The York Theatre Company's 27th Oscar Hammerstein
Award Gala honored Susan Stroman at the
Edison Ballroom. Matthew Broderick was the
host. A multitude of actors performed including Sierra
Boggess, Terrence Mann, Karen Ziemba,
among many others too numerous to name. It is always
a grand evening.
Sam Waterston presented Jane Fonda (photo
below of Sam and Jane) with the 2018 Trophee
Des Arts and CEO Sebastien Bazin with
the FIAF Polier d'Or, at the Plaza Hotel.
Among the many elegant guests, the creme de la creme
of the French society in New York, I photographed
the honorees and chatted with old friends like
Sam Waterston and Charles and Clo Cohen.
It is always a delightful affair. It was one of
three events I covered the same night.
The 48th Annual Theater Hall of Fame supper
took place at The Palm Restaurant, where the
honorees, presenters and guests enjoyed a delicious
meal. The honorees present were Rene Auberjonois,
Christine Baranski, (photo below with Andre
Bishop) David Henry Hwang and Joe
Mantello. Three honorees had passed away, and Cicely
Tyson was being honored the same night in Los
Angeles. Among the numerous guests were Frank
Langella, Nathan Lane, Carmen de Lavallade, Dana
Ivey, Lois Smith, Charlotte St. Martin,
Estelle Parsons and Andre Bishop. I am
the official photographer for the event, one of my
favorites of the season.
King Kong,
written by Jack
Thorne,
score composed and produced by Marius
de Vries,
songs by Eddie
Perfect,
directed and choreographed by Drew
McOnie, at
the Broadway Theatre, is a spectacular production.
The scenic & projection designer Peter
England and
the Kong/aerial movement director Gavin
Robins have
done a superb job to create an enormous gorilla of
the title. It will please adults and children. If a
magnificent puppet gorilla, worked by eighteen
puppeteers, can deserve a Tony nomination, this is
the one. It is, without doubt, the most and
enjoyable and impressive part of the musical. .
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The female lead, who captivates the animal, Christiani
Pitts,
sings and acts very well, and their scenes together are
the highlight of the show. The plot is weak, the songs
are not memorable, the lyrics of the songs are banal and
the choreography is unimpressive. But that gorilla will
remain in your memory forever. A side note. Fay
Wray was
the star of the film, and I had the pleasure of knowing
her and her last husband. She was charming.
Broadway Salutes took place at Sardi's, with host Danny
Burstein, and Nicolette Robinson performing a
song from Promises, Promises. Michael David offered
special thanks at the 10th annual event recognizing
theatre professionals working 25, 35, 50 plus years on
Broadway. It was wonderful to see, chat and share a
glass of wine with so many talented people that I have
known for over fifty years. It was a lovely afternoon.
MoMA is presenting Modern
Matinees: Douglas Fairbanks Jr. November 1-December 28. I
saw Gunga
Din, by George
Stevens, USA, 1937, about an Indian water carrier (Sam
Jaffe), who bravely saves a British garrison from
being destroyed by terrorists in India during the
nineteenth century, when Queen
Victoria was the Empress of India. It starred Douglas
Fairbanks Jr, Cary Grant and Victor
McLaglen. I was eight-years-old in Manchester,
England in 1940 during World War II. The film made me
proud of my British heritage.
The Columbus Library presented The
Red Shoes, by Michael
Powell & Emeric
Pressburger, U.K, 1938. It is about the head of a
ballet company (Anton
Walbrook}, a ballerina (Moira
Shearer) and a composer (Marius
Goring), who created the ballet of the title. The
entire cast is outstanding, and is probably the finest
ballet film ever made. I saw the film as a student at
Indiana University in 1949, and fell in love with
ballet. I have danced with Makarova (not
ballet), chatted with Nureyev,
met Shearer,
drank with Balanchine,
photographed Martha
Graham, and taken classes with Tommy
Gomez (a dancer on Broadway in The
King and I). The dance world has enriched my life,
and given me many pleasant memories, joy and happiness.
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