That Time Again

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It has been a year since the madness of the New York Awards season which culminates in the Tonys on June 10th. Already the Drama Desks, Drama League and Outer Critics' Circle Awards have been bestowed. But the oasis of calm for the nominees is the Theatre World Awards which began in 1946. There are no nominees, only winners for outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway Debut. Sheldon got one last year and today was invited to present one. More of that anon.  Look at the display sign! What are we celebrating?
It took place at the newly restored Belasco Theatre. More of that anon

We arrived early so Sheldon ran the gauntlet

and then we stood behind the official photographers and became New York gawkers. I explained to three passers-by exactly what was going on..what the Theatre World Awards were..how they began and who had won one... to be met with gazes of such  astral disinterest I went into a coma myself.
Here are some of the famous folk that came to present awards and to receive them.

Josh Young for his Judas in "JCS"

 The brilliant Russell Harvard for "Tribes"

 A legend. John Cullum who presented Jessie Mueller her award for "On A Clear Day".  Mr C created the role of the psychiatrist in the original Broadway production in 1965.

The ugly Jeremy Jordan for "Bonnie and Clyde". The organisers actually bent the rules to include Jeremy as he's already been on Broadway in replacement roles but he's the hottest new leading man in town at the moment in NEWSIES.

Crystal A. Dickinson who was presented her gong for "Clybourne Park" by the sublimely wicked Leslie Uggams

Harvey Evans, Lee Roy Reams & Jim Brochu

Penny Fuller, who was the original Eve Harrington in "Applause" with Miss Bacall, came to watch.

The soft and mild Phillip Boykin who won for being the hideously scary Crown in "Porgy and Bess"

Michael Cerveris sang "Pinball Wizard" with his own guitar accompaniment. He won his TWA for "Tommy" in 1993

The delicious Wesley Taylor ("Smash") presented Jeremy Jordan's award.

Victor Garber  behind Stacy Keach. They both presented.

Gag-makingly hideous Finn Wittrock who won for playing Happy in "Death of a Salesman". Phillip Seymour Hoffman presented his award and noted that Finn had triumphed in a role that no-one has really paid attention to for sixty years, setting the bar high for all future Happys.

Marry him, Mum, the minute he asks you. Andrew Keenan-Bolger of NEWSIES was in the audience. His sister Celia is nominated for a Tony this year.   

The dazzling Tracie Bennett who has taken the town by storm with her performance as Judy Garland.

Josh Grisetti who won for ENTER LAUGHING in 2009 presented to Josh Young.

Susan Pourfar of TRIBES won the Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence.

The interior of the thartar is quite breathtakingly beautiful  and I snuck a couple of shots and felt really naughty. Then I  looked about and saw people filming the whole event!!

I saw Patti Lupone  at this theatre in 1984 when she was performing in "Accidental Death of an Anarchist". I had done the play for Nimrod a couple of years earlier and I eventually got to meet Miss L at a reception on Park Ave South....Hal Prince was there too!!  She adored Australia from her stay there playing Evita. We wrote for a year or so and I was the one who let the correspondence lapse! What a goon. Ah, well.
You would have been very proud of Sheldon who was both funny and succinct in his introduction to Tracie Bennett ("The End of the Rainbow").
He matched his purple tie with the purple folder containing his speech and made a gag about using the latter as a pocket square. He also told his story of being at the infamous 1964 Garland concert in Melbourne which got boffo laughs and even snuck in a one-liner when a tiny child from the upcoming ANNIE revival came on with the award for Tracie.  "Oh, it's Sondra Lee" ! (a diminutive Jerome Robbins dancer from the 50s).
 Final word. We are still reeling from Brian Stokes Mitchell's stupendous rendition of "I Was Here" from "The Glorious Ones" by Ahrens and Flaherty. Effortless brilliance. The man is not human.