And the Tony goes to...Billy Elliot!

That's Entertainment!



Last night’s Tony Award show was entertainment first, awards show second. The show was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris whose closing number made up for his being fairly low key for most of the show.

It was a rare night of live TV that saw incredible performances that were sometimes marred by annoying sound (mic) issues as well as the near decapitation of Brett Michaels. (He wasn’t seriously hurt.)



But that only added to the feeling that you were there. And really, the logistics of getting all those shows, with all the cast members on and off the stage in three hours must have been unbelievable.

All said, the whole point of televising the Tony Awards is to promote Broadway and last night they most certainly did. Others might disagree but I think CBS was right to tell the producers to up the entertainment quota and dole out less actual awards on air.

Most people don’t know or care about lighting design, but when they see a number from Hair, they just might watch enough of the show to want to see a live production. The more that happens, the more lighting designers get to work – and musicians, and actors etc.

The opening number was incredible. I especially liked the musical arrangement Tonight from West Side Story and Luck Be Lady, from Guys and Dolls.

Favourite show excerpts: West Side Story (Dance at the Gym) and Hair (Hair).

After watching the excerpt from Billy Elliott, I can totally see why there are three “Billy’s”. That was exhausting to watch let alone imagine doing.

And it was great to see the white knots everywhere.

Closing Number (In case you couldn’t stay awake)

Will I be watching the Tony Awards this Sunday ?

Uh, yeah!

Where else can this Anglophone in Montréal get his Broadway Musical fix? Not that musicals don’t exist in Montreal, but when they do, they usually involve a bus and truck tour of a tired old chestnut that is mediocre at best. Or, such shows as Chicago that I’ve seen a number of times – loved it, but after seeing Gwen Verdun and Chita Rivera in the roles of Roxie and Vera, well…

There’s the French scaled down version of Fiddler on the Roof - Un violon sur le toit - directed by Denise Filiatrault who has become synonymous with mounting Québecois versions of Broadway Musicals. Other than that and a few revues, pickings are pretty slim as they were in my hometown, Moncton when seeing a musical meant catching whatever crumb of Broadway number on the Ed Sullivan Show. Or much later, on the Rosie O’Donnell show (before she got testy).

Nope, now it’s all about scouring Youtube videos for snippets of classic performances; hard to find among the countless high school productions.

But apart for the incredible entertainment value of the show (my hubby is totally rolling his eyes), this year, we have a Montreal born actor up for the Tony in the best performance category: David Alvarez. All three Billy’s are; he’s joined by Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish.

Montreal's Billy Elliot star among Tony Award contenders

David Alvarez in Dress rehearsal for Billy Elliot Pt 1



David Alvarez in Dress rehearsal for Billy Elliot Pt 2


As a young kid who felt like an alien growing up gay and “theatrical” in a city far removed from the romantic allure of Broadway, I certainly relate to the story of Billy Elliot. Although, like most, real life didn’t play out like a “great big Broadway show!”.

So, come Sunday, I’ll be enjoying the show and reliving for a couple of hours my youthful dream of being a contender.
AND, I can’t wait to see Every Little Step, the documentary about the remounting of A Chorus Line

“Every Little Step explores the incredible journey of A Chorus Line from an ambitious idea to international phenomenon. It compares and contrasts the original musical with the current revival…an revealing the dramatic journey of the performers…unfolding a story of life imitating art.”

Every Little Step - trailer