Forgot to add:
They do "introductions" before commercial breaks with the actors (in costume) from the show saying lines to the effect of "stay tuned for our performance." Well when it was 110 IN THE SHADE'S turn to do their intro, the light cue went up and no one was there. We were Audra Macdonald scream "AW SHOOT!" (in character) and ran up the stairs to the platform. It was HILARIOUS!
Also, the In Memorium section is a little different this year. Tommy Tune sings a Betty Comden-written song to a montage.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
