The Tonys - the stuff they DIDN'T show on TV

[legally_popular]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 2:51am

To whoever attended the awards - let's share some of our experiences from before, during, and after the awards! Celebrity meetings, the red carpet, the stuff during commercial breaks, all of it. Any good stories or pictures you have, please share!

This was my first time attending so seeing it live was truly an incredible experience. I also got a little taste of the red carpet and backstage and on-stage.


1. My cousin works at Radio City and was able to get us really great seats in the orchestra section, about half way back. We were to the left of the teleprompter/sound board/photographers. We loved being on the aisle because a lot the actors would walk back and forth right passed us as they had to leave to go present or whatever. I was about 10-15 rows behind Laura Benanti, Steven Pasquale, and Lauren Graham, except to the left across the aisle from them. It was easy to spot them with their blue and green dresses when they stood up. And I couldn?t help but glance over at them (or mostly the backs/sides of their heads) from time to time. Either right before the show started (8pm) or the first commercial break, I saw Steven get up and walk up the aisle and he came back soon after with Laura.

2. Speaking of Laura... I loved watching her during the pre-awards - she seemed really excited for Next to Normal winning and her reactions to the acceptance speeches were adorable. I love her sarcastic humor too.

3. During the commercial breaks was when my sister and I most enjoyed celebrity-spotting. I could see the casts of God of Carnage and reasons to be pretty, Angela Lansbury, Liza, Geoffrey Rush, and more just from my seat. All the nominees were on the aisle since they had to be filmed, so it was easy for me to just look right down the aisle at people. And of course we saw the camera people going back and forth to film them ? so every time we saw a cameraperson in the aisle, we knew a nominee was there. I had a good view of everyone in the front center and house left... the right side like where the people of Next to Normal and Billy Elliot sat were a little more difficult to see with the sound people right there in the middle in my way. Some people who won (I *think* it was for the Norman Conquests were 2 rows in front of me). Edie Falco ran by towards the end of the show, Piper Perabo saw me bugging out, and such. We also saw Aaron Tveit and Bernie Telsey (sp?) a few times. We actually sort of walked out with/next to Mr. Telsey and was standing next to him talking as he was talking to his friends.

4. Before the show, my cousin led us in the door that the actors go in after the red carpet. So we didn?t get to walk DOWN the red carpet, just ON it. It was too hard for us to see any of the actors though. We left out that door too. It was a little intimidating for me to walk outside to so many people staring at us.

5. Inside, before we went to our seats we were just hanging around and Elton John and Anne Hathaway walked right by us (not together at the same time, but ya know...). We saw Anne a few other times too during commercial breaks.

6. I loved the stuff they had during the commercial breaks. My favorite was that video they showed of the fairy tale characters from Shrek auditioning. Hilarious! I wish I could watch that again. My other favorite was NPH's magic tricks, especially the first one when he wrote "No."

7. Backstage - After the show when I met back up with my cousin and two other people in our party, we passed right by James Gandolfini (sp?). My cousin led us backstage. During the show I saw a lot of celebrities coming to and from this area. It was on the left. There was a staircase leading outside, but down towards the right was the backstage area. First we got to walk ON the stage. We walked in the areas where the presenters stood and pretended we were presenting an award ourselves.=P

We also went up to where my cousin's office is and his window right below is where the red carpet is. I should've taken pictures of the view.

I am so mad I didn't bring my camera! I thought they were going to take it away at the front door so I didn?t bother bringing it at all. Can anyone tell me if they scanned people at the other entrance? I didn?t know we would be going in the red-carpet door so I didn?t know that they wouldn?t check for cameras.

Instead, I took a couple pics with my crappy camera phone. It was too dark and the quality is terrible. My biggest regret is not bringing a camera. Nonetheless here are the pictures I have if you can try to make them out. Please post your own if you have any. I would love to see more. C'mon, they can't be any worse quality than mine, haha.


The stage:


On the stage looking out to the audience:


My sister walking out where the presenters walk:


The piece they used for Legally Blonde for the sorority girls:



^So that's why I regret not bringing my camera. Does anyone have any pics they can share, particularly of the red carpet or stage - please post!
Updated On: 6/8/09 at 02:51 AM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 3:14am

Michele Lee, Barbara Cook, Raul Esparza and James Gandolfini all walked by me. (As well as a former boss of mine. ) Michele Lee is still gorgeous!

[jagfkb]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 11:00am

Does anyone have this bonus footage of the Shrek auditions, or the commercial material for Addams and Spiderman?

[jagfkb]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 11:00am

Does anyone have this bonus footage of the Shrek auditions, or the commercial material for Addams and Spiderman?

[Myron]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 11:05am

Why wasn't the pre-show televised by PBS? I wanted to see Phyllis Newman receive her award but it was never televised or even mentioned. Was the show presented live or on tape-delay?

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 11:13am

"Why wasn't the pre-show televised by PBS? I wanted to see Phyllis Newman receive her award but it was never televised or even mentioned. Was the show presented live or on tape-delay?"

It was streamed live on the Tonyawards website.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 11:19am

NPH's magic tricks were adorable. As was he.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 11:22am

Laura Benanti was amazing and managed to milk every laugh out of the teleprompter jokes. Her humor was spot on.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 12:14pm

I just watched the creative arts Tonys online and Laura was brillant and I literally "Lol". I would love to see her in an original comedic musical role.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:45pm

Barbara Cook was there and she didn't get to present? Shame, Shame, Shame!

[wonkit]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 2:04pm

THE ADDAMS FAMILY spot made me want to run right out and buy tickets -good job! NPH was so adorable and relaxed and entertaining. Also a good job!

[legally_popular]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 5:52pm

You can still watch the pre-awards on the Tony site I believe.

I also found out that Bret Michaels did not come to the rehearsal, so he didn't know the thing would come down (when he banged his nose) while all his band members knew what to do. Serves him to not show up for rehearsal!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 5:54pm

I also heard that Bret Michaels did come to the dress rehearsal.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 5:56pm

A few people that were at the tony dress said he was indeed present. He just ignored the timing of his cross upstage.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 6:05pm

The magic tricks were hysterical.

And I absolutely loved Laura Benanti. My dad turned to me and said "I don't know who she is but she should host...she's hilarious!"

[legally_popular]

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:11pm

^haha, I was thinking that too, that Laura would make a good host. Too bad she's not "famous."

But NHP was amazing. Even my sister who didn't know who he was beforehand fell in love with him last night.

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/9/09 at 2:32am

I think my favorite was when John Tartaglia started singing "Purpose" on the Shrek auditions

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 6/9/09 at 6:03am

Am I gonna get shot for posting this? I DID NOT FILM. Haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntg_cW5C93M

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/9/09 at 9:42am

I also listened to the warnings about not bringing a camera and I'm still kicking myself over it. NOBODY checked for them.

[Anakela]

Posted: 6/9/09 at 9:49am

I also found out that Bret Michaels did not come to the rehearsal, so he didn't know the thing would come down (when he banged his nose) while all his band members knew what to do. Serves him to not show up for rehearsal!

I'm just gonna keep posting this every time this comes up: Bret Michaels WAS AT THE DRESS REHEARSAL ON SUNDAY MORNING. Yes, I was there.

I'm not particularly invested in Michaels or his career or Rock of Ages or anything to do with any of it, but when people are saying 'serves him right' for being smacked in the head with a set piece because he didn't show up at rehearsal, when he was in fact at rehearsal- seriously??

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 6/9/09 at 9:59am

Sounds awesome!

I really wish I could see the Addams Family and Spider-man stuff.