The Earthlings Project

I met composer/lyricist Earl Wilson Jr. last week at our Drama Desk cocktail party for nominees. Please check out his web site for the exciting project he is developing. Earthlings, The One Big Happy Family Musical! is a musical that acts as a focal point for The Earthlings Project, a community-based series of events that will bring organizations and sponsors together to examine how they can work together in their “going green” initiatives. The participating communities will have the opportunity to put together a professional quality musical as a fund raiser for themselves, receive a piece of future royalties when the show becomes a commercial entity, and come together in a localized sustainability movement. He’ll be archiving this process as they go forward and hopes to involve many participants in the endeavor.

"This is an interesting and, I believe, new way of creating a commercially viable musical…perhaps one that will eventually play on Broadway," he writes.

It's exciting to learn about something so creative. Keep this one in your prayers!

Collected Stories

If you don’t want to spend the $120 or so for a ticket to see Collected Stories revived on Broadway, just get “All About Eve” out of the library and watch it again. Same story, only the film has more interesting characters and is better written.

Too bad because the acting in Donald Margulies' 1996 play is fine, although the characters portrayed are stereotypical. Linda Lavin (left in photo) plays Ruth Steiner, a successful short story writer living in a book-filled apartment in Greenwich Village. (Nice set by Santo Loquasto.) Sarah Paulson (right) is Lisa Morrison, one of her students who ambitiously weasels her way into Ruth’s life through flattery, becoming her dutiful assistant.

As time goes on, Lisa begins getting her work published, thanks to Ruth’s guidance, and ends up writing a novel based on a stories Ruth had told her about her early life. Ruth feels betrayed and threatens to sue, saying she might want to writer her own story someday.

I guess we’re supposed to question the morality of this -- Collected Stories is inspired by a real incident in which a man charged a student with plagiarism -- but the situation didn’t seem ambiguous to me. Ruth had taught Lisa that writers borrow from each other all the time -- they collect stories. She also advised Lisa never to talk about a piece she was planning to write because the telling relieves the pressure to write. Lisa says she took that as an indication that Ruth had no plans to tell her own story and was giving it to Lisa. Neither character was likable to me, so I felt no distress for Ruth nor any triumph for Lisa.

Lavin has received a Tony nomination for her performance. The production received no Drama Desk nominations.

This is the second play by Margulies I’ve seen this season. His Time Stands Still, starring Laura Linney, preceded Stories at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Both were produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, whose shows I more often than not don’t like. Stories is directed by MTC artistic director Lynne Meadow.

For more information, visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.”
-- August Wilson

Broadway Lights Will Dim Tonight in Honor of Lynn Redgrave

Marquees along the Great White Way will be dimmed at 7 p.m. tonight for one minute to pay tribute to Lynn Redgrave, who died Sunday at her home in Kent, CT.

Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, is quoted on Playbill.com as saying, "In addition to Lynn Redgrave's genius as a multitalented performer and writer, she was very generous with her time and influence. My memories of her brilliant performances on stage are matched with seeing her dedicated activities offstage. Whether participating in an Actors Fund meeting or a walkathon for charity, her warmth and selflessness always made the day brighter. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and audiences."

Anyone who heard her moving theatre reflection at last year’s Broadway Blessing would have felt that warmth. We were so fortunate to have had her with us.

St. Paul tells us that “the lives of those who are faithful to God are changed not ended,” but we will miss not having her in our world. May God bless her richly, as she blessed so many in her time here.

Lynn Redgrave was a blessing in this world

I am so sad that Lynn Redgrave lost her battle with breast cancer. She died last night at her home in Kent, CT, at the age of 67.

I met Lynn in September when she gave a theatre reflection at Broadway Blessing. We had plenty of time to talk before hand, just the two of us, and I found her to be warm and gracious. She seemed to actually glow, as if she were lit from within. I have a photo of us together taken that night framed on my wall and that shimmering quality radiates out even there.

Please keep Lynn and her family in your prayers. This is the third death to hit the legendary British acting family in a little over a year. Last month Lynn’s brother, actor Corin Redgrave, died and in March 2009 her niece, actress Natasha Richardson, died as a result of a head injury sustained in a skiing accident.

In a recent interview for Playbill.com, Ms. Redgrave spoke about her illness. When asked how her battle with breast cancer had changed her life, she answered, "Life-threatening disease tends to make anyone stop in your tracks and look at life. Before I had cancer, I don't know that I ever slowed down inside my mind enough to look outside and really live in the moment. But once you have that threat of the moment actually not being there you're going to pay attention. And that has completely stuck with me. I savor every moment with family and loved ones. I find that I never want to leave unsolved or unhealed a relationship, a disagreement, something between me and another person. If they've upset me, or the other way around, we have to talk about it. If someone did something that upset me, I have to tell them why they've upset me. And if I've given short shrift to someone else, however inadvertently, I apologize and try to put it right immediately, lest there be no tomorrow.

"And I don't stress about the little things, the stupid things. I used to get distress attacks, almost panic attacks, packing to go on trips – what if the car doesn't come? Sitting at airports when the plane is delayed. Well, you know, I let it go. What will be will be. I usually try to have a copy of the latest New Yorker with me. That can see you through any plane delay.”

I last saw Lynn in November following a performance of her one-woman play Nightingale. I was fortunate that I was able to go backstage and give her a hug and tell her I was praying for her everyday. She greeted me warmly and was grateful for the prayers. At Broadway Blessing she had talked about how her faith had carried her through her first battle with breast cancer in 2003, and her recitation of Psalm 23 was glorious. We have lost a very special person.

God bless you, Lynn.

Drama Desk Nominees Announced; Ragtime and The Scottsboro BoysReceive Most

Brian Stokes Mitchell and Cady Huffman announced our Drama Desk nominations this morning during breakfast at the Friars Club.

The shows receiving the most nods, Ragtime and The Scottsboro Boys, have already closed. Each received nine nominations apiece, the most of any productions from this season. Ragtime never found an audience and closed after a short run; Scottsboro had been a limited run from the beginning.

Winners will be announced at our May 23 awards ceremony at the LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center. Patti LuPone (in photo) will host. But before that, we'll celebrate Thursday at our annual cocktail reception for nominees, to be held for the first time at Churrascaria Plataforma, a Brazilian restaurant on West 49th.

So here are this year’s selections from our nominating committee:

Outstanding Ensemble Performances 
This year the nominators chose to bestow special ensemble awards for acting to the casts of two shows. (Therefore, individual cast members for these shows were not eligible for acting awards in the competitive categories.)
 
• Circle Mirror Transformation 
• The Temperamentals 
 
Special Awards: 
Each year, the Drama Desk votes special awards to recognize excellence and significant contributions to the theatre.
 
• To the cast, creative team and producers of Horton Foote’s epic The Orphans' Home Cycle: "We salute the breadth of vision, which inspired the exceptional direction, performances, sets, lighting, costumes, music and sound that made it the theatrical event of this season."
 
• To Jerry Herman "for enchanting and dazzling audiences with his exuberant music and heartfelt lyrics for more than half a century." 
 
• To Godlight Theatre Company for "consistent originality and excellence in dramatizing modern literature, and especially for the vibrant theatricality of its innovative productions."
 
• To Ma-Yi Theater Company for "more than two decades of excellence and for nurturing Asian-American voices in stylistically varied and engaging theater."
 
Nominations for the competitive categories follow:
 
Outstanding Play: 
Alan Ayckbourn, My Wonderful Day 
Annie Baker, Circle Mirror Transformation 
Lucinda Coxon, Happy Now? 
John Logan, Red 
Geoffrey Nauffts, Next Fall 
Bruce Norris, Clybourne Park 
 
Outstanding Musical: 
American Idiot 
Everyday Rapture 
Memphis 
The Addams Family 
The Scottsboro Boys 
Yank! 
 
Outstanding Revival of a Play: 
A View from the Bridge 
Brighton Beach Memoirs 
Fences 
Hamlet 
So Help Me God! 
The Boys in the Band 
 
Outstanding Revival of a Musical: 
A Little Night Music 
Finian's Rainbow 
La Cage Aux Folles 
Promises, Promises 
Ragtime 
 
Outstanding Actor in a Play: 
Bill Heck, The Orphans' Home Cycle 
Jude Law, Hamlet 
Alfred Molina, Red 
Eddie Redmayne, Red 
Liev Schreiber, A View from the Bridge 
John Douglas Thompson, The Emperor Jones 
Christopher Walken, A Behanding in Spokane 
 
Outstanding Actress in a Play: 
Ayesha Antoine, My Wonderful Day 
Melissa Errico, Candida 
Anne Hathaway, Twelfth Night 
Kristen Johnston, So Help Me God! 
Laura Linney, Time Stands Still 
Jan Maxwell, The Royal Family 
 
Outstanding Actor in a Musical: 
Brandon Victor Dixon, The Scottsboro Boys 
Douglas Hodge, La Cage Aux Folles 
Cheyenne Jackson, Finian's Rainbow 
Chad Kimball, Memphis 
Nathan Lane, The Addams Family 
Bobby Steggert, Yank! 
 
Outstanding Actress in a Musical: 
Kate Baldwin, Finian's Rainbow 
Montego Glover, Memphis 
Jayne Houdyshell, Coraline 
Christiane Noll, Ragtime 
Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture 
Catherine Zeta-Jones, A Little Night Music 
 
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play: 
Chris Chalk, Fences 
Sean Dugan, Next Fall 
Santino Fontana, Brighton Beach Memoirs 
Adam James, The Pride 
Hamish Linklater, Twelfth Night 
Nick Westrate, The Boys in the Band 
 
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play: 
Victoria Clark, When the Rain Stops Falling 
Viola Davis, Fences 
Xanthe Elbrick, Candida 
Mary Beth Hurt, When the Rain Stops Falling 
Scarlett Johansson, A View from the Bridge 
Andrea Riseborough, The Pride 
 
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical: 
Kevin Chamberlin, The Addams Family
Robin De Jesus, La Cage Aux Folles 
Jeffry Denman, Yank! 
Christopher Fitzgerald, Finian's Rainbow 
Jeremy Morse, Bloodsong of Love 
Bobby Steggert, Ragtime 
 
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:  
Carolee Carmello, The Addams Family 
Carrie Cimma, Lizzie Borden 
Katie Finneran, Promises, Promises 
Angela Lansbury, A Little Night Music 
Kenita Miller, Langston in Harlem 
Terri White, Finian's Rainbow 
 
Outstanding Director of a Play: 
Jonathan Bank, So Help Me God! 
Jack Cummings III, The Boys in the Band 
Sam Gold, Circle Mirror Transformation 
Michael Grandage, Hamlet 
Michael Grandage, Red 
Ethan Hawke, A Lie of the Mind 
 
Outstanding Director of a Musical: 
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow 
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime 
Igor Goldin, Yank! 
Terry Johnson, La Cage Aux Folles 
Michael Mayer, American Idiot 
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys 
 
Outstanding Choreography: 
Warren Carlyle, Finian's Rainbow 
Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Ragtime 
Lynne Page, La Cage Aux Folles 
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys 
Twyla Tharp, Come Fly Away 
Sergio Trujillo, Memphis 
 
Outstanding Music: 
David Bryan, Memphis 
Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson 
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love 
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys 
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family 
Joseph Zellnik, Yank! 
 
Outstanding Lyrics: 
Rick Crom, Newsical The Musical 
Kevin Del Aguila, Click, Clack, Moo 
John Kander & Fred Ebb, The Scottsboro Boys 
Dillie Keane and Adèle Anderson, Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous! 
Andrew Lippa, The Addams Family 
David Zellnik, Yank! 
 
Outstanding Book of a Musical: 
Joe DiPietro, Memphis 
Joe Iconis, Bloodsong of Love 
Dick Scanlan & Sherie Rene Scott, Everyday Rapture 
David Thompson, The Scottsboro Boys 
Alex Timbers, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson 
David Zellnik, Yank!  
 
Outstanding Orchestrations: 
William David Brohn, Ragtime 
Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys 
Tom Kitt, American Idiot 
Tom Kitt, Everyday Rapture 
John Oddo, All About Me 
Daryl Waters & David Bryan, Memphis 
 
Outstanding Musical Revue: 
Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous! 
Million Dollar Quartet 
Newsical The Musical 
Simon Green: Traveling Light 
Sondheim on Sondheim 
 
Outstanding Music in a Play: 
Adam Cochran, A Play on War 
Adam Cork, Red 
Gaines, A Lie of the Mind 
Philip Glass, The Bacchae 
Hem, Twelfth Night 
Branford Marsalis, Fences 
 
Outstanding Set Design: 
Sandra Goldmark, The Boys in the Band 
Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch & Basil Twist, The Addams Family 
Derek McLane, Ragtime 
Christopher Oram, Red 
Jay Rohloff, Underground 
Karen Tennent, Hansel and Gretel 
 
Outstanding Costume Design: 
Antonia Ford-Roberts & Bob Flanagan, The Emperor Jones 
Santo Loquasto, Ragtime 
Clint Ramos, So Help Me God! 
Bobby Frederick Tilley II, Lizzie Borden 
Matthew Wright, La Cage Aux Folles 
David Zinn, In the Next Room or the vibrator play 
 
Outstanding Lighting Design:  
Neil Austin, Hamlet 
Neil Austin, Red 
Christian M. DeAngelis, Lizzie Borden 
Maruti Evans, John Ball's In the Heat of the Night 
Natasha Katz, The Addams Family 
Dane Laffrey, The Boys in the Band 
 
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical: 
Acme Sound Partners, Ragtime 
Jonathan Deans, La Cage Aux Folles 
Ashley Hanson, Kurt Eric Fischer & Brian Ronan, Everyday Rapture 
Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys 
Scott Lehrer, Finian's Rainbow 
Brian Ronan, Promises, Promises 
 
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play: 
Dan Bianchi & Wes Shippee, Frankenstein 
Dale Bigall, Underground
Adam Cork, Enron 
Lindsay Jones, Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers 
Fitz Patton, When the Rain Stops Falling
Elizabeth Rhodes, John Ball's In the Heat of the Night 
 
Outstanding Solo Performance: 
Theodore Bikel, Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears 
Jim Brochu, Zero Hour 
Colman Domingo, A Boy and his Soul 
Carrie Fisher, Wishful Drinking  
Judith Ivey, The Lady With All the Answers 
Anna Deavere Smith, Let Me Down Easy 
 
Unique Theatrical Experience: 
Charles L. Mee's Fêtes de la Nuit 
Hansel and Gretel 
John Tartaglia's Imaginocean 
Love, Loss, and What I Wore 
Stuffed and Unstrung 
The Provenance of Beauty 
 
PRODUCTIONS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS 
Ragtime      9 
The Scottsboro Boys     9 
Finians’ Rainbow     8 
The Addams Family     8 
La Cage Aux Folles     7 
Memphis      7 
Red       7 
Yank!       7 
Everyday Rapture     5 
The Boys in the Band     5 
Fences      4 
Hamlet       4 
So Help Me God!     4 
A Little Night Music     3 
A View from the Bridge    3 
American Idiot      3 
Bloodsong of Love     3 
Lizzie Borden      3 
Promises, Promises     3 
Twelfth Night      3 
When the Rain Stops Falling    3 
A Lie of the Mind     2 
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson   2 
Brighton Beach Memoirs    2 
Candida      2 
Circle Mirror Transformation    2 
Fascinating Aïda Absolutely Miraculous!  2 
Hansel and Gretel     2 
John Ball's In the Heat of the Night  2 
My Wonderful Day     2 
Newsical The Musical     2 
Next Fall      2 
The Emperor Jones     2 
The Pride      2 
Underground      2 
 

The Drama Desk is an organization of theatre critics, writers and editors that honors excellence in all areas of New York theatre: Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway and not-for-profit. It was organized in 1949 and presented its first awards in 1955. For more information visit DramaDesk.org.

Promises, Promises

As long as the two leads, Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth, were onstage I enjoyed this Broadway revival of Promises, Promises, which is directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford, but the music (Burt Bacharach), lyrics (Hal David) and book (Neil Simon) aren’t strong enough to sustain interest without them.

Chenoweth I knew was born to do musical comedy and she’s appealing as Fran Kubelik, a young working girl in 1962 New York who is having an affair with a married executive at Consolidated Life, the company where she works. She doesn’t have much to go with in this seriously dated show, but she gives it her best.

Hayes was a complete unknown to me, although I might have been the only one in the theatre who had never heard of him. He had been on a TV series called “Will & Grace” and seemed to have many fans in the audience before he even opened his mouth. I was impressed that this is his Broadway debut. He is thoroughly winning as Chuck Baxter, a low-level Consolidated Life employee eager to get ahead and who also happens to have a major crush on Fran. Hayes’ voice, timing, movement -- everything -- seem right at home, as if he were a Broadway musical veteran. He gives Chuck just the right amount of sincerity and little guy charm, and skillfully handles the device in which his character frequently addresses the audience to comment on his situation.

But then there’s the rest of the show, which is based on the 1960 Academy Award-winning Billy Wilder film "The Apartment." The plot should be fun -- Chuck finds he can get ahead at work by allowing his higher-ups to use his small Manhattan apartment for their trysts. This spirals out of control as more and more execs turn to him and he finds himself out in the cold most nights. He suffers along admirably until he discovers that one of the women being brought to this little love nest is none other than his longed-for Fran.

This is the humorous part, but too much time is spent at the office and I really didn’t care about those people. At two hours and 40 minutes the show is too long for what it has to offer. It could happily lose three songs in the first act -- “Where Can You Take a Girl,” in which the married guys at the office sing about their frustrations in trying to have affairs, “Wanting Things,” in which the boss (Tony Goldwyn) shares his frustrations, and “Turkey Lurkey Time,” a bunch of gaudy busyness set in the office Christmas party.

The best of the bunch song-wise are the pop hits made famous by Dionne Warwick, “I Say a Little Prayer,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” done here as a nice duet between Hayes and Chenoweth, with Chenoweth playing the guitar, and “Promises, Promises.” These songs are at best pleasant little tunes, but the rest are limp, and forgotten as soon as the last note is sung.

The 1968 original show, produced by David Merrick, starred Jerry Orbach and Marian Mercer, both of whom won Tonys the following year for their work. It received six other nominations, including one for Best Musical and for Michael Bennett’ s choreography. It ran for 1,281 performances and was one of the first mainstream Broadway musicals to offer a score of commercial pop-sounding music.

For more information on this production, visit promisespromisesbroadway.com.