Critic at Leisure

The Tonys are coming! Broadway stars in the alley

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As I wrote this the 70th annual Tony Awards nominations were streamed live on CBS. Along with information on the June 3 “Stars in the Alley” — one of the most exciting opportunities to see and hear the best of Broadway theater you could want to see — and hear — and it’s all free!

The concert takes place on Shubert Alley from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Alley between Broadway and Eighth Avenue and 44th and 45th streets — and plan right now to arrive early for this once a year prime show stopper.
Productions that will be participating include both new and continuing hit Broadway shows — and among the stars who’ll come out to shine, and sing and dance are lead members of the casts of current new hits “American Psycho, “Bright Star,” “The Color Purple,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “On Your Feet,” “Paramour,” “She Loves Me,” “Tuck Everlasting” and “Waitress.” Other stars participating are members of the casts of “Eclipsed,” “The Father,” Hamilton,”’ “The Humans,” “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” “School of Rock the Musical” and “Shuffle Along!”

If you’re a theatergoer who sometimes mills around outside a show that’s just thrilled you hoping to shake the hand of score an autograph on your Playbill from a star whose just sweetened your night with a thrilling performance here’s good news in advance of the Tony Awards ceremonies as there a number of opportunities available to see cast members from a favorite show up close on the avenues of New York.

One those opportunities is the annual Celebrate Israel Parade on Sunday, June 5, when Fifth Avenue will become the Broadway of the moment from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. This year will include a float of cast members from Broadway’s current musical marvel of a revival “Fiddler on the Roof.” The cast’s troupe will ride aboard a specially designed float singing lead numbers and performing memorable moments from the show. Check for particulars on celebrateisraelny.org


Tony nominations are here
The announcement of the 2015-’16 Tony nominations brought some expected good news and some fine surprises. Among the former, the sheer number of nominations in almost every category for “Hamilton” were staggering, but other new theater receiving thrilling recognition as well.

Among the latter the Best Play nominations for “The Father,” “Eclipsed,” “King Charles111” and “The Humans” were especially welcome and sure to be bumping voters minds with the newly opened “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” for best play. For Best Musical “Hamilton” will have competition from “School of Rock”—another favorite of this critic — “Shuffle Along,” “Bright Star” and a welcome much deserved surprise “The Waitress!”

Best Revival of a Play had familiar playwright icons from Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” and “A View From the Bridge,” and O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” but exciting inclusions were David Harrow’s “Blackbird” and the deliciously comic “Noises Off.” And how does one choose from ”The Color Purple,” “She Loves Me” and “Fiddler on the Roof” for best revival of a musical?

Lin Manuel Miranda’s nominations (all surely deserved, included Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best performance by an Actor and every other category for which he was eligible. And his “Hamilton” cohorts did equally well in their respective categories with a special mention deserved by Andy Blankenbuehler’s nomination for Best Choreography in a Musical and Thomas Kalls for Best Direction of a Musical.

This critic was also especially pleased to find Sergio Trujillo (“On Your Feet”) also nominated for best choreography. And finally, as a long time critic, it was thrilling to find special awards for lifetime Achievement in the theater to be bestowed on Sheldon Harnick and Marshall W. Mason.

It was a banner season for Broadway —and way beyond— and we hope the above will point you in the direction of some of the awards events. And if you haven’t already visited “The Humans” it is a true epic for our times with one of the finest casts ever opening our eyes and minds to the realities of the 21st century. Turn off what’s passing for drama in the current struggle to survive the ugly behavior of the candidates (which seems like a virus on CNN at this point) and get thee to a banner selection of 2015-’16 theater while you’re waiting for your “Hamilton” tickets to finally come due!

And don’t forget to get thee to Shubert Alley early on June 3 for live theater in your lap!