This is always an exciting time of the year for theater-lovers enthralled with the legend of Broadway. The announcement of the American Theater Wing’s Tony nominations was made this morning. It’s a wonderful mix of well-known stars and stars perhaps only known to inveterate theater-goers.

New plays and new musicals, mixed with revivals of productions from times long gone bye, have received the nod from the American Theater Wing this year. Although the Tonys don’t receive quite the same kind of buzz that the Oscars do you can bet you’ll see may of those nominees as guests on the early morning and late night shows.

It’s also interesting to take note of those nominees that are no longer running on The Great White Way. I love the fact that we can honor good work and pay tribute to the craft without concern for the end result. That’s not to say that financial success should be disregarded. In my opinion financial success should be the inevitable result of the passion that wends its way into the fabric of the production. Sometimes however, the slightest ill wind can push a production helplessly off course with no land in sight. It can be as slight as a rumor passed along the internet or a misspoken word by a critic. A downturn in tourism, a harsh winter, threats of terrorism, all can adversely affect ticket sales. Producing is enormously expensive today and many productions can not stay afloat to weather those ill winds when a negative campaign hits them. So thank you American Theater Wing for acknowledging those performers and productions as well.

Speaking of productions, there is no doubt that the Tony Awards take center stage when it comes to producing the best Awards show. Since most of us can’t be in the live audience when the presentations are made let’s make a pact to share it together “live” on television on Sunday June 13th. In the meantime we can begin to form our own opinions of who will be handed that Tony when the presenter says, “And the Tony goes to…”

Two trips to New York during the Lincoln Center run of South Pacific and I could never get a ticket. That’s often my problem because when you travel on business you can rarely plan ahead far enough to score good seats to a sold out performance unless you have friends in very high places. I told myself I’d wait until the national tour came to San Francisco. The wait was worth it.

I had no idea when I was trying to salve my disappointment that Braden Toan would sign on as Associate Conductor so I would not only have a chance to see this marvelous production and incredible cast but I would get to watch a good friend conduct. That by the way is a bittersweet announcement because it means that Braden won’t be available to be with us this summer but that’s really celebrating what we’re all about. “Promoting and Developing the Growth of Artists.” We want our faculty to be working professionals and the beauty of it is that our circle of master teachers just grows as our teaching artists work. Braden will be replaced this year by an equally qualified and accomplished musical director. Watch for the announcement!

Back to Braden and South Pacific. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Listening to the talented, mostly local, full orchestra under Braden’s deft baton, playing a score that is almost operatic in its scope, was a rare treat in this day of pared down orchestras.

Talented was the word of the day. That’s the next “wonderful.” Each and every actor brought James Michner’s original story adapted by Oscar Hammerstein and Joshua Logan to life. Revivals are hard. Comparisons are normal but this musical stands its test of time and each of these actors stands on his own. Carmen Cusack is a charming Ensign Nellie Forbush and Rod Gilfry makes you forget that anyone else ever played Emile de Becque.

I had met Keala Settle the day before when Braden, Craig and I had breakfast. We did some “talk story” about the good old days on the North Shore of Oahu so I was more than curious to see her performance as Bloody Mary. Wow! She made me laugh and she made me cry. I believed her and I understood what she wanted to do for her daughter. Sumie Maeda was a charmer as Liat. She looks and acts 14 on stage and it was a surprise to see her leave the theater later and realize that she was truly a grown woman.

I could go on and on but this isn’t meant to be a review. Just a little talk about an escape to a south sea island. I certainly wasn’t disappointed and I don’t think you will be either. If this production comes to your city make sure you get a ticket. You won’t be disappointed either.

Sometime in 2007 I spotted a newspaper article that announced that Tracy Letts had written a new play for Steppenwolf Theatre Company. I filed it away in my head thinking that I’d have to remember to look for the reviews. I have admired Letts’ work since I first read “Killer Joe.” He’s a great storyteller and uses words like a skilled surgeon. I did see the review. The play: August: Osage County. The Chicago press LOVED it and I remember thinking, “That plays going to Broadway!” That play not only went to Broadway but it claimed a Pulitzer Prize and five Tony Awards on the way.

Over the past two years every time a friend told me they were going to NYC I immediately recommended that they get tickets to see August: Osage County. Every time they did I would get a phone call telling me how fantastic the play is. One friend of mine, a produced playwright no longer living in New York, went to see it on my recommendation and told me it was the best play he’d seen in 10 years! But I hadn’t seen it. Not for lack of trying, I can assure you. On three trips to New York over the past two years and one trip to London I scored a big fat zero in coming up with tickets. Last night was different.

It was my husband’s and my anniversary and without warning our eldest daughter sent us two tickets. Truthfully, as much as I wanted to see this play I had a few misgivings about spending more than three hours with a family that has been described as one step below dysfunctional on our anniversary but there was no way we could, or would, pass up this opportunity and gift.

This blog is not intended to be a review of a play that needs no words from amateurs. I can only say that it is all that theater is supposed to be. There isn’t a disappointment anywhere. It all starts with the words on the page and Letts gave the actors everything they needed to become richly layered people. The words are at once sharply witty and bitingly cutting. This is a big expansive three act play and there isn’t a moment that the audience isn’t fully involved.

I purposely didn’t say “characters” when talking about this play because the extended Weston family is much more than that. The actors are everything you should be training to be. Their skill at making truthful lives leaves the audience, three hours later, wanting more. They also leave you identifying their persona’s with people in your own life.

The three story set, the costumes, the lighting and the sound all perfectly enhance the drama of this play. Nothing is too minimal and nothing is used to excess. Perfect.

And then there’s Estelle Parsons. Because I never saw Deanna Dunagan’s Tony Award-winning portrayal of Violet, the Weston clan’s matriarch, I certainly can’t compare the performances. I can tell you one thing though, my feeling is if Ms. Parsons opened that show today she would most certainly win the award too! But this isn’t a one-woman show. It is an ensemble cast feeding off each other in a way that makes this evening of theater as good as it gets.

This national tour has only just begun. When this play gets to your city make sure you see it.

The American Theater Wing’s Tony Awards have come a long way over the past 63 years. Originally established by Antoinette Perry to honor Broadway’s best…writers, composers, lyricists, performers, directors, producers, etc., it has endured to become the quintessential televised award show. Now it is a show in itself. Yet it still supurbly honors the shows that have graced the stages of the Great White Way. I expect that Sunday’s 63rd Annual Tony Awards will not let us down.

One of my favorite parts of the shows in the past have been the fact that it gives us the opportunity to see segments of award nominated shows that have already closed. This year with so many Broadway shows closing prematurely we’ll have a chance to see snippets of shows we might have missed.

The other thing that has always kept me close to my television set on Tony Night has been that I often have friends who are either performing or are having their shows honored. One of my all time thrills was a lovely little show called Busker’s Alley. This wonderful show with music and lyrics by the Sherman Brothers and written by my dear friend AJ Carothers never even made it to Broadway! The rumors are that it might actually make it to Broadway later this year.

So what treat is in store for us this year? Two US Performing Arts faculty members and a US Performing Arts student! All three are Broadway performers and all three will be part of the big Tony Awards production numbers. Look for faculty members Justin Greer in Shrek, The Musical and Andrew Parkhurst in Mama Mia. Best of all, keep your eye open for Corrieanne Stein as one of the Ballet Girls in Billy Elliot, The Musical. Who knows, maybe next year it will be your turn?

So, be sure to tune in to CBS at 8:00 p.m. Sunday and enjoy!

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone associated with Billy Elliot, The Musical. 15 American Theater Wing Antoinette Perry Award nominations! Of course, congratulations to everyone who received word of their Tony Nominations this morning. There is no more prestigious recognition of the collaboration of theater than the TONY Award.

US Performing Arts is also sending a special congratulations to one of our students, Corrieanne Stein who has been playing in Billy Elliot as one of the ballet girls since it opened on Broadway last fall. Experiencing the full impact of being a Broadway performer with a schedule of 8 shows a week, plus rehearsals, and appearances, hasn’t changed Corrieanne in the least. We hear on good authority that she is the same talented, sweet and determined young artist that she was before her Broadway debut. Congratulations, Corrieanne and we wish you continued success.

For those of us in the arts Billy Elliot is the epitome of a why we do what we do. We are driven to do it. We’re not complete doing anything else. It’s not that we can’t do something else. It’s just that if we’re not dancing, singing, acting, performing, creating art of some kind, there’s a hole in our soul. And that’s part of what Billy’s courage shows us. By perservering to be who he innately is he empowers all of us to be who we are.  Here’s to Billy Elliot. May the musical garner many awards!