Tony's No Tiger It's Tony-time. I wish I liked the Tony's. Really, I do. I think anything that exposes the rest of this world to the Invalid Fabulouso is a good thing, but I just can't seem to get excited about watching a 5 minute dance routine from 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'. Broadway appeals to three types of people: Rich old, blue haired ladies from the UES, families visiting New York who feel that seeing a Broadway show is right up there with seeing the Statue of Liberty (okay, maybe not quite up there) and gay men. To the other 99.999% of the world, it has turned away from, like jilted lover pretending that she was the one who ended the affair. I know I'm gonna sound like a broken record, but until theatre ends its practice of serving up lukewarm retreads of theme park shows or, esoteric 'Theatre is art' prestige pieces, it will be destined to cultural obscurity, no matter what Mel Brooks manages to muster up. Theatre has to not simply reinvent itself, it has to rediscover its soul. That said, there are a few pieces nominated tonight that begin to point theatre towards a vibrant future. Here are my Tony picks (of what SHOULD win, not what will): BEST PLAY:Metamorphoses. Fantastic, stirring and moving, what makes this play so daring is that it approaches it's audience as equals- sure it entertains, but it does so by inviting us toi share in the experiences of loss, lust and love that it so brilliantly conjurs up. BEST MUSICAL: Urinetown. Call it 'The Producers go Brechtian' if you don't like its real title, Urinetown does a great job of sending up the musical genre while being a great musical itself. That it uses so many Brechtian elements so self-awarely while ultimately have no real agenda other than to entertain makes it the perfect zeitgeist musical of our age. BEST REVIVAL: Noises Off. Only because it's the only nominee that wasn't overproduced to death. And it's damn funny. BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL: Oklahoma. This is a real toss-up. 'Into the Woods' and 'Oklahoma' are both equally well done, but neither really seems to transcend their pedigree's and become something new. I picked Oklahoma simply because the cast is so fantastic, but they nudge ahead only by a hair. BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: Sexaholix: a love story. The 'We don't know what to call it' category is dominated by grand dames singing and reminiscing...and John Leguizamo. As much as I like Elaine, Barbara and Bea, Sexaholix is a fiery, fiercly funny and honest work. Plus, you can catch it on HBO. As far as the actors go: I really liked Mercedes Ruehl in "The Goat" and have been a fan of Patrick Wilson since I first saw him in the NYTW production of 'Bright Lights, Big City'. Other than those two, I could care less. So, if you wish, catch the show tonight on CBS (9p.m. EST), laugh at the insider jokes, hope that Bernadette Peters will sing and that Gregory Hines will dance, but if you miss it, I won't blame you. Can't score tickets? Get the Urinetown Soundtrack!

posted by Japhy at 6/02/2002 01:40:00 PM || #