So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 20 Perform!

For my live play-by-play of last night's episode you can click this link http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2011/06/so-you-think-you-can-dance-june-15th.html
Here are my favorite performance from last night in order.

1) Melanie & Marko Contemporary: I am very critical of Travis Wall's choreography normally but I have to give credit where credit is due and this was an extraordinary piece of art. The statue theme will be memorable for seasons to come and it was beautifully danced to boot.

2) Clarice & Jess Broadway: I've always loved Tyce Diorio's Broadway pieces and this Me & My Baby number was another great one. Jess has three Broadway credits and he was darn near perfect. Clarice didn't quite rise to his level and missed some of the nuances and precision that Jess nailed, but it was a solid and entertaining routine nonetheless. They should be safe tonight.

3) Ryan & Ricky Lyrial Hip Hop: I love this style, though Chris Scott doesn't hold a candle to NappyTabs. I have loved Ryan since last season when she was cut last minute and these two had amazing chemistry. The judges criticized her for smiling too much but when she explained the concept to the judges they understood her motives. If the dancer has to explain a concept to the judges then that is a discredit to the choreographer. These are all-star choreographers and they should be able to clearly communicate their message through their dancers. I think these two will be audience favorites and shouldn't be in any danger tonight.

4) Iveta & Nick Quickstep: I cannot believe I'm putting a Quickstep in my top four routines but this was great. Iveta is a world champion in this dance so I wasn't worried about her but Nick truly rose to her level. Though he had to learn the ballroom posture, he is a tapper so the footwork came pretty naturally to him. They were well suited as partners and choreographer Jason Gilkerson chose a great song, Ballroom Blitz, to make it as exciting as possible. Though I thought it was a solid routine, I predict America will put it in the bottom 3 but as long as they don't blow their solos, I'm almost positive the judges will save these two. 

5) Sasha & Alexander Contemporary: This was one of those Travis Wall pieces I didn't like because it was about a broken relationship like most of his work. This piece showed Sasha off beautifully and she is just so strong....like a dancing Xena. Her emotion was spot on but Alexander looked vacant, though her body lines were stunning. His dancing is great, but he needs to work more on connecting his body and his face. This routine should leave them safe after the results are read.

6) Jordan & Tadd Afro Jazz: I like this piece because it was aggressive and it gave the dancers a chance to show just how much they want to be there because they had to truly commit to the movement to do it properly. This proved that Jordan & Tadd are tough dancers and you can throw anything at them. This high-energy piece was likely an audience pleaser and they should be safe.

7) Melissa & Wadi Jazz: I did not like the choreography of this Sean Cheeseman jazz piece because there wasn't any choreography. It was a lot of leg tricks from Melissa & b-boy stunts from Wadi masquerading as a dance. Sean's "pandora's box of sexy demons" theme was just tacky and much too elaborate to develop properly in such a short routine. I would personally put this in the bottom 3 but I'm assuming that it probably got a lot of votes from America because it was flashy and showy.

8) Caitlynn & Mitchell (Robert): Mitchell was unfortunately injured this week and last season's Robert had to stand in for him. This was rather unfortunate for Caitlynn as she seemed to struggle next to Robert, especially because he does Sonya's work so well. She doesn't yet have his polish or precision but she had great energy and performance. Mitchell is automatically in the bottom 3 so it will be interesting to see what happens to Caitlynn.

9) Miranda & Robert Jive: These dancers were victims of situation because they were one of the few pairs who didnt' draw their own style. They did their best and the energy was good but they struggled with unison and with the intricacies of the footwork and leg placement. I suspect this will put them in the bottom 3.

10) Ashley & Chris Hip Hop: I do not like what I've seen so far of Christopher Scott's work and I think his concepts are trite & underdeveloped. This piece explored the overused theme of "cheating" and the comedic aspect made it seem silly. The choreography was so elementary and did not show off what the dancers are capable of. This piece should be in the bottom 3, though it is not the fault of the dancers. They were victims of poor material.

So You Think You Can Dance: June 15th Liveblog

Welcome to my first So You Think You Can Dance Liveblog of season 8! I'll be doing this every Wednesday for the rest of the season. Tonight we'll see the top 20 pair up to perform 10 exciting original routines. I can't wait!

9:56 That's a wrap for tonight guys. I  won't be with you live for tomorrow night's show, but I will post a recap later in the evening after I watch the show. I'll be liveblogging again next Wednesday for the top 18 episode. Until then, happy dancing!
9:53 According to Nigel, Nick conquered the Quickstep, the dance of death, because of his fabulous tap dancing feet. I always love Jason Gilkerson's choreography and he does a great job of making the routines entertaining so that ballroom appeals to the TV audience.
9:51 Ballroom Blitz is a very fun song for a quickstep. Nick is looking pretty good on the first run across the stage! He is also performing the heck out of it as is she. This his pretty exciting for a quickstep if I must say.
9:50 I love how Yveta acts like she is the instructor.
9:49 I forgot that Oksana Baiul was on this show! Oh wait, that's Yvetta and she is partnering with Nick the tap dancer. Let's hope his quick footwork helps him in the quickstep!
9:44 Megan gives a big shout out to the costume, hair, and makeup team and calls them the best on TV.
9:43 I hated that choreography so much but I can't fault the dancers for the choreographer's work.
9:41 This song is comical and it fits Christopher's "theme". This movement is so elementary and I get that it's intended to be humorous, but it really looks silly.
9:40 Choreographers......can we PLEASE develop some concepts that don't involve love stories or cheating? There is so much other material to explore.
9:39 What I want to know is if they are all really that excited to see their partners. A Hip Hop routine by Christopher Scott by Chris & Ashley.
9:32 Standing O from the judges! Mary gets emotional. I agree with Mary & Megan that the piece was truly special and magical. Also, love Travis's sparkly suit. I usually don't love Travis' choreography but this really was a special one.
9:29 From the first movements I can tell that this will be one of the top routines of the season. Melanie has such amazing control of her limbs and Marko is such a strong individual and partner for her. The emotion is spot-on. This is a good example of it being totally appropriate to do leg-tricks because it fits the theme of the piece. This was just phenomenal. They are the team to beat!
9:28 Congratulations Travis Wall for developing an interesting concept! Coincidence that they are both contemporary dancers and they drew that style.
9:27 I love Melanie! She is so fresh-faced and innocent-looking and just lovely overall. And I love Marko! He is so real!
9:22 Megan consistently has the most sensible and constructive commentary for each piece.
9:20 Nigel is correct in saying that this year's hip-hoppers are adapting remarkably well to other styles.
9:18 I like the manipulation of the box set pieces. The could be cleaner. At one point she was expecting him to lift her and had to look back to find him. There are so many tricks in this piece. The actual dancing is really great but is so sparse. I did not like this choreography. I think Shawn is a little full of himself in thinking that those evolved concepts can actually come to fruition.
9:17 The concepts behind the pieces are very elaborate this week. We are doing a sexy evil demon Pandora's box jazz dance. I'm sorry but Miss Clarissa didn't teach me that in class.
9:16 Missy & Wadi doing doing jazz. Sooooo much jazz on this show.
9:09 In all these years of hosting SYTYCD, Cat still doesn't know what a pony is?
9:08 Megan comments on the energy and fun of the piece. She calls Miranda "goofy" but announces her love to Robert.
9:07 That was an unfortunate draw for style for them and I think that may be a bottom-three routine.
9:06 They have great bounce to them, a real spring to their step and a lot of power in the kicks. This lighting is serving them well as the flashes disguise some of the incorrect technique on the kicks and flicks. She keeps looking back at him in a way that looks like she needs to see him to remember the choreography.
9:05 So they drew "latin" but its jive? Does that mean the choreographer can pick the style when they get the dancers? Why is she wearing silver lame boots?
9: 04 Yeah Miranda repp-ing Pittsburgh! I also love her big hair. She is a contemporary dancer partnering a hip hop dancer in a Jive? Should be interesting.
8:58 Nigel gives her "10s across the board". I don't agree but such is life.
8:57 Mary: "Every girl wants to be you". Really Mary? I wouldn't really call Caitlynn phenomenal yet but she is really showing potential and she did have the disadvantage of performing with a "potential" all-stars.
8:56 Unfortunately for Caitlynn, Robert is so fantastic that he made her look inexperienced. She seemed to be playing catch up to stay with Robert.
8:55 Sonya's work requires such abandon which I love. They are recklessly in control in this piece. They really hit the syncopation and this piece is choreographed wonderfully for the accents.
8:54 Here we have Caitlynn dancing with Robert (love) from season 7. I love La Roux but this is my first time hearing this song (in for the kill).
8:53 So Caitlynn is dancing with Mitchell (who is injured) in a jazz routine by Sonya. Now that Mitchell is injured, I wonder who she'll dance with. (Mitchell is sweaty & slippery btw).
8:46 Megan has to wonder what she got herself into sitting next to that nutso Mary Murphy. I love that she mentioned the term "through-line". She is such a professional.
8:45 Mary you can't tell every dancer that they were the most talented girl or guy of the season. When you hand out compliments so easily, they lose their weight.
8:44 Nigel, you are always the biggest culprit of this, but I hate when you give the dancers criticism based on the choreography, which is completely out of their control.
8:43 This was not up there (in choreography or performance) with the great NappyTabs lyrical hip hop routines, but it was a good start. I don't know that they connected enough emotionally for the physical anger in the piece.
8:42 I like the sharp syncopation of the opening sequence. Using a classic song like Aint No Sunshine is so inventive for a hip hop routine. I don't like the lighting of this piece because it is hard to see their facial expressions, though the bodies are really showing a great deal of emotion.
8:41 It looks like the acting part of this won't be hard. They seem to genuinely like each other.
8:40 love Ryan Ramirez and I want to see her go the whole way. She is partnering with fellow contemporary dancer contemporary to do a Chris Scott lyrical hip hop routine. (I love that they are both wearing flannel....its so in for dancers now lol)
8:35 Mary basically tells Jess he gave as perfect a performance as possible. I wouldn't go that far as things can always be better, but Jess was pretty darn good!
8:33 When you are a jazz dancer, you focus on the big movements and the energy. But in a Broadway specific routine, you need to focus much more on the small details and perfect those small moments.
8:32 Obviously Megan loved the Broadway routine. She commented on Jess's showmanship and Clarice's sass. I'll give her props for that. Nigel agreed with me...that Clarice was missing a little bit of the nuance of the routine.
8:31 Oh my lord we have a Liza moment with Me And My Baby from Chicago. I like the simplicity of this routine and the fact that it allows the dancers to focus on the intricacies and specifics. Jess has the Fosse style down and Clarice could stand do round her shoulders a little more, but a good start overall.
8:30 Jess is officially my new favorite because he has been in 3 Broadway shows.
8:29 Our next pairing is Clarice & Jess and they are doing a Tyce Diorio Broadway routine! I love how so many of these couples are "randomly" drawing their own styles.
8:22 I'm loving Megan's comments on the performances...she should come back! She is calling it as she sees it and points on that Sasha is a favorite and Alexander needs to show the emotion that is in his body on his face.
8:21 As Mary commented, Alexander really slammed to the floor on that last movement. Mary is gushing over Travis's choreography and while I don't think he is as special as they all believe, I do agree with her that his transitions are great and each movement moves seamlessly into the next.
8:20 Sasha is beastly....she is like a dancing Xena!
8:18 They have a gorgeous fluidity to their movements. Tremendous performance quality: Sasha is so aggressive and Alexander looks as if he isn't in his right mind. The choreography is not doing much for me. It's the same old thing we always see from Travis.
8:16 Sasha is up for our next couple & she's paired with Alexander. Both are contemporary-ish dancers. They'll be doing a Travis Wall contemporary routine so that should be old hat for them. The rehearsal footage shows Sasha basically attacking Alexander so we'll see how that translates to the routine.
8:11 That number was a good start to the season. Those two have similar body types as weird as it sounds and I'd really like to see them partner in the future. I can see them fitting well into a Mia Michaels routine the way that they were throwing one another around in that piece!
8:10 Mary looks like she is about to cry already. Its going to be a loooooong season. Megan is giving very specific comments rather than a general sweep of the routine. She definitely has some chops for this and it sounds like she knows her stuff!
8:07 These two look very good together when they are dancing separately but the partnering is very awkward and clunky. They have great aggressive energy toward the beginning but they started losing it toward the end. Overall it was a strong opening to the season and I liked the style overall.
8:06 We have jazzer Jordan and hiphopper Tadd doing Afro-Jazz, which Tadd called "destructive.
8:05 We haven't even seen the first performances and we already have one injury. Mitchell injured his elbow after his first rehearsal. Dear lord let's hope that is the only injury of the season and not like that mess last season.
8:03 Megan Mullally is guest judging tonight and she looks exactly like Karen Walker. I keep forgetting that Megan studied at SAB. Though she does indeed have a technical background, I suspect she'll be commenting mostly on performance.
8:00 The dancers always look so darn excited in their intro dances on the first episode of the season, its so cute! We always see huge tricks, lots of turns, leaps, and tumbles.

Pretty Little Liars Season Premier!

Oh lord what I can I say about Pretty Little Liars. This is one of the most dramatic shows on TV these days and that is saying something. This is what....the 3rd season? Why does ABC Family have such short seasons? Anyway, we started be recapping the final episode of last season where Ian, the girls' primary suspect for Ali's murders mysteriously disappears after he tried to kill Spencer. Spencer is still "a person of interest" in Ali's murder and her mother the lawyer is doing everything she can to keep the cops off the scent. Also on a side note, these girls drink more coffee than anyone I've ever seen, including me!

We also have a return of the scrumptious Noel Kahn & Mona is just as obnoxious and crazy as ever. It really amazes me how much time Aria and Ezra spend one-on-one at school of all places. The other students and faculty must think she is either the dumbest or the most gifted student at that school to get so much personal attention from teacher.

 Isn't it funny how Spencer's parents won't let Toby in their house because "he is bad" but then Toby's parents won't let Spencer into their house because "she is bad". Emily is her typical angsty self and nearly jumps out of her skin when the Realtor walks into her house and proceeds to give her mom the cold shoulder. How is it that all of these girls have perfect waves at all times? There is never a bad hair day in Rosewood unless its Toby. I feel bad for Spencer and how she is treated by her family. She is like the prodigal son who never actually did anything bad.

I feel like this show never moves forward...all they do is rehash the past. Probably because the show hinges on the anonymity of "A" and once his/her identity is revealed, goodbye plot. The grief counseling scene is yet another way for these girls to relive the past "where they weren't always this close." Now Caleb is coming back to Hannah, hello past. Mona is the hag of all hags. Who died and made her the new Queen Bee? Oh right, Ali did.......

Melissa is being nice to Spencer again and now she is gabbing about baby names. She clearly wants something and I don't know what it is but she is going to such a crazy place! Also, Aria, how could you be Ezra's "rebound girl?" You are like twelve!

Quote of the episode: "You know what I love about Saturdays? The feeling I get when I look up and realize we have the whole day to spend together." -Ezra Fitz

Emily, if the therapist "has to keep your secret" then what good is it to tell her all of your secrets? What advice can she possibly give to you without going to the police?

Why would A steal Ezra's diploma and plant it in the therapists's office? Would a therapist really recommend that a group of friends separate when they are helping each other cope with tragedy? There are so many inconsistencies in this episode it's not even funny. And to top it all off we have the now trite "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri....and a horrible cut to boot.

The episode (finally) ends with Spencer running ass over her house from a shadow.....that turns out to be Toby. If he wasn't a creeper, then why would he be running around her house in the dark. Then she receives a text from "Ian" that says "its not safe I can't tell you". We come to the conclusion that Ian is alive because he responds to the text that they are naming the baby Taylor. And to top it all off, the recurring character in the black leather gloves visits Emily's open house and either downloads or deletes something to her computer.

Was anything in this episode new? No. Did we get any further toward solving the case of Alison & A? No. Why do I still watch this show? It's so tacky that I can't get enough!

The Tonys Are Not Just For Gays Anymore

As Neil Patrick Harris told us last night, the Tony Awards are not just for the gays anymore, but keep in mind he sang those lyrics while being carried by those sailors over there on the left. Overall I think the 2011 ceremony beat the pants off of the 2010 and here are 5 reasons why...

1) More Broadway & Less Hollywood: last year we had the huge controversy of "Hollywood" taking over the Tonys with Scarlett Johannson & Catherine Zeta-Jones winning two of the big awards and Green Day getting more airtime than any of the nominated performers. This year we struck a healthy balance with TV& film stars like Ellen Barkin & John Laroquette winning two of the featured play acting categories while bona fide musical theatre stars Sutton Foster & Norbert Leo Butz won Best Leading Actress & Actor in a musical respectively.

3) Opening Number: This year's NPH number "the Tonys aren't for gays anymore" was catchy and sassy and beat the pants off of last year's "Broadway/Pop" medley with the awkward blending of Memphis, Come Fly Away, and Fela, though last year had Sherie Rene Scott and her Menonettes which were sorely missed on this year's telecast. However, nothing will beat 2009 in my mind where we saw Elton John, Liza, Dolly Parton, and the cast of HAIR all on stage at the same time.

4) Performances: Anything Goes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and Catch Me If You Can all gave show stopping performances that made me happily forget the memories of Memphis, Fela, and Come Fly Away on last year's broadcast. We also avoided the sound glitches that were so very evident the past two years.

5) The Speeches: I was thrilled to see so many people cry this year as they accepted their awards. This is the theatre and I want emotion darn it! Ellen Barkin started it off and though she contained her emotion during her speech, she burst into tears when she made her exit. Nikki M. James was absolutely hysterical in her surprise win and though we could barely understand what she said, we loved her anyway. Norbert Leo Butz was so genuine and surprised as he accepted his award and dedicated it to his family: his ex-Wicked wife, his father whom he based his character on, and his sister who tragically took her own life last year. The surprise of the night for me was when Sutton Foster went to a crazy place and emoted hysterically, not about her boyfriend or her family, but about her dresser!! Apparently he is the best artist in the world and he's taking his talents to Cape Cod. Loves it! She also thanked her childhood dance and music teachers which is the first thing I'll do when I win my first (or second) Tony!

The 2011 TONY Awards Live Blog

Now that the Tonys are over I have a few thoughts. The Book of Mormon is clearly the show to see as it won 3 design awards, director, book, score, featured actress, scenic design, and best musical. This was all to be expected. I was 4/4 in the acting in a play categories, but I only correctly predicted 1 of the 4 acting in a musical categories. I think we all knew Sutton Foster would win, but the rest were a surprise to me. How amazing for Norbert Leo Butz!? I am so happy for him, though I doubted he could win because I thought of his role as being more featured than leading. And though I wanted Tony Sheldon to win for Priscilla, I am so happy for Norbert (and that neither of the Mormon boys won). I wanted Laura Benanti to win so badly that I was upset to hear Nikki M. James' name called, but after seeing how genuinely surprised she was and how humble she was, I was happy for her all the same. It seems the featured actresses in musicals always have the best speeches. John Laroquette, winning Best Featured Actor in a Musical, was also a surprise to me because I thought the momentum was in Rory O'Malley's favor. However, I am happy to see How To Succeed recognized in some way shape or form. Though no opening number will match up to 2009 in my opinion, this one was pretty good. It was a great awards night and a great celebration of Broadway.  So that's a wrap up for me, Good Night!

11:00 So then Mormon won best musical....duh we knew that!
10:54 Yay Norbert! We love you so much and we are so happy that you and Sutton won twice!
10:39 I love you Sutton Foster...we knew you'd win! And I just love that you cried
10: 30 Frances McDormand is wearing a dress from Forever 21
10:47 I just die when I see Patti in Compnay
10:07 Patti is dying in her seat when Sutton performed Anything Goes
9:58 Patti is coming up soon! Company!!!!!
9:23 Spider-Man.....this song is underwhelming
9:13 OMG we love Hugh Jackman!!
9:07 Hahah how didn't Mormon win best choreo?
9:00 OMG our first major crier!!!! Nikki M. James!! I wanted Laura Benati but oh well
8:40: Directing awards go to War Horse & Book of Mormon! (I picked War Horse)
8:33 Norbert Leo Butz is KILLING this number! So phenomenal....now I know why Norbert was pushed into Leading Actor Category
8:28 I correctly chose John Benjamin Hickey as the winner of Best Featured Actor in a play!! 5/6
8:23 John Leguizamo.....is the illegitimate child of Ahnold. His whole bit was so unecessary
8:21 My first wrong guess of the night....Best Sound Design of a Musical goes to Brian Ronan for Book of Mormon....I predicted Brian Ronan for Anything Goes
8:13 Okay so D-Rads does not sound that bad; very snappy choreography by Rob Ashford
8:12 Aww Daniel Radcliffe, such a cutie patootie to quote Rose O'D
8:10 Ellen gives a very eloquent speech and was on the verge of tears, she does not completely weep until she exits the stage
8:06 Alec Baldwin to announce the Featured Actress in a Play award! I picked Ellen Barkin...it goes to Ellen Barkin; i'm 4/4!
8:05 I love the choreo of this opening number so much! I die!
8:02 Please don't tell me this is the entire opening number?
8:00 Live broadcast....OMG I die! I'm loving this uber-queer opening number!
7:53 So far I'm 3/3 in  my Tony Predictions! Score & Orchestrations to Mormon and Choreography to Anything Goes!

7:16 Wow Vanessa Redgrave is just exquisite. I see shades of Natasha Richardson in her face & hear her in her voice. So phenomenal.
7:13 Vicky Clark is looking like such a diva in her deep V (V for Victoria) and her ruffles. Vicky gives a shout out to God and that is always a good thing.
7:12 OMG Patti & Andrew Lloyd Webber are on the same red carpet at the same time!
7:11 ZOMG Patti I Die! She is looking phenom flanked by both of her men!
7:07 Oh god who let Andrew Lloyd Webber out of his cave and why is that hag wearing all those feathers?
7:05 OMG Tony Sheldon, my pick for Best Actor in a Musical! Love Beth Leavel, but she is in a turn of a show, Baby Its You!
7:00 Sutton is too a "broad" you dumbass host! Sutton looks like she wants to vomit and Bobby Cannavale looks like he is going to murder someone.
6:59 Get it Sutton. I love you doll face and your dress is so out of character for you. Sutton is very nervous and I think that means she's going to win!!
6:54 Here comes the War Horse team. If it wins it will be because of the production, not because of the play itself
6:53 Matthew Broderick is looking old as all get out.
6:51 Who doesn't love David Hyde Pierce? Can't wait to see this new musical he is directing!
6:45 Its funny how Joe Mantello directed Joel Grey in Wicked and Joel Grey just directed Joe Mantello in The Normal Heart. I love them both. I havent seen it but I hear this production of The Normal Heart is simply fantastic. Also George C. Wolfe looks like a nutter with that hair
6:45 Sutton Foster looks divine in her strapless forest green number! Very much a fashion departure for la Sutton
6:40 Susan Stroman is a phenomenal choreographer, truly an idol of mine. I am thrilled that Scottsboro Boys was remembered by the nominators. It is so phenomenal to see John Kander. RIP Fred Ebb. I hope they can pull out a surprise win for best score.
6:38 Shameless name-dropping of Whoopie Goldberg by the team behind Sister Act
6:36 Its weird that Norbert is nominated for something without Sherie Rene Scott :(
6:35 Omg Fiyero & Nessarose! Precious!
6:31 Nikki M. James is and bright-eyed and cute, but she is in a category with some heavy hitters, all of which are previous winners or nominees
6:29 I don't necessarily love Josh Gad as much as everybody else but Rory O'Malley is precious. These two are hilarious together.
6:24 I loved Lombardi and Judith Light was phenomenal in it. She was a front runner back in the fall, but I think the fact that her show closed will hurt her as other actresses have come into the head of the race.
6:22 Judith Light looks like Farah Fawcett in the 1970s. I don't know what she is wearing but I really still love her anyway.
6:19 Its so great to see Bobby Lopez back after winning for Avenue Q in 2004. How exciting for him! Its great to see a completely original musical as the front runner for Best Musical this season. What a nice change!
6:16 It will be so funny all night to listen to announcers and presenters trip over the title of the play "The Motherfu**er with the Hat
6:12 Great plug for Spider-Man (which is finally opening) with a Tony performance. Jen Damiano looks flawless in a classic hairstyle and red lip with a fab gold dress.
6:11 Judith Light I love you sweetheart but what the hell are you wearing?
6:09 This host just mispronounced choreography...shameful! I love Kathleen Marshall and she has huge hits (Anything Goes) and huge misses (Grease) so I think she has a shot at best director and I feel she's a shoe in for choreographer.
6:07 Patina Miller is the Sutton Foster of this season, coming out of the ensemble to play the lead and score a Tony nomination. Ironically, she is a co-front runner with Sutton Foster. Ps I love that Patina and "Vicky" Clark are buddies.
6:06 Andrew Rannells is such a camera whore, is it just me or does he look plastic?
6:03 Andrew Rannels is so cute, if only he weren't gay like the rest of Broadway. Edie looks fab as usual. Ellen Barkin is favored in the Best Featured Actress in a Play category, but then again awards shows love Edie Falco so she certainly has a shot at it. She is a true class act and is so committed to the craft.
6:01 I watched the Tonys live in Times Square two years ago and it was such a fun time, I just loved it! Tovah Feldshuh is so glam, looking dashing in red
6:00 Here we go, Tonys 2011 Red Carpet live on tonyawards.com

Who's That Woman: My Review of Follies

Some of Stephen Sondheim's most catchy tunes, ornate costumes and sets, and the divine Miss Bernadette Peters...what more could you ask for? Many musical theatre aficionados will not be happy with a production of Follies until one directly matches the original from 1971, but the Kennedy Center's current incarnation does a completely respectable job in hearkening back to the original while updating in a few places. The production is what I'll call hauntingly stunning in that the visuals are sharp and memorable while they evoke a feeling of longing for what once was...or never was. The opening moment will stay with me forever and yet it is remarkably simplistic. As the lights come up ever so dimly, a gorgeous showgirl ever so slightly raises and lowers her arms. As she begins to turn to face down stage, other show girls enter unison with the overture and we are immediately transported back to 1940 when the dancing girls were the epitome of style and class.

The first star entrance is that of two-time Tony winner Bernadette Peters in the role of Sally Durant Plummer. She looks so darn sweet and hopeful as she swoons at the thought of returning the New York City and reuniting with those from her past that she almost reminds you of little orphan Annie. This is not the strong, domineering Bernadette that we saw in Gypsy, or more recently in A Little Night Music, but a fragile and delusional woman who seems to forget that she is well beyond her showgirl days and therefore, past her prime. She is soon reunited with a diverse cast of characters that were her friends and fellow dancers 30 years prior, most noticeably her former roommate Phyllis Rogers Stone played by the luminous Jan Maxwell. Director Eric Schaeffer does a beautiful job of incorporated the younger selves, or ghosts, of Sally and Phyllis as well as their respective husbands Buddy and Ben in the song Waiting For the Girls Upstairs, where we learn that the foursome went dancing many a night after the boys waited for the girls at the stagedoor. We also learn very quickly that Sally is not and has never been happy with Buddy, as she has always longed for her first love Ben who married Phyllis so many years ago.

In the beginning of the first act we are treated to Broadway Baby, Ah Paris, and In Buddy's Eyes. Linda Lavin, Regine, and Ms. Peters respectively perform the heck out of these songs, though they appear more as cabaret numbers rather than integrated pieces of the show. This may be a flaw in the show's book or in the direction, but I'm willing to forgive that because of what comes up next, the show-stopping Who's That Woman led by the commanding Terri White. She taps, she belts, what doesn't she do? The choreography is relatively simplistic, but this production number performed by all the former showgirls is just so entertaining that you want to be on your feet dancing along with them. Watching Bernadette tap in her LaDucas is just one of most delightful things I've ever seen.

The rest of Act I includes the phenomenal I'm Still Here by an illustrious Elaine Paige who has a penchant for the over-dramatic. At the end of the act things really fall apart as Buddy and Phyllis realize that his wife is in love, and borderline obsessed, with her husband. Too Many Mornings, the act I finale is beautifully staged between Sally, Ben (Ron Raines) and their young ghosts. Ben goes so far as to kiss Sally and being the egotistical womanizer he is, it means nothing to him though Sally takes it as an announcement of love and a marriage proposal. Ms. Peters is quite fantastic in this scene as we sympathize with her Sally because Ben is playing so nonchalantly with her emotions.

Act II gives us a much better look at the talents of the show's other stars Jan Maxwell and Danny Burstein. Her Could I Leave You is a perfect example of why Sondheim normally casts actors who sing rather than singers who act. Her attention to character and emotion in this song about divorcing Ben is spot on and though her vocal tone is not always perfect, we'll forgive her. We reach the emotional climax of the show in Loveland a dream sequence where the primary characters and their younger selves deliver performances that reveal their deepest emotions. Buddy's Blues is a vaudeville-style number that demonstrates Danny Burstein's true talents as a song and dance man as well as a gifted actor and Live Laugh Love shows us how emotionally tortured Ben has felt throughout his life. The Story of Lucy and Jessie is meant to be a showstopper for Phyllis, but unfortunately the choreography does nothing for Jan Maxwell but make her look inadequate while the male ensemble pulls focus. The highlight, for me, of the second act is Sally's Losing My Mind where she reveals the depths of her obsession with Ben and the turmoil it puts her though day after day as the smallest things from the sun and a cup of coffee make her daydream of him. I've said it before but watching Bernadette Peters sing on stage is like taking a master class in acting a song. She stands still downstage center for the entire song and never moves, not even her arms. Every ounce of emotion is on her face and in her voice. Her performance of this song is something I will remember for my entire life.

It is debatable whether the show ends with a tiny bit of hope or in complete despair and I guess it depends on the person. I'll paraphrase the final lines, but after Ben decides to stay with Phyllis, Buddy walks Sally out of the theatre and tells her they'll wait until tomorrow and decide what to do, to which Sally responds that it is already tomorrow. I guess we'll really never know what happens to these characters after the show ends and that is, for me, the most frustrating part of the show.

Its been nearly a week since I saw Follies and I've been trying to formulate my opinions, but I've struggled. One conclusion that I've come to is that every important piece of plot and emotion is covered in the songs so perhaps this show is better done in concert than in a fully staged production. Then those great numbers like Broadway Baby won't stand out because they don't fit into the plot, but simply because they are fantastic songs.

My 2011 TONY Predictions

We are approaching my favorite day of the year, the Tony awards! Next Sunday, June 12th, Broadway's finest will unite to award the best shows, performances, and designs of the 2010-2011 Broadway season. I've been anxiously awaiting the Tonys for months and I'll be live-blogging and tweeting from the time the red carpet coverage begins at 6pm on tonyawards.com until the time the live-broadcast on CBS ends. Join me all week right here and over on my twitter page @barbiebackstage for updates! For now, here are all of the nominees and my predictions for each category's winner.

Best Play: Good People Author: David Lindsay-Abaire, Jerusalem Author: Jez Butterworth, The Motherf**ker with the Hat Author: Stephen Adly Guirgis, War Horse Author: Nick Stafford

My Pick: War Horse by Nick Stafford-having won the Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Awards, this is a fairly safe prediction; it is also the 'biggest play' of the season in terms of design and spectacle

Best Musical: The Book of Mormon, Catch Me If You Can, The Scottsboro Boys, Sister Act 

My Pick: The Book of Mormon-this show has swept the awards this season and has been loved by critics and audiences alike as a truly original musical, if it is not named "Best Musical" it will be the biggest upset in many seasons

Best Book of a Musical: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Alex Timbers, The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone, The Scottsboro Boys David Thompson, Sister Act Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane 

My Pick: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone for The Book of Mormon-this new musical has been praised for its wit and dark humor at the hands of the team behind "South Park" and as any great book should do, it rises to meet the score and carries the actors to where they begin to sing

Best Original Score: The Book of Mormon Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone,
The Scottsboro Boys Music & Lyrics: John Kander & Fred Ebb, Sister Act Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Glenn Slater, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek

My Pick: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone for The Book of Mormon-again, no show has received such praise this season and while I'd like it to go to Women on the Verge, I think "Mormon" has it in the bag

Best Revival of a Play: Arcadia, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Merchant of Venice, The Normal Heart 

My Pick: The Normal Heart-this revival was praised by critics and was touted by audience members as "deeply moving"

Best Revival of a Musical: Anything Goes, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying 

My Pick: Anything Goes-of only 2 revivals this season, this is far superior to How to Succeed 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: Brian Bedford The Importance of Being Earnest, Bobby Cannavale The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Joe Mantello The Normal Heart, Al Pacino The Merchant of Venice, Mark Rylance Jerusalem 

My Pick: Mark Rylance for Jerusalem-this is a very tight category, probably the tightest of all in my opinion, and anyone could win but my gut is telling my Mark Rylance since he gave not one but two outstanding Broadway performances this season

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play: Nina Arianda Born Yesterday, Frances McDormand Good People, Lily Rabe The Merchant of Venice, Vanessa Redgrave Driving Miss Daisy, Hannah Yelland Brief Encounter 

My Pick: Frances McDormand for Good People-Nina Arianda seems to be gaining a lot of momentum and could pull of a win on Sunday, but I'm still giving the edge to McDormand, the winner of this year's Drama Desk, and co-winner of the Outer Critics Circle along with Arianda

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Norbert Leo Butz Catch Me If You Can, Josh Gad The Book of Mormon, Joshua Henry The Scottsboro Boys, Andrew Rannells The Book of Mormon, Tony Sheldon Priscilla Queen of the Desert 

My Pick: Tony Sheldon for Priscilla Queen of the Desert-though he hasn't won any of the early awards this season, my money is still on Sheldon because let's face it, Broadway loves a good Queen in drag

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Sutton Foster Anything Goes, Beth Leavel Baby It's You, Patina Miller Sister Act, Donna Murphy The People in the Picture

My Pick: Sutton Foster for Anything Goes-before the reviews came out, everybody thought hands down that Patina Miller would win, but Sutton had the critics at hello and the fans followed; she has also won the Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle this season and I can only suspect that Tony will choose her too

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Mackenzie Crook Jerusalem, Billy Crudup Arcadia, John Benjamin Hickey The Normal Heart, Arian Moayed Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Yul Vázquez The Motherf**ker with the Hat 

My Pick: John Benjamin Hickey for The Normal Heart-I'm going out on a limb with this one and based on reviews, word of mouth, and my own gut feelings, I think Hickey will take it

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Ellen Barkin The Normal Heart, Edie Falco The House of Blue Leaves, Judith Light Lombardi, Joanna Lumley La Bête, Elizabeth Rodriguez The Motherf**ker with the Hat 

My Pick: Ellen Barkin for The Normal Heart-again, I'm jumping on the Normal Heart bandwagon and I think Barkin will take this category; I loved Judith Light in Lombardi but because Light's show opened early in the season, I think the momentum is really in Barkin's favor at this point in the race

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Colman Domingo The Scottsboro Boys, Adam Godley Anything Goes, John Larroquette How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Forrest McClendon The Scottsboro Boys, Rory O'Malley The Book of Mormon 

My Pick: Rory O'Malley for The Book of Mormon-I'm going to be slightly cynical here and suggest that the show that will probably win Best Book, Score & Musical will have to win at least one acting award and I think that O'Malley has the best shot

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Laura Benanti Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tammy Blanchard How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Victoria Clark Sister Act, Nikki M. James The Book of Mormon, Patti LuPone Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown 

My Pick: Laura Benanti for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown-if we look at the winner in this category last season, Katie Finneran for Promises, Promises, Laura Benanti seems a natural fit to take the award this year; she did exactly what the nominees in this category should do in taking a small role and making it the most memorable part of the show

Best Direction of a Play: Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris War Horse, Joel Grey & George C. Wolfe The Normal Heart, Anna D. Shapiro The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Daniel Sullivan The Merchant of Venice

My Pick: Marianne Elliott & Tom Morris for War Horse-again this is a tough category but I think War Horse has the momentum going into Tony night and in such a big technical piece as this, direction is key

Best Direction of a Musical: Rob Ashford How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Kathleen Marshall Anything Goes, Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker The Book of Mormon, Susan Stroman The Scottsboro Boys 

My Pick: Kathleen Marshall for Anything Goes-Nicholaw & Parker for The Book of Mormon are the easy choices here, but something tells me that Kathleen Marshall will pull this off and perhaps I think that because a grandiose musical such as Anything Goes has so many moving parts that it takes such attention to detail to really pull it off well and Kathleen Marshall has done just that

Best Choreography: Rob Ashford How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Kathleen Marshall Anything Goes, Casey Nicholaw The Book of Mormon, Susan Stroman The Scottsboro Boys

My Pick: Kathleen Marshall for Anything Goes-directing and choreographing is such a tall order and when it is done so well as in this case, I think Kathleen Marshall will take the category

Best Orchestrations: Doug Besterman How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Larry Hochman The Scottsboro Boys, Larry Hochman & Stephen Oremus The Book of Mormon, Marc Shaiman & Larry Blank Catch Me If You Can

My Pick: Larry Hochman & Stephen Oremus for The Book of Mormon-I was convinced Women on the Verge would be nominated in and win this category but since it's not, I'll have to go with the favorite, The Book of Mormon

Best Scenic Design of a Play: Todd Rosenthal The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Rae Smith War Horse, 
Ultz Jerusalem, Mark Wendland The Merchant of Venice 

My Pick: Rae Smith for War Horse-my conundrum here is whether or not to consider the horse/puppetry as part of the scenic design and if so, War Horse wins this hands down; if we are laving out the puppets, I'll have to go with Jerusalem

Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Beowulf Boritt The Scottsboro Boys, Derek McLane Anything Goes, Scott Pask The Book of Mormon, Donyale Werle Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson 

My Pick: Derek McLane for Anything Goes-I think this will go the route of the 2008 revival of South Pacific and take all the design categories, its just my gut feeling, especially since none of the other musicals this season are nearly as "big" in terms of production value

Best Costume Design of a Play: Jess Goldstein The Merchant of Venice, Desmond Heeley The Importance of Being Earnest, Mark Thompson La Bête, Catherine Zuber Born Yesterday

My Pick: Desmond Heely for The Importance of Being Earnest-I tend to give the nod to period costumes in a category like this and visually I found these to be the most interesting

Best Costume Design of a Musical: Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Martin Pakledinaz Anything Goes, Ann Roth The Book of Mormon, Catherine Zuber How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

My Pick: Martin Pakledinaz for Anything Goes-though Priscilla is an easy choice, those costumes may be too over the top even for the Tony awards and here, Marin Pakledinaz' designs fit the period without looking dated, not to mention they allow the characters to sing and dance with easy and make them sparkle

Best Lighting Design of a Play: Paule Constable War Horse, David Lander Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Kenneth Posner The Merchant of Venice, Mimi Jordan Sherin Jerusalem 

My Pick: Paule Constable for War Horse-again, I'm giving the nod to the biggest technical piece of all the nominees

Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Ken Billington The Scottsboro Boys, Howell Binkley How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Peter Kaczorowski Anything Goes, Brian MacDevitt The Book of Mormon 

My Pick: Peter Kaczorowski for Anything Goes-again, I think Anything Goes will pull a South Pacific

Best Sound Design of a Play: Acme Sound Partners and Cricket S. Myers Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Simon Baker Brief Encounter, Ian Dickinson for Autograph Jerusalem, Christopher Shutt War Horse

My Pick: Ian Dickinson for Jerusalem-because of the nature of the shows, this should come down to War Horse or Jerusalem but I really fell in my gut that Jerusalem will take this

Best Sound Design of a Musical: Peter Hylenski The Scottsboro Boys, Steve Canyon Kennedy Catch Me If You Can, Brian Ronan Anything Goes, Brian Ronan The Book of Mormon

My Pick: Brian Ronan for Anything Goes-pulling a South Pacific