And the Tony goes to...
Unconditional love!
Actually, Doubt, Monty Python's Spamalot and The Light in the Piazza were big winners at last night's Tony Awards but it was the acceptance speech for best Choreography for a musical that got me excited. (Actually, I also got excited when Dan Fogler won for 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His foot spelling antics are just hysterical!)
I am a big fan of the theatre. I see far too few plays and musicals to my liking but I appreciate every opportunity that comes my way to be part of the wonderful live experience that is theatre. Being "live" entertainment makes it even more meaningful to me as plays and musicals evolve and tell their stories before a live audience. There are no cuts and retakes and every night, while following their scripts and dialogues, actors hit their marks, look into the light, and sing in concert with the notes of the orchestra. And every night is unique. Sometimes not by much onstage but unique in that the audience is always different. No two audiences are ever the same. Each night brings something similar, yet different, to the ever changing faces that the actors play to. That is what I think makes live theatre such the wonderful artistic mechanism that it is.
So, to be able to watch the Tony Awards live follows suit to watching a play unfold on stage. The spontaneity of a surprise win or a perfectly timed pun provides for an evening of unpredictable fun.
When Jerry Mitchell graciously accepted his Tony Award for Choreography for La Cage aux Folles his sincere words of gratitude boldly hit home. While accepting an award for a play that focuses on unconditional love, Mr. Mitchell thanked Harvey Fierstein, who penned the play's book, for having the vision years ago to plant a seed that still is still fighting to grow.
The concept of unconditional love is presented with unconditional challenges on a daily basis in our country. Too many are focusing on who and when someone is allowed to love another person as opposed to just letting it happen. Cities, states and the nation are trying to apply laws to love. Laws for for how to love someone. Hmmm. I find that a bit bothersome and confusing. I know all the laws about driving 55 mph, paying my taxes by the 15th of April, or not walking out of Target without paying for the stuff in my cart. And I know the penalties should I not comply.
But laws about love. What's that all about? Can I get arrested for loving the wrong person? All this broo-ha-ha about laws regarding love is just a big waste of time. The smokescreen of family values hides the true meaning of what love has come to mean today. One can only define family values after they have defined a family itself. And that in itself is a whole other topic of discussion. In La Cage, Georges and Albin make up a family based on the simplest of ideals. Love. True, unconditional love.
Unconditional love. Sounds like to best way to let love be, whether in the theatre or in our lives.
Actually, Doubt, Monty Python's Spamalot and The Light in the Piazza were big winners at last night's Tony Awards but it was the acceptance speech for best Choreography for a musical that got me excited. (Actually, I also got excited when Dan Fogler won for 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His foot spelling antics are just hysterical!)
I am a big fan of the theatre. I see far too few plays and musicals to my liking but I appreciate every opportunity that comes my way to be part of the wonderful live experience that is theatre. Being "live" entertainment makes it even more meaningful to me as plays and musicals evolve and tell their stories before a live audience. There are no cuts and retakes and every night, while following their scripts and dialogues, actors hit their marks, look into the light, and sing in concert with the notes of the orchestra. And every night is unique. Sometimes not by much onstage but unique in that the audience is always different. No two audiences are ever the same. Each night brings something similar, yet different, to the ever changing faces that the actors play to. That is what I think makes live theatre such the wonderful artistic mechanism that it is.
So, to be able to watch the Tony Awards live follows suit to watching a play unfold on stage. The spontaneity of a surprise win or a perfectly timed pun provides for an evening of unpredictable fun.
When Jerry Mitchell graciously accepted his Tony Award for Choreography for La Cage aux Folles his sincere words of gratitude boldly hit home. While accepting an award for a play that focuses on unconditional love, Mr. Mitchell thanked Harvey Fierstein, who penned the play's book, for having the vision years ago to plant a seed that still is still fighting to grow.
The concept of unconditional love is presented with unconditional challenges on a daily basis in our country. Too many are focusing on who and when someone is allowed to love another person as opposed to just letting it happen. Cities, states and the nation are trying to apply laws to love. Laws for for how to love someone. Hmmm. I find that a bit bothersome and confusing. I know all the laws about driving 55 mph, paying my taxes by the 15th of April, or not walking out of Target without paying for the stuff in my cart. And I know the penalties should I not comply.
But laws about love. What's that all about? Can I get arrested for loving the wrong person? All this broo-ha-ha about laws regarding love is just a big waste of time. The smokescreen of family values hides the true meaning of what love has come to mean today. One can only define family values after they have defined a family itself. And that in itself is a whole other topic of discussion. In La Cage, Georges and Albin make up a family based on the simplest of ideals. Love. True, unconditional love.
Unconditional love. Sounds like to best way to let love be, whether in the theatre or in our lives.
posted by Paradise by the 'C' at
8:44 PM
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