BROADWAY UNDERCOVER

Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center presented a one night only event Tuesday, May 20th, featuring Marvin Hamlisch conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in a program entitled “Broadway’s Greatest Showstoppers.”  Joining this auspicious group bringing voice to this glorious music were the likes of Raul Esparza, Kristin Chenoweth, Michel Bell and J. Mark McVey.   

The evening began with two dancers tapping to a Broadway beat suddenly joined by what appeared to be a third of the orchestra, but in reality, were additional dancers posing as members of this esteemed musical group.  They went on to perform a dazzling opener.  McVey then offered his rendition of “Bring Him Home” from Les Miz, followed by Michel Bell repeating his Tony Award version of Ol’ Man River from Showboat. 

Hamlisch and the Philharmonic brought music to our ears with the My Fair Lady overture, as well as the Chorus Line overture, which had never been played before an audience having been eliminated from the show prior to its Broadway run. 

Although these were glorious moments, the night belonged to Raul Esparza and Kristin Chenoweth, both performing at the top of their game in solo and duet performances.  Esparza’s version of the “Soliloquy” from Carousel brought the house down, which he then followed with “Being Alive” from Company.  Chenoweth’s incredible range was shown with her interpretations of “Vanilla Ice Cream” from She Loves Me and “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide.  “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” from Annie Get Your Gun and “Tonight” from West Side Story were perfect duets for an engaging twosome whose chemistry calls for their sharing the stage in a future Broadway production in addition to their current “Pushing Daisies” TV gig. 

Esparza revealed he’s currently making a Wes Craven flick playing a serial killer in addition to participating in the Leap of Faith workshop, the new musical scheduled for a 2009 opening.  He’s off to L.A. in July for more work on “Pushing Daisies,” beginning its second season in the fall.  Quite a busy guy whose tremendous talent seems to be reaching all areas of the biz.

Launched 25 years before The Tony Awards, The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in North America.   While it has garnered a reputation as being quite long (year after year nominees joke with one another that they need to bring snacks), the event is a class act with definite star power.  Like the old MGM luncheons where the likes of Garland, Gable and Astaire hobnobbed with one another on a dais, Broadway royalty similarly donned the stage at the 74^th annual Drama League Awards on Friday, held in the Broadway Ballroom in the Marriott Marquis Hotel. 

For Broadway fans such as ourselves, the sightseeing and mingling was more than worth the price of admission.  It was just downright fun to be there amongst the likes of Patti LuPone, James Earl Jones, Marian Seldes, Patrick Stewart, Laura Linney, Sutton Foster, Lois Smith, Harriet Harris, Rufus Sewell, Christine Baranski, Laurence Fishburne, Peter Gallagher, Tom Wopat, Chazz Palminteri, Martha Plimpton, Faith Prince, Laura Benanti, Bobby Cannavale, James Snyder, Julie White, Anika Noni Rose, Amy Morton, Deanna Dunagan, Ben Daniels, Elizabeth Franz, Cheyenne Jackson, Kerry Butler, Brian d’Arcy James, Jenna Russell, Daniel Evans, Christine Ebersole and Rosie Perez to name a few.

The well-liked, well-known, friend-to-all, Harvey Fierstein hosted the event.  He introduced the more than 50 nominees for Outstanding Performer of the 2007-2008 Season one by one.  Each was given the opportunity to say a few words; some were quite clever, while others were emotionally overwhelmed just to be there.

Chazz Palminteri told a great story about his early days on the Great White Way.  In 1982 he was the understudy in a play when a couple of his wise guy boyhood friends came to the show.  After he explained to his pals that being an understudy meant not going on “unless something happens to the lead guy,” his friend asked, “So, do you want to go on?”  Palminteri realized what his buddies had in mind and tried to nix the plan.  They told him, “Don’t worry, we’ll make it look like a mugging.”  After convincing them to leave the star unharmed, Palmenteri said he went over to that actor, who Palminteri admitted he was not particularly fond of, and told him, “You don’t know how lucky you are!”

Rosie Perez had a similar neighborhood story during her debut in Frankie & Johnnie in the Clair de Lune.  When the lights went down following a scene, her friends in the mezzanine thought the play was over and started shouting to the rest of the theatergoers to “Stand the F*** up yo, she was good.”  Perez then got emotional and explained to the Drama League crowd, “I’m usually tough and witty, but I’m just overwhelmed” being here among such greats of the stage.  “I’m so glad there’s nobody up here I don’t like because it’s hard for me to be phony.”

Patrick Stewart observed that being up on that dais “is the closest I have ever gotten to dinner theater.”

Tom Wopat, remarking on the progression of his career from a “Dukes of Hazzard” dude to his current role as a father in A Catered Affair, told the crowd, “I used to be an action hero, now I’m a dad.”

Faith Prince spoke seriously about her time away from the New York stage.  “I feel like Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz – sometimes you have to go away and see how special this is…..it’s what my heart needed.”

Following the program we spoke with James Snyder of Cry Baby about the difficulty of performing in a show which is constantly undergoing numerous revisions. “I have a recurring nightmare I am going to forget my lines,” he told us.

A quick chat with Rufus Sewell did not turn up any news, other than the fact that he is quite handsome and charming.

The outstanding performer award went to Patti LuPone for her turn in Gypsy.  She was clearly favored to win and seemed genuinely touched by the honor. A Catered Affair took home the prize for Distinguished Production of a Play; South Pacific won for Distinguished Revival of a Musical. August: Osage County took home the award for Best Production of a Play, while Best Revival of a Play went to Macbeth.

Ellen Stewart, founder and director of the LaMaMa Theater Company was honored for her unique contribution to the theatre.  Award-winning musical director Paul Gemignani was given the award for distinguished achievement in musical theatre, while Bartlett Sher, director of the current Lincoln Center revival of South Pacific, took home the award for Excellence in Directing.

For a full list of nominees, check out http://www.dramaleague.org/.     

Dinner at Sardi’s, Billie Jean King and orchestra seats to The Country Girl were all part of a great fundraising event we attended on Wednesday.  The United States Tennis Association Tennis & Education Foundation’s  2nd annual theater benefit proved to be  a fun evening.  The Foundation supports organizations that use tennis as a vehicle to help youngsters finish high school, reach their goals and qualify for college scholarships (http://foundationgiving.usta.com/ ). 

King is not only a tennis legend, but also an extraordinarily approachable, nice human being as well.  Tennis player and commentator Patrick McEnroe, along with former New York Mayor David Dinkins and Grace Hightower DeNiro (Wife to Robert) were also on hand.  Everyone enjoyed a steak dinner and a brief history lesson on Sardis. 

Then it was onto the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre for the show.  Even though Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand are the big names associated with the play, we think Peter Gallagher was a standout, on and off the stage.  Following the show, Freeman bolted to his car with a brief wave to the waiting crowd, unlike Gallagher, who oozed charm and was completely delightful, chatting away with fans.  Actress Tracey Ullman took in the show as did Comedienne Caroline Rhea, who was there to cheer on her pal Chip Zien. 

While expectations were high, unfortunately, the play proved to be a bit of a bore, a surprise considering the stellar cast and a well-known director such as Mike Nichols.  Sometimes, celluloid star talent just doesn’t translate on the stage.    But we left smiling.   You can never go wrong with dinner, and a Broadway show – a quintessential NYC evening!