I participated in a conference call with host Sean Hayes earlier this week and was not impressed. The man had never been to the Tonys before and had only seen one of the nominated productions (Red). Top that off with the occasional rude comment, his repetition of the fact that he has no hosting ambitions and his absolute refusal to answer any questions at all in response to the controversial Newsweek article that had everything to do with him and I held little hope for his hosting job. But all things considered, he did okay.

More Observations:

• Boy that piano solo that opened the show was impressive. Great idea actually, way to show off his talents specifically instead of the typical song and dance number that would elicit comparisons to his predecessors.
• Sherie Renee Scott! I wish I could see her show, she’s my favourite Broadway performer.
• Daniel Radcliffe is VERY short. And Katie Holmes has become a zombie since her charming Joey Potter days.
• ScarJo (Featured Actress in a Play: View From the Bridge) got to talk for an hour but was wearing a pretty dress and thanked “her Canadian” (my love/her husband Ryan Reynolds) so it was okay.
• Featured Actor in a Play Eddie Redmayne (Red) is an unbelievably eloquent dude and now I really want to see Red.
• Actually, after watching the introductions to the nominated original plays I want to see all of them.
• This thing is terribly directed. So many technical problems and embarrassing incidents.
• Frasier and Niles together! That’s amazing, they were adorable. And they both belong on the Tony stage (unlike many of the screen stars there).
• Katie Finneran (Featured Actress in a Musical: Promises, Promises) is adorable.
• Why is a NY Jet presenting? WEIRD.
• Okay, none of the musicals really look that good (and I love musicals), except maybe Memphis, that was kinda fun. No, scratch that, Ragtime, now that’s musical theatre people!
• This whole ordeal is obnoxiously Hollywood. Why are there more movie stars than stage stars? I mean theatre people, not screen people who dabble in theatre.
• I’m just going to put this out there: I find Kristen Chenoweth annoying of late. I used to love her but she’s just too much sometimes.
• Michael from Camp is nominated for a Tony! Awesome.
• After seeing the performances on this show so far I agree wholeheartedly with Levi Kreis’ win for Million Dollar Quartet (Featured Actor in a Musical).
• Holy Mumbler Batman! I couldn’t hear a word Catherine Zeta Jones was singing: would you people please learn to enunciate! She was altogether unimpressive I thought.
• Idina Menzel- way to remind me of the true greatness that Broadway can achieve… (interrupted thought) holy crap that Ragtime lady can sing!
• Viola Davis (Lead Actress in a Play: Fences) may be crying but she looks like she could pack a serious punch, I’m distracted by her biceps.
• Where is Jude Law (Hamlet)? He obviously wasn’t going to win but it’s a jerk move not to show up.
• Denzel? I was sure Alfred Molina had it. I never seem to agree when Denzel wins anything.
• Hey Will Smith, I love you. I have for years and always will.
• Michael Douglas reminds me that Avenue Q beat out Wicked for Best Musical in 2004, as much as I love Avenue Q, that will always remains a complete travesty.
• Great dress Paula!
• Oh, the choreography performances were great. Excellent sitting Sean, really impressive! That first comment was sincere, the second not so much.
• Not so sure I agree with Bill T Jones for Best Choreography for Fela! I also didn’t think he should have won for the stomping and jumping in Spring Awakening but alas he did.
• The fact that the crowd seemed to recognize few people more than I did made me sad. Someone there should have known those casting directors and writers. I was also ashamed that I was only now finding out about the death of Dixie Carter (stage actress and one of my favourite stars of Designing Women), that was very sad.
• Red wins best play, I have a feeling that’s exactly appropriate. Writer John Logan gives a lovely speech, producer lady reads a prepared one- boo.
• Was the Glee cast really necessary? They’re both such talented theatre people but the overexposure is making it progressively harder to separate Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison from the annoying Rachel Berry and Mr. Schue. Michele can really wail and I do love her “Don’t Rain on My Parade” but the girl is getting too big for her britches, that was way over the top. But way to chum it up with bff Jonathan Groff and innocently flirt with Jay Z, that was charming.
• Julie Taymor’s directing Spider Man the musical? That sounds horrible. Not the Taymor part, the Spider Man part.
• Wow, I hate Raquel Welch. Must she wiggle “seductively” as she attempts to read a piece of paper?
• I haven’t made it to Broadway this season (sadly) but I’m going to guess that Ragtime should have had Best Revival instead of La Cage Aux Folles.
• I’m thinking they should have picked an American Idiot song that didn’t need as much censorship for network TV but that show looks pretty darn cool. Weird but cool. Maybe even awesome.
• In what world does Catherine Zeta Jones beat out Sherie Renee Scott? I mean she is a bigger star, in a bigger show with a bigger cast and more money and blah blah blah but it’s musical theatre and when it comes to acting and singing there’s one correct answer, and it’s not Zeta Jones. Also, what a strange acceptance speech, clearly her head was not totally on.
• Memphis wins best musical, which I totally didn’t see coming. But I’m glad a jukebox musical didn’t win (at least I don’t think it’s a jukebox musical, even if it was written by the guy from Bon Jovi). It means good things for the industry to acknowledge original works, no matter how cool American Idiot may be.

Overall a pretty enjoyable evening on the grand scale of awards shows. I want to go to Broadway so badly, I have to see Red, Next Fall, American Idiot, Memphis and (sadly already closed) Ragtime, among others.