Tony Awards Tonight with Itay Hod & Levi Kreis

Left: CBS reporter Itay Hod; Right: Tony nominee Levi Kreis

The Antoinette Perry Awards, better known as the Tonys, are on CBS tonight at 8, following '60 Minutes'. I will most certainly be watching, hoping Levi Kreis wins a Tony for his spectacular performance 'Million Dollar Quartet'. But there are other reasons to watch the Tony Awards. For one thing, out and gorgeous news reporter Itay Hod will be reporting for the show for CBS. Also, you never know when history will be made. In 1982, for example, there was a performance so strong, so perfect, it had people turning up the volume on their television, amazed at display of emotion of one Jennifer Holliday, singing "And I'm Telling You" from 'Dreamgirls'. Yep, she laid it down. And established the song as one of the 'must sing' tunes for any aspiring diva.



The following year, a different kind of history was made. When the amazing 'Torch Song Trilogy' was named winner of the Tony for Best Play, Producer John Glines come up to accept the award. It marked the first time a gay man thanked his lover on national television. I knew John back then, and he was a wonderful man, and I am certainly grateful to him for taking this first step.



Over a decade later, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tony Awards in 1996, an amazing opening was planned. I mean, can you beat an opening with Liza Minnelli, Bernadette Peters and Nathan Lane? And the historic gallery of former Tony Winners beginning with Liza and Bernadette, that is amazing. Here is the beginning of the 1996 Tony Awards broadcast.



Later in the show, a show that started as a workshop was to have a performance, having been nominated for Best Musical. 'Rent' won the Tony, and won many hearts with the amazing showing below, a glowing and brilliant showing of diversity, both of race and sexuality, broadcast for the nation to see.



From 1996 to 2007, there was another new musical that was impossible not to see. 'Spring Awakening' took the world by storm that year, and rightfully so. It is a beautifully written musical, both touching and heart-wrenching. To showcase the musical, the cast did a mash-up of the songs from the show. Interesting, since two of the stars of the show, Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff have just been on our televisions delivering mash-ups in the cast on 'GLEE'.



Who knows, maybe there will be more history made tonight.

Great Movies - Torch Song Trilogy

In honor of the NYC trip, I thought I would offer up a few scenes from a quintessential NYC movie, Torch Song Trilogy. Way back when, in a time far, far away, I had gone to see Harvey Fierstien on Broadway, performing this live. The play opened on June 10, 1982 and ran for 1222 performances, closing on May 19, 1985. It was the Tony for Best Actor in a Play for Harvey, and Best Play. The Tony was accepted by John Glines, a Co0producer, who was the first man to thank a lover in a nationally televised ceremony.



Torch Song was basically a collection of three one-act plays about the gay condition in the late 70s. The first was The International Stud, about Arnold, a Jewish drag queen, meeting Ed, a somewhat scared and confused suburban school teacher, in a bar complete with a backroom that is never used for storage. Lady Blues, a torch singer, adds the background music for the show. Then there is Fugue in a Nursery, a delightful quick and clever comedy in the style of Noel Coward, with Arnold and new boyfriend Alan going away for the weekend to stay with Ed and his wife, Laurel. The final act is Widows and Children First!, slated as five years after Fugue. It covers Arnold dealing with several things in his life he has not dealt with before, like his mother, Alan's death, and his love for Ed. Thankfully, he has adopted son David to help him along the way. The movie version was a bit more literal and realistic. Here is the trailer for the movie.



In the movie, Arnold has two solos when he sings as Virginia Ham. First there is the classic torch song, Love For Sale.



Arnold also sings about his dietary habits in Svelte.



You can purchase the DVD of Torch song Trilogy at Amazon here. One day, I hope I get the chance to meet Harvey Fierstein and have the chance to thank him for his fantastic talent and work, and get him to sign my ancient copy of the plays.