An Evening of Delight

I have just spent the evening watching the "Tony Awards," and discovered that I knew two or three of the people who died this year, but then, at my age that is to be assumed. I spent the evening laughing and crying, as I usually do when watching the superb cast of Broadway actors and actresses, some so familiar, others quite new to me. Almost made me miss living in NYC, and being able to attend the theatre... although I don't know that I could afford it now. When I lived there I had friends in most of the shows and had comps a great deal... then I could afford it.

I am so fond of the Tony's, as I spent several years as a kid working with the Pittsburgh Playhouse ... primarily backstage, but our director, Mr. Burleigh, forced me on stage a few times, where I almost died of stage fright every night. Regrettably, my family would not let me go to the U of Washington at Seattle to theatre school, in spite of Mr. Burleigh's approbation that I study to become a director, as I worked as his stage manager when still in high school. But no, I was to become the family artist, said my parents, always before so proud of the way they allowed us to make our own decisions. Well, I seem to have passed the artist gene on to my middle grandchild, while turning to my mother's hobby of writing as my final career.

The big thing that made me elated tonight: The win of the revival of the musical that I recall made me... and a good deal of the country... feel that maybe, just maybe, things were looking up for a tired old US. I think that for a few of us that feeling is back, and "Hair" is the perfect revival for us. Being a sort of older hippy myself at the time of "Hair"... and having spent the 'summer of love' in San Francisco, I remember the feeling of so many people that this was the dawning of the Age of Aquarias... and that change was coming... that things would 'get better'... I think that the final days of the bush administration had people holding their breath in the same way, waiting for the bush gang to leave, and praying that we would have change and a better life as we all chanted "Yes We Can"... But it is going to take time to rebuild a country that those guys had eight years of work at ruining... and Amuricuns want instant and perfect change. It will come... and in the meantime, at least they can go and see "Hair" and relive all that joyus nonsense.

Ah well..... as the songs all say so well: I am what I am.... before the parade passes by...... kiss the day goodbye and point me toward tomorrow....... let the sun shine..... let the sun shine in...... the su-un shine in. C|:-)