Hey, Girls!!!!!!!! Is This The Gay Super-Bowl??????????

                              
                                           I have to confess, darlings, to getting my feathers ruffled--my boa, can you imagine????--a few years back, when a straight coworker remarked that the Sunday Arts and Leisure Section of the New York Times was known as the "Gay Sports Pages."

                                             But, when I dusted off those feathers, I had to admit he was right!  And what is wrong with that? I say.  If the straight men have THEIR sports pages, why shouldn't we have ours?????????

                                               Which begs the question coming up, considering that The TONYs are this Sunday.  Some may say my designation belongs to the Oscars, but the Oscars is a much more world wide event than the TONYs, whose viewership is more isolated.  Not that straights don't watch it.  And not that those outside New York City or even the entire Metropolitan Area, don't.  But, honey, let's face it; if you took these groups away from the constituency of viewership, there would hardly be anyone left making it worth the while to broadcast this program at all!!!!!!!!  But thanks to New Yorkers, Metropolitanites, and, yes, thank God, Theater Queens, the TONYs go on every year!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   If you are my girls, you have read way back, my two part commentary on the nominees. Now, I am just going to throw out a few thoughts as to what I think will be winning highlights of the evening.

                                                     Those dancing boys in "Newsies" are going to help that show win Best Musical!  They should look good on the program, and net more tickets sold.  The show may even pick up
Best Choreography, because not since the days of Gower Champion, have I seen such Broadway athleticism!!!!!!

                                                        "Follies" is going to take Best Musical Revival.  No contest.  Same with "Death Of A Salesman" as Best Play Revival.  Pity both are not up and running now, so that audiences who did not, could see them,. after they win their honors! 

                                                            Getting back to "Follies," much as I would love to see Jan Maxwell win Best Actress In A Musical, I think she is going to lose out to Audra McDonald, in "Porgy And Bess."  And I don't think that is a bad thing; I just feel so bad for Jan, because she WAS perfection. And while I am staking my claim on the "Follies" revival win, if I hear the words "Porgy And Bess" instead, I will not be surprised. However, this revival has had much controversy behind it, in terms of tampering with a classic, the presentation is so uneven, with Audra being SO overpowering, some critics have said they should have just called this version "Bess", and that might hurt it in the long run. Whereas "Follies" is loyal to its purists demands for it; Eric Schaeffer's (he should have been nominated as Best Director Of A Musical) production is the best thing since the original that any of us will see in our lifetimes!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              And what sense does it make for "Death Of A Salesman," which I am certain will sweep the TONYs in the dramatic categories, to close prior to these awards, because now no one will see it?  As far as new Drama goes, I think "Clydebourne Park" will win "Best Play," and, good as I hear Tracy Bennett is in "End Of The Rainbow," I think the Lead Actress TONY has been designated for Linda Lavin since the day nominations were announced!

                                                                  So, tune in, and see if I am right!  Meanwhile, can you believe it is Saturday, and I have not yet been invited to one TONY party?  Guess Monsieur and I will have okne of our own; maybe I will wear fluffy pink slippers!!!!!!!!

                                                                     Happy TONY watching, all you queens, and subjects, out there!  May your favorites win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!