The Tonys

[mrdreamjeans]

Winston Churchill once said, "Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." I suspect that Churchill knew an actor or two. Success in the theater lasts only as long as the production. Once you've packed up the production and put your character away, the success is reduced to a brief mention on a resume; perhaps, a cherished memory for those who shared the experience, but fleeting, ephemeral.

In a couple of hours The Tony Awards air on CBS. Most of America no longer watches the program, but for a passionate group of fans and theater professionals like myself, it's the one awards show to see. I get to view bits and pieces of the hard work, vision, creativity and talent which combined to produce Broadway's best in 2007. I get to see my peers honored for their contributions.

I mentioned Raoul Esparza previously. Raoul is up for Best Actor in a Musical for the revival of "Company". Raoul played Che in the 1998-99 tour of "Evita' which was designed to play Broadway as a revival. (Ironically, his understudy on "Company" is Bradley Dean who was Che on the 2004-06 Tour of "Evita".) We closed in Boston, just short of our goal. Raoul later played Riff-Raff in the Broadway production of "Rocky Horror Picture Show". He was the only lead not nominated for a Tony. He was nominated for Supporting Actor for "Taboo"; I believe it was the show's only nod. He didn't win. He took risks and starred Off-Broadway in "Tick, Tick, Boom, Boom" and then as George in "Sunday in the Park with George" at The Kennedy Center in DC. Last year, he starred in "Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang". The only principal not nominated. Is this Raoul's year? I know he's never lost his enthusiasm for his work.

Stan, a friend from San Francisco, is a huge theater enthusiast. He just came back from seeing six shows in four days in New York. He saw the following productions: Spring Awakening, Love/Musik, Frost/Nixon, Journey's End, Grey Gardens and The Pirate Queen. He called me from a business trip to RIchmond, VA earlier this week and we happily discussed all of the details. I know many of my NY friends have seen these offerings. Here's Stan's order of preference: Journey's End, Grey Gardens, Love/Musik, Frost/Nixon, The Pirate Queen and Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening is tonight's favorite for Best Musical, but was the only show he disliked. Anyone agree?

I may be sitting on the couch here in Brenham, Texas, but I will be rooting for my friends' successes without loss of enthusiasm!