This was a very odd Tony's show. It was kind of rude. I mean, to begin with Harry Connick, Jr. comes out and starts singing a medley of Broadway songs. And I thought, “Oh good this is going to lead into OTHERS singing songs as well, for example, Patti Lupone coming out, Bernadette, ANYONE ELSE... and yet, no. Nope. Just Harry looking very uncomfortable. And so then, yes, he does introduce 60 stars of Broadway. And they all rise up from beneath the stage like grass on a Chia Pet. There they all are and not a one is going to take the mic from Harry and actually SING a song from Broadway. Sigh.
This was a continuous theme throughout the night. Tease, tease, tease. The medley from Sweeney Todd was irritating. It was ofcourse, an infommercial for the show. I just wanted to hear ONE really great number from the show, for instance “A Little Priest” in it's entirety. Not the clever medley.
The most offensive part of the show as the tribute to Hal Prince. Here they were giving him a lifetime achievement award. Hal Prince. King of Broadway. They reveal on the stage several performers in costume ready to maybe sing songs from his award winning shows? No. They were just going to stand there. Although the designated Shark and Jet were kind of acting (or were they just hitting on each other?)
Not a note. Not a song. Nothing and then Hal appears in a ridiculously short clip (live?) from Vegas where he is selling out, I mean, rehearsing the Vegas version of “Phantom” and he blurts out his little prepared speech, his select words or four or so and then he really is busy so he needs to get back to what he was doing. How dare we give him a lifetime achievement award. The man's BUSY!
And then the tired ole Phantom and equally Sominexed Christine (pushing 48) perform “Music of the Night” and it was really lame and weird and ends with him holding the little note at the end ACappella... because, the orchestra lost the last page of music? And just when you thought a medley or SOMETHING would begin because it's Hal Prince, the king of broadway, it just ends and the audience of seasoned Broadway folk at Radio City Music Hall don't really know what to do and we cut to the 23rd commercial for some kind of prescription drug that has 23 side effects and never really gets around to curing whatever the hell you're taking it for.
How's that for a sentence?
Hated “Wedding Singer”
Loved “Pajama Game”
Was afraid of Molly Ringwald.
Was inspired by Cynthia and James.
Felt sorry for the guy who pretty much will have that puppet attached to his arm for the rest of his career.
Felt great for the woman who won for “Drowsy Chaperone.”
Adored the favorite Tony moments segments and the old clips, especially Streisand hoping she didn't break a nail.
Was bored by the speech the Jersey Boy gave that was so overblown dramatic, IT should have been nominated for the Tony and not him.
Yay, I'm still a jaded, bitter old theater queen.
Haven't lost my touch.
Happy Tony's!!!!