TONY Awards

Writing my comments as we go:
Opening - CBS, fix your sound issues. You're embarrassing yourselves if we getting more laughs and coughs from the audience than vocals from the stage.

Shrek, the musical - Thumbs down. While some of the greatest Broadway shows of this decade have been seemingly unlikely adaptations of smash-hit animated films - this is not one of those. Music is unoriginal, old-fashioned, predictable. A far miss at the parody achieved in Spamalot, Curtains, and other shows that take themselves 1/2 seriously in order to allow for jabs at other shows.

NPH is a funny host.

33 Variations - Intriguing. I would like to see or read this one, but the preview wasn't much to know what it's about.

West Side Story - Doing this show with a bi-lingual reminds me of the "Big River" revival (2002?) when the entire show was done in English and ASL. I love it! I love that you can understand everything being discussed even if you speak not a work of Spanish (so say the reviews)! They chose to perform one of the big dance numbers - I would have to ask one of my dancer friends to comment on the quality of it - but it's not the same shark/jet 1970s Afro Carribbean style we saw in the traditional production.

Rock of Ages - Still don't know what this show is about - but their cast performance was hilarious. Catching Liza off guard was akin to the cast of "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" pulling a confused-looking Al Sharpton onstage in 2005. I'm gonna guess that this is one of those shows that's a fun concert for fans of the music they cover, but probably lacks a compelling story that pulls you into the characters. Again, I would love to be corrected.

Guys and Dolls - Thank you for fixing the sound, stage crew. Vocally, this is the most musically "tight" performance we've heard thus far tonight. I like this new orchestration and vocal backup parts - gives an already classic number fresh propulsion. One question about the revival: Is it any shorter than the original? Since the first time I saw this show (and the 2nd, then 3rd) I've been of the opinion that the best thing for it would be a 25 minute cut in the overall length.

Note: John Stamos in "Bye Bye Birdie" should be a lot of fun. I hope it tours and does well.

Next to Normal - The number started dull and I was thinking "there's not anything here" but it picked up with the third person came in. Fun music, probably an intense story, but I honestly don't think there's anything memorable in it. I think this show will not stick around.

Billy Elliott - I don't know this story, but I'm sure this number makes more sense in context. I wish they'd chosen a number with more lyrics than "Aaah!" But Elton John always writes an exciting score.

Legally Blonde - I feel like I should hold some grudge against this show. Two of my friends have come very close to winning leading roles in this show, and not gotten it. If you've seen the movie, as I have, and not the show, as I have not, then you're probably thinking "has the Broadway audience sunk this low?" and granted, this is no Les Mis or Rent, but the stage adaption, from what I can tell or have been told, plays more to the idea of a modern - strong, woman. More along the lines of Thoroughly Modern Millie, we see a girl whose beauty is seen as an excuse or a setback to the world, who proves herself professional, adequate and a force to be reckoned with. Not just the movie's comedy of shopping bags, vanity and princess-gets-everything.

Lifetime Achievement to Jerry Herman - my only question - Why did it take until 2009?

Irony = Anne Hathaway + Hair

Hair - nothing new. Keep whatever opinion of "Hair" you already had.

I always enjoy watching the Tonys in order to get a preview of what's new on Broadway, but this year nothing stands out. This is the first one in awhile where I'm in no hurry to save up and buy soundtracks. Maybe next year.