Neil Patrick Harris hosted last night’s Tony Awards — his third time doing so — for a ceremony that finally felt fresh and fun again, with Harris opening the show to “What If Life Were More Like Theater?” (Although I’m pretty sure that life isn’t a thing like theater because in life Patti LuPone does not push around a lawnmower.) Check out the night’s big winners below:
Musical: “Once.”
Play: “Clybourne Park.”
Revival of a Play: “Death of a Salesman.”
Revival of a Musical: “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: James Corden, “One Man, Two Guvnors.”
Performance by an Actress in Leading Role in a Play: Nina Arianda, “Venus in Fur.”
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Steve Kazee, “Once.”
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Audra McDonald, “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.”
Is Steve Kazee gay? Is the jury still out? Because if he is, I may have found my new celebrity object of affection… how presh. Bless him and his mom.
I thought the show was a little dull. With the exception of Judith Light, I am disappointed with some of the winners as well. I saw Follies twice when I was there at Christmas and thought that both Danny Burstein and Jan Maxwell deserved Tonys for their performances. I saw End of the Rainbow in London and Tracie Bennett invokes the spirit of Judy Garland, plus, yesterday was Garland’s 90th birthday. How cool would it have been had she won the Tony? I don’t have a problem with Audra McDonald winning. I tried to see P&G, but the line for tkts was so long!
Once is just another movie onstage, as is Newsies, but at least that looks exciting. Other Desert Cities is an exciting play, by a gay playwright. Clybourne Park won the Pulitzer, so of course, it won the Tony.
With upcoming musical like Animal House (!), Rebecca (why?) and whatever that thing Sheryl Crow is composing, is it any wonder that revivals of classics or rediscovered works are more interesting? Encores should run Broadway!