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And then, once it started … it couldnt be stopped.
Stars from stage and screen Streep!
That makes him not just the birthday boy but the man of the moment.
Madison Malone Kircher:Okay, so, where should we begin?
Theres just so much to discuss!
And we had a learning moment!
Shaw:The immediacy of the curtains start late jokes were so delightful.
Christopher Bonanos:What time did they actually get going it was well after 9, wasnt it?
It’s a blessed miracle to see all these Angels Of Broadway in one space loving on Steve Sondheim.
Bonanos:Some portmanteau of first names, I was guessing.
Plus Swenson, her husband Wills name.
Kircher:The space between theMand theSin M Ss iPhone.
McHenry:I love the directness of Victor Garbers Victors iPad.
McHenry:But, eventually, it did go on!
But that only came after the first attempt went south.
Bonanos:As Raul muttered into a microphone that he clearly did not know was live.
And then, when the stream cut over to him at full-screen size, his sound immediately disappeared.
Did you find yourselves screaming, CLICK UNMUTE IN THE CORNER, RAUL?
Kircher:I think I tweeted it, in fact.
Bonanos:Okay, Zoomer?
Also, Im jumping ahead, but my God, as always, hisvoice!
(At least I cant.)
Teach this little treatise onMarry Me a Littlein schools.
Bonanos:Funny, crinkly white backdrop, but not bad.
Did no one consider the sexuality of the whole rooting through rutabagas shtick?
Kircher:It was aCHOICE.
I am convinced he thinks that song is literally about vegetables.
That is the only possible explanation.
Bonanos:You should see his nectarines!
Shaw:There are mansions in thewooooooods, great, big, echoey mansions in the Hills.
Kircher:Kelli OHara.
The list of names just kept growing after that.
Bonanos:Did anyone note who sounds best via Zoom?
Like, did Kellis soprano come through cleaner than some of the midrange voices?
Though I suppose it also depends on who has a good microphone setup.
Shaw:I thought it was more about whether or not you could sell looking into the distance.
All of Twitter was off-book and ready for this moment, and you needed a prompter?
Shaw:Mandy didnt need the lyrics.
Bonanos:Or music.
Or a computer or camera?
Kircher:Do pets count as props?
Shaw:I bet Mandy does that every day.
That dog has heard him do that before, you’re able to tell.
Sure, Ill start.
I would die for Katrina Lenk.
The acoustic cover of Johanna was both beautiful and original.
Bonanos:Katrina as Sweeney, Cerveris as Mrs. Lovett this time?
But I think this performance, of all things, changed my mind.
I finally got it this time around.
Or Chip Zien embracing the bakers hat!
Brian Stokes Mitchell doing a cut number fromAssassinswas also a treat.
The Oh yeah, youre a Sondheim fan?
Name three of his albums flex of the event.
Shaw:Who was saying was it Raul, on Twitter?
Bonanos:As all of them mutter, What time is this thing gonna start streaming anyway?
Speaking of slayings: We should discuss the three ladies doing Ladies Who Lunch.
Kircher:Let me open a bottle of gin, and then Ill be ready to process it.
Also, this is me refusing to acknowledge that murder joke.
Shaw:Christine Baranski moved that glass out of the way to reveal such glamor!
Best hair and makeup of the night.
Who is her glam squad?
Kircher:Im thinkingone of those Amy Schumersize onesthat hold an entire bottle of wine.
McHenry:The escalating series of reveals was delightful.
Christine … Then Meryl!
… Then Audra, with Audra vibrato!
Kircher:I love that she did not hold back a bit.
Shaw:Thats when I started wondering about microphones, actually.
Because hers could handle it.
There were mics andMICS last night.
Shaw:Every day is Caturday.
For heavens sake, sign her up for something!
Shaw:Whats the fantasy casting for her?
McHenry:She at least didSweeneyin D.C., but bring her to Broadway!Companyreplacement Joanne?
Alternating with the other two members of her Zoom call?
Bonanos:PutherinSweeney, opposite Katrina Lenk.
The bar has been set too high.
Bonanos:Side by Side by Side by Everyone Good Who Was Ever in Anything.
Shaw:Frankly, Im surprised that JakesSunday in the Parkdidnt run for 1 million years.
Bonanos:Oh God, yes.
Shaw:How did you guys feel about the Beanie FeldsteinBen Platt moment?
Kircher:They were really lovely.
Beanie calling him Mr. Sondheim!
Shaw: Who Gets to Call Him Steve: A Spreadsheet.
McHenry:I liked the deeper cuts.
I was bracing for a lot ofSunday,Into the Woods, etc.
(so muchInto the Woods!
Give meSaturday Night,Evening Primrose(twice!
Bonanos:Did anyone else cringe a little at the pidgin-Spanish-Portuguese-whatever in that one?
Kircher:At the very least, give him more bars than Iain Armitage!
Bonanos:And then it came down to Broadways two most recent Mommas Rose at the end.
McHenry:Patti LuPone, making a surprisetrip aboveground, with Anyone Can Whistle.
Bernadette Peters, stunting in her own way: No One Is Alone, sans backing track.
Kircher:A casual a cappella cover.
No One Is Alone except for me, Bernadette Peters, who needs absolutely no accompaniment.
Bonanos:As Benjamin Dreyer noted on Twitter,Bernadette looks great for 34.
Shaw:I aged more during the livestream than she has in the past 40 years.
Kircher:Its all thosepush-upsshe does.
Shaw:You realize we havent talked about Benanti in the bathroom?
Or STOKES and his oxblood wall?
Kircher:Im still thinking aboutDonna Murphys single lit candle.
At least by my eyeball estimate, it went from 100,000 viewers to around 25,000 during the kerfuffle.
I really hope everyone gave four times as much as they were planning to.
I watched GLAAD until Sondheim came back, and then … well … Melissa Errico and Nathan Lane!
How could I click away?
Id have watched that regardless of what came after.
Shaw:It was smart to have everyone pretape, which is what saved the night.
But it also meant they couldnt throw to Lane and vamp entertainingly while raising thousands.
A live disaster is better, isnt it?
I know I tip like a Medici whenever something goes wrong in a restaurant.
Spill a glass of wine on me?
Thatll be an extra 40 percent, automatically.
Kircher:After the false start, I really thought theyd just hold off and do it another night.
Essentially all of it was taped, anyway.
Not that Im complaining: I got five hours of entertainment on Sunday night for the price of three.
Bonanos:On anordinaaaaaary Sunday!
