Saw the new musical comedy "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" at the Imperial Theater this afternoon. It was actually my first time inside this theater because for the past gazillion year this was where "Les Miserables" was running.
I'd seen the advertising for D.R.S. as far back as last year when it debuted at the La Jolla Playhouse. For whatever reason, this show just didn't appeal to me. But once it got the second most number of Tony nominations I decided to see it this week.
I was completely blown away by how good it is. The writing is so funny. John Lithgow is a delight to watch. And Norbert Leo Butz (most recently seen in "Wicked" and from the original cast of "Rent") completely steals the show with a hilarious performance.
It's the story of two con men competing for the affection of a woman.
Steve Davey, who I worked with last year on the No on 68 campaign, and his wife were in NYC last week. They saw D.R.S. and it was the first Broadway show for both. Pretty good way to start, I'd say.
This evening I went to the Lincoln Center (photo above) to see "The Light in the Piazza" at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. This serious musical got good reviews and I went totally prepared to love it and to root for it at the Tonys this Sunday.
Unfortunately, the show just didn't do it for me. Lots of great individual performances, but it didn't add up.
It's the story of an American woman and her adult daughter visiting Florence, Italy. The daughter falls in love with a Italian young man. The problem is the daughter was kicked in the head by a shetland pony at her tenth birthday party and as a result didn't mentally and emotionally develop into an adult. (I kid you not.) The mother spends her life dedicated to protecting her daughter.
Victoria Clark (Titanic, Urinetown) gives a great performance as the Mother and is nominated for a Tony.
Matthew Morrison plays the Italian suitor. I saw him three years ago in Seattle and again last year in L.A. playing teen heartthrob Link Larkin in "Hairspray." He does an excellent job in a very different role from his "Hairspray" gig.
Michael Berresse plays the suitor's brother. A few years ago I saw him in a Tony nominated performance in "Kiss Me, Kate" where he literally climbed up the scaffolding of the set.
Celebrity Sightings: I saw Hank Azaria walking down Eighth Avenue at 1:35 on the way to perform in "Spamalot" -- for which he's received a Tony nomination. The show started at 2:00, so I guess he doesn't need a lot of time for hair and make-up.
About 30 minutes after tonight's show I saw Matthew Morrison walking down Ninth Avenue.
Lunch today was at "21." The food was excellent, but once again the highlight was talking to their washroom attendant -- the best washroom attendant in the country. Once he found out I was from Los Angeles he wanted to talk about Johnnie Cochran's funeral. I got so wrapped up in the conversation that, looking back on it, I think I forgot to tip him. That's no good.
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