This Was The Last Show We Saw Before The TONYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now We Have Seen All The Nominated Musicals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    "Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)" did for me what "Maybe Happy Ending" did for David.  I loved it because I found it warm and compelling, with an unexpectedly melodic score.

                                       That score is sung superbly by Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty.  Mr. Tutty is especially compelling with his voice, his warmth, and something unexpected that is starting to emerge as a trend.

                                           The emergence is of male pulchritude on Broadway.  In just a year we have seen Jonathan Groff and Aaron Tveit in their underwear, much to audience delight, and now Mr. Tutt can be added to that list.  He is a fine young man, and the gay community, who should be going to the theater this week, will just love him.  But he is not just another pretty face and body.  As Dougal, who has come to New York to see a father he has never known, at a family wedding he necessarily was not invited to, his showstopping opening number "New York" is sure to be added to the canon of great songs about the city.  And he delivers it in a showstopping style.  What a great start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Christiani Pitts (no relation to Zasu!!!!!!!!) may not be as compelling but her two solo second act numbers, "He Doesn't Exist," and "About To Go In," display a talent and strength sure to win over Broadway audiences.  I was simply enchanted by the whole thing in a way I have not been in a while.  I could be shot for saying this, but the show is far superior to "Maybe Happy Ending."

                                                 Credit must go to Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, who created the whole thing. to Tim Jackson's direction and choreography, and to set designer Sourta Gilmour, who also did the costumes.  The latter are perfectly designed in accordance with the characters, and the set, which starts out as a pile of luggage in an airport, morphs throughout into the city itself as Robin and Dougal discover things about the city and themselves.

                                                     Yet, for all the charm, there is a poignancy here.  Both Dougal and Robin are loners who apparently are not wanted by their families.  How many of these types do we New Yorkers know, darlings?  I kept wondering how this show would end, and, while it is sudden, it ends on a note of hope.   A self-examining musical, as well as a charming one.

                                                         Repeating a point, I made earlier, "Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)" really gets it right about life in this city.  It can also be added to the canon list of great shows about New York City.  It is better than "Hell's Kitchen."

                                                            It is a TONY nominee, and it could be a dark horse.

                                                           Let's see how it does on Sunday.

                                                           But see it, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     

Happy National Donut Day, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         I can tell you David is happy today, because before the day is over, we will be going to Dunkin' Donuts and having coffee and a donut.

                          Why is this such a big deal.  Because you know what they say, girls?  A donut is a bullet to the heart.  That is right.  All those Manhattan tourists going in and out of Krispy Kreme in the theater district are going to make cardiologists and other heart specialists wealthy in the coming years.

                         But I don't think a donut once a year hurts anyone.  So, let us celebrate National Donut Day by savoring that one donut we are allowed to have, remembering its creaminess and texture till next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Oh, for the days of childhood, when one did not have to worry about eating anything, and food was something we could enjoy.  Now, as we age, that is different.

                               Nevertheless, enjoy your donuts on this day!

                               I will have an Old Fashioned.  And maybe a Chocolate Covered or a Boston Cream!

                               Enjoy your National Donut Day, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           

Even Bigger And Campier On Broadway At The St. James!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     When a show moves from Off-Broadway to Broadway, the results can be problematic.  For every "HAIR" or "A Chorus Line," there are an equal number of shows that don't succeed in the transition.

                                         So, I was fearful when I heard "Titanique," which we saw last year downtown, was not only coming to Broadway, but to the enormous St. James Theatre, former home of the doomed "Sunset Boulevard."  Well, the results are just wonderful.

                                           Larger and more magnified, forced to really project to the audience, the "Titanique" company are having a ball, and giving the audience the kind of fun, theatrical excitement that has been lacking for most of the season.  It may not win, but I am so happy it is a TONY nominee.

                                             Marla Mindelle, one of the book writers, does such a dead-on impersonation of Celine Dion, her phrasing and mannerisms, it becomes something more than funny and campy, though it is.  This is a star turn in the truest sense, and she makes the most of what she is given; why not, she helped create it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              The real surprise is Jim Parsons who plays Rose's mother, Ruth.  When I heard he had been cast, I never thought of him for this role, but he is so wonderful in it and livens up a show that is already lively to begin with.

                                               The enormity of the set design by Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace  Lubacher for Iron Bloom Creative Production does not overshadow the show, only makes the ship the sumptuous experience it was meant to be.  The costumes, by Alejo Vietti are colorful and fun, but it is the material and the performers who make the production.

                                                   Really, darlings, if you have not seen this show yet, you must.

                                                 And for friends coming into town, who need a recommendation, this would be the first show I would think of.

                                                 Certainly not "Death Of A Salesman!"  Are you kidding???????????????

This Play Opens Tonight! But Will It Last???????????? One Should Hope Not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      The first thing I need to warn readers about is this play has nothing to do with Jerome Robbins or Kern.  Too bad; there might have been some interest, not to mention great music.

                                         The mystery of "Jerome," by aspiring playwright John J. Caswell, Jr.--emphasis on aspiring--is how the readers at Playwrights Horizons chose this from the slush pile to produce, when they must receive hundreds of equally more worthy submissions..

                                             It so desperately wants to have it both ways--be part of the passing AIDS play canon, and then not.  Instead, it is deeply contrived.

                                               Set in 1992, the trope is long familiar.  A gay couple, and one of them is dying.  Not from AIDS but, kidney failure due to acute alcoholism.  The dying man desperately wants someone to replace him so when he goes the survivor will have someone.  Hey, nice thought, but is it practical?   So, what do they do?  They go to this gay bar--are there any in Arizona, where this play is set? --pick up this hot, hunky guy, and, after a ribald one-night ménage a trois, decide he is the one to be the replacement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   Are you kidding me?  This makes about as much sense as the cannibalistic boys choosing Sebastian over Elizabeth Taylor, in "Suddenly, Last Summer."

                                                    The dying man, named Con (how clever!) is played by Stephen Spinellla, who gives a competent performance, but cannot rise to the occasion as the material gives him nothing to work with.  What's more Spinella has aged considerably; to me, he looks like he is turning into Austin Pendleton!!!!!!!!!!  Maybe Austin was offered this play but had the wisdom to turn it down.  But everyone in the industry knows by now that when an actor is needed to portray a dying gay man, call Stephen Spinella!!!!!!!!!!!  He is currently the Louise Fletcher of terminally ill gay roles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     His partner, Doane, wonderfully hunky and muscular, is played by Jorge Bennett Watson, and is probably the most fleshed out character, being allowed a range of emotions and opinions, while Ken Barrett, who plays Bruin, is comely enough, but, really, that is all the role requires.  He is no loquacious hunk, like Chance Wayne in "Sweet Bird Of Youth."  One has to wonder if this replacement thing goes through, what will this couple have to talk about or relate to?

                                                      That is because the playwright sheds no light.  As for Dustin Willis, who is both the director and scenic designer---what the hell?  His direction is OK enough when the material is treated like a sympathetic intimate drama.  But then the floor sinks on stage, and the audience has no idea if it is going to Oz or Wonderland, but I am telling you, as an audience member, I fervently hoped we would go to either.  The world of "Jerome" is inconsistent, to say the least.

                                                            Oh, and girls, you have to see the phony, faux "Death In Vencie" type ending, with everything onstage, including the actors' costumes, drenched in white.  Like we are supposed to be impressed the playwright knows Thomas Mann?  Or Luchino Visconti?   Frankly, darlings, I was surprised.

                                                                 If "Jerome" gets rave reviews, it won't be the first time this season the critics went crazy over crap; look at "The Lost Boys!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                                              Readers, to you I say save your time and money, and avoid "Jerome."  And to Playwrights Horizons, I say get me on your readership staff immediately, because by choosing this, you have no idea what constitutes good playwriting.

                                                                  Unless the runners-up were even worse, which would not surprise me.

                                                                   Incidentally, I have no desire to visit Arizona.  Except maybe the one John Gavin and Janet Leigh are in at the opening of "Psycho" where Leigh utters my favorite line in the movie--

                                                                    "I have to get back to the office.  These extended lunch hours give my boss excess acid."

                                                                      I got excess acid from"Jerome," which btw is a town in Arizona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                  

                                                               

The Lavender Marriage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A Farce???????????? Yes, But An Important Part Of Pride Month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             This kind of arrangement is such a farce, darlings, I wonder if there are any that have worked?  Are they even in existence anymore????????????

                                Really, dears, no matter where you are living, if you cannot admit to being gay, then either get a pet or live alone, reading scholarly books.  Don't ruin the other person's life.

                                The secondary character in a lavender marriage is always the straight one.  The gay partner may be a closet case, which is why they are in this arrangement, but in the end, it is the straight one who suffers.

                                  Heterophobes may see this as a chance to inflict vengeance on the straight, but that is as wrong as homophobia.

                                     This month dears, for those needing to think about this, think about choices being made, and the consequences they may have.

                                        Aren't enough lives in general being ruined??????????????

                                      Besides, the first fight is over who gets to wear the bridal gown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Is TONY Week, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                       Let's be honest, girls!  Aren't you sick of all the talk about FIFA, the World Cup, the NBA Finals, not to mention how CBS News prioritizes sports?????????????   I certainly am!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          Well, screw them, darlings, because this is OUR--Theater Queens--week, leading up to the 79th TONY Awards show on Sunday.

                           Later on, this week, I will give my predictions.  But this is not an easy year, because, while I saw almost everything, there will be huge discrepancies between what I want to win and what I think actually will.  Moreso this year than others I can remember.

                            If only fate would intervene and replace Pink with another host!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            I could do it, hons!  Because Liza and I are the last of the belters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Pride Month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          June is Gay and Gay is June!  Happy Pride Month, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         Whether replicating Jennifer Holliday in "Dreamgirls," or Doris Day as Ruth Etthing singing "Shaking The Blues Away," from "Love Me, Or Leave Me," this is the month to be out and proud.

                           But remember, girls to control yourselves.  We have a long year ahead of us.

                             This month is ours, so I am urging all to do whatever pleases you, as long as it is not harmful.  And this month may the viciousness between the Theater and Opera Queens be kept to a minimum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            So many things to consider this month!  What do I wear??????????  Something pink, of course!!!!!!!!!!  What special movies and programs to watch????????  Maybe a re-read and reviewing of "Valley Of The Dolls????????????????????"

                              How appropriate we are seeing "The Rocky Horror Show" on June 18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They better do it justice!!!!!!!!!!!!  And I plan on doing the "Time Warp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                              Oh, girls, it is simply DIVINE to be gay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Happy Pride Month, dolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!