fiercely protective of the movies I hoped would win.


And the Tonys are beautifully focused on the shows and performers. It's great to see old masters like the graceful Vanessa Redgrave as well as young talents like the agile Daniel Radcliffe.  The "clips", or live scenes from the nominated shows, draw me in and make me feel like I'm part of the theatrical effort, part of this theatrical community.  The feeling of being included is inspiring, empowering.  I almost believe that I can still make it in this arena someday.


Harris was as witty and refreshing as a host could possibly be. Actually, if the Tony producers next year decided to have two co-hosts, Harris and Hugh Jackman proved that they would be absolute dynamite sharing the hosting duties.  Are you listening, Oscar?

Along with his mischievous and hilarious opening number, Harris stole the show again with his "rap" wrap, delivering an amazing summary (written during the show by Lin-Manuel Miranda, one of the writers of "In The Heights") with aplomb.  He just might be my new hero.


Other moments I loved:


--The exciting choreography in the segments from "Anything Goes" and "How to Succeed in Business...".
--The resurrection and triumph of "The Normal Heart" as Revival of the Year.  I read this play years ago, along with other work by Larry Kramer (and I adored his screenplay for the 1970 film "Women in Love").  I know he is a sort of controversial figure, but his acceptance speech was gracious and moving.
--Ditto Ellen Barkin, another winner for "...Heart", an actress I first loved in "Tender Mercies" and "Diner". 
--Joey, the "horse" from "War Horse", almost made me cry, as the puppetry so perfectly captured the heart of this animal.
--The number from Stephen Sondheim's "Company", a special musical production with Jon Cryer, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Colbert, Martha Plimpton and others, slated to open in movie theaters for a limited run starting this weekend in select cities.  Great fun, excellent music, performed and filmed live with the New York Philharmonic.

--Frances McDormand, seemingly dressed in character in her win for Best Actress in "Good People".  For some reason her casual garb seemed appropriate.
--The South Park guys lauded for "Book of Mormon"..although I hoped the number performed from the show would be more uproarious.  Maybe there were censorship issues.
--The announcement that "Spiderman" would open after---what? six months of previews? And of course, the question on everyone's mind....will it figure in the Tony Awards of 2012?


Here's a clip showing the creation and rehearsal of the closing rap number that summarized the whole show. Enjoy!

"God of Carnage"--A Play Review

Saturday's production of Yasmina Reza's 2009 Tony-winning play, "God of Carnage", at the Goodman Theater was commendable for efficient direction (Rick Snyder), a beautiful minimalist living-room set, and good performances by energetic actors who were appropriately over-the-top.  Moreover, an evening at the Goodman is comforting, enveloping one in art and enlightenment in the company of open-minded guests within an intimate and friendly surrounding.


And there was the excitement of the promise of a world-class, award-winning comedy by a renowned international playwright. 


Unfortunately, I had major reservations after this play was over, and felt at odds with what appears to have become an inviolable darling of Broadway.  I was roundly disappointed, even annoyed, by Reza's work.  At first I thought I was missing something, but ultimately decided to trust my instincts.


Although Reza writes good, crisp, often amusing dialogue, and understands pacing and the construction of a deliverable monologue, her ideas come off as glib and unoriginal.  That didn't seem to bother the scores of theatergoers around me who howled with laughter.  I wondered if they were honestly reacting to what was unfolding before them, or to the reputation that preceded this production.


True, context is everything.  But is the sight of a woman spewing vomit on rare art books anyone's idea of a witty evening at the theater?  Are stories about cruelty to helpless animals, (in this case a monologue about one character's abandoning a pet hamster to die in the street), funny in any context?  Does a character's obsession with his cell phone automatically make the work Timely and Relevant? 


It is a simple premise.  Two eleven-year-old boys have a fight at school and one of them has some teeth broken.  As the play begins, the parents of each of the boys have gathered in the apartment of one of the couples to determine how (and if) they can intervene for a resolution to the conflict. 


Their blistering and rambunctious sparring, self-revelations, and constantly shifting loyalties comprise the play's 70--yes, 70--minutes,, not enough to treat any of the dozen or so issues with any depth.  But 70 minutes was enough to shake me up, and send me out without having too many honest laughs.

I think Reza intended to shake up her audience, but I wasn't with her on this one.  I resented "God of Carnage."


The injured boys parents are Veronica (Mary Beth Fisher), a high-functioning Type-A, who is writing a book on the crisis on Darfur, believes in the ability of people to co-exist, and is proud of her appreciation for art and home-baking; and Michael (Keith Kupferer), a housewares salesman, seemingly liberal in deference to his wife, and whose mother may be suffering harmful side effects from a prescription drug.


The parents of the violent son are Annette (Beth Lacke), who is a placator with the weak stomach but strong opinions about pain and marriage; and Alan (David Pasquesi), an attorney who is obsessed with his work, believes that the human condition is essentially primitive and cruel, and may be defending the drug that has made Michael's mother ill.


In short order, the carefully constructed facades and veneers of civilized behavior are stripped away, the schoolyard fight is all but forgotten and unresolved, and the couples descend into venomous farce and slapstick, wounding each other in so many different permutations one's head spins.  It is played loudly and rapidly for laughs, but why? This could be the bleakest "comedy" ever produced.


Problem is, as drama (without the laughs) I got the point in the first 10 minutes...BEFORE Amanda vomits to demonstrate Reza's notion that underneath our exteriors we are all bile and filth.  I get it.  But I wanted to be dazzled with words, not a teen-flick gross-out. 

I think it is the playwright's duty to translate ideas into words that can be spoken naturally by actors, whose task it becomes to use their skills in voice and movement to bring characters to life, under the direction of one whose mission is to create a technically sound and artistic environment for this expression.  Theater is not, I think, primarily a visual medium, and I bristle at the recent introduction of motion-picture visual effects in what is essentially a medium of words and character.


Reza has material here for a lot of plays, and she almost successfully weaves humanity's flaws with global issues and philosophy.  During the churning segment in which the characters clean up the vomit and try to save some rare books with a hair dryer and perfume, we get an inkling of an idea about how we have too many "things'.  But it is dropped in favor of gender roles, the savageness of the human animal, the impossibility of coexistence, the minefield of marriage, the breakdown of loyalty, the heartbreak of raising children, and that ill-fated hamster.


We get build-ups to interesting ideas, only to be constantly interrupted by the cell phone.  Yeah, I get that too, the irony of technology cutting off communication. But I really wanted these characters to come to some original points, without the tired interruptions. 


Just when I was resolved to accept this as a type of theater of the absurd, the playwright seeks to wring emotion from the poor hamster and one of the children's reactions to its demise.  As a symbol reminiscent of George and Martha's "murdered" son, it was simply unnecessary and unpleasant.


"God of Carnage" had potential to mix up some wicked ideas in a comic brew that left audiences thoughtful and wanting to come back for more.


As it is, all one is left with are some empty laughs and nasty spectacle, and the upcoming film version, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jodie Foster and Kate Winslett, would not seem to hold anything new.

The play sure didn't.

~   ~   ~

A Tony Award Journal---Completed!

There were only three of us here last evening: Me, Mark, and our friend Jillian.  Yet our annual Tony Award get-together  was terrific fun, and had all the laughs, witty comments and surprised gasps as the spectacle at Radio City Music Hall.  Huddled in our tiny converted bedroom-turned-screening-room just large enough to seat three, on our HD TV and armed with snacks and "beverages", we reveled in the speeches, costumes and hair, the music and scenes from the big plays, cheered for our "favorites", and planned our fantasy itineraries for our next trip to Broadway (next fall, maybe?)

I also got my motivation going to finish a play....so that some day, I can give the thank-you speech I have carefully prepared many years ago....something some stars clearly forgot to do (Denzel?)


I used to watch the Tony's to get a sort of preview of the material Hollywood might use for its big productions for the coming year. Big Hollywood musicals, and some classic dramatic films,  were often Tony-winning shows at first. I'm remembering classic vintage films like "My Fair lady", "Sound of Music", "Lion in Winter",   Now, Broadway has scavenged the Hollywood creative factory for its concepts and ideas, so that a good number of shows seem to have been Disney Animated features or obscure TV sitcoms ("Shrek", Addams Family", etc.)

Living in the middle of the country, we don't have immediate access to the big Broadway shows honored by Tony.  Yes, we eventually see them arrive in Chicago in wonderfully mounted productions, but at award season it's like being made to watch the Oscars without having seen ANY of the films in competition.  So, I try to stay current by reading about the shows following the trade notices..and of course assessing their award chances!

"Red" seemed to get the most press, and I was well aware of the show and its premise going in.  I wasn't too surprised it won Best Play, given the number of its nominations.  I felt most sorry for Alfred Molina, who appeared to be the only nominee from the show not to have earned a trophy...and he was the lead character, no less!  This story of artist mark Rothko and his protege intrigues me.  Too bad we could not see a scene, even on tape, to showcase the performers and the drama.  I must see this one.

What can you say about "La Cage"?  It's one of those perennials, like "Gypsy", that seems to win every time it's produced.  And why not? it's a crowd-pleaser with gorgeous design, lots of humor, and with a message of acceptance that can't fail to stir all but the most jaded in the audience.   

Jillian just saw "Memphis" in her last trip to NY and was wildly enthusiastic.  She was out of her seat when it was named "Best Musical".  I knew that, sadly, "Memphis" was the ONLY eligible nominated musical with an original music score, which is why I gave it the edge in my prediction it would win.  All others were compilations of music, or, in the case of "American Idiot", taken from a concept "rock-opera".

Speaking of "A.I.", I sort of "got" it....I think it's this generation's "Hair", or "Rent", basically an anthem to youthful idealism, this time presented in an in-your-face, confrontational style...loud and rude, and exhilarating nonetheless.  Mark and Jillian were less enthusiastic about it, and it might not top my to-see list, but I would go if I got a chance.  I still wonder if Broadway is the appropriate venue for highly amplified musicals. Green Day and the cast members of "American Idiot" certainly have something important to say, and loudly; however I hope they understand the effectiveness of the occasional whisper.

"Fela" was appealing in an intellectual, "culture-is-good-for-you" kind of way.  I know this is not fair, having seen only one or two brief numbers from it.  But what I saw engaged my mind, and I told myself how unique and wonderful it was...but it left me unmoved.  It's a show that I think might grow on me after seeing it through, and maybe again.  I was awe-struck by the rhythm and choreography, and the costuming (although we couldn't resist taking a swipe at the Jiffy-Pop headgear on the opening singer...and what about those glasses??) 

Some of my least favorite moments; Catherine Zeta-Jones' slog through "Send in the Clowns" and her strange acceptance speech; Denzel forgetting who had just honored him; Nathan Lane recycling Bob Hope (to an Oscar fanatic his remark about Passover was just too recognizable--although in general he and Bebe Neuwirth made me laugh); Scarlett Johannson's overlong acceptance speech to kick off the show; and the poor directing and technical difficulties for the telecast, with wandering teleprompters, indiscriminate editing, and horrible sound that always seemed to be on a delay.

SEAN HAYES did a surprising and extremely smart thing to kick off the show with an instrumental performance and immediately deflect controversy. This way he did not risk an immediate turnoff with lame jokes or the appearance of trying too hard to be classy.  His bravura turn at the piano was eye-opening, and all criticism of his supposed effectiveness as a romantic straight lead evaporated...the man has talent.  He carried the event well, although I could have done without the Spiderman-Orphan Annie costuming during the show.  And aside from a nod to the naysayers with an exaggerated kiss on the lips of his "Promises" co-star Katherine Heigel, the only political statement was in mentioning BP, and that by way of introducing Bernadette Peters.

As award shows go, this is always my favorite.  One day perhaps I will have seen more of the plays and musicals before the awards are given out.  And I hope Mark and Jillian and I continue to have our annual gala.....adding more guests as the years pass, as there will always be room for one more friend of Broadway!

Broadway's Big Night..A Tony Award Journal (Under Construction)

...I liked the show a lot...and am excited about following the plays and musicals that were among the nominees and winners.  Too bad there were so many techical difficulties with the live broadcast.  I have a lot of thoughts to share.....and will complete this entry on Monday.

Hope you will be back then!