Handy Capping the Tony's

After looking over the latest Theatrical Index my mind is wondering where are all these shows going to go? I mean there are only so many Broadway theaters and as it stands for the 2010-2011 Tony Season there seems to be like 25 New Musicals/Revivals and 5 or 6 New Plays allegedly opening.

My best friend and partner in crime and other lascivious activities is in SPIDER MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK, so naturally I wanted to know what is coming down the pike in competition for BEST MUSICAL!

The biggest rival seems to be WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, which is opening at the newly renovated Belasco Theatre. All I can say is I hope they removed the "curse" as well at the worn out carpet in the process. Nothing runs at the Belasco, at least not since I've been in New York. If your show opens there you might as well turn around and start auditioning because the curtain won't stay up long. The last decade isn't exactly riddled with hits.....

2000: James Joyce's The Dead
2001: Follies
2002: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
2004: Dracula, the Musical
2005: Julius Caesar
2006: Awake and Sing!
2007: Journey's End
2008: Passing Strange; American Buffalo
2009: Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune & Joe Turner's Come and Gone were limited runs and Passing Strange while an AMAZING show never really found an audience!

I guess it all depends on when the cut-off date for Tony eligibility for the 2010-2011 Broadway season — the final day a production can open and still be eligible for Tony nominations — which has still YET to be decided. Makes me think the "Producers" are up to some shenanigans. It had been narrowed to down to April 21 or April 28, 2011. Someone must be trying to get in under the wire.

WE SHALL SEE!!!!

Nothing's Black or White

Darren Aronofsky completely lost me with The Wrestler. Maybe I waited too long and just didn't care after all the media hype to be moved by the film or inspired or whatever he was trying to accomplish. I like my Aronofsky dark, twisted and hallucinating on whatever fresh mushroom has popped into his cranium. I stumbled across the trailer for the Black Swan and let's just say daddy's little signet has come home to roost.

My cin·é·aste in crime (Allen Stafford) was quickly notified and as I wrote on his face book wall of my anticipation of said film, "You and I have a date with the Black Swan. Aronofsky's is BACK IN BLACK. Of course if we're going to watch Natalie Portman masturbate and or do it with Mila Kunis we will be HAVING margaritas after, or before or during!! lol!! (ps-just when you thought Natalie couldn't get any thinner…eeeeeeee).

Follow up review shortly after December 1st. Wow that's a long time to wait to see what hatches.

The New Cagney & Lacey

If the formula ain't broke don't fix it.

Cagney & Lacey ran for seven seasons from March 25, 1982 to May 16, 1988 after originally being canceled after season one, but due to fan petition was brought back. Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly combined to win the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama six straight years in a row, a winning streak unmatched in any major category by a show. It was one of my mother's favorites and even though I was knee high to a tadpole I remember loving it too. (Hmmmm I wonder why?)

Now to my great satisfaction this classic television program has now been reborn into "Rizzoli & Isles" which is based on a series of best selling books. Linda Stasi of the New York Post said it best, "Even if you can’t take one more police procedural this summer, you should give TNT’s terrific new cop show, “Rizzoli & Isles,” at least one chance. Why? Because it is your mother’s cop show. A throw-back to ye olde “Cagney & Lacey” days, “R&I” is about two women in the crime-busting biz. They’re friends. They’re smart. They’re textbook"

This show is rocking my socks. It's so gay without being "gay" that I can't believe Angie Harmon & Sasha Alexander don't bust out laughing every time the script gives a wink and a smile to the lesbian community. Especially in the last episode entitled, "I Kissed A Girl," where Harmon goes under cover as a lesbian and Alexander fills out her online dating profile to try and catch the lesbian predator à la Dateline style. Honestly, it's practically soft porn which is the best kind because really who needs to see bits flopping to and fro.

My running commentary while watching the show is giving me pause that maybe I should teach a class on weaving gay subtext into plot content. Some of their witty banter and innuendo is really well placed but others are a tad cliché and cheesy, but I like cheese. Big gay cheese!!! I mean really Angie Harmon leaves a date that her mother, brilliantly played by Lorraine Bracco, sets her up on with a bottle of wine under her arm and where does she go??? Sasha's house and what do they do? Curl up on Sasha's bed and fall asleep. Like in EVERY episode. Hahaha!! Can I also mention that Lorraine tells Harmon to, "suck it up and be a girl?" Thank you TNT!!

Harmon is the tough, street wise Boston Southie cop and Alexander is the well-bred rich girl coroner nicknamed Dr. Death who Harmon has a personalized ring tone for…..these two kill me they are the Law & Order Odd Couple, only I think everyone wants to see Oscar make out with Felix. I know I do....check it out, serious CSI fun!
(TNT is OnDemand under - Entertainment OnDemand check your local listing for channel)

Fun Exercise.....

I dare you to come up with a paragraph following this opening line:

After I bought the box of pink zinfandel....

Small Stages: Theme Independence

On July 16th I did this great little show at Jimmy's 43 called Small Stages. It's run by the amazing Carlton Ward who lights up my life and any room. Carlton usually has a theme this one being Independence (being so close to the 4th I guess)...as a comic I don't really have a lot of Independence in my set list so I tried something new....the risk paid off, I might be sweaty but I think I killed....

Brandy from Small Stages on Vimeo.

AUGUST!!

Well it's here August!! Time to dig in and start the lock down, which consists of me staying home and writing, working out, not drinking, and basically being good and focused on me!

Not as easy as it sounds for a professional procrastinator. Any excuse to make bad or wrong choices is what I am good at….ha-ha! Everything and anything is infinitely more important and interesting than doing what is best for me. I’ve been in a perpetual state of life avoidance for most of my existence. Keeping my head down, trying to fly below the radar, pretending to be invisible and garner no attention is a true calling for the shy. Only rearing up on my creative haunches to occasionally tell some jokes, write a blog or podcast. Just enough dabbling in what really makes me happy to satiate my need for attention without fully committing to it as a way of life.

Now it is do or die…take a risk or live in this coma of disconnection. Eeeeee sounds so scary and formidable let’s see if I can force a migration into artistry that lives in reality and not just in my day dreams.