LGBTQ news and entertainment
In case you missed it last night, here is Billy Porter’s acceptance speech after winning the Tony Award for “Best Actor in a Musical” for his role of “Lola” in the 6 time Tony Award winning Broadway hit, Kinky Boots.
I’m beyond thrilled for Billy. Well deserved.
Just a few of my favorite moments from last night’s 2013 Tony Awards hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. Complete list of winners at the end of this post, but first, some fab performances.
The show started out great with this terrific (and BIG) opening number with NPH:
Winner of 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical (Billy Porter), Best Score (Cyndi Lauper), Best Choreography (Jerry Mitchell) – Kinky Boots:
The cast of “Best Revival” Tony Award winner, Pippin:
Funny original material “Television Sucks” with NPH, Andrew Rannells, Megan Hilty, and Laura Benanti.
And the Tony Awards went to:
Musical – Kinky Boots
Musical Revival – Pippin
Actress (Musical) – Patina Miller
Actress (Play) – Cicely Tyson
Actor (Play) – Tracy Letts
Actor (Musical) – Billy Porter
Lighting Design (Play) – Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer
Play Revival – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Lighting Design (Musical) – Hugh Vanstone
Play – Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Featured Actress (Musical) – Andrea Martin
Scenic Design (Play) – John Lee Beatty
Scenic Design (Musical) – Rob Howell
Score – Cyndi Lauper
Choreography – Jerry Mitchell
Direction (Play) – Pam MacKinnon
Direction (Musical) – Diane Paulus
Book of a Musical – Dennis Kelly
Featured Actor (Musical) – Gabriel Ebert
Sound Design (Play) – Leon Rothenberg
Featured Actress (Play) – Judith Light
Sound Design (Musical) – John Shivers
Featured Actor (Play) – Courtney B. Vance
Costume Design (Play) – Ann Roth
Costume Design (Musical) – William Ivey Long
Orchestrations – Stephen Oremus
EXCELLENT video from Broadway’s Kinky Boots featuring the fab Billy Porter in his Tony Award-nominated role as “Lola.”
This video gives you performance and “behind-the-scenes” recording studio footage, and a whole lot of excitement!
Original Broadway Cast Recording of Kinky Boots – produced by Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Oremus, William Wittman and Sammy James, Jr.
Music & Lyrics by Grammy Award-winning rock Icon Cyndi Lauper.
Download on iTunes
Download on Amazon.
If on an iOS device, click here to view the video.
The New York Times invited Tony nominees to perform scenes on location in New York.
Billy Porter and Stark Sands sing “Not My Father’s Son” from Kinky Boots in a new series from the New York Times in which Tony nominees perform scenes on location in NYC.
The song, “Not My Father’s Son,” is performed in the musical in a shoe factory.
Cyndi Lauper wrote the music and lyrics to the musical earning her a Tony nomination. Billy Porter is Tony-nominated for “Best Actor in a Musical” having already won this year’s Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards in the same category.
(shot at the shoemaker T.O. Dey)
Fun! Everybody say “Yeah!” And get down to see KINKY BOOTS on the Broad-Way!
So many folks in this video: Mika Brzezinski, Katie Couric, the cast of Kinky Boots, Kathie Lee Gifford, Whoopi Goldberg, Samantha Hill, Hoda Kotb, Rosie O’Donnell, Kelly Ripa and many many more.
The video commemorates the 30th anniversary of Lauper’s chart topping hit.
Congrats to Cyndi Lauper for her long, long, fab career AND her big fat Broadway hit, KINKY BOOTS!
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| Kathie Lee and Hoda from The Today Show |
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| Kelly Ripa |
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| Mika Brzezinski |
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| Whoopi Goldberg |
Billy Porter, currently starring on Broadway in the new hit musical KINKY BOOTS, welcomed Playbill into his dressing room to document the transformation from “Billy” to “Lola.”
Billy arrives at the theater two hours before a performance to begin the process which includes, makeup, hair, costumes and a whole lot of talent.
Billy has won this season’s Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Next stop? The Tony Awards!
Everybody say “Yeah!”
Great night for theater in the Big Apple tonight. The 2013 Drama Desk Awards were presented and can I say – excellence all around!
Personal happiness here for the fab Billy Porter, who won tonight for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (KINKY BOOTS).
AND the brilliant Cicely Tyson in her return to Broadway in 30 years for Outstanding Actress in a Play (THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL); Judith Light for Featured Actress in a Play (THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES); AND congrats to Chet Walker & Gypsy Snider for their inspired choreography for the revival of PIPPIN.
Here’s a complete list of nominees and winners (indicated by the **):
Outstanding Play
Annie Baker, The Flick
Christopher Durang, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike **
Joe Gilford, Finks
Richard Greenberg, The Assembled Parties
Amy Herzog, Belleville
Deanna Jent, Falling
Richard Nelson, Sorry
Outstanding Musical
A Christmas Story: The Musical
Giant
Hands on a Hardbody
Here Lies Love
Matilda **
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
The Other Josh Cohen
Outstanding Revival of a Play
Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? **
Golden Boy
Good Person of Szechwan
The Piano Lesson
The Trip to Bountiful
Uncle Vanya
Outstanding Revival of a Musical or Revue
Passion
Pippin **
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
The Golden Land
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Working: A Musical
Outstanding Actor in a Play
Reed Birney, Uncle Vanya
Daniel Everidge, Falling
Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy
Shuler Hensley, The Whale
Nathan Lane, The Nance
Tracy Letts, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? **
Outstanding Actress in a Play
Maria Dizzia, Belleville
Amy Morton, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Julia Murney, Falling
Vanessa Redgrave, The Revisionist
Miriam Silverman, Finks
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful **
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Eric Anderson, Soul Doctor
Brian d’Arcy James, Giant
Jim Norton, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Billy Porter, Kinky Boots **
Steve Rosen, The Other Josh Cohen
Ryan Silverman, Passion
Anthony Warlow, Annie
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, Giant
Stephanie J. Block, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Carolee Carmello, Scandalous
Lindsay Mendez, Dogfight
Donna Murphy, Into the Woods
Laura Osnes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella **
Jenny Powers, Donnybrook!
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Chuck Cooper, The Piano Lesson
Peter Friedman, The Great God Pan
Richard Kind, The Big Knife **
Aaron Clifton Moten, The Flick
Brian F. O’Byrne, If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet
Tony Shalhoub, Golden Boy
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Tasha Lawrence, The Whale
Judith Light, The Assembled Parties **
Kellie Overbey, Sleeping Rough
Maryann Plunkett, Sorry
Condola Rashad, The Trip to Bountiful
Laila Robins, Sorry
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Stephen Bogardus, Passion
John Bolton, A Christmas Story: The Musical
Keith Carradine, Hands on a Hardbody
Bertie Carvel, Matilda **
John Dossett, Giant
Andy Karl, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, Kinky Boots
Melissa Errico, Passion
Andrea Martin, Pippin **
Jessie Mueller, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Christiane Noll, Chaplin: The Musical
Keala Settle, Hands on a Hardbody
Kate Wetherhead, The Other Josh Cohen
Outstanding Director of a Play
Lear deBessonet, Good Person of Szechwan
Sam Gold, Uncle Vanya
Ed Sylvanus Iskandar, Restoration Comedy
Pam MacKinnon, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? **
Lynne Meadow, The Assembled Parties
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, The Piano Lesson
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Andy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
John Doyle, Passion
Diane Paulus, Pippin **
Emma Rice, The Wild Bride
Alex Timbers, Here Lies Love
Matthew Warchus, Matilda
Outstanding Choreography
Andy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical
Warren Carlyle, A Christmas Story: The Musical
Peter Darling, Matilda
Josh Rhodes, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Sergio Trujillo, Hands on a Hardbody
Chet Walker and Gypsy Snider, Pippin **
Outstanding Music
Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green, Hands on a Hardbody
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, Here Lies Love **
Michael John LaChiusa, Giant
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, A Christmas Story: The Musical
David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, The Other Josh Cohen
Outstanding Lyrics
Amanda Green, Hands on a Hardbody
Amanda Green and Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bring It On: The Musical
Michael John LaChiusa, Giant
Dave Malloy, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Tim Minchin, Matilda **
David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, The Other Josh Cohen
Outstanding Book of a Musical
Dennis Kelly, Matilda **
Sybille Pearson, Giant
Joseph Robinette, A Christmas Story: The Musical
David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, The Other Josh Cohen
Jeff Whitty, Bring It On: The Musical
Doug Wright, Hands on a Hardbody
Outstanding Orchestrations
Trey Anastasio and Don Hart, Hands on a Hardbody
Larry Blank, A Christmas Story: The Musical
Bruce Coughlin, Giant
Larry Hochman, Chaplin: The Musical
Steve Margoshes, Soul Doctor
Danny Troob, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella **
Outstanding Music in a Play
Cesar Alvarez with The Lisps, Good Person of Szechwan
Jiri Kaderabek, Mahir Cetiz, and Ana Milosavljevic, Act Before You Speak: The Tragical
History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Glen Kelly, The Nance **
Eugene Ma, The Man Who Laughs
Steve Martin, As You Like It
Jane Wang, Strange Tales of Liaozhai
Outstanding Revue
Forbidden Broadway: Alive & Kicking!
Old Hats **
Old Jews Telling Jokes
Outstanding Set Design
Rob Howell, Matilda **
Mimi Lien, The Whale
Santo Loquasto, The Assembled Parties
Anna Louizos, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Michael Yeargan, Golden Boy
David Zinn, The Flick
Outstanding Costume Design
Amy Clark and Martin Pakledinaz, Chaplin: The Musical
Dominique Lemieux, Pippin
William Ivey Long, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella **
Chris March, Chris March’s The Butt-Cracker Suite! A Trailer Park Ballet
Loren Shaw, Restoration Comedy
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
Outstanding Lighting Design
Ken Billington, Chaplin: The Musical
Jane Cox, Passion
Kenneth Posner, Pippin
Justin Townsend, Here Lies Love Daniel Winters, The Man Who Laughs **
Scott Zielinski, A Civil War Christmas
Outstanding Projection Design
Jon Driscoll, Chaplin: The Musical
Wendall K. Harrington, Old Hats
Peter Nigrini, Here Lies Love **
Darrel Maloney, Checkers
Pedro Pires, Cirque du Soleil: Totem
Aaron Rhyne, Wild With Happy
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical (3-WAY TIE)
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Hands on a Hardbody **
Scott Lehrer and Drew Levy, Chaplin: The Musical **
Tony Meola, The Mystery of Edwin Drood **
Brian Ronan, Bring It On: The Musical
Brian Ronan, Giant
Dan Moses Schreier, Passion
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Ien DeNio, The Pilo Family Circus
Steve Fontaine, Last Man Club
Christian Frederickson, Through the Yellow Hour
Lindsay Jones, Wild With Happy
Mel Mercier, The Testament of Mary **
Fergus O’Hare, Macbeth
Outstanding Solo Performance
Joel de la Fuente, Hold These Truths
Kathryn Hunter, Kafka’s Monkey
Bette Midler, I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers
Julian Sands, A Celebration of Harold Pinter
Holland Taylor, Ann
Michael Urie, Buyer & Cellar **
Unique Theatrical Experience
Bello Mania
Chris March’s The Butt-Cracker Suite! A Trailer Park Ballet
Cirque du Soleil: Totem **
That Play: A Solo Macbeth
The Fazzino Ride
The Man Who Laughs
Read more about SPECIAL COVERAGE: All the 2013 Drama Desk Award Winners – MATILDA, VANYA AND SONIA, PIPPIN, VIRGINIA WOOLF and More! by broadwayworld.com
Kinky Boots opened on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4, 2013 to RAVE reviews, and now the Original Broadway Cast Recording is coming!
In case you’ve missed a beat – USA Today called the show “a sizzling, high-spirited new musical that’s bound to put cheer in your heart!” KINKY BOOTS has also been chosen as the critic’s pick by The New York Times, New York magazine and Time Out New York, as well as Entertainment Weekly’s “Must List.”
In Kinky Boots, Charlie Price (Tony® Award nominee Stark Sands) has suddenly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola (Billy Porter). A fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible… and discovers that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.
Inspired by a true story and based on the Miramax motion picture, Kinky Boots features a book by four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage, Torch Song Trilogy, Newsies) and a musical score from Grammy® Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper. The production is directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, La Cage, Broadway Bares), with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus (Book of Mormon, Wicked).
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| bad iPhone pic of me with the fab Billy Porter backstage at KINKY BOOTS on Broadway |
I was recently in NYC and had the chance to see what the much-deserved ballyhoo is all about. And all of it is true. Tony® Award nominees Stark Sands and Billy Porter lead a cast of thirty-two that left me breathless and exhilarated. It’s truly “must-see” theatre.
On a personal note, I’ve known Billy Porter (nominated for every award he can be this season) for 20 years, and it’s oh-so-very gratifying to watch his work be oh-so-celebrated at this point of his already fab career.
You can purchase the CD or download at Amazon.
You can download on iTunes by clicking here.
KINKY BOOTS won for Best New Musical, New Score (Cyndi Lauper) and Actor in a Musical (the fab Billy Porter). Yay!
PIPPIN – which I recently saw and loved – also did very well winning Lead Actress (Patina Miller), Featured Actress (Andrea Martin) and Featured Actor in Musical (Terrence Mann), Best Choreography (Chet Walker) Best Revival, Best Lighting Design and Best Direction (Diane Paulus).
Here is a complete list of nominees and winners (bold) of the 2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards
Outstanding New Broadway Play:
Outstanding New Broadway Musical:
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play:
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical:
Outstanding Book of Musical:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Outstanding New Score:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Outstanding Revival of a Play:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Outstanding Revival of a Musical:
(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Outstanding Director of a Play:
Outstanding Director of a Musical:
Outstanding Choreography:
Outstanding Set Design: (Play or Musical)
Outstanding Costume Design: (Play or Musical)
Outstanding Lighting Design:
(Play or Musical)
Outstanding Actor in a Play:
Outstanding Actress in a Play:
Outstanding Actor in a Musical:
Outstanding Actress in a Musical:
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:
Outstanding Solo Performance:
John Gassner Award:
(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
KINKY BOOTS wins Broadway.com’s Audience Choice Award for Favorite New Musical.
And guess who won “Favorite Actor in a Musical?” The fabulous Mr. Billy Porter for KINKY BOOTS!