Best Actress

Now... you got all shivery reading that title didn't you? Sorry to put you under the cold shower but this ain't about the Oscars in March of next year. Nothing's happened yet to make me change my early bird predictions. I'm still going with Reese, Samantha, Uma, Juliette, and Joan until further scoops come in or at least until the annual summer rethink.

No, no. The topic of discussion today is the Tony nominees for Best Actress in a musical. For those of you who skip right over these theater bloggings, tsk-tsk. The Tony Awards are just as interesting if you dig in. While this year's Actress race doesn't seem to have half the drama as last year's (what a doozy that one was) The Tony categories come with their own particular brand of politics, "due", and 'momentum' issues. So here we go...


CHRISTINA APPLEGATE as "Charity Hope Valentine" in Sweet Charity
Possible Campaign Angle: Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Perhaps misinterpreting the vernacular stage shout-out "break a leg!" Applegate went and broke her foot. The show was off. The show was back on! She heals fast. Out of town word wasn't kind but people (and Tony voters) admire tenacity.
Film Connections: Shirley Maclaine played this part winningly in the 1969 film version.
Pros: Low expectations can reap rewards. Audiences seem to like Applegate's energy in the show.
Con: Stars from film and television can sometimes trample true theater talents with their name-recognition factor. But it's not a foolproof way to clog your mantlepiece. Just ask Jessica Lange (The Glass Menagerie) and Denzel Washington (Julius Caesar), both currently treading the boards. Both were snubbed. Also, this show has never netted a statue for its leading lady; Gwen Verdon, the original Charity, lost the Tony. Shirley Maclaine lost the Golden Globe contest for the film version. She wasn't even nominated for the Oscar. And Debbie Allen, the last Broadway revival's lead, lost.

VICTORIA CLARKas "Margaret Johnson" in The Light in the Piazza
Possible Campaign Angle: Sell those reviews, they couldn't be more flattering.
Film Connections: It wasn't a musical at the time but this story, based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer, was also filmed once in 1962 with none other than Olivia deHavilland in this part.
Pros: It's the most challenging role of the five nominated, with ample time to sell both her acting (lots of melodrama) as well as her considerable musical gift. She also has the best song in the nominated batch: "Dividing Day" obliterates the competition for songs that you want to eventually have associated with you as a performer.
Con: Not everyone loves the arty Piazza. Comedy is currently more of a Tony magnet than drama.

ERIN DILLYas "Truly Scrumptious" in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Possible Campaign Angle: Um... well, hey--never mind. "It's just an honor to be nominated."
Film Connections: This role didn't do all that much for Sally Anne Howes film career. She went straight to television thereafter. As for Erin herself, she hasn't made any features though she did appear in Jim McKay's last project Everyday People
Pros: Just playing a character with this moniker has to be seen as a pro --at least for your self-esteem, casting wise.
Con: She's the fifth slot choice. Even with great reviews, they can't win.

SUTTON FOSTERas "Jo March" in Little Women
Possible Campaign Angle: If Audra McDonald can win every other year, why not Sutton?!
Film Connections: This Louisa May Alcott classic has been filmed a number of times. So Sutton is filling the same tomboy shoes as Katharine Hepburn, June Allyson, and Winona Ryder...
Pros: ...and she can outsing any of them. (maybe Allyson fans would object?) The role is a perfect fit for her brand of stardom.
Con: She's already won. And recently. While that doesn't deter Tony voters to quite the same extent that it deters Oscar voters, the show isn't strong enough to push her into the forefront. Nor will the music provide much momentum since "Astonishing", her first act closer, is the only memorable number.

SHERIE RENE SCOTT as "Christine" in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Possible Campaign Angle: Matching set! For voters who want to reward Norbert Leo Butz in the Lead category for his energetic work in this adaptation, it makes sense to embrace Sherie, too. They give good stage chemistry.
Film Connections: Scott has the Glenn Headley role in this film-to-stage-musical work.
Pros: She's an endearing and hilarious performer. She and Butz arecharming together. Butz and Scott made gorgeous music together in the Off-Broadway classic The Last Five Years
Con: Her stage time is lacking. Though she shines in the second act, she's all but absent from the first. If she weren't already a star, this would've probably gone the way of the "featured actress" category.

Who will win?
Victoria Clark has a comfortable lead. Unless Christina Applegate's mix of media-friendly backstory and surprise success builds unexpected momentum.

love for sale

The Lusty Month of May: New Poll!
Who is your favorite onscreen hooker? Click on over to the site and choose: It's free. You don't even have to tip these lusty ladies (and men). I suppose these poll results might be different if I asked for whom you'd pay the highest price. Not that you need to pay.

cannes you believe it? (pt 2)

Manohla and A.O. Scott are blogging Cannes (linked in the title above). They both found things to praise in Last Days The Kurt Cobain piece by the aesthetically resurgent Gus Van Sant. And A.O. Scott joins Mike D'Angelo in getting Woody Allen fans hopes up super-high yet again. Everyone seems to think that Matchpoint is a true return to form for the ancient previously genius filmmaker. I couldn't be more enthused. No seriously, you can't see me but I am doing cartwheels in between sentences. Later I even plan to consume alcohol!

In other Cannes news: Here's a link to an ionarts blog entry on one of the greatest movie stars ever and from anywhere, Catherine Deneuve. And as a reminder, Mike D'Angelo is also blogging the Gallic festival... though since I'm mentioning him right after the Deneuve-love, I should also remind that he's more of a Sylvie Testud kinda guy.

Friends of Dorothy

That borrowed time post put me in a a mnemonic state and kept me there. While I'm nostalgic I took a trip back to my print 'zine "Film Bitch." I was thinking back to the Heathers inspired "lunch-time poll" section. So, for everyone reading, let's do one:

Who is your favorite Wizard of Oz character...and why? Think before you answer. (Hint: This film is so great that there are no incorrect choices.)

Joss Whedon + Stephen Sondheim

I guess it totally makes sense that Joss Whedon (Buffy creator and TV genius) is a Stephen Sondheim (musical genius) fanatic but I can't say that I knew before today:

The following is from Terry Teachout's blog (linked in the header above) which contains an excerpt from the latest Sondheim Review:

"Whedon's parents introduced him to Sondheim's musicals when he was a child, and he believes shows like Company and A Little Night Music were formative in the development of his creative vision, one that's "existential and bleak," though shot through with acts of devotion, courage and faith. "...I told my therapist that I knew all of Follies by the age of nine; she said, 'We have our work cut out for us.'"

That last exchange is classic, is it not?

cannes you believe it?

Another May, another Cannes film festival. And here I was talking about everything but... You can follow Mike D'Angelo's Cannes grades at the links above. He'll also be blogging it. Anyone know of anyone else who's helping us to live through the festival vicariously? If so hit me with that link!

Whedon Updates

I don't know how many of you notice that my sidebar changes weekly on Tues Night/Wednesday mornings when I do my weekly obsessions, but it does. This week Joss Whedon is on my mind. I am, naturally, a crazed Buffy fan. Is there any other kind? What is less known about my Whedon enthusiasm is that I never much cared for Angel. That's a TV series that I feel never quite found its voice. Or at least that the voice kept changing. To my way of thinking though Whedon might have struck gold again with Firefly which is now showing at The Urge (On Monday nights at 8:00 @ 2nd & 2nd in Manhattan if you happen to love the Whedon-verse, 2-for-1 drink specials, or Steve the bartender). I say "might" because the first season, which is good but starts slow gives off that familiar impression that the second season will be excellent. Just like Buffy. Her first season was interesting but not exactly classic. And the 2nd season and 3rd season are like television nirvana. Practically perfect in everywhere. But Buffy 's seven season survival was always a TV miracle. Most unusual or great or original shows don't survive. So, the TV gods, being what they are (i.e. oft incompetent) elected to cancel Firefly. No second season will ever exist.

Firefly, the series, for those who are are in the dark about it, was a hard sell. Combining the old west aesthetic with sci-fi, aired out of order, some episodes never aired. And it's all very unusual with tons of characters, complicated backstory, and heavy sexual undercurrents that Whedon shows never shy away from, but that TV audiences often cringe about because it's just too "adult" for them to handle.

The movie "Serenity" will be out in the fall so the growing members of this particular TV cult will have something to be excited about. Here is the trailer.

* In other Whedon news, there's still no word on the possible Faith series and I possibly shouldn't have even brought it up since my yearning for such an imaginary television series is so massive that it often threatens to crush me, the way Faith crushes men's hearts (and bones).

* In still more Whedon news, Wonder Woman is currently being written and will probably be filmed in Australia according to Dark Horizons.

Borrowed Time

Until I feel really inspired, and until this cup of coffee does its cup of joe mojo on me (still so sleepy), I'll be a-borrowing topics from others. My friend Nick just did this...

10 Years Ago I...
1. obsessed on Elisabeth Shue's performance in Leaving Las Vegas and Sean Penn's in Dead Man Walking. In a screw-you switcheroo Oscar loved the other performance in each film most of all.
2. realized that the group of friends I had made the year before were going to be lifelong ones. Big hugs to my 'Fruit Family'
3. dated alot and then a total boyfriend drought began (which I thought would never end).
4. was still licking the wounds of coming out to my parents the year before. My dad, asked me what I did when I got these "cravings." Hilarious now, the choice of words. But painful to hear at the time.
5. took my nephews to see Babe which we all totally loved and which, for weeks thereafter they mimicked in pipsqueak narrating-mouse voices.

5 Years Ago I...

1. obsessed on Dancer in the Dark --Film Comment even printed a snippet of a letter I wrote that said I suspected it would be the best of the decade and the decade had just begun!
2. thought briefly about the leaving the company I'm still with but stayed which wasa good decision at the time but doesn't feel so hot now that it's five years later and I'm eager for change.
3. was feeling the success of my virgin website and had given up the print zine upon which it was based.
4. went to the beach a lot with my best friend. I need another summer like that; large quantities of sun and sand.
5. attended Wigstock for the last time and also attended the Millenium March on Washington (i'm in the blond in both pics above) which was a highly memorable event. Thousands of GLBT people descending on the capital marching for their rights? Priceless.

to be continued...?

your eyes are getting heavy

I hate waking up to the loud radio but it does wake me up. Almost every morning on NPR as I get up, even though it's technically a different day of the week, the news is about suicide bombers. It's like an evil version of Groundhog Day. "Good Morning!"

I am still very very sleepy this morning. I am only typing this random and meaningless post because the wait for the coffee seems to be eternal this morning.

make it stop

You know, to be a judge of musical performance there should be certain requirements for applicants like, say, "must not be tone deaf" --that's all I'm asking. How do Simon, Paula, and Randy keep their jobs? In other American Idol news: Carrie is still boring. Bo is still merely OK. Vonzell is still spirited but dependably off-key. Anthony is still excruciatingly syrup-laden. I'm so glad I quit watching this show (even if I do sometimes have it on in the background). Just because something is addictive doesn't mean it's good for you.

TONY Nominations: The Movie

It's a very cinematic year for the Tony Awards with lots of plays and musicals with previous film incarnations in the running... If you've never seen a Broadway show but have seen the following movies Glengarry Glenn Ross, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Sweet Charity, The Birdcageor La Cage Aux Folles, Little Women, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang than you've got half the categories covered. This is obviously not a good thing for the health of the theater BUT it will probably make the Awards show a lot more fun to play along at home with...


PLAY Doubt (7 noms) by John Patrick Shanley (known to filmgoers for his Oscarwinning screenplay for Moonstruck) and Glengarry Glen Ross (6 noms), the very well received revival of David Mamet's play, seem to be leading the play nominations. Rossbecame a 1992 film featuring Al Pacino and Jack Lemmon and is now, 13 years later, back on the Great White Way. The mixed-to-poorly received revivals of Tenessee Williams masterpieces A Streetcar Named Desire starring Natasha Richardson and the improbably cast John C Reilly and The Glass Menagerie with Jessica Lange were mostly ignored as was Denzel Washington's star turn in Julius Caesar--so the name recognition factor only went so far this year...


MUSICAL Spamalot!, the latest box office behemoth to hit Broadway seems to be sucking up a gargantuan portion of the nominations (14) in the musical category. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Light in the Piazza also did well. Not faring well at all was Little Women, one of the earliest entries which nabbed only a nod for cutesy Sutton Foster.

...now that the nominations are announced, watch for the closing notices to go up for the shows that didn't do well or were completely shut out. Goodbye Brooklyn the Musical and good riddance!

TONY Predix: Cross Your Fingers For...

TONY nominations are announced tomorrow.
When it comes to the actors I'm crossing my fingers for the following performers who are not "locks" so it could go either way:
Beresse, Morrison, and, most especially, the unsung Sarah Uriarte Berry in The Light in the Piazza, Adriane Lenox in Doubt who is iffy only because her part is so small... but she's great, that dynamic duo Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Carla Gugino in After the Fall.

I've missed several of the late arrivals (little theater this past month for moi) -poor me. But in the major categories, I expect we'll see:

BEST PLAY -Democracy, Doubt, Pillow Man, Gem of the Ocean
I'm not confident about Gem of the Ocean given its short troubled run. Despite the oomph of being part of an acclaimed cycle, I could see GotO being replaced by Brooklyn Boy The other three would be absolute shockers if they were shut-out.

BEST REVIVAL -Glengarry Glen Ross, Twelve Angry Men, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf make up a very strong category. Then there's maybe Sight Unseen to fill out the category. More likely are On Golden Pond or A Streetcar Named Desire since they're more recent but I'm pulling for the better reviewed show to prevail despite having closed already.

BEST MUSICAL -Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Light in the Piazza, Spamalot! = locked up. Competing for the fourth spot are The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee (my guess), that beloved flying car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang , and Sutton Foster & Co in Little Women. If the ghastly Brooklyn: The Musical is selected I will wear ear-plugs on TONY night or possibly not watch at all because I couldn't stand the wailing for one second longer. What a hideous, hideous show.

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL -Expect this to be a battle royale between Le Cage Aux Folles & Sweet Charity. Pacific Overtures could fill out the category but it's an acquired taste so I wouldn't be surprised if the Tony comittee didn't acquire it. Just to be different than other predictors let's say they choose The Frogs instead.

Read Me

On Sunday I'm often vaguely out of it, wanderin' round the apt doing nothing 'cept the laundry. So I read other websites and take their cues! Nick listed a Book quiz. So I took it. I am William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury and described thusly
"Strong-willed but deeply confused, you are trying to come to grips with a major crisis in your life. You can see many different perspectives on the issue, but you're mostly overwhelmed with despair at what you've lost. People often have a hard
time understanding you, but they have some vague sense that you must be brilliant anyway. Ultimately, you signify nothing."

That's way too heavy for me because it misses my fun side entirely. I'm not bipolar or anything but I am totally Gemini --i.e. close to the same thing. My significant other saw me taking this and he, being a total bookworm, sat down to take it as well. He is Mrs. Dalloway
"Your life seems utterly bland and normal to the casual observer, but inside you are churning with a million tensions and worries. The company you surround yourself with may be shallow, but their effects upon your reality are tremendously deep. To stay above water, you must try to act like nothing's wrong, but you know that the truth is catching up with you. You're not crazy, you're just a little unwell. But no doctor can help you now"
...a description which makes me giggle out of complete terror because it's, um, true. Enough about that--
Which book are you?

Kung Fu Hustle

So I finally broke my no-movie spell and saw this looney-tuned cgi/martial arts extravaganza Kung Fu Hustle. There's probably one (OK, two) too many setpieces and the whole crazy thing is entirely disposable. But, that said, it was good specific fun while it lasted. Stephen Chow who wrote, directed, and starred in this is quite the multi-tasker isn't he? Chow looks really good without his shirt off too. Not that that has anything to do with the quality of any movie (he hastens to add, blushing!)

KFH is better, funnier, and glossier than Ong Bak:Thai Warrior which is the last martial arts picture I wrote about herein. They'll make an interesting double feature on DVD later this year. But quality aside...when it comes to these two productions, I think I prefer the no-wire low-fi approach to action. And rippling Tony Jaa tips the scales even further toward OB:TWeven though it isn't much of a film overall. Still, imagine you're a filmmaker and you're CGI crazy. If you're smart like Stephen Chow, you'll put it to good use. It's a fine tool for surreal mayhem.

Poptart Sandwich

Lusty Monty of May: Nocturnal Editions


I was debating about whether or not to post this, me being regarded as such an innocent. But...what the hell. The other night, quite to my gay surprise I had an erotic dream about those once-dueling now kinda-over teen sensations Britney & Christina. I'm too shy to share details but it involved a big bed, these two very randy blond bitches, plus me (ahem). Normally I would have found this carnal r.e.m. nugget amusing in a pop-culture saturation way; even my dreams are star studded! But the week hadn't been normal. The embarassing truth was that the Brit' & 'Tina sandwich had fleetingly unnerved me. Following, as it did, another erotic dream two nights earlier that was also of the hetero persuasion albeit sans star wattage.

For a split second or two upon waking my whole 'living w/ boyfriend in gayMan-hattan' existence felt like a groggy sham. Ohmygod... am I straight? Laugh all you want beyootches. I'll join in. On about the third split second I realized that the last person who got busy with both XTina AND Mrs. Federline together was none other than Madonna herself. So I already had a little chuckle at my own expense.


Hetero fantasy flambé.

Have Table Will Travel

The Lusty Month of May continues...
Arriving home tonight I notice a cute guy sitting in the lobby (I guess the doorman didn't let him in?) Between his legs is what looks to be a massage table. I mean what else could that be all massive, folded up, and square?

The wait for the elevator is short. My mind wanders quickly. Maybe he'd offer me a special rate --being here in the building already? Maybe the intended recipient stood him up and he'll have to carry that load back to his tiny apt somewhere on this heavily populated island. He'll have no money to show for his trouble (poor thing). Maybe in my building somewhere is some divorcée as cool and self-actualizing as Holly Hunter in Living Out Loud--I mean, in that movie she had the jonezin' for some bodywork and called the guy right up, didn't she? Not that this guy was Eddie Cibrian or anything but he certainly didn't hurt my eyes.

It's an hour later and I'm still thinking about the massage that couldabeen. Know any good masseurs in Manhattan? Preferrably ones approximating Cibrianic hotness? That don't charge a small fortune for an honest hours work?

Theatrical Panic

Normally I love handicapping the Tony Awards nominations which are announced next week --but this year, despite seeing more theater than ever, I have somehow fumbled in the last weeks of the season and have missed recently opening shows like Sweet Charity, Spamalot!, that spelling bee musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Pillow Man. The fact that I actually had choice seats to one of those and stillmissed the show is a tiny snapshot reminder of how f***ed up things have been in the personal-life-we-shall-not-discuss-for-fear-of-being-called-a-drama-queen-again.

For a theater enthusiast like myself being responsible for a peculiarly empty seat in an otherwise crowded house is pretty embarrassing. Not that anyone would know who was responsible. Or that anyone would even notice if the house was full. Or would they...Are any stage actors reading? Do you notice the empty seats in a sea of people? Is that glass half full or half empty?

good vs. evil

My actual website is apparently closer to god.

"Meme" Quiz

As ModFab commands so I do. ModFab says go to this concert. I do ~excellent stuff. what a voice! ModFab says do this quiz. I start typing.

If I could be a scientist: One very memorable (and drunken) 4th of July while watching fireworks with a big gaggle of lesbians I developed an instantaneous and seismic crush on one of them -a total hottie in horn rimmed glasses. Whilst under the spell of this blazing insta-lust I desperately tried to impress with vivid and increasingly bonkers descriptions of each burst of explosives. She called me a "colorologist" and we laughed for what seemed like hours. That's my answer. Colorologist. Don't tell me it's not a real science. It is to me.

If I could be a musician:I do play piano or rather did when there were pianos around to be played. The talent I'd most like to have is an incredible singing voice. But because I'm such a queen I'd use it to sing Broadway showtunes as opposed to soul. Sorry G. Choice #2 If I couldn't have the voice but could still have the musical talent I'd most like to be a composer. I love the idea of creating something out of nothing. How does Sondheim, for example, go from nothing to complete genius scores forSweeney Todd, Passion, Into the Woods, Company, etc... How does that process happen?

If I could be a doctor: I'd be this guy in late June. Congratulations my friend.

If I could be a painter: I do paint or rather did when there were canvases around to be painted. I'm definitely not a landscape guy. Or still life. I need the human face and form. Despite all that I am inexplicably crazy for Jackson Pollock, though portraits be not his forte. As for the masters DaVinci, Caravaggio, and Vermeer excite me most of all. I also used to really groove on illustration and graphic design and had mad crushes on Erte and JC Leyendecker. My boyfriend loves himself some Robert Rauschenberg. He sometimes drags me on gallery walks but, unfortunately I get image overload and can never remember anybodys name. It's the sculptors who end up really getting to me. Richard Serra is my latest obsession.

If I could be an innkeeper: I wouldn't. The only bed and breakfast I'm interested in running is this kind: The party runs late. I pull out the extra pillows, air mattress, or maybe I just scoot over (depending on how cozy we're getting and the number of guests we're talking about) The next morning I make a huge pot of coffee --I scramble a mean egg.

Aaron and Joe.Tag you're it! Time to take the quiz.

Tra La... It's May

"Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, It's May, that gorgeous holiday
When every maiden prays that her lad will be a cad
It's mad, it's gay, a libelous display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks
Everyone makes divine mistakes
The Lusty Month of May

Whence this fragrance wafting through the air?
What sweet feelings does it's scent transmute?
Whence this perfume floating everywhere?
Don't you know, it's that dear forbidden fruit

It's May, the lusty month of May
That darling month when everyone throws self-control away
It's time to do a wretched thing or two
And try to make each precious day one you'll always rue

It's May, it's May, the month of "Yes, you may"
The time for every frivolous whim, proper or im-
It's wild, it's gay, depraved in every way
The birds and bees with all of their vast amorous past
Gaze at the human race aghast
The Lusty Month of May

Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, it's may, the month of great dismay
when all the world is brimming with fun, wholesome or un-
It's mad, it's gay, a libelous display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks
Everyone makes divine mistakes
The Lusty Month of May"

-from the musical Camelot by Lerner and Loewe