Every day is opening night.

Ladies and Gents,

With the klieg lights and confetti cannons poised for Sunday night’s Tony Awards, I find myself—miraculously, unfashionably—moved. Yes, your old friend Scoop, who has weathered more seasons than a Shubert Alley gum stain, is feeling a touch elegiac.

This wasn’t just a return-to-form season. It was a reclamation. A banner raised high above 45th Street declaring, “We’re not just back—we’re better.” And the proof, my dears, is in the box office: Broadway grossed a record-breaking $1.89 billion this year, surpassing even the pre-pandemic heights. Nearly 14.7 million attendees squeezed into velvet seats to laugh, cry, and pretend not to notice the couple next to them sneaking sips of rosé from a HydroFlask.

What stood out wasn’t just the dollars or the house counts, but the spirit. There was a striking sense of we’re in this together—a communal doubling down on theatrical magic. This season’s theme, if one can declare such a thing, was collaboration. Risk-taking producers partnered with daring auteurs. Seasoned legends passed the torch to new talents. And across genres, aesthetics, and ticket price tiers, the joy of storytelling was palpable.

Of course, the true believers never left. But for the first time since that unspeakable pause, it felt like the rest of the world rejoined the congregation.

And now, as the Tonys approach, here’s what I’ll be watching for (besides the obvious):

• Fashion Regret in Real Time: The sheer mesh trend might garner the CBS telecast an “M for Mature” rating. It may be stunning under soft lights, but broadcast-grade LEDs have a way of creating unintended peep shows.
• Name-Drop Bingo: Sondheim, Mom, and the entire Shubert Organization surely deserve their acceptance speech shout-outs. But I plan on mean tweeting every time someone thanks their pedicurist, psychic, or emotional support dog.
• Co-Producer Cameos: They’ve tried relegating the dozens of co-producers of winning productions to remote “winners’ circles,” but it seems no amount of creativity (or security) can prevent Broadway’s legions of financial backers from taking the stage. When the Best Play and Best Musical winners are revealed, expect a stampede!

Tidbits from around town…

Spotted Natasha Lyonne breezing through the Amy Sherald exhibit at the Whitney.

Overheard Bowen Yang at Cutler & Gross in SoHo asking a snooty salesperson for “the glasses Michael Fassbender wears in Black Bag?”

Caught Zoe Kravitz at the Union Square Greenmarket interrogating a mushroom vendor: “Were these morels ethically foraged?”

Saw Salman Rushdie sipping a tiny espresso outside Café Sabarsky, reading The Economist and politely ignoring a woman on speakerphone describing her latest ayahuasca retreat.

A toast of something sparkling to you and yours!

Kisses,