Sometimes, I Just Fall In Love With a Performer's Voice

Haven Burton favorites:

"Take Me or Leave Me" Rent


Legally Blonde

"Take Me Baby..."

Tracie Thoms will be Rent's final Joanne.

Her portrayal in the film was fantastic, and she held her own against heavyweights like Jesse L. Martin and Idina Menzel.  While it's unfortunate that Rent is closing, it's exciting that Thoms will be a part of the end of its run. 

"Tony Tony, There's Only You Tonight"

The 62nd Tony Awards held last night and broadcast on CBS garnered their lowest ratings ever. I honestly don't understand why or how. Held in the magnificent Radio City Music Hall, this year's telecast featured the traditional performances by the nominees for best new musical and best revival, but also included small excerpts from the other new musicals that opened this season, special performances by the cast of Rent (past and present) and the Lion King company, and Whoopi Goldberg in short parodies of past Tony winners. Millions of people flock to Broadway every year, and here is a perfect opportunity for Broadway to come to the people, and viewers are not tuning in. It breaks my heart, and worries me that the Tonys' days of being broadcast on national television are numbered.

All in all, despite the low ratings, I found it to be a fun night, and an appropriate representation of the strong season. I did a very good job predicting the winners (Best Actor in a Play, Choreography, Featured Actor in a Play, and Orchestrations threw me off).

Highlights (and Lowlights):


Lows
Mark Rylance's speech, which was actually an excerpt of prose Say What?
Xanadu's performance; Xanadu is off kilter and campy, and its performance only hinted at the humor and silliness of the show
A Catered Affair performance came off stiff, slow, and boring--not a great way to sell tickets
The Rent tribute; nice idea, but came off more like a speech than a performance 525, 600 Minutes
Gabriel Byrne's appearance; could he at least try to show some enthusiasm?
Stephen Sondheim didn't show up to accept his lifetime achievement award. Really?

Highs:
Mary McCormach's bewildered look during costar Mark Rylance's acceptance speech
Laura Benanti's emotional, warm speech; I get annoyed when people go up there and give generic, emotionless thank yous. You won a Tony, dammit; show some passion--you're in theatre for goodness sakes!
Lin-Manuel Miranda's rapped acceptance speech and shout out to Stephen Sondheim and his performance with the In the Heights company 96,000 and acceptance speech
"Everything's Coming Up Roses" performance; you don't get a a standing ovation at the Tonys for nothing I Dreamed It For You, Baby
Richard Griffith's silly Harry Potter joke
Julie White and Michael Cerveris' presentation of the creative awards before the telecast
Daniel Evans singing along during "Seasons of Love"
Anna Shapiro and Tracy Letts' speeches; while Shapiro's was poignant and emotional, Letts' was sharp and witty, but both were incredibly memorable
Loved Paolo Szot's comment that he loved playing a man who "opposed war and fought for love"

An Open Letter to Hollywood

If your film version of Sweeney Todd is as stilted as your Rent interpetation, I will be severely disappointed. (My respect to Chris Columbus; Rent was your labor of love, but c'mon, Roger singing "What You Own" while driving through the desert? How contrived.)