Central Park and Head Shots

A walk through Central Park after a doctor's appointment on the East Side

Heading towards Lincoln Centre and a new exhibition called....

 

Portraits dating back to the age of Edwin Booth and a fascinating look at how performers presented themselves. The exhibition includes personal letters to directors begging for auditions, proof sheets of photo sessions, and this extraordinary document below, producer Leland Hayward's list of actors considered for the role of Herbie in GYPSY opposite Ethel Merman.

Errol Flynn indeed! Also on view, Ed Kleban's original draft lyric for the opening number of A CHORUS LINE, much of which went unused. And a space for visitors to have their own headshot taken....

Sam Willmott's latest achievement

My stunningly talented friend Sam Willmott (centre) won this year's annual Kleban Prize for his lyrics, probably the most lucrative prize for a songwriter there is.$100,000 over two years!! Donated by the late Ed Kleban who wrote lyrics for A CHORUS LINE, the prize was awarded at ASCAP (who very kindly gave me my own wall)

 and I sang one of Sam's songs, "The B.F.G" from BOY-A ROALD DAHL MUSICAL, accompanied by another glorious prodigy, Matt Aument (left).

The ceremony was introduced by Maury Yeston (NINE, TITANIC, GRAND HOTEL) and presented by Richard Maltby, Jr (AIN'T MISBEHAVIN')

After the presentation Sam took us and his closest friends and family to a sumptuous Chinese meal at a restaurant we later discovered was lyricist Fred Ebb's favorite. Considering that Sam also won the Fred Ebb Prize this year, that seemed only fitting.

I love these two gents to pieces and will always be available for any project they should offer.

A little bit of video above

Ever After No More

Last view of Da Vinci who has Moaned his last Lisa.

and flown his last kite.

I will miss my gorgeous castmates including Alena Watters and Mr. Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy)

The hotness of James Snyder and Charl Brown

You know you've made it when you get billing on a cake.

You have never seen a beard come off so fast on closing night.

Sardi's and Da Vinci

Kathleen Marshall, my wonderful director for EVER AFTER and THE BAND WAGON, has finally been honored with her own Sardi's caricature.

And the EVER AFTER cast turned out to congratulate her, along with Kelli O'Hara, Joel Grey.and various Broadway royalty.

I caught up with the fabulous Josh Grisetti. We did CAMELOT and SAINT JOAN together and this year he won the Actor's Equity Award for his performance in IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU.

 

Meanwhile, back at Paper Mill, I am still giving Da Vinci realness, here with Andrew Keenan-Bolger.

I tried my hand at painting Charles Shaughnessy as the King.

Nailed it!

James Snyder has an Aussie fan who sent him Vegemite chocolate. Not my favourite thing ever!

Theatre World Awards

My favorite time of year! having won in 2011 and presented twice before I was overwhelmed to be asked to present the Lifetime Achievement Award in Theatre to the one and only Chita Rivera. I'd never met Chita so I wrote my speech with great trepidation, and decided to go the comedy route rather than the hero worship I'm sure she's been enduring all season. To my great relief, she accepted the award then looked at me and said "That was FUNNY!!".

Just after this picture was taken I was patiently waiting in the banked-up press line to face the tv cameras further down the red carpet when a voice behind me boomed, "Would you please MOVE?"
I turned around to face Dame Diana Rigg staring at me as if I was a flower girl blocking the entrance at Covent Garden. I let her in front of me as her escort, the charming Lionel Larner, executive director of the Dorothy Loudon Foundation, quickly stepped in and said, "Diana, this is Tony Sheldon who won the award in 2011....". Dame Diana cut him off brusquely: "Yes, yes, we've met. Briefly". Which was flattering of her to remember if only it were true. I was so embarrassed I climbed over the velvet rope and left the press line. Maybe she needed to go to the bathroom and wanted to get her interviews over with. I shall never know. Ah, well, it keeps me humble.

Curtain Call

with Christine Ebersole

and backstage