And the Tony Goes to......

Sunday night's Tony Awards will surely be an all Hamilton celebration.  How great to see a show with substance and significance racking up record ticket sales.  The show's creator and star has announced that he will be moving on soon, resulting in astronomical ticket prices for his final performances.  I won't pretend to understand the economics of B'way; what I do know is that B'way stars are generous artists, giving time and sharing talent freely with many deserving groups.  They work hard to keep the dream of a thriving, artistic community alive.  Beyond the individual contributions to schools and social programs, Broadway as a whole supports outreach and education programs, among them being Broadway Cares, EQUITY Fights AIDS.  There is richness and hmainity to the theatre experience that spreads far beyond the borders on NYC. 

The latest example of the crossover  influence of the performing arts is the rebirth of interest in Ron Chernow's book.  I lifted the comments below from my daily communication from my trade association.

"Lately I cannot escape references to the Broadway musical Hamilton. From mentions on podcasts to small talk at the salon, that name is on many people's lips. So, I thought I'd go back to the book responsible for all of the hubbub and name Ron Chernow's biography Alexander Hamilton this month's book buyer's pick.

"Hamilton's fascinating life is deftly made real by Chernow's superior writing skills. The resulting 832 pages offer an even-handed look at how important Hamilton was in the formation of our country. What I love most about the rekindled popularity of this book is that its brains and newly found street cred make it a book the whole family can enjoy."

Perhaps watching the Tony's on Sunday night will inspire me to attempt the daunting task of reading this book. In the meantime, because I liked Shotgun Lovesongs so very much, I picked up Nick Butler's short story collection, Beneath the Bonfire.  The two stories I have read so far could not be more different.  The first one shocks a time or two with adult themes and scenes, while the second tenderly captures  a quiet snapshot  moment shared between a grandfather and grandson.  Butler sure has range.  You can catch Nick reading, discussing and signing next Monday, 6:00 at the Manitowoc Public Library.

Thunder. Lightening.  Blowing. Rain.  I guess most of you will be staying in today and not stopping by to visit.  That means I'll have to do some real work for a change.

LaDeDa Bev