New Broadway Hotline – 1-855-SEE-BWAY

Broadway producer Ken Davenport

Broadway impresario Ken Davenport

Bravo to Broadway producer Ken Davenport (“Godspell” and others) and team for staffing the free Broadway hotline 1-855-SEE-BWAY. Want to know what’s opening or closing? Need to see what shows have performances on Mondays, or curtain times as early as 7:00PM? Curious as to who the leads currently are in a long-running show, or how long a TV or movie star will be in a current show?

Just ask Ken and his team from Davenport Productions who are staffing the line as a service for Broadway lovers (and more importantly, potential Broadway lovers).

Kudos, Ken.

Here’s a link to Ken’s blog entry: http://ow.ly/8OWYq

International Volunteer Day – Give Thanks

Today, December 5, is International Volunteer Day, created by the United Nations in 1985 to give thanks to those who volunteer in one way or another “for their efforts and increase public awareness on their contribution to society.” Thank you all, for without your efforts hundreds of thousands of people, many of them children, would perish — and that is not an exaggeration.

And what better time of year, when thoughts turn to celebrating holidays and exchanging gifts with our families from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day to be thankful for what we have and to help others less fortunate.

A week ago, I joined others volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House in New York – the first and biggest of the havens allowing families to stay together to support their child or sibling s/he undergoes treatment for cancer and other diseases to unpack holiday decorations stored away last year and start to bring some holiday cheer to the house. I tell you it was an extremely fulfilling experience as we brought a little bit of cheer to the 85 families who call RMH home.

Ronald McDonald House
There were three times I almost lost composure, touched by what the staff and guests deal with every day. Read more of this post

9/11: 10 Years Later, Like Yesterday

wtc

Image via Wikipedia

I was going to write my memories of the attack on our country on 9/11, in my New York, that occurred 10 years ago to the minute that this post was published, but I can’t. Each time I tried the emotions overcame me and I just cannot relive the details of that day and its aftermath. So let’s just say that living in the NYC area that day deeply affected me — and still does.

If you’re not from here (or D.C.) you may think you know what it was like — but you don’t. I don’t mean to belittle your personal 9/11 experience but for those of us who live near where the planes hit the effect was, and continues to be, devastating.

But I do want to mention one name to you today. Ernest James. What’s that? You don’t know him? Not surprising, he was a night janitor, one of the 2,753 average people for whom that sunny September morning who at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan would be their last day alive. Why mention him? His remains were just identified August 23, 2011. That’s right, almost 10 years later the identification effort continues. Most people don’t realize that even now, over 1,100 victims have yet to found.

The pain remains. So, God bless the victims, including the first responders (343 New York City Fire Department firefighters, including FDNY Fire Chaplain (and childhood friend of my father and uncle), Franciscan Fr. Mychal Judge,, 23 New York City Police Department officers, 37 Port Authority Police Department officers, 15 EMTs and 3 Court Officers. God bless their families.

And God bless the U.S.A.

My New York: A Not Atypical Night in NYC

Catch Me If You Can PlaybillJust another Thursday night in New York City in July.

Went to the TKTS booth in Times Square and picked up discounted tickets for ‘Catch Me If You Can‘ at the Neil Simon theater starring Aaron TveitNorbert Leo ButzKerry Butler and Tom (TV’s “Luke Duke“) Wopat.

Courtesy IMDB.ComOn the way to the theater, passed Sutton Foster walking on Broadway to her gig in ‘Anything Goes‘. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with no make-up — still beautiful.

Matthew BroderickAprés theater, dinner at Angus McIndoe Restaurant (try the burgers ans McIncheese) on W 44 Street with Matthew Broderick (OK, well, he was at the table next to me).

I love NY.

My New York: Live Tweeting The 2011 Tony Awards

 I love Broadway, so for me the best entertainment awards show is the Tony Awards for excellence in American theater. The 65th annual awards were held June 12 at New York’s Beacon Theater with the ultra-talented Neil Patrick Harris as host — and he killed (as they say). From an opening number that spoofed Broadway’s reputation as being less than manly to a closing rap that  recapped the highlights of the  night, NPH showed why he is today’s best awards show host (highlight video –>).

And, of course, Broadway fans nationwide were tweeting their comments as the awards were announced. Here are mine plus additional comments.

  • roncasalotti: Nice @ActuallyNPH killed the Tony Award opening. FTW 8:05 pm
    Neil Patrick Harris can do it all. I saw him on Broadway as the MC in ‘Cabaret’ and Lee Harvey Oswald in ‘Assassins’. But my first “Aha!” moment of his post Doogie Howser career, when he sang on a Broadway TV special from ‘Rent’ (he was in the L.A. production) Who knew?!?!
  • roncasalotti: Ellen Barkin wins Featured Actress in a Play for ‘The Normal Heart’ Well deserved, she rocked that role. 8:09 pm
  • roncasalotti: The Normal Heart is a great play; very moving; great performances; and I think more impactful than likely when it first ran in 1985…. 8:13 pm
  • roncasalotti: General consensus holds than Daniel Radcliffe was greatly deserving of a Tony nom (but overlooked) 8:14 pm
  • roncasalotti: Nice ‘Equus’ reference by @ActuallyNPH re: Daniel Radcliffe poking out ‘War Horse’s” eyes. 8:23 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Performance by Featured Actor in a Play goes to John Benjamin Hickey of ‘The Normal Heart’ 8:28 pm
  • roncasalotti: John Benjamin Hickey’s performance in ‘The Normal Heart’ brings both cheers and tears. Well deserved award. 8:29 pm
  • roncasalotti: Performance by the cast of ‘The Scottsboro Boys’ mainly for the road tour (as it closed in December after a short run) 8:53 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Actress in Featured Role in a Musical goes to Nikki M. James for ‘The Book of Mormon’ She rocked that role 9:00 pm
  • roncasalotti: The song ‘I Believe” from ‘The Book of Mormon’ is great, but I think its opening number ‘Hello’ should’ve opened the show 9:04 pm
  • roncasalotti: Hah,, funny “Host-Off” between @RealHughJackman and @ActuallyNPH 9:16 pm
    Clever bit, and it shows that both Hugh and Neil are consummate entertainers. Loved Hugh in ‘The Boy From Oz’
  • roncasalotti: Best Featured Actor in a Musical to John Laroquette for ‘How to Succeed…’ He’s hilarious in it – much better than expected.9:20 pm
  • roncasalotti: Jennifer Damiano (‘Spider-Man’) is the 2nd ex-cast member of ‘Next to Normal’ on tonight with Aaron Tveit (‘Catch Me If You Can)  9:27 pm
  • roncasalotti: Whoopi Goldberg, who starred in the movie ‘The Sister Act’ is the producer of the B’way musical of the same name  9:41 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Revival of a Play goes to the touching, moving, disturbing, powerful and simply great ‘The Normal Heart’ 9:51 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Play goes to ‘War Horse’ (the safe, expected choice)  10:04 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Revival of a Musical goes to ‘Anything Goes’. A nod to old-time Broadway. 10:27 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Play to Frances McDormand for ‘Good People’ 10:37 pm
    Who apparently stayed in Southie character when she decided to wear a denim jacket to the show.
  • roncasalotti: Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical goes to Sutton Foster ‘Anything Goes.’ Saw her in a cabaret last year – big talent; nice person 10:41 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Actor in a Play goes to Mark Rylance for ‘Jerusalem’. Loved in him ‘Boeing Boeing’ & ‘La Bete’. He’s certainly, umm quirky 10:53 pm
  • roncasalotti: Best Actor in a Musical goes to Norbert Leo Butz for ‘Catch Me If You Can’ loved him in ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 10:55 pm
  • roncasalotti: Quelle surprise, ‘The Book of Mormon’ takes Best Musical. My review: Often offensive; frequently obscene; always hilarious. 11:03 pm
 Finally, here's NPH's great ending rap of a Tony Awards presentation that was well hosted, and well done.                                                                                                                                                    See you at the theater!