ARTS

'Two photos capture the mythic America of the
Nineties. The first is Bill Clinton's handshake of
destiny with John Kennedy. The second is loyal
Democrat and serial killer John Wayne Gacy's
handshake in 1977 with then First Lady Rosalyn
Carter.'
- British writer John O'Reilly

Psychics.
By Melissa Rose Bernardo
For onereasonor another, the Tony
Awards haven't generated much ex-
citement this year. Perhaps it's the
lack oforiginalproductions. The abun-
dance of revivals forced the Ameri-
can Theatre Wing to split the "Best
Revival" category into "Musical Re-
vival" and "Play Revival:" At any
rate, when the Tonys are presented
thisSunday, theatergoers will behard-
pressed to muster up enthusiasm for
the lackluster '93-'94 season.
Nominations recognized 16 plays
and musicals, but only about half will
likely receive the coveted statues.
Topping the nominations were "Pas-
sion" with 10, and Disney's "Beauty
and the Beast" and "She Loves Me"
with nine each.
"Passion,", the new Stephen
Sondheim-Japes Lapine musical,
opened to a lot of polite criticism. The
scornful story of a decrepit, aging
woman desperately in love with a
young, handsome soldier was too grim
for most people. Nevertheless, it is
Sondheim's first Broadway musical
in six years (since "Into the Woods"),
and its depth and lyrical romanticism
should attract some votes.
"Beauty and the Beast" should
have an edge over "Passion" in the
Best Musical category. However, the
Tony voters should recognize that
since the score is comprised of the
movie songs plus five new songs, it
could not rightfully win "Best Origi-
nal Score Written for the Theatre."
The competition for Best Musical

& Tonys
is solely between "Passion" and
"Beauty." "Cyrano: the Musical" re-
ceived lukewarm reviews and was
still going through rewrites months
into its run; "A Grand Night For Sing-
ing" is a revue.
"Perestroika," the second half of
Tony Kushner's epic "Angels in
America," received six nominations.
"Perestroika" is not as well-written as
the first half, "Millenium Ap-
proaches," which received a record
nine nominations last season, but it is
superior to its competition: Arthur
Miller's "Broken Glass," Robert
Schenkkan's "The Kentucky Cycle"
and Anna Deavere Smith's "Twilight:
Los Angeles, 1992." It should bring
in at least three, including another for
Stephen Spinella, last year's Featured
Actor in a Play.
The real competition comes in the
Best Revival categories; after all, there
were so many. Expect "An Inspector
Calls" to take the Best Play Revival.
Best Musical Revival is a tougher
contest. Forget that atrocious produc-
tion of "Grease," and forget "Damn
Yankees" (though it has its moments).
"She Loves Me" should edge out the
British import of "Carousel." Though
a lovely production, "Carousel"
doesn't sit well with purists, which
should make way for the splendid
revival of Sheldon Harnick-Jerry
Bock's charming "She Loves Me."
Here are my half-hearted picks -
not necessarily predictions. Tune in
Sunday at 9 p.m. on CBS. The high-
light is Glenn Close and company's

vine intervention bring "Angels in America" six Tony awards?

number from "Sunset Boulevard," a
preview of next year's Best Musical
and Actress in a Musical.
Play: "Angels in America:
Perestroika"
Musical: Disney's "Beauty and
the Beast"
Book of a Musical: "Passion"
(James Lapine)
Original Score: "Passion"
(Stephen Sondheim)
Actor, Play: Stephen Spinella
("Perestroika")
Actress, Play: Diana Rigg
("Medea")
Featured Actor, Play: David
Marshall Grant ("Perestroika")
Featured Actress, Musical: Jane
Adams ("An Inspector Calls")
Actor, Musical: Terrence Mann

("Beauty")
Actress, Musical: Judy Kuhn
("She Loves Me")
Featured Actor, Musical: Jarrod
Emick ("Damn Yankees")
Featured Actress, Musical: Sally
Mayes ("She Loves Me")
Director, Play: George C. Wolfe
("Perestroika")
Director, Musical: Robert Jess
Roth ("Beauty")
Scenic Design: Bob Crowley
("Carousel")
Lighting Design: Beverly
Emmons ("Passion")
Costume Design: Ann Hould-
Ward ("Beauty")
Revival, Play: "An Inspector
Calls"
Revival,Musical: "She Loves Me"


I

RECORDS.
Frank Black
Teenager of the Year
4 AD / Elektra
Never at a loss for words, the
prolific ex-Pixie Frank Black has re-
bounded quickly from last year's
eponymous album with the 22 songs
(count 'em!) that make up "Teenager
of the Year."
And once again, he has not deliv-
ered what most of his fans want: a
sequel to "Surfer Rosa." Indeed,
"Teenager" continues the softer, more
reflective direction started on "Frank
Black," with love songs and lullabies
like "Speedy Marie" and "Sir
Rockaby" as well as quirky pop like
"(I Want to Live on an) Abstract
Plain," "Fiddle Riddle," and the ex-
ellent "Superabound." However,
lack can't quite give up the punk
rave-ups he made an art form of with
the Pixies; the openers "Whatever
Happened to Pong?" and
See Records, Page 10

I

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