My style is cramped!

I used all of my entertainment strength at Pamela's First Musical this afternoon. It was completely worth it. But then I had to admit that there was no way I could "work" at the Drama Desk Awards tonight, so I'm home feeling sorry for myself. At least I can watch it via webcast on theatermania.com.

The nominees are (my picks are in bold - although I didn't see all of these)(actual winner in italics):

Outstanding Play
Alan Ayckbourn, Intimate Exchanges
Rinde Eckert, Horizon
Liz Flahive, From Up Here
Horton Foote, Dividing the Estate
Tracy Letts, August: Osage County
Tom Stoppard, Rock 'n' Roll

Outstanding Musical
A Catered Affair
Adding Machine
Passing Strange
The Glorious Ones
The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Xanadu

Outstanding Revival of a Play
Boeing-Boeing
Happy Days
Macbeth
The Country Girl
The Dining Room
The Return of the Prodigal

Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Black Nativity
Gypsy
South Pacific
Sunday in the Park with George
Take Me Along

Outstanding Revue
Forbidden Broadway: Rude Awakening
Fugitive Songs
Make Me a Song

Outstanding Actor in a Play
Bill Champion, Intimate Exchanges
Kevin Kline, Cyrano de Bergerac
Bill Pullman, Peter and Jerry
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing
Tobias Segal, From Up Here
Rufus Sewell, Rock 'n' Roll

Outstanding Actress in a Play
Sinead Cusack, Rock 'n' Roll
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
Frances McDormand, The Country Girl
Amy Morton, August: Osage County
Fiona Shaw, Happy Days
Julie White, From Up Here

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange
André De Shields, Black Nativity
Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park with George
Cheyenne Jackson, Xanadu
Matthew Morrison, 10 Million Miles
Paulo Szot, South Pacific

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Sierra Boggess, The Little Mermaid
Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Kelli O'Hara, South Pacific
Faith Prince, A Catered Affair
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
John Cullum, The Conscientious Objector
Conleth Hill, The Seafarer
Francis Jue, Yellow Face
Arian Moayed, Masked
Jeff Perry, August: Osage County
Michael T. Weiss, Scarcity

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Elizabeth Ashley, Dividing the Estate
Johanna Day, Peter and Jerry
Zoe Kazan, 100 Saints You Should Know
Linda Lavin, The New Century
Rondi Reed, August: Osage County
Marisa Tomei, Top Girls

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, South Pacific
Christopher Fitzgerald, Young Frankenstein
Boyd Gaines, Gypsy
Shuler Hensley, Young Frankenstein
Bobby Steggert, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Gypsy
Leslie Kritzer, A Catered Affair
Andrea Martin, Young Frankenstein
Mary Testa, Xanadu
Amy Warren, Adding Machine
Mare Winningham, 10 Million Miles

Outstanding Director of a Play
David Schweizer, Horizon
Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County
Leigh Silverman, From Up Here
Jonathan Silverstein, The Dining Room
Matthew Warchus, Boeing-Boeing
Deborah Warner, Happy Days

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christopher Ashley, Xanadu
Sam Buntrock, Sunday in the Park with George
David Cromer, Adding Machine
John Doyle, A Catered Affair
Bob McGrath, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Bartlett Sher, South Pacific

Outstanding Choreography
Karole Armitage, Passing Strange
Rob Ashford, Cry-Baby The Musical
Shana Carroll and Gypsy Snider, Traces
Dan Knechtges, Xanadu
Peter Pucci, Queens Boulevard (the musical)
Susan Stroman, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Music
John Bucchino, A Catered Affair
Stephen Flaherty, The Glorious Ones
Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
Mark Mulcahy, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Joshua Schmidt, Adding Machine
Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange

Outstanding Lyrics
Lynn Ahrens, The Glorious Ones
Mel Brooks, Young Frankenstein
John Bucchino, A Catered Affair
Ben Katchor, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt, Adding Machine
Stew, Passing Strange (didn't show up at the awards - that's classy, not)

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Douglas Carter Beane, Xanadu (woohoo!)
Harvey Fierstein, A Catered Affair
Ben Katchor, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt, Adding Machine
Stew, Passing Strange
Eric H. Weinberger, Wanda's World

Outstanding Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, Young Frankenstein
Jason Carr, Sunday in the Park with George (ARE YOU KIDDING ME????!!!!)
Michael Starobin, The Glorious Ones
Stew and Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange
Jonathan Tunick, A Catered Affair
Tim Weil, 10 Million Miles

Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Beowulf Boritt, Spain
Scott Bradley, Eurydice
David Korins, Hunting and Gathering
Santo Loquasto, Trumpery
Scott Pask, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Clint Ramos, The Return of the Prodigal

Outstanding Set Design of a Musical
David Gallo, A Catered Affair
Takeshi Kata, Adding Machine
Derek McLane, 10 Million Miles
George Tsypin, The Little Mermaid
Robin Wagner, Young Frankenstein
Michael Yeargan, South Pacific

Outstanding Costume Design
Mara Blumenfeld, The Glorious Ones
Michael Bottari and Ronald Case, Jessica Jahn, Die Mommie Die!
Ann Hould-Ward, A Catered Affair
Ana Kuzmanic, August: Osage County
Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
William Ivey Long, Young Frankenstein

Outstanding Lighting Design
Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps
Ken Billington, Sunday in the Park with George
Maruti Evans, Slaughterhouse-Five
Donald Holder, South Pacific
Natasha Katz, The Little Mermaid
Keith Parham, Adding Machine

Outstanding Sound Design
Adam Cork, Macbeth
Jorge Cousineau, Opus
Joseph Fosco, The Conversation
Scott Lehrer, South Pacific
Mic Pool, The 39 Steps
Tony Smolenski IV, Adding Machine

Outstanding Solo Performance
Kris Andersson, Dixie's Tupperware Party
Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood
Stephen Lang, Beyond Glory
April Yvette Thompson, Liberty City

Outstanding Projection and Video Design
Paul Barritt, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Timothy Bird and The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with GeorgeZachary Borovay, A Catered Affair
Jim Findlay and Jeff Sugg, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Lorna Heavey, Macbeth
Tal Yarden, The Misanthrope

Unique Theatrical Experience
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Cut to the Chase
Fabrik
The 39 Steps
Traces

Special awards: Edward Albee, James Earl Jones, 59 E 59 Theaters, Playwrights Horizons

Today: Pamela's First Musical for BC/EFA

A concert performance of...

PAMELA’S FIRST MUSICAL

Music by CY COLEMAN Lyrics by DAVID ZIPPEL
Book by WENDY WASSERSTEIN

Starring
DONNA MURPHY

also starring
LYNN AHRENS; CHRISTIAN BORLE; CAROLEE CARMELLO; SANDY DUNCAN; GREGG EDELMAN; CHRISTINE EBERSOLE; STEPHEN FLAHERTY; KATHIE LEE GIFFORD; ADAM HELLER; DONNA McKECHNIE; MICHAEL RIEDEL; TOMMY TUNE; LILLIAS WHITE

(Appearances subject to change)

Special Guests
DAVID GARRISON
and
LILA COOGAN as "Pamela"

Directed by
GRACIELA DANIELE

Sunday, May 18th, 2008: 3:00pm - Matinee
Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd Street

A portion of proceeds to benefit
Theatre Development Fund’s OPEN DOORS Program

Now that's acting: Adam Riegler is Cubby Bernstein

Over at Talkin'Broadway, Ncassidine shared his discovery of the brilliant young actor who is Cubby Bernstein. Adam will be Young Shrek in the upcoming production of Shrek. I'm sure he'll be great, but I think Cubby will remain my favorite role.

For Stritchay in Endgame: All the way to Brooklyn with little ado

Kari and I traveled all the way to BAM to see Elaine Stritch in Endgame. She was in it only briefly and I would have been more disappointed if the rest of the cast - Max Casella, Alvin Epstine and John Turturro - had not been so brilliant. At least they seemed brilliant although I had no idea what the hell they were talking about. I found myself laughing at delivery rather than meaning. The best part was taking a cab back that only cost $23 plus tip - I feared that it was going to cost over $100. Whew, I survived in more than one way. I think I'm glad I saw a Beckett play. It's sure as hell better than Pinter's The Homecoming even if I understood it a million times less.

If these don't cure me, nothing will

Little Love sent me a Bernadette video and Kev sent me The Merm and Gypsy Rose Lee as much needed medicine. Kev says the Merm video is "the video to end all videos." Do these boys know me or what?

I was a no show at the Met

Cries! It rarely happens, but I had to sit out last night's La Clemenza di Tito at the Met. It was the last chance to see Susan Graham at the Met this season too. My representatives procured a signed playbill for me, but sigh, I wanted to hear as well as see her. I have to get well by tomorrow afternoon because there are many adventures scheduled for the next few days. Thus, I return to my boudoir for further convalescence.

And the Tony for Best Tony Campaign Goes To:

Bernadette on the Bandstand

The Mystery of the Missing Puppy

"Well, actually, I haven't had a dog in a number of years," she told us. Lansbury is 82, but it's not for lack of vitality that she's going without (she couldn't get a cab to the party, so she walked). No, the reason is much simpler: heartache. "I can't bear to leave them. I did have a dog, a little poodle, which, sadly, was so upset when I went to do a play in New York that he just walked away." She was living in California at the time, and when she got home, she led extensive efforts to locate the wandering poodle, but with no success. It "walked away"??? This is perhaps the saddest thing we ever heard. These days she lets her grandchildren handle the dogs in the family, because she's still too busy to commit. "I refuse to have a dog now unless I can stay in one place to nurture it."
A Very Sad Story: The Day Angela Lansbury's Puppy Walked Away, New York Magazine, 5/13/08 at Bernadette Peters' book launch party for Broadway Barks.

Perhaps she should have hired a certain sleuth to find that puppy.

Free Cubby Bernstein!

Mrs. Bernstein has grounded Cubby! Call 1-877-GET-TONY & tell Mrs. Bernstein to free our Cubby!

Tonight: A $1000 Dinner

Because I did some pro bono work for the New York Bankruptcy Assistance Project, I snagged an invitation to the Legal Aid Society Servant of Justice Awards from my friend Byrne Harrison who is the Pro Bono Coordinator at my firm. Well, I did do some hours for this, but mostly nobody else wanted to go. I was on the line of whether to go or not but when the words "the dessert is really good" and "that guy from Wait Wait Don't Tell Me is the MC", I said why the hell not. It's at the Waldorf too. And Byrne loves theatre which is always a plus with me. Surely, there must be some adventure in entertainment in this.

I <3 Cubby Bernstein!

Cubby Bernstein, Tony Campaign Manager

Now we bite our nails for the next 33 days

We'll be counting down until the big night.

Nominations for the 2008 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®
Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing

Best Play
August: Osage County
Author: Tracy Letts
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler, Jerry Frankel, Ostar Productions, Jennifer Manocherian, The Weinstein Company, Debra Black/Daryl Roth, Ronald & Marc Frankel/Barbara Freitag, Rick Steiner/Staton Bell Group, The Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Rock 'n' Roll
Author: Tom Stoppard
Producers: Bob Boyett, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ostar Productions, Roger Berlind, Tulchin/Bartner, Douglas G. Smith, Dancap Productions, Jam Theatricals, The Weinstein Company, Lincoln Center Theater, The Royal Court Theatre London

The Seafarer
Author: Conor McPherson
Producers: Ostar Productions, Bob Boyett, Roy Furman, Lawrence Horowitz, Jam Theatricals, Bill Rollnick/Nancy Ellison Rollnick, James D'Orta, Thomas S. Murphy, Ralph Guild/Jon Avnet, Philip Geier/Keough Partners, Eric Falkenstein/Max OnStage, The National Theatre of Great Britain

The 39 Steps
Author: Patrick Barlow
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Bob Boyett, Harriet Newman Leve/Ron Nicynski, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley, Manocherian Golden Prods., Olympus Theatricals/Douglas Denoff, Marek J. Cantor/Pat Addiss, Huntington Theatre Company/Nicholas Martin/Michael Maso, Edward Snape for Fiery Angel Ltd.

Best Musical
Cry-Baby
Producer: Adam Epstein, Allan S. Gordon, Élan V. McAllister, Brian Grazer, James P. MacGilvray, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Anne Caruso, Adam S. Gordon, Latitude Link, The Pelican Group, Philip Morgaman, Andrew Farber/Richard Mishaan

In The Heights
Producers: Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller, Jill Furman, Sander Jacobs, Goodman/Grossman, Peter Fine, Everett/Skipper

Passing Strange
Producers: The Shubert Organization, Elizabeth Ireland McCann LLC, Bill Kenwright, Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, Broadway Across America, Emily Fisher Landau, Peter May, Boyett Ostar, Larry Hirschhorn, Janet Pailet/Steve Klein, Elie Hirschfeld/Jed Bernstein, Spring Sirkin/Ruth Hendel, Vasi Laurence/Pat Flicker Addiss, Wendy Federman/Jackie Barlia Florin, Joey Parnes, The Public Theater, The Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Xanadu
Producers: Robert Ahrens, Dan Vickery, Tara Smith/B. Swibel, Sarah Murchison/Dale Smith

Best Book of a Musical
Cry-Baby
Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan

In The Heights
Quiara Alegría Hudes

Passing Strange
Stew

Xanadu
Douglas Carter Beane

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Cry-Baby
Music & Lyrics: David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger

In The Heights
Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda

The Little Mermaid
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater

Passing Strange
Music: Stew and Heidi Rodewald
Lyrics: Stew

Best Revival of a Play
Boeing-Boeing
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Bob Boyett, Act Productions, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert G. Bartner, The Weinstein Company, Susan Gallin/Mary Lu Roffe, Broadway Across America, Tulchin/Jenkins/DSM, The Araca Group

The Homecoming
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jam Theatricals, Ergo Entertainment, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, Michael Gardner, Herbert Goldsmith Productions, Terry E. Schnuck, Harold Thau, Michael Filerman/Lynne Peyser, Ronald Frankel/David Jaroslawicz, Love Bunny Entertainment

Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy

Macbeth
Producers: Duncan C. Weldon & Paul Elliott, Jeffrey Archer, Bill Ballard, Terri & Timothy Childs, Rodger Hess, David Mirvish, Adriana Mnuchin, Emanuel Azenberg, BAM, The Chichester Festival Theatre

Best Revival of a Musical
Grease
Producers: Paul Nicholas and David Ian, Nederlander Presentations Inc., Terry Allen Kramer, Robert Stigwood

Gypsy
Producers: Roger Berlind, The Routh-Frankel-Baruch-Viertel Group, Roy Furman, Debra Black, Ted Hartley, Roger Horchow, David Ian, Scott Rudin, Jack Viertel

Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten, Bob Boyett

Sunday in the Park with George
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Bob Boyett, Debra Black, Jam Theatricals, Stephanie P. McClelland, Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley, Barbara Manocherian/Jennifer Manocherian, Ostar Productions, The Menier Chocolate Factory/David Babani

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ben Daniels, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood
Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing
Rufus Sewell, Rock 'n' Roll
Patrick Stewart, Macbeth

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Eve Best, The Homecoming
Deanna Dunagan, August: Osage County
Kate Fleetwood, Macbeth
S. Epatha Merkerson, Come Back, Little Sheba
Amy Morton, August: Osage County

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park with George
Lin-Manuel Miranda, In The Heights
Stew, Passing Strange
Paulo Szot, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Kerry Butler, Xanadu
Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Kelli O'Hara, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Faith Prince, A Catered Affair
Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park with George

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Bobby Cannavale, Mauritius
Raúl Esparza, The Homecoming
Conleth Hill, The Seafarer
Jim Norton, The Seafarer
David Pittu, Is He Dead?

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Sinead Cusack, Rock 'n' Roll
Mary McCormack, Boeing-Boeing
Laurie Metcalf, November
Martha Plimpton, Top Girls
Rondi Reed, August: Osage County

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Daniel Breaker, Passing Strange
Danny Burstein, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Robin De Jesús, In The Heights
Christopher Fitzgerald, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Boyd Gaines, Gypsy

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
de'Adre Aziza, Passing Strange
Laura Benanti, Gypsy
Andrea Martin, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Olga Merediz, In The Heights
Loretta Ables Sayre, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps
Scott Pask, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Todd Rosenthal, August: Osage County
Anthony Ward, Macbeth

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
David Farley and Timothy Bird & The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with George
Anna Louizos, In The Heights
Robin Wagner, The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
Michael Yeargan, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Best Costume Design of a Play
Gregory Gale, Cyrano de Bergerac
Rob Howell, Boeing-Boeing
Katrina Lindsay, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Peter McKintosh, The 39 Steps

Best Costume Design of a Musical
David Farley, Sunday in the Park with George
Martin Pakledinaz, Gypsy
Paul Tazewell, In The Heights
Catherine Zuber, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps
Howard Harrison, Macbeth
Donald Holder, Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Ann G. Wrightson, August: Osage County

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, Sunday in the Park with George
Howell Binkley, In The Heights
Donald Holder, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Natasha Katz, The Little Mermaid

Best Sound Design of a Play
Simon Baker, Boeing-Boeing
Adam Cork, Macbeth
Ian Dickson, Rock 'n' Roll
Mic Pool, The 39 Steps

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, In The Heights
Sebastian Frost, Sunday in the Park with George
Scott Lehrer, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Dan Moses Schreier, Gypsy

Best Direction of a Play
Maria Aitken, The 39 Steps
Conor McPherson, The Seafarer
Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County
Matthew Warchus, Boeing-Boeing

Best Direction of a Musical
Sam Buntrock, Sunday in the Park with George
Thomas Kail, In The Heights
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
Bartlett Sher, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Cry-Baby
Andy Blankenbuehler, In The Heights
Christopher Gattelli, Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Dan Knechtges, Xanadu

Best Orchestrations
Jason Carr, Sunday in the Park with George
Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman, In The Heights
Stew & Heidi Rodewald, Passing Strange
Jonathan Tunick, A Catered Affair


* * *

Regional Theatre Tony Award
Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Special Tony Award
Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981), in recognition of his historic contribution to American musical theatre in the field of orchestrations, as represented on Broadway this season by Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific.

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Stephen Sondheim


* * *


Tony Nominations by Production
In The Heights - 13
Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific - 11
Sunday in the Park with George - 9
August: Osage County - 7
Gypsy - 7
Passing Strange - 7
Boeing-Boeing - 6
Macbeth - 6
The 39 Steps - 6
Les Liaisons Dangereuses - 5
Cry-Baby - 4
Rock 'n' Roll - 4
The Seafarer - 4
Xanadu - 4
A Catered Affair - 3
The Homecoming - 3
The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein - 3
The Little Mermaid - 2
Come Back, Little Sheba - 1
Cyrano de Bergerac - 1
Grease - 1
Is He Dead? - 1
Mauritius - 1
November - 1
Thurgood - 1
Top Girls - 1

Time for Tony

The 2007-2008 Tony Awards® Nominating Committee is sequestered tonight and the nominations annoucement will take place tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. eastern on CBS and locally in New York City on NY1.

I have a couple of favorites who I'm sure will be nominated. No doubt, you already know who they are.

YES, YES, NANETTE!

Dear Mr. Producer, Please move No, No Nanette to Broadway as fast as you can. It's ready: cast, choreography, music, costumes, the whole shebang. You know you want to be happy but you can't be happy until you make me happy! Do it! I promise that I'll come see it again and again and again and I'll bring all of my friends to see it, especially if you bring Sandy Duncan and Beth Leavel with it.

Love, SarahB xoxo

P.S. Be sure to watch some rehearsal on Rosie's blog here

*photo by Sara Krulwich/TheNew York Times

Tonight: No, No, Nanette

Tonight:
No, No, Nanette at Encores!

Book By Otto Harbach & Frank Mandel
Lyrics By Irving Caesar & Otto Harbach
Music By Vincent Youmans

Starring
Sandy Duncan, Charles Kimbrough, Beth Leavel, Michael Berresse
Mara Davi, Shonn Wiley
Also Starring
Nancy Anderson, Jennifer Cody, Angel Reda
And
Rosie O’Donnell

David Baum, Brandon Davidson, Leah Edwards, Sara Edwards, Zak Edwards, Mary Giattino, Luke Hawkins, Matthew J. Kilgore, Cara Kjellman, Todd Lattimore, Deborah Lew Ryan Malyar Brent Mcbeth, Alessa Neeck, Carolann M. Sanita, Kiira Schmidt, Chad Seib, Kelly Sheehan, Anna Aimee White, Jacob ben Widmar

Choreographed By Randy Skinner
Featuring The Encores! Orchestra
Guest Music Director Rob Fisher
Directed By Walter Bobbie


I'm going because I have been persuaded by Little Love who was sending frantic text messages last night:

1. This is the best encores yet! All tap all happy. Sandy duncan did a huge fabulous solo

2. I IMPLORE YOU TO SEE IT. SO FANTASTIC. SMILED FROM EAR TO EAR. Sandy stopped the show

3. Nanette was musical comedy HEAVEN. Get a seat for tomorrow. Just so wonderful

4. Seriously never had this much fun in a long time. Its so so so well done

5. beth leavel is fantastic! And sandy duncan should be on broadway again now. A DREAM

All the tales I remember from Camelot

I worked on our Kermit High School production of Camelot. I think I was in the chorus. Did I also help with make-up? I think so. Anyway, Sheree Ferris was Guenevere and Eric Hindman was King Arthur. I can't remember who played Lancelot. I really only remember Sheree singing the hell out of The Lusty Month of May. Since then, I have loved the original cast recording. Its just divine - that voice of Robert Goulet on If Ever I Would Leave You and then Julie Andrews' I Loved You Once in Silence. Sigh. I bought my ticket to last night's Camelot thrown by the NY Philharmonic back in January. I anticipated that Audra McDonald would would be Guenevere and I cared little about the rest of the cast. But as the time finally drew near, my anxiety level grew and I feared that it would only be horrors of stunt casting. Fortunately, there was no reason for anxiety. Instead of Audra, it was Marin Mazzie and she was absolutely lovely and her voice equally so. Heretofore, I had only heard Marin in various one song appearances and of course on the dvd of Passion. I thought she was rather bland. But she was anything but bland as Guenevere. Of course, Nathan Gunn as Lancelot was fabulous. He's born to be on stage. I've loved him in operas (my favorite An American Tragedy and also The Magic Flute) but he seems like he would be the perfect leading man of musical theatre. Perhaps we'll see him in a revival of Carousel. I really liked Gabriel Byrne as King Arthur. He sounded a bit hoarse, but I loved his delivery. He had the perfect lilt and hesitation and bumbling for believable self-doubt. I absolutely loved the knights of the round table played by some of the best of Broadway's men, Mark Kudish (Sir Lionel), Will Swenson (Sir Sagramore) and Christopher Sieber (Sir Dinadan). These guys are comedy greats with voices that don't stop. The rest of cast rounded out by Christopher Lloyd (Pellinore), Fran Drescher (Morgan Le Fey), Stacy Keach (Merlyn) was adequate I suppose, at least enough to move the story. Overall it was an absolutely beautiful production, but that's thanks to the gorgeous score by Music by Frederick Loewe played by New York Philharmonic and fabulous lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner sung by those gorgeous voices. Lonny Price's direction was a mess. Irritating dancers dressed all in red moved boring boxes around the stage and he didn't know what to do with the chorus. They would have been more affective just lending their voices as seated from risers or standing as a choir. However, I enjoyed the production so much that I was barely distracted by the woman next to me who flossed her teeth or the woman behind me who sang along and then stomped her feet and clapped during Guenevere. Audience members, can't live without them, can't live with them...