Live Tweeting the 67th Annual Tony Awards

June 11, 2013 Leave a comment

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.

NPH Tony OpenLast 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  Read more of this post

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New Broadway Hotline – 1-855-SEE-BWAY

February 1, 2012 Leave a comment

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

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My New York: A Not Atypical Night in NYC

July 15, 2011 Leave a comment

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 Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz, Kerry 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.

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My New York: Live Tweeting The 2011 Tony Awards

June 13, 2011 Leave a comment

 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!
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Updated: Paying Users to View Ads? Facebook Doesn’t Get It

May 25, 2011 Leave a comment

Facebook logo

Image via Wikipedia

I recently came across this headline on Gather, “Facebook to Pay Users for Viewing Ads?” and my first thought was, “They just don’t get it.” The “it” I am referring to is meaningful user engagement. Yes, Facebook is the biggest social network in the world, with a reported 600 million global users, but sometimes exponential growth is achieved in spite of an organization’s flawed strategy, systems and tactics (remember AOL?).

Let me make this clear, material rewards in exchange for participation on a social network is a long-term losing proposition. Check this cool Dan Pink video on what motivates people, in particular the point that rewarding mechanical functions may work, but once you get beyond “rudimentary cognitive function” it quickly tanks.

Note the mention of the word “engagement”, the current buzzword for why brands and companies should use social media. On social networks, what starts as enthusiastic support for the paying organization by its paid supporters morphs into a feeling of entitlement to that remuneration leading to demands for increased compensation and ending in resentment towards the organization — the exact opposite outcome from what was initially desired.

At that point, you not only have a dissatisfied user, you have one with increased voice and influence who knows how to reach your customers very well.

This is the major flaw behind organizations’ misguided faith in raw social media metrics. Read more of this post

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