Live Tweeting the 67th Annual Tony Awards

See July 11, 2013 update at the bottom

OK! Blog break over, and as a way back into the blogging groove let’s take a break from social media and get to one of the real treats of living in the New York city area – Broadway. And what better way to write about NY Theater than by live tweeting the 67th Annual Tony Awards.

Last night, the annual award party that celebrates the actors, producers, directors and others behind the scenes on Broadway took place at Radio City Music Hall  with host extraordinaire Neil Patrick Harris, or just NPH as we call him. Some may know him from “Doogie Howser, MD” and others from the current  CBS hit ‘How I Met Your Mother“. But I first realized his musical theater talent when I saw him sing “What You Own” from ‘RENT’ when he was in the L.A. production. Since then I’ve seen him as the MC in ‘Cabaret’ and as Lee Harvey Oswald in ‘Assassins’. But he really shines as host of the Toy Awards. This year was his fourth time hosting– do let’s get to it.

Jun 09, 8:07pm @ActuallyNPH killed the #tonyawards opening – as usual! Bravo!

Jun 09, 8:10pm Featured Actor in a Play up first include the ones I saw: Billy Magnussen and Courtney B Vance #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:11pm And the winner Courtney B. Vance! Loved him in “Lucky Guy”  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:14pm “Matilda” has four young actresses who rotate playing the lead role. Had to get a waiver to be nominated as a group  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:15pm ‘Matilda’ reminds me of ‘Spring Awakening’ for the grammar school set  #tonyawards 

Jun 09, 8:24pm Tom Hanks, unlike many Hollywood stars who try #Broadway, can actually carry a show – 8 times a week, in ‘Lucky Guy’

Jun 09, 8:27pm Judith Light wins Featured Actress in a Play for Assembled Parties.She was great in Other Desert Cities last yr  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:28pm ‘Bring It On – The Musical” – Why feature a show that’s already closed on #Broadway on the #tonyawards? One word: roadshow

Jun 09, 8:36pm While we have time, IMHO Alan Cumming’s performance in ‘Macbeth’ – where he plays all 27 parts was the best I’ve seen – ever.  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:41pm Featured Actor in a Musical: Gabriel Ebert wins for ‘Matilda’ – could signal a big night for that show #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:43pm Of course, it’s called “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” lest anyone confuse it with a Disney show  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:44pm Laura Osnes, Cinderella, was discovered on a reality TV competition show to find the next Broadway Star  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:51pm @RoyalCaribbean commercial touts ‘Hairspray” (Oasis); ‘Chicago’ (Allure) & teased ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (Quantum coming 2014) #tonyawards

Jun 09, 8:56pm ‘Pippin’s’ Paulus takes Best Director of a Musical – maybe not going to be a ‘Matilda” dominant night after all  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:00pm Best Direction of Play goes to Mackinnon for ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf/” over ‘Lucky Guy’ & ‘Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike’  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:02pm Performance by ‘Motown the Musical’, even though it did not get a Best Musical nom, is a concession to CBS for TV audience  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:11pm Saw Jesse Tyler Ferguson in ’25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ on #Broadway He was great  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:12pm Wow! Cyndi Lauper wins best score for ‘Kinky Boots’! way to go!  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:19pm Jane Lynch sang her song from ‘Annie’ with obvious (ahem) Glee (sorry, couldn’t resist) #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:29pm Andrew Rennels (New Normal); Laura Benanti (Playboy Club; Go On) & Megan Hilty (Smash) –#broadway stars from canceled TV shows #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:31pm Featured Actress in a Musical Andrea Martin for ‘Pippin’- both favored and deserved  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:34pm The Rascals were one of my seminal bands growing up. I can’t believe I missed the show 😦  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:45pm I enjoyed Best Play winner ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’, but thought ‘Lucky Guy was a better play  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 9:48pm New rules this year limit the # of producers that can be “on stage” to accept a win, and so you have a big group off stage right  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:05pm Mayor Mike Bloomberg got a “special Tony Honor” because as he is not associated with a production he doesn’t qualify for a true #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:07pm Best Revival play winner ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf’ shows that a good story, done well, always has a place on #Broadway  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:12pm If #Broadway had royalty, he’d be called King Hal Prince  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:16pm Like ‘Les Miz’ (which, btw returns to Broadway spring ’14) ‘Phantom of the Opera’ is classic storytelling with memorable score  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:20pm Leading Actor in a Musical – Billy Porter ‘Kinky Boots’ for his performance as “Lola” #tonyawards Wonderful, emotional acceptance speech.

Jun 09, 10:26pm Leading Actor in a Play – stunning upset Tracy Letts ‘Who’s Afraid..’ wins over Hanks; Lane; Hyde Pierce & my fave Tom Sturridge #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:35pm FYI when walking through Time Square the best “street teams” are ‘Chicago’ – all Fosse’d out striking poses handing out leaflets  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:37pm Lead Actress in a play Cicely Tyson for ‘The Trip to Bountiful’ – the sentimental choice and somewhat based upon body of work #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:40pm Leading Actress Musical: Patina Miller for the Ben Vereen role in ‘Pippin’ – more big things to come for/from her  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:47pm Bravo to my friend @kendavenport‘s production of ‘Kinky Boots’ for their Oh Yeah performance #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:55pm Best Revival of a Musical – ‘Pippin” does its magic one more time (and look at the sea of producers!)  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 10:56pm As an aside, Fran and Barry Weisler (‘Pippin’) are legendary #Broadway producers  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 11:02pm Best Musical winner is.. Kinky Boots! sorry Matilda fans.  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 11:06pm Best Musical Winner, ‘Kinky Boots’, book by Harvey Fierstein; score by Cyndi Lauper & a U.S. Production – reasons it beat Matilda  #tonyawards

Jun 09, 11:07pm Bravo one more time to @ActuallyNPH for a star turn as  #tonyawards host

UPDATE: July 11, 2013

So, let’s say you’re a producer of a Tony award winning show (congrats!) and eligible for your very own Tony Award to place in your trophy room, or on a mantle (or in a box to be opened one day by your grand kids). Unless you’re one of two lead producers, that coveted statuette is going to cost you more money — above and beyond your investment.

How much?

$2,500

Broadway Success Has a Price: $2,500