Bay Area theater 2015: some favorites

2015 illustration

One of the best things about the year-end exercise to round up favorite theatergoing memories of the preceding year is that it can be such a powerful reminder of how much good theater we have in the Bay Area and how many really extraordinary theater artists we have working here. Another element jumps out at me this year and that is how, in addition to great homegrown work, our area also attracts some of the best theater artists from around the world to come and share their work (at the behest of savvy local producers, of course).

So here are some thoughts on memorable work I saw this year – and I will add as a caveat, I didn’t see as much as I should have (or as much as I used to for that matter), and I must express some pride that as we head into 2016, this old Theater Dogs blog will celebrate its 10th anniversary, and that makes me mighty proud. This is a labor of love, and I want it to be that first and foremost, a way of celebrating and promoting the riches we have here.

• The Curran Theatre is reborn. For me, the theater event of the year was actually a series of events comprising Curran Under Construction, a reintroduction of the fabled theater by its owner, Carole Shorenstein Hays not simply as a stop for touring shows but as an important player in the theatrical culture of the city. While the theater undergoes renovation in its lobby and restrooms, Hays invited audiences to enter through the stage door and sit on stage to experience one after another shows of extraordinary power and diversity. She began with The Event, a horrifyingly relevant exploration of mass violence, grief and understanding, and moved on to the wildly different but equally thrilling The Object Lesson with Geoff Sobelle blending materialism and memories in a magical way. Dave Malloy’s Ghost Quartet offered whisky, haunting music and one of the year’s best, most immersive stage experiences. Steve Cuiffo is Lenny Bruce brought a favorite son back to San Francisco, and Stew and Heidi Rodewald put their own rock-blues spin on James Baldwin in Notes of a Native Son. Every event at the Curran, including the speaker series hosted by the Curran’s resident literary star, Kevin Sessums, has been glorious and fascinating and involving. What more could you want from theater? (read the original posts here)

• Central Market gets a jewel of a theater in ACT’s The Strand. The Curran wasn’t the only re-birth this year. American Conservatory Theater spent a whole lot of time, money and effort bringing some class to the evolving Central Market area. The new Strand Theater is spectacular and should prove to be a key component in the cultural life of San Francisco. (read the original post here)

• Just Theater blows us away. Again. After A Maze last year, Just Theater became a company I wanted to pay attention to, and boy did that attention pay off. With Jackie Sibblies Drury’s We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915 the company emerged as a producer of provocative, impactful work that should attract as big an audience as possible. This play within a play (within a rehearsal) tackled race, history and personal drama in ways that felt mind bending and heart racing.(read the original post here)

• We got to see Angela Lansbury live on stage. Even if she had just stood on stage and waved, that would have been something, but no, Dame Angela, the legend herself, gave a true and truly funny performance as Madame Arcati in the Broadway touring production of Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit as part of the SHN season. At 89, she defied any signs of age and offered pure magic. Extraordinary. (read the original post here)

Hookman splatters expectations. Playwright Lauren Yee offered abundant surprises in this “existential slasher comedy,” which is the best possible description of this electric one-act play from Encore Theatre. (read the original post here)

• Tuneful time travel in Triangle. The most heartfelt new musical I saw this year was Triangle at TheatreWorks, a time-twisting tale involving tragedy and romance. Curtis Moore and Thomas Mizer have crafted a smart, melodious show that feels original and scaled exactly right (the cast of six feels much bigger, as do the emotions). (read the original post here)

• There’s still life left in Scrooge after all. There’s absolutely no reason that the new musical Scrooge in Love should not become a holiday perennial. Creators Kellen Blair, Larry Grossman and Duane Poole have crafted an utterly charming musical sequel to A Christmas Carol with songs you actually want to hear and characters you root for. Of course having Jason Graae as Scrooge is a big Christmas bonus, so kudos to all at 42nd Street Moon for breaking away from the classic or forgotten musicals and presenting something fresh and fantastic. (read the original post here)

• Alice Munro should love Word for Word. There’s no better theater company than Word for Word and no better writer than Alice Munro, so…mic drop. This was sublime from beginning to end as director Joel Mullenix and a cast that included the wondrous Jeri Lynn Cohen, Susan Harloe and Howard Swain brought two Munro stories to life, one from 1968, one from 2012. There was humor, heart and exquisite writing. (read the original post here)

• Cathleen Riddley lays it bare in Tree. Riddley can always be counted on for a strong performance, but in this powerful Julie Hébert family drama at San Francisco Playhouse she was riveting and heartbreaking as an older woman losing touch with herself and her family. (read the original post here)

• And then the drama comes flooding in. My favorite set of the year was G.W. Skip Mercier’s design for Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Head of Passes at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Water played a big part in the design of a house in marshy Louisiana territory where the forks of the Mississippi meet. There was a storm, a leaky roof and then a deluge of biblical proportions. And boy was it fun to watch. (read the original post here)

• Hypocrites pummel Pirates perfectly. Probably the most fun you could have in a theater (and not mind getting beaned by a beach ball) was Chicago troupe The Hypocrites’ wild and wonderful take on Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. Berkeley Rep had the smarts to introduce the Bay Area to this smart, enterprising company, and I hope we haven’t seen the last of their inventive, energetic take on interactive theater. (read the original post here)

Sir Noël’s been Lansburied. Lucky Sir Noël.

Blithe Spirit
The North American touring cast of Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit includes (from left) Sandra Shipley as Mrs. Bradman, Charles Edwards as Charles Condomine, (background) Susan Louise O’Connor as Edith, Angela Lansbury as Madame Arcati, Charlotte Parry as Ruth Condomine and Simon Jones as Dr. Bradman. The play is at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco as part of the SHN season through Feb. 1. Below: Stage legend Lansbury won a Tony Award in 2009 for playing spiritualist Madame Arcati. She reprises the role on tour. Photos by Joan Marcus

Is anyone in the theater world more spirited than Angela Lansbury? She has been giving great performances on stages and screens of various sizes for 70 years. She has every right to rest on her laurels and be adored as the legend she is. But not right now. She has work to do.

At 89 (you’d never know it by watching her on stage), Lansbury is taking a victory lap, a final North American tour in Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit. She is playing oddball spiritualist Madame Arcati in director Michael Blakemore’s production (part of the SHN season). It’s a role that earned her a fifth Tony Award in 2009. To be clear, this is as sturdy a production of Coward’s 1941 comedy as you’re likely to see, performed with wit, sophistication and, perhaps surprisingly, heart. The cast is excellent, the design just right and the sound (in the cavernous Golden Gate Theatre) startlingly clear. But you come to this production first and foremost for Lansbury, and she is every bit the warm and wonderful genius you want her to be.

The trick to playing Madame Arcati – a psychic, a medium, a kook – is that she must be 100 percent in earnest. She has a firm belief in her power to communicate with the spiritual world, a power she inherited from her mother and discovered at age 4. She also has a starchy British resolve and trucks no nonsense in a field filled with nonsense and charlatans. She gets around the English countryside on her bicycle and keeps her strength up with Ovaltine. In the spirit realm, her “control” (or spirit guide) is 9-year-old child named Daphne, and to reach her, Madame Arcati (we never learn her first name) must put herself in a trance by performing various rituals, including a spastic dance that Lansbury performs to hilarious effect.

The more serious Madame Arcati is, the funnier and more endearing she is. You know the actor in the role has succeeded when, after a successful séance, Madame Arcati takes her leave and the guests at the séance laugh and laugh to the point that you actually feel bad for the medium, whose sincerity, if nothing else, should command a little more respect.

Whenever Lansbury is on stage, this Blithe Spirit is heavenly. Outfitted like a walking gypsy caravan (by Martin Pakledinaz), Lansbury commands attention not because she is grandstanding in any way – she’s very much a member of the company – but because she’s Angela frickin’ Lansbury and she’s putting on a marvelous show.

The other members of the company fare well, especially Charles Edwards (Lady Edith’s missing baby daddy on “Downton Abbey”) as author Charles Condomine and Charlotte Parry as his second wife, Ruth. As the ghost of Charles’ first wife, Elvira, Jemima Rooper must contend with a terrible gray wig and a costume (by Simon Higlett, who also designed the cozy cottage set) that makes her look like a pillow in loose casing. As onlookers Dr. and Mrs. Bradman, Simon Jones and Sandra Shipley are stalwart souls, and Susan Louise O’Connor as daffy maid Edith is a hoot.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Blithe Spirit is how quickly scorn of all things supernatural turns into utter belief (and contempt) once the ghost of Elvira begins haunting the premises. Death is handled so blithely that it hardly seems worthy of grief. Why be sad when it’s so easy to bring people back from the everlasting whatever (where, according to Elvira, you kibbitz with Genghis Khan and Joan of Arc is a barrel of laughs)? That’s where Blithe Spirit, truly an odd comedy, finds its edge.

But its heart, at least in this production, lies with the kook. Angela Lansbury is a joy, and this play is delightful showcase for her prodigious gifts and a wonderful way for her fans to acknowledge an extraordinary body of work that just continues to grow.

[bonus video]
In honor of Angela Lansbury’s triumphant return to the stage, here is a compilation of her Tony Award wins minus her win for Mame, which was before the Tonys were nationally televised. She won Tonys in 1966 (Mame), 1969 (Dear World), 1975 (Gypsy), 1979 (Sweeney Todd) and 2009 (Blithe Spirit).

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Nöel Coward’s Blithe Spirit continues through Feb. 1 at the Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St., San Francisco. Tickets are $45-$175. Call 888-746-1799 or visit www.shnsf.com.

Tony, Tony, Tony!

Live (well, the West Coast version of live, which is actually three hours NOT live, but hey, we’re on the West Coast) 63rd Annual Tony Awards blogging!
Please comment and join the conversation! Hit refresh for anything new. P.S. Comments will be shared (with your permission) in the main part of the post as they arrive.

Warning: there’s liable to be a lot of gushing ahead because I LOVE Dolly Parton, Neil Patrick Harris, Jane Fonda, Angela Lansbury, Next to Normal, Billy Elliot and Broadway itself. It’s party night because it’s Tony night.

To get things going, here’s a handsome photo of our host for the evening, Neil Patrick Harris, who, after watching him host “Saturday Night Live,” deserves his own variety show (btw, so does Justin Timberlake, who was also brilliant on “SNL”). NPH sings, dances, has impeccable comic timing and is just cool as hell. Can we please bring back the variety show (and not the way Rosie O’Donnell, bless her Broadway-lovin’ heart, did last fall — that was a disaster!)???
Tony Awards Arrivals
Tony Awards host Neil Patrick Harris (Photo by the Associated Press)

It’s showtime! Fantastic opening number with Billy Elliot and fantastic counterpoint between West Side Story’s “Tonight” and Guys & Dolls’ “Luck Be a Lady.”

Not entirely sure Stockard Channing (who looks AMAZING) should have been opposite the very young and very alive Aaron Tveit.

Shrek the Musical’s “Let Your Freak Flag Fly” was cute, but it looks like Disney gone haywire.

If only Dolly Parton were actually IN 9 to 5, I’d be there every night. Still, big love to Alison Janney, Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty, who actually are in the show.

Love Liza, but the vocals? Not so much.

The Hair revival definitely lets the sun shine in.

I’m so happy to see Dolly Parton on a Broadway stage. Don’t think she’ll be going home with any trophies, so let’s get her photo up here.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Jane Fonda showing some major cleveage in a black gown. She presented the best performance by a featured actor in a play to Roger Robinson in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. That’s the play the Obamas saw last weekend.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated press

The Shrek number: Trying too hard to blend Beauty and the Beast with Spamalot.

Says commenter “bracelets”: “The guy clapping after the SHREK number sums it up exactly.”

Tracy writes of the opening number: “Bret Michaels on the Tony’s? That’s a surprise. He called me when I was 21. I sent him fan mail and a poem. That crush is long over.”

James Gandolfini says he and Shrek are no relation. Fuggedaboutit. He and Jeff Daniels presented the best featured actress in a musical award to Angela Lansbury!!! This is her fifth Tony. God love her. She is the essence of gratitude and happiness and joy!
Tony Awards Trophy Room
Photo by Associated Press

Ah, a Mamma Mia moment — something for the viewers in the great Midwest.

Pre-broadcast award: Lee Hall best book of a musical for Billy Elliot. Now best score: winners Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey for Next to Normal. Well deserved. Fantastic cast album. How do you beat Elton John and Dolly Parton? Well, you write a kick-ass score. Kitt won for best orchestrations as well. It’s so incredibly rude to cut people off mid-speech. Sorry, guys.

West Side Story number: “Dance” at the Gym, “Tonight.” Could Matt Cavenaugh and Josefina Scaglione be any more adorable? And she almost didn’t hit that high note.

Could I look that good if I sleep with Tim Robbins? Kidding. All due respect to the wondrous Susan Sarandon. She gave the best director of a play award to Matthew Warchus for God of Carnage (he was also nominated for the trilogy The Norman Conquests).

Commenter Ms. Small, commenting on the West Side Story number says: “Josefina almost didn’t hit that high note because Matt Cavenaugh is de-LISH!mmmmm….” Um – that is probably true.

Sarandon also handed the best director of a musical award to Stephen Daldry of Billy Elliot — he also directed the movie on which the musical is based.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Journey on the Tonys! I never stopped believin’ (neither did Liza Minnelli, all evidence to the contrary). Rock of Ages looks like a blast. And has anyone noticed that Journey, and specifically “Don’t Stop Believin'” has become super hot? (best use of the song on TV’s “Glee”)
APTOPIX Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Commenter Trixie says: “I could use a glitter gun and some ginormous angel wings.” Honey, they’re in the mail.
Commenter Mike says: “Rock of Ages looks like the Hair of the 80’s. I want to SEE that.”

Edie Falco (stunning) presents the Tony for special event to Liza Minnelli and her boys for Liza’s at the Palace. Sorry, Will Ferrell. Thank God Slava’s Snow Show didn’t win. Boy did I hate that show on tour. What can you say about Liza except maybe: baby, take a breath. A really long breath.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

God of Carnage clip — not a great selling point (and what’s with that cracked mud artwork in the background?). Guys and Dolls number — saved by a hand mic. The guy in charge of sound tonight ought to look for work in the wonderful world of fast food.

Commenter Dyan says: “Some of these shows look like a big, fat, hot mess.”
We’re on a hot mess trend here. Ms. Small says: “Ok…Liza is just a hot mess…I’m sorry. `a great America treasure’ ok, Ok..OK…OKAY!!!…fine…hot mess. BUT, great hold tactic! Whenever I’m being played off the stage I’m totally pulling the `Wait, not yet! I have to thank my crazy-famous parents’ card!!!”

Creative arts Tonys (presented pre-broadcast): Regional theater Tony to Signature Theatre of Arlington, Va. Tie for orchestrations, Billy Elliot and Next to Normal. Blah blah blah, www.americantheatrewing.org.

Ghost of Broadway yet to come: John Stamos in Bye Bye Birdie. Could Bob Saget be far behind?

Gregory Jbara wins best featured actor in a musical for his role as Billy Elliot’s dad in Shrek — kidding — in Billy Elliot. He dragged his wife, Julie, up on stage with him. Really sweet speech.

And best featured actress in a musical goes to Karen Olivo as Anita in West Side Story. Her first Tony Award. Her advice: surround yourself with people who love you.
APTOPIX Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Brilliant idea to have Carrie Fisher introduce Next to Normal: bipolar lady, meet bipolar musical. I know how brilliant this show is on disc — not sure it’s really coming across on the tube. OK. Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer and Aaron Tveit pulled it off. Electrifying.

Jessica Lange — a long way from Big Edie in HBO’s Grey Gardens — she makes reading glasses gorgeous and classy. She handed Geoffrey Rush his award for best actor in a play for his performance in Ionesco’s Exit the King. This is the Oscar winner’s first Tony. Classy Aussie.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Bebe Neuwirth’s tribute to Natasha Richardson was affecting. Sorry they chose “Memory” as the underscore. Broadway Inspriational Voices’ “What I Did for Love” was lovely as we remembered Estelle Getty, Dale Waserman, Edie Adams, Bruce Adler, Horton Foote, James Whitmore, Sydney Chaplin, Clive Barnes, Marilyn Cooper, Tom O’Horgan, Bea Arthur, Ron Silver, Robert Prosky, Robert Anderson, Lee Solters, Pat Hingle, Anna Manahan, Sam Cohn, George Furth, Eartha Kitt, Hugh Leonard, Rodger MacFarlane, William Gibson, Tharon Musser, Paul Sills, Lawrence Miller and Paul Newman.

Commenter Ms. Small: “not to be vulgar during a sensitive time….the `in memoriam’ section…but you know someone thought about it being appropriate to have the vampire-hued Bebe Neuwirth introduce the dead people. right? very nicely done segment.” P.S. Ms. Neuwirth will be playing Morticia in the upcoming Addams Family musical.

Frank Langella, in whom awards season brings out the best, chided nominators for missing his brilliance in A Man for All Seasons last season. On with business: best actress in a play goes to Marcia Gay Harden for God of Carnage. I’m a little sad Jane Fonda didn’t win because I wanted to hear her speech. Whoops — in the intros they mixed up Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter. Shame, Tonys!
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Sir Elton introduces Billy Elliot, the show for which he wrote a wonderful score that, for the most part, doesn’t sound remotely like Elton John. Billy’s angry dance amid a riot is pretty phenomenal.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Why oh why are we wasting precious prime time on Legally Blonde the Musical? Tours should get their own show — this is all about Broadway.

Harvey Fierstein, his clarion voice a thing of beauty, presents the best revival of a play award to The Norman Conquests, which is actually three plays. Delighted to see Jessica Hynes in the crowd up on stage accepting the award. She was in one of my favorite TV shows, the British series “Spaced.”
And best play goes to Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage. Not really much of a surprise there. Why does everyone associated with this play seem so downbeat?
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Commenter LY has a fashion note: “As my roommate put it, Marcia Gay Harden looks like an asparagus.”

Time for the tribute to Jerry Herman, a worthy and deserving candidate. He’s a true American treasure. Lots of good footage from the terrific documentary Words and Music by Jerry Herman. Lifetime achievement indeed. Great shot of a tearful Harvey Fierstein. “It just doesn’t get any better than this, does it?” the 77-year-old Herman said to the audience in mid-standing ovation. “The thing I want you to know is I will hold this moment fast because the best of times is now, is now, is now, is definitely now.”
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Anne Hathaway (scrumptious) should bolt from the Central Park production of Twelfth Night and join the cast of Hair. She’d probably have more fun. The well-heeled audience probably didn’t expect to have cast members’ crotches in their faces tonight. Lucky them.

Oh, look! It’s Kristin Chenoweth and the girls! They’re all up and out to present the best revival of a musical to Hair. Yay Oskar Eustis (artistic director of the Public Theater) — “Equality now!”
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Commenter Tracy says: “That hair number was kind of scary. I wouldn’t want Fringe Guy gyrating on my armrests.”
Commenter bracelets says: “Thanks, Oskar!”

David Hyde Pierce comes out to present leading actress in a musical. Oh hooray! It’s Alice Ripley from Next to Normal. Wow. She is fierce. And wonderful. And incredibly talented.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

Audra McDonald presents leading actor in a musical to the trio of Billys from Billy Elliot. Tony history is made as three actors win a single award. Completely adorable. David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik.
Tony Awards Arrivals
Photo by Associated Press

Ms. Small says of the winning Billys: “1. Precious! 2. Poised! and 3. Perfect!! Love those boys…”

Five Frankie Vallis makes this gratuitous tour moment worthwhile!

A final thought from commenter Tracy: “Sweet surrender! I want to see Jersey Boys again and again and again and again.”

And we’re coming to the finish line. Here’s Liza. Best musical goes to — no surprise here — Billy Elliot. Great to see all those kids on stage — Broadway needs young people.
Tony Awards Show
Photo by Associated Press

And that’s all, folks! A highly enjoyable evening. Neil Patrick Harris did a wonderful job (again, someone please get this man his own variety show!!!). At last they gave him a song! Apparently Angela Lansbury hooked up with Poison backstage. Great lyric about performing on your knees only working for Golden Globes.
In spite of the state of the world, Broadway looks to be in good shape — at least that’s how it seemed on TV.

A final thought from commenter Mike: “OMG. Five Frankie Vallis, Elton John, Dolly Parton and a cast of literally thousands. I have never seen an even comparable performance. Well, maybe Jersey Boys. But what a production! That was fantastic. I’m totally glad I got culture.”

Thanks to my commenters for making this evening so enjoyable for me. Now let’s all go see a Broadway show!

Here’s Neil’s closing number:

Dolly Awar, er, Tony Awards nominations

Tony nominations came out today, and there are a couple of things that make me happy.

  1. Dolly Parton is a Tony nominee!
  2. [title of show] was not completely shout out!
  3. Some favorite actors – Jessica Hynes, Jane Fonda, Angela Lansbury,
    Janet McTeer, Raul Esparza, Harriet Walter, Gavin Creel, Allison Janney, Alice Ripley – were recognized.
  4. Jerry Herman is receiving due recognition for a lifetime’s great work.

The Tony Awards will be handed out June 7 on CBS. Visit http://www.tonyawards.com for information.

Now, here are your nominees:

Best Play
Dividing the Estate, Author: Horton Foote
God of Carnage, Author: Yasmina Reza
Reasons to Be Pretty, Author: Neil LaBute
33 Variations, Author: Moisés Kaufman

Best Musical
Billy Elliot, The Musical       
Next to Normal       
Rock of Ages       
Shrek The Musical
       

Best Book of a Musical
Billy Elliot, The Musical, Lee Hall   
Next to Normal, Brian Yorkey   
Shrek The Musical, David Lindsay-Abaire   
[title of show], Hunter Bell   

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Billy Elliot, The Musical    
Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Lee Hall   

Next to Normal   
Music: Tom Kitt
Lyrics: Brian Yorkey   

9 to 5: The Musical   
Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton   

Shrek The Musical   
Music: Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire   

Best Revival of a Play
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone       
Mary Stuart   
The Norman Conquests       
Waiting for Godot       


Best Revival of a Musical

Guys and Dolls       
Hair       
Pal Joey       
West Side Story
       

Best Special Theatrical Event
Liza’s at The Palace       
Slava’s Snowshow       
Soul of Shaolin       
You’re Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush
       

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage   
Raúl Esparza, Speed-the-Plow   
James Gandolfini, God of Carnage   
Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King   
Thomas Sadoski, Reasons to Be Pretty   

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Hope Davis, God of Carnage   
Jane Fonda, 33 Variations   

Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage    
Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart   
Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart    

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot, The Musical    
Gavin Creel, Hair   
Brian d’Arcy James, Shrek The Musical   
Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages   
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal    

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Stockard Channing, Pal Joey   
Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical   

Allison Janney, 9 to 5: The Musical    
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal   
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story   

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
John Glover, Waiting for Godot   

Zach Grenier, 33 Variations   
Stephen Mangan, The Norman Conquests    
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests   
Roger Robinson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone   

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Hallie Foote, Dividing the Estate   
Jessica Hynes, The Norman Conquests   
Marin Ireland, Reasons to Be Pretty   
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit    
Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests   

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
David Bologna, Billy Elliot, The Musical   
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical    
Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5: The Musical   
Christopher Sieber, Shrek The Musical   
Will Swenson, Hair   

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal   
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot, The Musical   
Karen Olivo, West Side Story   
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey   
Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot, The Musical    

Best Direction of a Play
Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart   
Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone   
Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage    
Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests   

Best Direction of a Musical
Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical   
Michael Greif, Next to Normal   
Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages   
Diane Paulus, Hair   

Best Choreography
Karole Armitage, Hair   
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical   
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical   
Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas   

Best Orchestrations
Larry Blank, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
Martin Koch, Billy Elliot, The Musical   
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal  
Danny Troob and John Clancy, Shrek The Musical   

Best Scenic Design of a Play
Dale Ferguson, Exit the King   
Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests   
Derek McLane, 33 Variations   
Michael Yeargan, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone   

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls 
Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical   
Scott Pask, Pal Joey   
Mark Wendland, Next to Normal  

Best Costume Design of a Play
Dale Ferguson, Exit the King   
Jane Greenwood, Waiting for Godot   
Martin Pakledinaz, Blithe Spirit  
Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart   

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages   
Nicky Gillibrand, Billy Elliot, The Musical 
Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical 
Michael McDonald, Hair 

Best Lighting Design of a Play
David Hersey, Equus   
David Lander, 33 Variations   
Brian MacDevitt, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone   
Hugh Vanstone, Mary Stuart   

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, Hair   
Kevin Adams, Next to Normal   
Howell Binkley, West Side Story   
Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot, The Musical 

Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, Mary Stuart 
Gregory Clarke, Equus  
Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King   
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone   

Best Sound Design of a Musical
Acme Sound Partners, Hair   
Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical   
Peter Hylenski, Rock of Ages   
Brian Ronan, Next to Normal  

Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Jerry Herman      

Regional Theatre Tony Award®
Signature Theatre, Arlington, Va.      

Isabelle Stevenson Award
Phyllis Newman      

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Shirley Herz

Theater review: `High Spirits’

Spirits are blithe in Moon’s `High Spirits’
««« ½

What’s the point of reviewing a show just a few days before it closes? Not much from a commercial point of view.

But given the sudden interest in all things Noel Coward, I had to check out 42nd Street Moon’s production of High Spirits, a 1964 musical based on Coward’s play Blithe Spirit. And I’m certainly glad I did – the show turned out to be one of Moon’s can’t-miss productions.

The show itself, with music, lyrics and book by Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray, has some snappy (and forgettable) tunes and adheres closely to Coward’s original blueprint. But what makes this musical event stand or fall is its core quartet of actors.

If you happen to be in New York these days, you can pop in on the revival of Blithe Spirit and see Rupert Everett, Jayne Atkinson, Christine Ebersole and the redoubtable Angela Lansbury in the roles, and lucky you. But it’s hard to imagine that starry foursome being funnier or more charming than the 42nd Street Moon crew.

Michael Patrick Gaffney (above, photo by Robert Millard) is Charles Condomine, a writer and widower working on a new book that involves a séance. To assure accuracy, he invites a medium named Madame Aracati to his home for an evening’s ghostly entertainment. On Broadway, Lansbury is said to be divine in the role, but 42nd Street Moon has a real secret weapon here: Megan Cavanagh, in her second Moon outing. Cavanagh is a seasoned comic who knows better than to simply put on a kooky show as the bicycle-riding spiritualist.

Cavanagh is hilarious and heartfelt. Her big numbers, “The Bicycle Song” (cleverly choreographed by Tom Segal), “Go Into Your Trance” and “Talking to You” (an ode to a Ouija board) and “Something Is Coming to Tea,” are all show highlights simply because Cavanagh’s Arcati is so much fun to watch. We don’t believe for a minute that Arcati, as eccentric as she is, could be a phony. She’s much too sincere and has too much belief in her own gifts.

That’s a key to making sense of the silly plot. During the séance, much to the dismay of Charles’ second wife, Ruth (a droll Maureen McVerry, funny in a starched British way, pictured above with Gaffney), Arcati conjures the fleshy ghost of Charles’ first wife, the dashing Elvira, played with pizzazz by Dyan McBride.

These four performers, under the loving direction of Greg MacKellan are a joy. They have chemistry together; they sing, dance and act effortlessly; and they seem genuinely to be enjoying their time on stage.

McBride gets the show’s two standout numbers – “You’d Better Love Me” and “Home Sweet Heaven” – and she swirls around the stage in a lovely, flowy blue dress (Louise Jarmilowicz gets credit for the costumes). She even infuses a less interesting song, “Faster Than Sound,” with style and humor.

Musical director Dave Dobrusky lets the feel of the early ’60s strike a groove in his playing, and he gets stalwart support from Nick DiScala on saxophone, clarinet and flute. With only two players, Dobrusky and DiScala manage to provide varied and pleasant arrangements that go a long way in selling the songs.

In recent shows, 42nd Street Moon, now in its 16th year, has evolved from straightforward concert productions, with actors holding their scripts, to more fully staged, though still minimalist, presentations. The great thing is that the transition seems to be working. These aren’t big, splashy set- and costume-heavy shows, but the strengths of the shows themselves shine through and provide a showcase for some of our talented local musical theater performers.

Something to look forward to: The just-announced 2009-10 42nd Street Moon season begins in September with Irving Berlin’s Call Me Madam starring New York cabaret star Klea Blackhurst. Harold Rome and Leonard Gershe’s musical western, Destry Rides Again, will star local light Connie Champagne and run Oct. 28-Nov. 15. Cole Porter’s Jubilee returns Nov. 25-Dec. 13 starring High Spirits cohorts Megan Cavanagh and Michael Patrick Gaffney. The Gershwins’ Lady, Be Good! Runs March 31-April 25 and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein’s Very Warm for May runs, appropriately, May 6-24.

The new season kicks of the beginning of a multi-year celebration of composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Ira Gershwin. The new season will also introduce “salon evenings” honoring lyricists Dorothy Fields (Oct. 13) and Ira Gershwin (Jan. 28).

For information visit www.42ndstmoon.org.

Hello, Jerry Herman!

Saw a fantastic documentary last night that I highly recommend: Word and Music by Jerry Herman. It was on PBS for about a second, but it’s available via PBS Home Video.

Clearly this was a labor of love for Amber Edwards, who produced, wrote, directed and edited the 90-minute movie. She adores Herman, and it’s easy to see why. He’s frank, funny and endearing. He and Edwards do corny things like visit his childhood home and grade school, but the better part of the film is spent concentrating on Herman’s extraordinary work. And it is extraordinary. Too often Herman is dismissed for not being Sondheim. But there’s something to be said for a man who writes music and lyrics that inspire joy, or at the very least, a smile. Herman is more than capable of doing that.

Of the many talking heads, Michael Feinstein is the most eloquent about Herman’s musical skill, which is underrated. Feinstein demonstrates Herman’s skill by singing a song cut from Hello, Dolly! called “Penny in My Pocket,” then he unleashes Herman’s genius for lyric and melody when he sings “I Won’t Send Roses” from Mack and Mabel.

There’s great footage — seemingly from somebody’s home movie camera — from the original Broadway productions of Dolly and Mame. Of particular interest to me was the section on Dear World, the flop the followed hot on the heels of the Dolly-Mame juggernaut. Angela Lansbury starred in Herman’s musical adaptation of Giradoux’s The Mad Woman of Chaillot. It’s my favorite of Herman’s scores, and, somewhat ironically, it contains some of his worst songs. I’ll gladly tolerate the mediocrity of the title song (which Herman admits was a mistake) to revel in the rich musical pleasures of “Each Tomorrow Morning” or “I Don’t Want to Know.” Lansbury says she must take some of the blame for the show’s failure (in spite of the Tony Award she won for it), but the divine Angela can’t really be blamed for anything but being a consummate pro.

Another of the movie’s heroes is George Hearn, who did drag in a big way in Herman’s La Cage aux Folles. I had no idea that Hearn, who was genius in the role of ZaZa/Albin, was embarrassed by the drag — at first. He got used to it. Hearn is clearly moved by the experience to this day and the effect the musical had on people.

The extras on the DVD are few but delectable. We get the full title song from Hello, Dolly! as performed at Lyndon Johnson’s inaugural ball in 1965 (black and white, small stage, synched to the original cast recording). Carol Channing is at her preening best. There’s also a well filmed clip of a number called “Dancin’ Shoes,” which Herman wrote for his 1955 college show at the University of Miami. It’s very Gene Kelly-ish. And finally, from The Merv Griffin Show, we get a great clip of Herman playing piano while Ethel Merman sings “Before the Parade Passes By.” We don’t get much of Ethel and Jerry’s time on Merv’s couch (where Lucille Ball, curiously, is a guest), but we get a tasty morsel.

Seeing Herman’s body of work together like this — from Parade and Milk and Honey to The Grand Tour — helps foster new appreciation for a great American composer who, when all is said and done, will find his place next to greats such as Irving Berlin and, yes, Stephen Sondheim.

For more information visit www.pbs.org.

Here’s the brilliant George Hearn singing “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles.”

Tony red carpet, etc.

(all photos Associated Press)

“Musical theater rocks,” so said Duncan Sheik with a sly smile and a twinkle in his award-drunk eyes during Sunday’s Tony Awards.

Here’s Sheik on the red carpet before the event.

That’s the smile of someone who knows he’s going to win two Tonys (for best score and orchestration for Spring Awakening.

Another gorgeous red carpet arrival was best actess in a musical nominee Audra McDonald (110 in the Shade), who would not go on to win her fifth Tony.

But she would go on to electrify the audience (in Radio City Music Hall and at home) with the number “Raunchy” alongside co-star (and fellow nominee) John Cullum.

Returning to the red carpet, here’s the lovely Laura Bell Bundy, nominee for best actress in a musical for her role as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. To no one’s surprise, Bundy did not win, and Blonde failed to win in any category.

Looking like the Broadway royalty she is, Angela Lansbury, a best actress in a play nominee for Deuce, arrives. That’s Harry Connick Jr.’s daughter in the rear looking at Lansbury adoringly (“Daddy! It’s the voice of Mrs. Potts!). Lansbury lost to an ecstatic Julie White for The Little Dog Laughed, but she was a gracious ad hoc host.

Cutest married couple award on the red carpet goes to Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs. Neither was nominated but they should have received an award for looking so good.

I am thrilled that David Hyde Pierce, by all accounts a marvelous guy, was the surprise winner for best actor in a musical (for Curtains), but I was a little disappointed for Raul Esparza, who is electrifying as Bobby in the John Doyle revival of Company (which won best musical revival). On the red carpet he was clearly amused by the whole shebang.

Esparza’s performance of “Being Alive” during the awards was just a taste of how good he is in this show.

Another cutest couple award goes to a non-couple: presenters Cynthia Nixon and Felicity Huffman, who should definitely find a project to work on together.

Speaking of couples, hard to resist including a snap of Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts. In Hollywood that’s called a baby bump. In New York, it’s called pregnancy.

In the realm of manufactured couples, here are the reality show castees Max Crumm and Laura Osnes, who will be starring on Broadway in the much-needed revival of Grease.