Marin Mazzie Power Hour and Susan Stroman

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 1:33am

Sunday evening I attended the Marin Mazzie Sunflower Power Hour at 54 Below. This was a benefit hosted by husband Jason Danieley fro the Cancer Support Community. I had a perfectly legit reason for being there -- my sweet sister and only sibling had died from ovarian cancer thirty years ago at the age of 41, leaving behind  a twelve year old, an eight year old and a husband. But I confess that I also liked the prospect of meeting some Broadway royalty, on even terms. 

It was a worthy event featuring talent more of their age, which is also my age, Donna Murphy, Karen Ziemba and Deborah Monk. Some men as well. Not wanting to look too foolish, I didn't roam around the audience looking for stars. But I think that there were less there than I would have expected. Bartlett Sher and his wife had entered while the 2nd class citizens were waiting in the stairwell.

But it was all good in the end. I met and chatted with some interesting people. A vocal instructor. An audition coordinator. The items on the menu that you had never heard of before and that seemed ominous in the end tested fine.

When I was ready to leave I still had enough alcohol in me that when I saw Susan Stroman standing alone by the coat check I went right over to her. I complimented for her long history  of success and fearlessness in trying something new, referring primarily to The Merry Widow. I still have the scene with Kelli O'Hara and the Grizettes on my iPhone. Then I brought up the topic that people must be sick of by now, Crazy for You. I asked her about Broadway and she said that the show was not dead and that they needed a theater. I commented that Tony Yazbeck now had another show lined up and she admitted that this was not something ideal for Crazy for You but that she was pleased that he had gotten the role. Losing Tony does not kill Crazy for You, so who else could play the role of Bobby?

[morosco]

Posted: 9/23/19 at 1:16pm

Andy Karl (?)