Entries from May 2006 ↓

When my laptop died back in March, I replaced it with this desktop, but I’ve really been feenin’ for another laptop. This may be it. Despite my present circumstances, I may have to figure out how to get one.

Nominations for the 60th Annual Tony Awards were announced this morning at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center by Tony winners Phylicia Rashad, Natasha Richardson and Liev Schreiber. The Drowsy Chaperone led the pack with thirteen nominations. The Color Purple came in a close second with eleven nominations, and Awake and Sing!, with eight, racked up the most nominations of any play.

The 2006 Tony Awards will be handed out on Sunday, June 11 at 8 pm ET on CBS.

Best Play
The History Boys
Author: Alan Bennett
Producers: Boyett Ostar Productions, Roger Berlind, Debra Black, Eric Falkenstein, Roy Furman, Jam Theatricals, Stephanie P. McClelland, Judith Resnick, Scott Rudin, Jon Avnet/Ralph Guild, Dede Harris/Mort Swinsky, The National Theatre of Great Britain

The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Author: Martin McDonagh
Producers: Randall L. Wreghitt, Dede Harris, Atlantic Theater Company, David Lehrer, Harriet Newman Leve & Ron Nicynski, Zavelson Meyrelles Greiner Group, Mort Swinsky & Redfern Goldman Productions, Ruth Hendel

Rabbit Hole
Author: David Lindsay-Abaire
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

Shining City
Author: Conor McPherson
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Scott Rudin, Roger Berlind, Debra Black

Best Musical
The Color Purple
Producers: Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, Quincy Jones, Creative Battery, Anna Fantaci & Cheryl Lachowicz, Independent Presenters Network, David Lowy, Stephanie P. McClelland, Gary Winnick, Jan Kallish, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Bob & Harvey Weinstein, Andrew Asnes & Adam Zotovich, Todd Johnson

The Drowsy Chaperone
Producers: Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Boyett Ostar Productions, Stephanie P. McClelland, Barbara Freitag, Jill Furman

Jersey Boys
Producers: Dodger Theatricals, Joseph J. Grano, Pelican Group, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Latitude Link, Rick Steiner/Osher/Staton/Bell/Mayerson Group

The Wedding Singer
Producers: Margo Lion, New Line Cinema, The Araca Group, Roy Furman, Douglas L. Meyer/James D. Stern, Rick Steiner/The Staton Bell Osher Mayerson Group, Jam Theatricals, Jujamcyn Theaters, Jay Furman, Michael Gill, Dr. Lawrence Horowitz, Rhoda Mayerson, Marisa Sechrest, Gary Winnick, Dancap Productions, Inc., Élan V. McAllister/Allan S. Gordon/Adam Epstein

Best Book of a Musical
Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, The Wedding Singer
Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, Jersey Boys
Bob Martin and Don McKellar, The Drowsy Chaperone
Marsha Norman, The Color Purple

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Music & Lyrics: Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, The Drowsy Chaperone
Music & Lyrics: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray, The Color Purple
Music: Matthew Sklar; Lyrics: Chad Beguelin, The Wedding Singer
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber; Lyrics: David Zippel, The Woman in White

Best Revival of a Play
Awake and Sing!
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten

The Constant Wife
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Ellen Richard, Julia C. Levy

Seascape
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten

Faith Healer
Producers: Michael Colgan & Sonia Friedman Productions, The Shubert Organization, Robert Bartner, Roger Berlind, Scott Rudin, Spring Sirkin, Gate Theatre Dublin

Best Revival of a Musical
The Pajama Game
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Jeffrey Richards, James Fuld, Jr., Scott Landis

Sweeney Todd
Producers: Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Ambassador Theatre Goup, Adam Kenwright, Tulchin/Bartner/Bagert

The Threepenny Opera
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ralph Fiennes, Faith Healer
Richard Griffiths, The History Boys
Željko Ivanek, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Oliver Platt, Shining City
David Wlmot, The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Kate Burton, The Constant Wife
Judy Kaye, Souvenir
Lisa Kron, Well
Cynthia Nixon, Rabbit Hole
Lynn Redgrave, The Constant Wife

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, Sweeney Todd
Harry Connick, Jr., The Pajama Game
Stephen Lynch, The Wedding Singer
Bob Martin, The Drowsy Chaperone
John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, The Drowsy Chaperone
LaChanze, The Color Purple
Patti LuPone, Sweeney Todd
Kelli O’Hara, The Pajama Game
Chita Rivera, Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Samuel Barnett, The History Boys
Domhnall Gleeson, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Ian McDiarmid, Faith Healer
Mark Ruffalo, Awake and Sing!
Pablo Schreiber, Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Tyne Daly, Rabbit Hole
Frances de la Tour, The History Boys
Jayne Houdyshell, Well
Alison Pill, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Zoë Wanamaker, Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein, The Drowsy Chaperone
Jim Dale, The Threepenny Opera
Brandon Victor Dixon, The Color Purple
Manoel Felciano, Sweeney Todd
Christian Hoff, Jersey Boys

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Carolee Carmello, Lestat
Felicia P. Fields, The Color Purple
Megan Lawrence, The Pajama Game
Beth Leavel, The Drowsy Chaperone
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, The Color Purple

Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner, The History Boys
Wilson Milam, The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Bartlett Sher, Awake and Sing!
Daniel Sullivan, Rabbit Hole

Best Direction of a Musical
John Doyle, Sweeney Todd
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Des McAnuff, Jersey Boys
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, The Wedding Singer
Donald Byrd, The Color Purple
Kathleen Marshall, The Pajama Game
Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Orchestrations
Larry Blank, The Drowsy Chaperone
Dick Lieb and Danny Troob, The Pajama Game
Steve Orich, Jersey Boys
Sarah Travis, Sweeney Todd

Best Scenic Design of a Play
John Lee Beatty, Rabbit Hole
Bob Crowley, The History Boys
Santo Loquasto, Three Days of Rain
Michael Yeargan, Awake and Sing!

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
John Lee Beatty, The Color Purple
David Gallo, The Drowsy Chaperone
Derek McLane, The Pajama Game
Klara Zieglerova, Jersey Boys

Best Costume Design of a Play
Michael Krass, The Constant Wife
Santo Loquasto, A Touch of the Poet
Catherine Zuber, Awake and Sing!
Catherine Zuber, Edward Albee’s Seascape

Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, The Drowsy Chaperone
Susan Hilferty, Lestat
Martin Pakledinaz, The Pajama Game
Paul Tazewell, The Color Purple

Best Lighting Design of a Play
Christopher Akerlind, Awake and Sing!
Paul Gallo, Three Days of Rain
Mark Henderson, Faith Healer
Mark Henderson, The History Boys

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington and Brian Monahan, The Drowsy Chaperone
Howell Binkley, Jersey Boys
Natasha Katz, Tarzan
Brian MacDevitt, The Color Purple

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Harold Prince

Regional Theatre Tony Award
Intiman Theatre, Seattle, WA

Special Tony Award
Sarah Jones

I knew my life was going too well lately.

I arrived at work this morning and my supervisor called me into her office. My position is being eliminated. We’ve simply run out of money to keep me. Others will have similar conversations with their supervisors throughout today. A large grant we were counting on didn’t come through and we’ve been awaiting money from a large donor specifically for my program, which thus far has not come through and even if it does, will probably be earmarked for more urgent needs. So by the end of June I will be out of a job.

On to plan B….whatever the hell that is.

Residents of the nation’s capital who have grown tired of the hate-speech that passes for religion in some of the local churches, may soon have a place to find real salvation. A new, more inclusive faith community is forming there. I received the following email and happily share it here for all those close enough to attend.

Join us for our first gathering!
May 24, 2006

City of Refuge - DC to hold its initial interest meeting

Greetings,

It is with great anticipation and joy that I invite you to join with City of Refuge - Washington, DC for an initial gathering and interest meeting on Wednesday, May 24, 2006.

During this gathering you will have an opportunity to hear more about the vision for Refuge - DC and share with other individuals who are seeking to build a radically inclusive congregation where all are welcomed and affirmed.

I am convinced that now is the time that God is calling us to bring all of who we are - our whole selves out into the open and into the light of God. It is only when we do this, that God can provide us with the ability to live abundantly healthy, honest, and whole lives.

I personally invite you to join with me as we launch what I know will become a powerful, justice-oriented, and radically inclusive ministry for all persons.

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Peace & Blessings,

Pastor Kendal Brown
City of Refuge - Washington, DC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Us

Where & When
United Methodist General Board of Church & Society Building
100 Maryland Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(Maryland Ave NE & Capitol Ave)
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
7:00PM-9:00PM

City of Refuge - Washington, DC

City of Refuge - Washington, DC is a newly forming inclusive congregation seeking to serve the nation’s capitol and surrounding areas.

Refuge - DC endeavors to be a community of young and old, straight and same gender loving, preachers and teachers, black, brown, and white, activists and artists, convinced and questioning, and those who don’t identify with any of these categories or labels. We are striving to call together a community that will seek to embody Christ’s ever-present love demonstrated through action in the world.

It is Refuge’s mission to build a ministry committed to both service to God and social justice. Refuge - DC seeks to provide safe space for all individuals to live out their truth and build a faith community
founded on principles of honesty, affirmation, and respect for all persons.

Beginning May 24, City of Refuge - DC will hold a monthly fellowship with weekly worship services beginning in the fall.

If you are interested in becoming a part of this vibrant and life-changing ministry, please join us for our first time of fellowship and sharing. Light refreshments will be served. Please bring a friend. Visit our website to learn more about the vision.

Don’t miss what God is doing!

As I sip my Saturday morning cup of tea, my mind wanders back to some of the events of the past week. I’m at the age where I am neither surprised nor shocked by anything that happens these days. It’s all just the world we live in.

Like Prometheus, I am not allowing myself to get worked up over this most recent Bush scandal (we get a new one every week, don’t we). That they have been collecting telephone records of some 250 million Americans on the pretense that they are looking for patterns of terrorist communications is only the latest violation of our civil liberties undertaken by this bunch. If Hitler had the technology I’m sure he would have done the same thing, petty dictators all being cut from the same cloth.

When they get to my phone records—and they will—all they’ll find will be lots of calls home to Mom. At 5’3” and 80 years old, she hardly terrorizes anyone these days.

Rummaging through my old blog entries, I realize I advocated for a solution to our problems more than two years ago, but nobody listened. The chorus has turned up the volume since, however.

As if two of them wasn’t bad enough, the Boob-in-Chief has the audacity to think his younger brother would also make a good president. God help us all! Who do they think they are, the Kennedys?

The new White House mouthpiece has stuck his foot in it already. Ward Sutton thinks it’s time they just make the whole arrangement official anyway.

Say, did you catch that David Blaine underwater death-defying act this week? Yeah, neither did I. Every time I hear his name I involuntarily grasp for my pillow and blanket. He has yet to answer the question, “Why?” More than one of us has noticed.

Can we please (oh, pretty please with sugar on top) put an end to all the idiot “shock jocks” who have turned commercial radio into an ocean of verbal diarrhea? Will anyone in the corporate-controlled, multi-station-owning media empireocracy wake up and recognize that this garbage that tries to pass for entertainment is the lowest form of life on the planet? This weeks firing and subsequent arrest (yaaaaay!) of Power 105.1 DJ “Star” here in New York came after a tasteless and racist on-air attack against the family of a rival DJ on Hot 97 (a place with its own sordid history). Memo to station owners: find a new format and target INTELLIGENT listeners.

Meanwhile, my favorite station—the best one in the New York market in my opinion—is holding its pledge drive. Log on and give. (Yes, that’s a plug.)

Finally, if you thought sprinter Justin Gatlin was fast, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Brotha done got even faster! There’s a new World Record in the men’s 100 meters and he owns it.