Shows and Shows...Does it Show?

Of course we are not surprised that the air traffic controllers are going back to work.  A few days ago I told David that as soon as the Congress and their friends were inconvenienced, they would find money.  Who didn’t know that?  Yet, the unmitigated chutzpah, of doing that and still not restoring funds for programs involving the elderly and children, is almost unbelievable.  But who didn’t know that?  Oh, and they also got rid of a law that prevents them from having to  disclose any inside trading.  Aren’t we all looking forward  to their return from their nine day vacation – to which they can travel because they brought the air traffic controllers back. 

Since we all know everything, let’s move on to something about which we can discover something new.  Maybe not. Oh, I know, let’s talk about the theater.  It’s my favorite non controversial topic.  In the last few weeks,  I saw “Lucky Guy.”  If you are or were a journalist this is an especially remarkable show. If you are not, it’s still well worth seeing not only for Tom Hanks, (who got nominated for a Drama Desk but the show didn’t) but the rest of the cast is terrific as well.  “Kinky Boots” is so much fun. The spirit and costumes reminded me of “Pricilla Queen of the Desert,” and that’s very good, especially for people looking for visitors looking for a real “Broadway” show.  “Matilda”, is beautifully stage and precise. The kids must have worked (all of them) 24/7, to achieve the perfection of what they did. It’s a show with a message and every once in a while the public needs that.  “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.”  (I couldn’t remember the name unless I  thought of my mother and her sisters whose Jewish names were Basha, Sasha, Fasha, Rasha -- or something like that).  Which was not giving this incredibly hilarious show the notoriety it deserves. I usually laugh at a comedy, but I laughed so hard that I couldn’t catch my breath.  Next week we’re seeing, “I’ll Eat You Last” for which Bette got a nomination – no surprise.

It is seldom that I agree with the Drama Desk nominations, but that’s what makes the world go around – much like the truck in “Hands on a Hard Body.”  Which eventually made me sea sick.  To tell the truth, I didn’t make it through “Hands on a Hard Body.”  It has since closed. But Keith Carradine, who I worship, did get a nomination.  Which was not a surprise to me. However,  someone likes the show, the producers, the talent, whatever, because they got any number of Drama Desk nominations.   A year ago I was involved in producing a show based on the event, not the documentary, about these hold-onto-a-truck contests.  Ours was called “Slow Dance With a Hot Pick Up.”  It was much better.  So this hopefully will be like it the situation when the there were two “Wild Party” shows;  one went to Broadway, but the other was much more popular.  We never thought our show was meant for Broadway, but we did think it would be successful as a regional production.  Who said Washington is the only place where there are serious politics?  We’re just sayin’…. Iris