I’M GOING BACK
Ladies and Gents,
On Sunday night, the Tony Awards reminded the world that Broadway is the absolute pinnacle of show business. How does this message get delivered reliably year-in and year-out? A bevy of truly unforgettable musical numbers broadcast to millions, right there in prime time. These numbers live in glory or infamy long after a show closes, as YouTube clips get pored over by moody kids wearing show merch in college dormitories in perpetuity.
We all have our favorites. Here are some of mine.
I must begin with an underrated oddity: A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine. Sublime lunacy with tight choreography and even tighter tuxedos. And then there’s Grand Hotel—Michael Jeter’s rubber-limbed, heart-breaking turn was a high-wire act of theatrical brilliance. That number was introduced by a ravishing Kathleen Turner in a custom sequin gown, designed and built for a lesser known star and then snatched by Turner at the very last minute (leaving said lesser known to find something off-the-rack with not even time for alterations).
Meanwhile, Nine offered a different kind of scandal in sequins when CBS balked at Anita Morris’s sensuous number (featuring costumes by William Ivey Long at his most risqué), opting instead for an ensemble turn that still oozed continental heat. What do all of the aforementioned numbers have in common? They were all Tommy Tune creations. For an iconic number to be translated brilliantly to television, a visionary director — one who understands camera blocking — is required!
Cabaret made history as the very first number of the first Tony telecast—Wilkommen indeed—with Joel Grey‘s masterclass in delicious depravity setting a bar few have matched.
Of course, we can’t forget the number that launched a thousand gay bars’ “Musical Mondays” playlists: the seismic shock of Jennifer Holliday’s “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls. This number required eight cameras working in perfect harmony, and Michael Bennett controlled every movement, every angle, every cutaway.
During the Reagan years, Anything Goes reminded us that pure joy can be its own kind of revolution. But don’t let Patti LuPone’s circa 1988 babyface fool you — turning in iconic Tony performances was already old hat to her by the time she tapped her way onto the S.S. American. Her jaw-dropping turn as Evita’s coiffed kleptocrat in couture created what I’ve heard is the most-watched Tony number in YouTube history.
When I’m stuck with a day that’s grey and lonely, I turn to Annie. Dorothy Loudon’s Miss Hannigan was a comedic characterization for the ages. Loudon could steal any scene by doing three times less than anyone else on stage.
Ragtime distilled the soul of a nation into just a few minutes of sheer grandeur, while Fun Home’s depiction of a lesbian awakening was pure poetry. The 2009 telecast opened big with the glorious cast of Diane Paulus’s revival of Hair turning all of Radio City into a 1960s-style sit-in.
Billy Joel’s surprise appearance in Movin’ Out, live from Times Square, and Twyla Tharp’s bespoke representation of the show, was a mic drop moment that launched that show into the stratosphere.
Few moments rivaled A Chorus Line performing its entire opening number—no medley, no edits, just sweat and sequins and perfection. A five, six, seven, eight!
Here’s to the next generation of Tony moments that left us speechless, breathless, and begging for an encore.
Tidbits from around town…
Overheard Julianne Moore at a dry cleaner in Montauk, gently insisting that her blouse was “ecru,” not “white,” and therefore required a different setting.
Spotted Holland Taylor at a midtown Duane Reade picking up gum and cookies.
Witnessed Jessica Lange knocking over a stack of canned beans at Citarella, then rearranging them into a vaguely Cubist display before strolling off.
A toast of something sparkling to you and yours!
Kisses,
