It is 24 years since the first Easter Bonnet took place in the basement of the Palace Theatre and raised $1,200. Now, in 2010, over 300 shows on Broadway, Off-Broadway and touring have raised a remarkable $3,265,700!
The Gaga themed opening introduced 106 year old former Ziegfeld showgirl Doris Eaton Travis, as Queen Bunny in her Basket of Egg-mobile. From there on it was non-stop stars and entertainment starting with Jan Maxwell and Dylan Baker, Corbin Bleu and Michael Urie, Chad Kimball and Constantine Maroulis and presenters Bebe Neuwirth, Nathan Lane and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The funnies flew as they roasted and toasted the obvious: Michael Feinstein & Dame Edna, Sarah Palin (she gets the most free press of anyone), even Stephen Sondheim. The three young kids from South Pacific had their fair share of zingers reading what they learned being on Broadway, including: “You don’t have to be gay to work here, but you do have to be fabulous!”
The special material presented by the various Broadway companies and bonnets made by the cast and crews didn’t seem quite as elaborate as previous years, but many were memorable, like Jim Brochu currently starring in his one man show “Zero Hour” who, with the help of other performers did a parody of “Tradition” while building a creative bonnet from a black hat while performing.
A special tribute to the West Virginia coal miners who perished was presented by the cast of “Billy Elliot,” while the cast of “Next Fall”did an imitation of their producer Elton John to parodied “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” with a more risqué lyric. Funny man Leslie Jordan (My Trip Down the Pink Carpet), wearing a giant pink top hat with netting, told the story of how his Army Dad (they lived in Tennessee) went searching for a bride doll for him at Christmas when he was 3 years old and when it was given to him, he was so excited that all he could do was squat on the floor and pee.
“Memphis" performed a ballet version of "The Hurt Locker" called "Love Terrorists," with cast members in camo outfits, their bonnet a bomb that exploded into a heart. Yes, if all the terrorists could only be taught to love instead of hate. . .
The winning bonnet came from “Fela” and “Wicked” scored big as the largest fundraiser.
BCEFA. . . Congratulations! You’ve come a long way since those days in the Palace Theatre basement !
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
PROMISES, PROMISES
Promises Kept in a “Mad” World
The married men at Consolidated Life, the corporate environment 1962, where Promises, Promises is set, are the bad boys of yesteryear looking for a little on-the-side romance. The guy production numbers are certainly energetic as they play leap frog and perform cart wheels all in skinny business suits and hats, while the secretaries roll their coat racks and moving desks in an athletic opening number to cheers and applause.
But it’s schlemiel CC (Chuck) Baxter (Sean Hayes), rising young executive, who has the key! Literally, it’s the key to his West 67th Street, $86.50 a month apartment. If he wants to rise to the top of the ladder, it is his key to success, as promises of advancement are made by the execs Dobitch (an ever funny Brooks Ashmanskas), Kirkeby (Peter Benson), Eichelberger (Sean Martin Hingston) and Vanderhof (Ken Land) for the use of his bachelor pad, imploring him in “Where Can You Take a Girl.” Baxter is smitten with Fran Kubelik (Kristin Chenoweth) who runs the Executive dining room, but unbeknownst to Baxter, is having an affair with the leader of the pack, head of Personnel, JD Sheldrake (Tony Goldwyn) who turns in a winning performance.
This revival, 40 years later, is based on the 1968 Bacharach/David/Neil Simon musical adaptation of the extremely funny 1960 film The Apartment starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Times have changed but since TV’s “Mad Men” hit like a lightening bolt, everything 60’s is in vogue again
The big surprise here is Sean Hayes who is known for his comic inventiveness on TV’s Will and Grace. He’s taken to the Broadway stage as though he was born there. In fact, he’s never off stage for more than a few minutes carrying most of the laugh lines (which are plentiful) with his audience asides, well-timed humorous takes, that enhance what might otherwise fall flat, and he also has a pretty decent singing voice.
Chenoweth, of Wicked fame, had to tone down her glorious soprano voice into a more mature sounding register in keeping with the character, somewhat reinvented here from the more unsophisticated Fran, which sometimes works and other times feels as if she’s being restrained. Chenoweth has been given additional songs added to this score “A House Is Not a Home” and “I Say a Little Prayer” which she delivers with great style.
The show stealer, however, is the delicious, owl feather caped Katie Finneran who plays barfly Marge MacDougall, whom Baxter picks up during a drunken binge when his romantic dreams are dashed learning that sweet little ole Miss Kubelick is playing footsies with Mr. Sheldrake. Finneran is not only hysterical and has great lines and delivery, but is like a rubber doll bending and moving with Hayes atop the bar in showstopper “A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing.”
Good performances are turned in by Dr. Dreyfuss (Dick Latessa) who lives next door to the comings and goings in Baxter’s apartment, along with the ladies of “Turkey Lurkey Time” Megan Sikora, Mayumi Miguel and Cameron Adams all to the credit of director-choreographer Rob Ashford.
Is Promises, Promises a perfect rendering? No, and I’m sure one could nit-pick away and they will. However, it’s Bacharach/David’s terrific music, lots of good laughs and a show the entire family can enjoy!
The supporting cast deserves kudos along with scenic designer, Scott Pask; costumes by Bruce Pask; lighting Donald Holder; music director Phil Reno; wigs and hair Tom Watson and sound Brian Ronan. Promises, Promises is running at the Broadway Theatre at West 51st Street, NYC
The married men at Consolidated Life, the corporate environment 1962, where Promises, Promises is set, are the bad boys of yesteryear looking for a little on-the-side romance. The guy production numbers are certainly energetic as they play leap frog and perform cart wheels all in skinny business suits and hats, while the secretaries roll their coat racks and moving desks in an athletic opening number to cheers and applause.
But it’s schlemiel CC (Chuck) Baxter (Sean Hayes), rising young executive, who has the key! Literally, it’s the key to his West 67th Street, $86.50 a month apartment. If he wants to rise to the top of the ladder, it is his key to success, as promises of advancement are made by the execs Dobitch (an ever funny Brooks Ashmanskas), Kirkeby (Peter Benson), Eichelberger (Sean Martin Hingston) and Vanderhof (Ken Land) for the use of his bachelor pad, imploring him in “Where Can You Take a Girl.” Baxter is smitten with Fran Kubelik (Kristin Chenoweth) who runs the Executive dining room, but unbeknownst to Baxter, is having an affair with the leader of the pack, head of Personnel, JD Sheldrake (Tony Goldwyn) who turns in a winning performance.
This revival, 40 years later, is based on the 1968 Bacharach/David/Neil Simon musical adaptation of the extremely funny 1960 film The Apartment starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Times have changed but since TV’s “Mad Men” hit like a lightening bolt, everything 60’s is in vogue again
The big surprise here is Sean Hayes who is known for his comic inventiveness on TV’s Will and Grace. He’s taken to the Broadway stage as though he was born there. In fact, he’s never off stage for more than a few minutes carrying most of the laugh lines (which are plentiful) with his audience asides, well-timed humorous takes, that enhance what might otherwise fall flat, and he also has a pretty decent singing voice.
Chenoweth, of Wicked fame, had to tone down her glorious soprano voice into a more mature sounding register in keeping with the character, somewhat reinvented here from the more unsophisticated Fran, which sometimes works and other times feels as if she’s being restrained. Chenoweth has been given additional songs added to this score “A House Is Not a Home” and “I Say a Little Prayer” which she delivers with great style.
The show stealer, however, is the delicious, owl feather caped Katie Finneran who plays barfly Marge MacDougall, whom Baxter picks up during a drunken binge when his romantic dreams are dashed learning that sweet little ole Miss Kubelick is playing footsies with Mr. Sheldrake. Finneran is not only hysterical and has great lines and delivery, but is like a rubber doll bending and moving with Hayes atop the bar in showstopper “A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing.”
Good performances are turned in by Dr. Dreyfuss (Dick Latessa) who lives next door to the comings and goings in Baxter’s apartment, along with the ladies of “Turkey Lurkey Time” Megan Sikora, Mayumi Miguel and Cameron Adams all to the credit of director-choreographer Rob Ashford.
Is Promises, Promises a perfect rendering? No, and I’m sure one could nit-pick away and they will. However, it’s Bacharach/David’s terrific music, lots of good laughs and a show the entire family can enjoy!
The supporting cast deserves kudos along with scenic designer, Scott Pask; costumes by Bruce Pask; lighting Donald Holder; music director Phil Reno; wigs and hair Tom Watson and sound Brian Ronan. Promises, Promises is running at the Broadway Theatre at West 51st Street, NYC
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