Tony (Not Quite) Scene by Scene

Watching The American Theatre Wing's 60th annual Tony Awards tonight has made me want to write another play. The prospect of getting right down to the nitty gritty without having to develop a character is tempting. Just kidding. Of course the characters are developed. The actual development, though, whether scribbled on a napkin in a bar or blank pages of a journal on the subway don't have to be seen by anyone. 'Tis the lure. But I've written a play. The trainwreck saw light in Luther Hanson's playwriting class at Sac City. It was pretty bad. He liked one of the monologues, though. Now for these winners. Um, the dude from Jersey Boys beating out Manoel Felciano is absurd. I didn't see Jersey Boys. I have no desire to see it. But Sweeney Todd? It is an amazing show that I'm gonna see again. And I didn't know who this Manoel guy was. His performance, which affected all the way through to the end, was unforgettable. When he brings the show to a breathless end after the barber of fleet street has just killed Mrs. Lovett, the theatre full of people remain as silent as could be until they reprised the title song. You can still feel it while listening to the soundtrack. He should have won. As should have Tyne Daley. I didn't see Rabbit Hole but I love Cagney and Lacey and Judging Amy. And that's all I have to say about that. Patricia Neal. Her Tony for best newcomer in a play was stolen in 1947, at the inaugural show. It's 2006. They're just replacing it now. Interesting. Alan Cumming performed with Cyndi Lauper. It was one of the good songs in The Threepenny Opera. Alan, of course, was awesome. So was Cyndi. (Not as awesome as Alan.) But this reminds me that I failed to mention something in my last post. Cyndi Lauper, after her performance last Friday, the one Alisha and I saw, thought she outlasted the fans waiting outside the stage door for her autograph. What must have been almost an hour and a half after the final curtain, the door opened one final time, for Alisha and me, at least, and out came Ms. Lauper. She looked quickly to her left where we were standing, and then to her right, and then uttered what she thought was under her breath, "aw fuck." Yeah. Later, Cyndi. Enjoy your new career. We're waiting to see who wins the Tonys for best actor and actress in a musical, as well as best revival of a musical. Harry Connick is performing a number from The Pajama Game. I didn't see it. This show shouldn't win. Sweeney Todd should. The entire cast was up there tonight, just like Harry and Alan and Cyndi, performing numbers from their show. I have to see it again. It has to win. As do Michael (I can't believe he was Hedwig) Cerveris and Patti LuPone in their respectful categories..... THE FUCKING PAJAMA GAME?!!!! You've got to be fucking kidding me! Did the lame asses who voted for the winners tonight actually see any of the shows?! Did they see Sweeney Todd? There is no way. Shocking. Alfre Woodard eulogizing August Wilson and Wendy Wassterstein. James Earl Jones and Cynthia Nixon perform from "Fences" and "The Heidi Chronicles." Makes me want to write another play. You're kidding me. Jersey Boys guy. Again. Over Michael Cerveris. I'm done. Wait. I'm sure Patti LuPone will be overlooked as well. Then I'll be done. And that's it. Patti did in fact lose. At least Sweeney's director, John Doyle, won. It seems shows that take audiences outside of the bullshit that America's mired in and puts them back in time to good, positive music, will win a lot of awards. I will never see Jersey Boys. Now I'm done.