Just Back Form Tony Awards!!!

[sandramaac]

Wow, what can I say. It was so much better than last year. Even the gala afterwards was unreal. If your into celebrity watching, it was your night. Last year, stood in the bathroom line with Helen Gurley Brown, this year I chatted with Melanie Griffin in the the line. I hate to say this, but her face is so distorted from collagen injections, she is just hideous. She is a little flighty to say the least, and I am not sure she even knew where she was. Now her hubby, Antonio---omg, he is so handsome.


The actual show was much better this year, even the pre-awards ( the part not shown on network TV) was more bearable. Had great seat AGAIN (last year we were about 26 rows back in the orchestra--even had better seat that Helen Gurly Brown who was three rows in back of us). This year we were 21 rows back. Although I really hate when they cut off the winners thank you. Last year they did it to Eileen Stritch. And it was defintitley a night for 'coming out' as they say. Although that has never been an issue with theater folk, it was much more prevelant this year.

Enjoyed all of the shown numbers, except for Bernadette Peters as Mamma Rose. Saw her in the show also, and she is just way to angry in the role. I never saw Rose as angry, just frustrated. I really do not think she was that good.

The gala afterwards (the official party thrown, that the winners and cast are at least asked to stop at)was ten times better than last year (and it was pretty good last year). Of course last year 9/11 was much more in the minds of everyone. ALL of the celebs that were seen showed up. One if the nicest people I talked to for some time was Samuel L. Jackson. Very nice man, very nice. Harvey Fienstein sat at the table next to us, and proceeded to torment me about my shoes every time I got up ( they were very cool looking Choo's in fuschia pink that matched my gown). I finally teased him back, and said what do you have a shoe fetish, He turned and snapped back and said yeah I do sweetheart, can I try them on. So off came my shoes, and there they went, as Harvey Fienstein tried to squeeze his toes into them. We had a good laugh. He is a big guy.We had a good laugh as he asked everyone if they liked his new used shoes, and he even invited us back to the party that the Hairpray cast was having, but we declined. And lots of other celebs. Saw Melanie Griffin at the party, and she acted even more zoned at than before. She does not let her hubby out of her sight for a second, not a single second. She is like a puppy dog. And to be honest, most of the night Antonio Bandeas seemed annoyed by her constant clinglyness.

Anyway it was a great night. I am going to tale a nap now. I live in NJ, and by the time we got back to the hotel to change and we got back into the limo, we did not get home until 4:30 am.

 

[CathyCanada]

Wow, how cool to get an up close and personal account!!!!! Can I ask what your connection is, that you get to go? I'm so envious!!

Totally not surprised by Melanie, even in the photos, you can see the "lumpiness". How sad that vanity makes some people look worse when they looked great to begin with.

Thanks again for sharing your experience!
CC

 

[snoopy]

How cool!

(how does one get to go to the Tony awards? I wanna go hang out with Harvey Fienstein and Samuel L. Jackson! Although like you, Melanie Griffith scares me too!)

 

[FOJMO]

Originally posted by sandramaac
Enjoyed all of the shown numbers, except for Bernadette Peters as Mamma Rose. Saw her in the show also, and she is just way to angry in the role. I never saw Rose as angry, just frustrated. I really do not think she was that good.

WOW, sandramaac! That is SO COOL!!!

I did catch Bernadette Peters doing her "Rose's Turn" last night and I have to say, also, that she was terrible.

I posted in another thread last night, that I had just finished doing the role of Mama Rose in a Florida production of GYPSY earlier this year. After Bernadette's performance last night, my phone rang and it was my director. He was very complimentary of my performance and said "if only Bernadette Peters could have seen YOU do the role -- you were so much better". We had made a point of not making my Mama very angry. She has to still be liked by the audience as well as by her daughter, Louise, to be believable. It was so nice of him to call me to tell me that!

I really envy your being able to attend the Tony's. As another DISer asked, how did you come to be able to attend? What is your connection? I'm glad you had a TERRIFIC time. I know I would have, too.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

aw, c'mon, I liked Bernadette...though she is playing against type.

loved Martin Short's "puppetry" joke and jason Alexander's retort.

it was indeed a very "gay" night on Broadway.

can I come with you next year, Sandra. please? pretty please with sugar on top?

 

[scarlett873]

you know who i love in the role of "mama rose"...bette midler. i thought she did a fantastic job when they did the movie for TV. i would love to see her do that on broadway!!

i missed the tony's last night... i had to watch the food channel instead..

glad to hear that you had such a great time! i would like to know though...how does one get to the tony's?

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

you can actually buy tickets. my sisters did that about 3 or 4 years ago.

Sandra, your dh has some business connection, doesn't he? where sandra was sitting you have to be invited, I think -- and I know you have to be invited to the official party.

I know that FergieTCat was at the Tony's last year -- she was backstage -- I think it had something to do with her volunteer work at Braodway Cares (am I right?) and that MonaCK was asked to be a seat filler one year -- Mona is a singer and has a lot of friends in the business.

the rest of us wannabes get to watch it on t.v.

 

[holycow]

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH
You got to see Hugh up close and personal! You lucky woman you (although his hair looked HORRIBLE) everything else on him looked great!


Holycow

 

[karenTX]

Exactly how HOT is Hugh Jackman in person?!?!?!
I was almost licking my TV whenever he was on! And his singing...WOW! Not bad for Wolverine!!
As for his hair...I thought it looked pretty good, of course he'd look great no matter what his hair looked like! It's long for his new movie called Van Helsing. Can't wait for that!

 

[sandramaac]

Yes, dh and I have a friend who works for the American Theater Wing. I really could have gone for many years. As some of you may know my degree is in theater and I had all intentions of pursing an acting career.

But life happnens--my mom died while I was junior in college, I was an only child ( I was adopted as a newborn, my mom lost 2 babies and had 3 miscarriages), and my dad was a mess. It just was not a good time to say to my dad, well I am ought of here, because for a while it seemed he might die to he was so depressed. So life happens we make choices. I took a job as an editor for a McGraw-Hill Publishing (even traveled to NY 1 or 2 times per week, although based out of NJ). I had also met my hubby through a friend in college (he was her cousin), and he was not overly crazy about the idea of me pursuing an acting career. I suppose I was way to mentally drained after my mom died to really say I going to do what I want to do. I was very close to my mom, and missed her terribly.

Anyway, when my kids where babies, I decided that I was going to go back and do some local and regional theater. Duh--not a good thing, hubby travels all the time. I would audition and get parts, and then would have to turn around, and decline because no one could watch my kids while I rehearsed at night. It was like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit, and then saying sorry you can't have it. I got very frustrated, and almost found myself resenting what I loved--acting, theater, musicals, films. I made the mental decision that it best I put aside my work in theater, until which time I could come back to it. There was a time where I didn't even go see a play on Broadway because I found myself mad and resenting the fact that I could not be the one on that stage. I didn't want to hate the thing I loved. So, like any precious gift, I put it away for safe keeping (that is a special place in my heart). Now my kids are older, so i will hopefully be looking to get back into it.

 

[holycow]

KarenTX, lol!!!!!!

I could say more but don't want to hijack the thread! lol

HC

 

[FergieTCat]

I worked at the Tony Awards in 2000 -- the year of "The Producers". I was a talent escort and basically got the gig by sheer balls. I e-mailed the producer of the show (I did tons of research to get his e-mail address) and asked if I could work. He was probably so shocked that someone would do this, he said yes. And so I was Dick Cavett's escort. It was a pretty cool experience, but the BEST part was running into Mel Brooks right after he won his first Tony Award. He and Dick Cavett shook hands and such. I was so starstruck that all I managed to do was get "Mazel Tov!" out of my mouth. Mel Brooks was beaming and said "Thank you!!!"

It was a dream come true, but I never got a chance to do it again. My sister knows someone who can get us in as seatfillers, but last year we were in Florida and this year she's in Spain. Maybe next year.

 

[gina2000]

WOW! Am I ever jealous!

MORE DETAILS! MORE DETAILS! MORE DETAILS!

 

[catsrule]

Very cool!

 

[jamsmom]

That is pretty neat...more details......

 

[sandramaac]

Details

Started the day again with the Sunday brunch at the Plaza. Just perfect. The to our suite(the 'our' are my 6 friends, dh won't go, he says it not his thing, whatever that means), where were rested, chatted and then changed into our dresses.

Well the show it self is kinda neat--lots of banter goes on during commericals. It is neat coming into the awards, because there are all sorts of security checks, purses are checked, ladies are given the once over with the wand, this includes the celebs. Since we arrived by limo, we were once again que'd up for drop off in the vip area, and once again since we did have orchestra seats, we were allowed to enter. Kinda feels like you are in a fish bowl, because as your limo is que'd up everyone is waving at your car, trying to figure out who is in the car.

The lobby area is a show in itself with those who have balcony seats lined up on the steps, trying to catch a glimpse of a celeb. Of course everyone is checking out what everyone is wearing. And you can pick out very definite looks, the celeb look, the NY socialite look, the artsy look.

The gala was very nice. You can only attend the gala by special invitation, which are printed and are just beautiful. With the Perry medallion printed in gold on them, and what do they do again with it---rip it in half. I asked to keep mine , but was told no. Anyway lots of food and drink, dancing. Lots of wheeling and dealing, and checking everyone out. Got asked to dance this year by someone (don't want to say who, but it was not Hugh-LOL), but declined, I am married you know. Actually I chatted with this person last year and he rembered me--he did, he actually walked up to me and said hi and I remember chatting with you last year. We left around 2:00am, where we changed into our jammies for the ride home. DH wanted us to stay, but we all have kids, and some work, so it is better getting home. Besides I don't think dh could get the kids out the door for school. He has never done it in 8 years.

 

[gina2000]

Thanks, Sandra! Sounds like a wonderful experience! Hope you get to do it again!