I Have Found: May 2009

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius...

5.27.2009 by Kerrie

A little over a week ago, I attended a rally in Midtown for marriage equality. It was inspiring and motivating, and sad and powerful. I wrote the following e-mail the my district senator the next day:

Senator Krueger,

I know you've probably been flooded with e-mails and phone calls concerning this issue. If not, I hope to be the first. Or, at least the first e-mail that is PRO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.

Yesterday, May 17th, a rally was held on 6th avenue for Marriage Equality. Thousands of people flooded the streets in support. Speakers included our Governor Paterson, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, stars such as Cynthia Nixon and David Hyde Pierce, and the "every day" people - individuals in long-term, committed, loving, same sex relationships.

They all had one things to say: it is TIME for Marriage Equality in New York. Marriage should not be a privilege, it should not be something that has to be earned. It is a RIGHT that is due to all citizens.

I've read past articles and statements from you saying you are pro-marriage equality. And for that, I am so grateful. I just want to convince you that now is the time. If not now, then when?

I am not gay. I am a straight female living in New York city who is appalled time and time again by the discrimination my friends and family have seen. I know there are some people who will never be for same-sex marriage. And for some of those people, there is nothing we can do, as hard as we may try. I can also only hope that you will persuade others to make the right vote. We're not asking for much. We're only asking for what is due, finally. We've stayed quiet long enough.

I'm not asking for you to respond to this e-mail, though you are obviously welcome to.

Thank you for taking out the time to read this. Thank you for listening, understanding, and thank you for your support.

Maybe we'll see you in celebration come June.

All the best,

Kerrie Bond

I recieved this reply:

May 20, 2009

Dear Ms. Bond,

Thank you for writing to express your support for marriage equality in New York. I wholeheartedly agree with you, and have been and continue to be an avid supporter of efforts to legalize marriage between couples of the same sex. I have co-sponsored same-sex marriage legislation each year there has been a bill introduced in the Senate.

I will continue to push for passage of this important legislation, and look forward to working with Governor Paterson to build support for the same sex marriage legislation he recently introduced. Particularly in the wake of both Vermont and Iowa's passage of such legislation, I believe the state’s recognition of same-sex marriage will be the only way to create true legal, social, and fiscal equity for the LGBT community. The State of New York should be ensuring equal protections for all New York couples—regardless of the sex of the two partners.

Thank you for writing, and please feel free to contact me at any time in the future regarding this or any other issue.

Sincerely,

Liz Krueger

State Senator

This is encouraging, absolutely. But this is the city. This is not where our struggle is. I know many of my friends and people reading my blog are from Long Island, or boroughs outside of Manhattan. Please, I beg you, CALL OR EMAIL YOUR SENATOR. You can go to www.broadwayimpact.com to find out who it is. These are the people we need to convice - ESPECIALLY in Astoria and much of Queens. We have 24 days until the NY Senate votes on the gay marriage bill that was passed in the NY Assembly. Let us hold up equality when CA cannot.

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Let the sunshine in.

5.22.2009 by Kerrie

As posted on March 3rd:

"My goals for the coming year are as follows:

- Graduate
- Nail my senior showcase
- Find a great place to move
- Sell half of me and Mike's stuff
- Save money (which will hopefully come from graduation presents) to buy stuff for new apartment
- Go to London
- Get a job, between $10 - $12 an hour
- Find a voice teacher and acting classes I can afford after getting on my feet and saving money.
- Audition my ass off
- Be happy"

So, I need to make some new goals for the whole year, because half of these are completed.

- Graduate: Completed as of 2 days ago.

- Nail my senior showcase: Not that I'm ever one to compliment my own performance, but I could not possibly be happier with how it went. Everything involved was perfect, even if I tripped over and almost fell off of the box. ;-)

- Find a great place to move: Done and done. So excited.

- Sell half of me and Mike's stuff: Safe to say that almost half is being donated, a bunch was thrown away, and the rest will hopefully be sold tomorrow. So - almost.

- Save money to buy stuff for the apartment: Did the IKEA thing already, so that was taken care of in advance. In terms of money, I just deposited $3,115 in my account from graduation and getting paid.

- Go to London: Will be completed June 15-22.

- Get a job, between $10-$12 an hour: DONE! Working as an assistant at a real estate company for $12 an hour. Super flexible, part time, totally laid back. I love it.

- Find a voice teacher and acting classes I can afford after getting on my feet and saving money: Obviously not yet... I graduated 3 days ago. ;-) Though Beth wants her graduated students to go back to her every 6 months for a tune-up at a discounted rate. So there's that!

- Audition my ass off: I repeat, I graduated 3 days ago!

- Be happy: Definitely there.

I'm going a little crazy currently trying to get everything organized to make the final move. Having the moving sale tomorrow - need to hang the flyers and put 'FORE SALE' things on stuff being sold and clean the living room and my room and price things and set up a time for Salvation Army to pick up our donation boxes start packing and get paint to paint the walls and fix holes and cabinets and clean the bathroom and figure out what to do with stuff that doesn't sell and pack and pack and clean and pack and barely have time to breathe. Had to have Mike call the carpet cleaning places because I just didn't have enough time... though I have literally been doing everything else to prepare for the move... which can explain why I'm going so nuts. So having him do one thing is really fine.

Graduation was great and surreal. Saw Hair with my mom and Mike and was totally blown away. It's so fantastic. And I MUST play Sheila someday. (Not to mention that Cassie Levy has the career I want - Sheila, Penny, and Elphaba. Screw her!)

I'm going to go crash until the THINK POUND show tonight! 11pm at The People's Improv Theater! $10! Funny times!

And then I'll start running around again.

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Picture of the Week

5.18.2009 by Kerrie

My favorite sign at the Action = Marriage Equality rally in NYC yesterday, 5/17/09.

Go to www.BroadwayImpact.com to find our who YOUR senator is and CALL OR EMAIL him for Marriage Equality! Only 33 days left until the senate meets to vote on the bill for New York! Let us be the 6th!

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Let's start at the very beginning...

5.05.2009 by Kerrie

This, my friends, is effing CRAZY. This is the first picture ever taken of Mike and I as a couple... this is no more than 4 days after we first started dating. For some reason it's just totally blowing my mind.

So that was me 2 years ago. I was 19. My hair was still brown. And I can tell you right now that I was fantastically nervous in this picture just sitting next to a new boy who might actually like me.

Mike looks silly. :)

I'm like ecstatically happy that this picture was posted on facebook. It captures so much.

It's a great picture for an engagement party slideshow or invitation. (She plans things that probably will not be happening very soon at all...)

Yay memories.

*K

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Tony Awards Widget

by Kerrie

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Tony, Tony, Tony...

by Kerrie

I am up at 9am, have been up since 8:30am, for one reason and one reason only...

TONY AWARD NOMINATIONS!!!

It's an exciting day... some really interesting nominations, including the complete shut-out of 9 to 5 for Best Musical. They really went out of their way to let 9 to 5 know they did not like them... giving Rock of Ages a Best Musical nod and Leading Actor (Constantine Maroulis) - among other things. Rock of Ages even leads 9 to 5 with their number of nominations - 5 to 4. Jeez.

I'm thrilled about Billy Elliot's 15 nominations. That's tying with the record. Including Greg Jbara for Feautured Actor in a Musical. I admittedly burst into tears at the announcement. I could not be happier for him, and I think it's so deserved - not only through this performance, but just through his whole career. There could not be a nicer, more talented man. I really have no idea if he'll win - he's up against another actor in BE - David Bologna, and also Christopher Seiber for Shrek, Will Swenson for Hair, and Mark Kudisch for 9 to 5. So we'll see...

Raul Esparza is nominated for Leading Actor in a Play. Anyone who knows me knows exactly how I feel about him, and the extreme intensity of my feelings. ;-) When he didn't win the Tony for Company in 2007, it was beyond devestating. And get this - Raul has now been nominated for a Tony in every male acting category. Featured Actor in a Musical for Taboo, Leading Actor in a Musical for Company, Featured Actor in a Play for The Homecoming, and now Leading Actor in a Play for Speed-The-Plow. I would normally get on my soap box and preach about how it is finally his year! But ever since his loss in 2007, I wouldn't dare. Anything can happen. I haven't seen any of the other nominees in his category (Jeff Daniels, James Gandolfini, Geoffrey Rush, and Thomas Sadoski), so I really can't say. I can only hope like hell.

Those are my 2 strongest convictions this year, I think. I'm overwealmed by the 11 nominations for Next to Normal, and it's all just very poetic for me. I think Alice Ripley has a lock on the win - and I'm so happy for J. Robert Spencer and Jennifer Damiano's nominations.

Posting the full list now. Will probably have more thoughts as time progresses.... I want to figure out how to be a seat filler so I can finally see all of this unfold live. ;-)

_________________________________________________________

Best Play
Dividing the Estate
Author: Horton Foote
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, Bernard Gersten, Andre Bishop, Primary Stages

God of Carnage
Author: Yasmina Reza
Producers: Robert Fox, David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers, Stuart Thompson, Scott Rudin, Jon B. Platt, The Weinstein Company, The Shubert Organization

Reasons to Be Pretty
Author: Neil LaBute
Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, MCC Theater, Gary Goddard Entertainment, Ted Snowdon, Doug Nevin/Erica Lynn Schwartz, Ronald Frankel/Bat-Barry Productions, Kathleen Seidel, Kelpie Arts, LLC, Jam Theatricals, Rachel Helson/Heather Provost

33 Variations
Author: Moises Kaufman
Producers: David Binder, Ruth Hendel, Goldberg/Mills, Latitude Link, Arielle Tepper Madover, Bill Resnick, Eric Schnall, Jayne Baron Sherman, Wills/True Love Productions, Tectonic Theater Project, Greg Reiner, Dominick Balletta, Jeffrey LaHoste

Best Musical

Billy Elliot, The Musical
Producers: Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions, Weinstein Live Entertainment
Next to Normal
Producers: David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, Second Stage Theatre, Carole Rothman, Ellen Richard
Rock of Ages
Producers: Matthew Weaver, Carl Levin, Jeff Davis, Barry Habib, Scott Prisand, Relativity Media, Corner Store Fund, Janet Billig Rich, Hillary Weaver, Toni Habib, Paula Davis, Simon and Stefany Bergson/Jennifer Maloney, Charles Rolecek, Susanne Brook, Israel Wolfson, Sara Katz/Jayson Raitt, Max Gottlieb/John Butler, David Kaufman/Jay Franks, Mike Wittlin, Prospect Pictures, Laura Smith/Bill Bodnar, Happy Walters, Michele Caro, The Araca Group
Shrek The Musical
Producers: Dreamworks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions

Best Book of a Musical

Billy Elliot, The Musical
Lee Hall
Next to Normal
Brian Yorkey
Shrek The Musical
David Lindsay-Abaire
[Title of Show]
Hunter Bell

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Billy Elliot, The Musical
Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Lee Hall

Next to Normal
Music: Tom Kitt
Lyrics: Brian Yorkey

9 to 5: The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Dolly Parton

Shrek The Musical
Music: Jeanine Tesori
Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire

Best Revival of a Play

Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, Andre Bishop, Bernard Gersten

Mary Stuart
New Version: Peter Oswald
Producers: Arielle Tepper Madover, Debra Black, Neal Street Productions/Matthew Byam Shaw, Scott Delman, Barbara Whitman, Jean Doumanian/Ruth Hendel, David Binder/CarlWend Productions/Spring Sirkin, Daryl Roth/James L. Nederlander/Chase Mishkin, The Donmar Warehouse

The Norman Conquests
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Dede Harris, Tulchin/Bartner/Lauren Doll, Jamie deRoy, Eric Falkenstein, Harriet Newman Leve, Probo Productions, Douglas G. Smith, Michael Filerman/Jennifer Manocherian, Richard Winkler, Dan Frishwasser, Pam Laudenslager/Remmel T. Dickinson, Jane Dubin/True Love Productions, Barbara Manocherian/Jennifer Isaacson, The Old Vic Theatre Company

Waiting for Godot
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Elizabeth Ireland McCann

Best Revival of a Musical

Guys and Dolls
Producers: Howard Panter and Ambassador Theatre Group, Tulchin/Bartner, Bill Kenwright, Northwater Entertainment, Darren Bagert, Tom Gregory, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., David Mirvish, Michael Jenkins/Dallas Summer Musicals, Independent Presenters Network, Olympus Theatricals, Sonia Friedman Productions

Hair
Producers: The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Andrew D. Hamingson, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Gary Goddard Entertainment, Kathleen K. Johnson, Nederlander Productions, Inc., Fran Kirmser Productions/Jed Bernstein, Marc Frankel, Broadway Across America, Barbara Manocherian/Wencarlar Productions, JK Productions/Terry Schnuck, Andy Sandberg, Jam Theatricals, The Weinstein Company/Norton Herrick, Jujamcyn Theaters, Joey Parnes, Elizabeth Ireland McCann

Pal Joey
Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Harold Wolpert, Julia C. Levy, Marc Platt

West Side Story
Producers: Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller, Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman/Jill Furman Willis, Freddy DeMann, Robyn Goodman/Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller, The Weinstein Company, Broadway Across America

Best Special Theatrical Event

Liza's at The Palace
Producers: John Scher and Metropolitan Talent Presents, LLC; Jubilee Time Productions, LLC

Slava's Snowshow
Producers: David J. Foster, Jared Geller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Judith Marinoff Cohn, John Pinckard

Soul of Shaolin
Producers: Nederlander Worldwide Productions, LLC; Eastern Shanghai International Culture Film & Television Group; China on Broadway

You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush
Producer: Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Steve Traxler, Home Box Office Inc., Gary Sanchez Productions, Bat-Barry Productions, Ken Davenport, Ergo Entertainment, Ronald Frankel, Jon B. Platt, James D. Stern, The Weinstein Company, Tara Smith/b. Swibel, Dede Harris/Sharon Karmazin, Arny Granat

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

Jeff Daniels, God of Carnage
Raúl Esparza, Speed-the-Plow
James Gandolfini, God of Carnage
Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King
Thomas Sadoski, Reasons to Be Pretty

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

Hope Davis, God of Carnage
Jane Fonda, 33 Variations
Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage
Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart
Harriet Walter, Mary Stuart

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish ‚ Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gavin Creel, Hair
Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical
Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages
J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical

Stockard Channing, Pal Joey
Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical
Allison Janney, 9 to 5: The Musical
Alice Ripley, Next to Normal
Josefina Scaglione, West Side Story

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

John Glover, Waiting for Godot
Zach Grenier, 33 Variations
Stephen Mangan, The Norman Conquests
Paul Ritter, The Norman Conquests
Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Hallie Foote, Dividing the Estate
Jessica Hynes, The Norman Conquests
Marin Ireland, Reasons to Be Pretty
Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit
Amanda Root, The Norman Conquests

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical

David Bologna, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Marc Kudisch, 9 to 5: The Musical
Christopher Sieber, Shrek The Musical
Will Swenson, Hair

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical

Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal
Haydn Gwynne, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Karen Olivo, West Side Story
Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey
Carole Shelley, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests
Derek McLane, 33 Variations
Michael Yeargan, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls
Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Scott Pask, Pal Joey
Mark Wendland, Next to Normal

Best Costume Design of a Play

Dale Ferguson, Exit the King
Jane Greenwood, Waiting for Godot
Martin Pakledinaz, Blithe Spirit
Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages
Nicky Gillibrand, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical
Michael McDonald, Hair

Best Lighting Design of a Play

David Hersey, Equus
David Lander, 33 Variations
Brian MacDevitt, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Hugh Vanstone, Mary Stuart

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, Hair
Kevin Adams, Next to Normal
Howell Binkley, West Side Story
Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play

Paul Arditti, Mary Stuart
Gregory Clarke, Equus
Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King
Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Sound Design of a Musical

Acme Sound Partners, Hair
Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Peter Hylenski, Rock of Ages
Brian Ronan, Next to Normal

Best Direction of a Play

Phyllida Lloyd, Mary Stuart
Bartlett Sher, Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage
Matthew Warchus, The Norman Conquests

Best Direction of a Musical

Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Greif, Next to Normal
Kristin Hanggi, Rock of Ages
Diane Paulus, Hair

Best Choreography

Karole Armitage, Hair
Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 to 5: The Musical
Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Randy Skinner, Irving Berlin's White Christmas

Best Orchestrations

Larry Blank, Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Martin Koch, Billy Elliot, The Musical
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal
Danny Troob and John Clancy, Shrek The Musical

* * *

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Jerry Herman

Regional Theatre Tony Award
Signature Theatre, Arlington, Va.

Isabelle Stevenson Award
Phyllis Newman

Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre
Shirley Herz

* * *

Tony Nominations by Production

Billy Elliot, The Musical - 15
Next to Normal - 11
Hair - 8
Shrek The Musical - 8
Mary Stuart - 7
The Norman Conquests - 7
God of Carnage - 6
Joe Turner's Come and Gone - 6
Rock of Ages - 5
33 Variations - 5
Exit the King - 4
9 to 5: The Musical - 4
Pal Joey - 4
West Side Story - 4
Reasons to Be Pretty - 3
Waiting for Godot - 3
Blithe Spirit - 2
Dividing the Estate - 2
Equus - 2
Guys and Dolls - 2
Irving Berlin's White Christmas - 2
Liza's at The Palace - 1
Slava's Snowshow - 1
Soul of Shaolin - 1
Speed-the-Plow - 1
[Title of Show] - 1
You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush - 1

___________________________________

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