The Scene for June 5, 2009

It's June, and time for the Tony Awards! Of course, the scumbag soul-less producers have stripped out some of the most critical awards so you can see musical numbers not from the current Nominees - those are already in - but so you can see dance routines from touring productions of shows, thus knocking the Tony from a prestigious award ceremony to glorified commercial.

As the New York Post puts it:

Why call attention to the work of minor writers such as August Wilson ("Joe Turner's Come and Gone"), Alan Ayckbourn ("The Norman Conquests"), Lee Hall ("Billy Elliot") and Samuel Beckett ("Waiting for Godot")?

Far better to showcase the work of a major artist like Elle Woods.

Kevin Spacey has the right idea: get the show out of the grubby hands of CBS:

"The Tonys should be produced by theater people. Mike Nichols should be the director. The show should be on PBS and everyone should get their award, and then we don't have to give a f - - k about ratings."

After all, PBS gives is Great Performances. What has CBS done for us? They almost gave South Florida CSI:Miami, but took it to LA, because there isn't enough TV being badly produced there.

No, I won't be watching the Tony Awards on CBS.

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opening:

Bent, Rising Action Theatre Company, june 5 through July 19.

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still playing:

At Home At The Zoo makes its home at Palm Beach Drama Works through June 14th. This is Edward Albee's expansion of his classic one-act play, Zoo Story.

Yankee Tavern plays through June 21 at Florida Stage.

El Inconveniente plays at Little Havana's Teatro Ocho through June 21.

In A Dark, Dark House, plays at Mosaic Theatre through June 21, 2009

Signature Shorts, presented by City Theatre at the Arsht Center through June 21. These are the plays that made Summer Shorts famous.

Under Shorts, presented by City Theatre at the Arsht Center through June 21. Shorts for those with a more...mature...inclination.

Strange Snow at the Alliance Theatre Lab.

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passing through:

CELIA: The Life & Music of Celia Cruz, at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, through June 21.

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last chance to see:

Havana Bourgeois plays at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater through June 7th, 2009.

The Odd Couple is at Broward Stage Door. Through June 7th.

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for kids:

Shorts4Kids, presented by City Theatre at the Arsht Center through June 21.